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burntoutdaydreamer · 6 months

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Weird Brain Hacks That Help Me Write

I'm a consistently inconsistent writer/aspiring novelist, member of the burnt-out-gifted-kid-to-adult-ADHD-diagnosis-pipeline, recently unemployed overachiever, and person who's sick of hearing the conventional neurotypical advice to dealing with writer's block (i.e. "write every single day," or "there's no such thing as writer's block- if you're struggling to write, just write" Like F*CK THAT. Thank you, Brenda, why don't you go and tell someone with diabetes to just start producing more insulin?)

I've yet to get to a point in my life where I'm able to consistently write at the pace I want to, but I've come a long way from where I was a few years ago. In the past five years I've written two drafts of a 130,000 word fantasy novel (currently working on the third) and I'm about 50,000 words in on the sequel. I've hit a bit of a snag recently, but now that I've suddenly got a lot of time on my hands, I'm hoping to revamp things and return to the basics that have gotten me to this point and I thought I might share.

1) My first draft stays between me and God

I find that I and a lot of other writers unfortunately have gotten it into our heads that first drafts are supposed to resemble the finished product and that revisions are only for fixing minor mistakes. Therefore, if our first draft sucks that must mean we suck as writers and having to rewrite things from scratch means that means our first draft is a failure.

I'm here to say that is one of the most detrimental mentalities you can have as a writer.

Ever try drawing a circle? You know how when you try to free-hand draw a perfect circle in one go, it never turns out right? Whereas if you scribble, say, ten circles on top of one another really quickly and then erase the messy lines until it looks like you drew a circle with a singular line, it ends up looking pretty decent?

Yeah. That's what the drafting process is.

Your first draft is supposed to suck. I don't care who you are, but you're never going to write a perfect first draft, especially if you're inexperienced. The purpose of the first draft is to lay down a semi-workable foundation. A really loose, messy sketch if you will. Get it all down on paper, even if it turns out to be the most cliche, cringe-inducing writing you've ever done. You can work out those kinks in the later drafts. The hardest part of the first draft is the most crucial part: getting started. Don't stress yourself out and make it even harder than it already is.

If that means making a promise to yourself that no one other than you will ever read your first draft unless it's over your cold, dead body, so be it.

2) Tell perfectionism to screw off by writing with a pen

I used to exclusively write with pencil until I realized I was spending more time erasing instead of writing.

Writing with a pen keeps me from editing while I right. Like, sometimes I'll have to cross something out or make notes in the margins, but unlike erasing and rewriting, this leaves the page looking like a disaster zone and that's a good thing.

If my writing looks like a complete mess on paper, that helps me move past the perfectionist paralysis and just focus on getting words down on the page. Somehow seeing a page full of chicken scratch makes me less worried about making my writing all perfect and pretty- and that helps me get on with my main goal of fleshing out ideas and getting words on a page.

3) It's okay to leave things blank when you can't think of the right word

My writing, especially my first draft, is often filled with ___ and .... and (insert name here) and red text that reads like stage directions because I can't think of what is supposed to go there or the correct way to write it.

I found it helps to treat my writing like I do multiple choice tests. Can't think of the right answer? Just skip it. Circle it, come back to it later, but don't let one tricky question stall you to the point where you run out of brain power or run out of time to answer the other questions.

If I'm on a role, I'm not gonna waste it by trying to remember that exact word that I need or figure out the right transition into the next scene or paragraph. I'm just going to leave it blank, mark to myself that I'll need to fix the problem later, and move on.

Trust me. This helps me sooooo much with staying on a roll.

4) Write Out of Order

This may not be for everyone, but it works wonders for me.

Sure, the story your writing may need to progress chronologically, but does that mean you need to write it chronologically? No. It just needs to be written.

I generally don't do this as much for editing, but for writing, so long as you're making progress, it doesn't matter if it's in the right order. Can't think of how to structure Chapter 2, but you have a pretty good idea of how your story's going to end? Write the ending then. You'll have to go back and write Chapter 2 eventually, but if you're feeling more motivated to write a completely different part of the book, who's to say you can't do that?

When I'm working on a project, I start off with a single document that I title "Scrap for (Project Title)" and then just write whatever comes to mind, in whatever order. Once I've gotten enough to work with, then I start outlining my plot and predicting how many chapters I'm going to need. Then, I create separate google docs for each individual chapter and work on them in whatever order I feel like, often leaving several partially complete as I jump from one to the other. Then, as each one gets finished, I copy and paste the chapter into the full manuscript document. This means that the official "draft" could have Chapters 1 and 9, but completely be missing Chapters 2-8, and that's fine. It's not like anyone will ever know once I finish it.

Sorry for the absurdly long post. Hopes this helps someone. Maybe I'll share more tricks in the future.

#writing #creative writing #writerscommunity #writers on tumblr #writing tips #writing advice #writers block #novel writing #fiction writing #writer #writers of tumblr

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drunkenskunk · 2 months

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So I've been playing a lot of Helldivers II, and it's really fun!

(at least, it is when the servers are working lmao)

However: there is one thing about the game that annoys me. It's the same thing that always annoys me whenever drop pods are mentioned in science fiction.

Nobody ever seems to get them right!

Whenever drop pods show up, they always seem to depict each pod as a single projectile rocketing towards the surface of a planet, usually behind enemy lines. They're the logical sci fi evolution of airborne infantry dropping in by parachute, because a lot of military sci fi tropes have trouble moving past WWII. And, y'know, that's fine. That's not the issue I have.

The issue is the single projectile part.

It's almost like every writer who includes drop pods forget that anti-aircraft weapons and SAM sites are currently a thing in the real world and would almost certainly still exist and be better in the science fiction space future. Those drop pods rocketing towards the surface would present the juiciest targets imaginable and would almost certainly get shot out of the sky before they even got close to impacting on the surface.

Annoyingly, the only sci fi that I know of to ever get drop pods right is the first one to ever do it: the Starship Troopers novel by Robert Heinlein.

Now, say what you will about Heinlein - and I do, quite often. For the most part, he's not that great of a writer, and his politics are terrible. The man was an asshole who loved writing wet farts of fascist porn, and the novel absolutely pales in comparison to Paul Verhoeven's 1998 masterpiece of satire, where he took one look at the book, rolled his eyes, and started making jerk-off motions.

But when I first read the novel when I was, like, 6 years old, I was a dumbass child and didn't notice (or care) about the... I mean, I'd call it "fascist subtext" except that it's literally just The Text. No, what drew me in was the one singular thing Heinlein was actually good at writing: technical sequences, written from an in-universe lens.

The way he described how the drop pods actually work in the first few pages of the novel - and, more importantly, how they don't immediately get shot out of the sky - is great! It makes sense, it's easy to understand (because Johnny Rico is, let's be honest: an idiot, he's not going to give you a complicated explanation), and it fills in a plot hole you never realized was there.

For as many faults as the man had as both a writer and a human being, and for all the many problems the rest of the book has, that first chapter - and specifically the drop pod sequence - is a great hook.

Like, this is the template for drop pods. This is The Thing that people are referencing whenever drop pods show up in sci fi, like in fucking Halo, or Starcraft, or Warhammer 40k. And everyone always seems to forget the single most important thing about this infantry delivery system: the countermeasures.

I dunno. This is just one of those things that's always annoyed me.

#drunk skunk rant #scifi #drop pods #Helldivers #Helldivers 2 #Helldivers II #Starship Troopers #Robert A Heinlein

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ataraxiaspainting · 4 months

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Experience.

Yan Nanami x GN Reader.

Synopsis: Kento says to meet him downstairs to get ready to go outside.

Warnings: Yandere themes, past stalking, kidnapping, manipulation, and past violence.

Word Count: 800.

*~*~*~*

Last winter, your captor informed you that you would have the opportunity to venture outdoors when the darkness fell, the streets were deserted, and the pavements were sprinkled with salt. Despite endlessly waiting for Kento to stop reading his book and unlock the closet near the entrance, allowing you to slip into your jacket, the awaited moment never arrived. This instance marked the first occasion when Kento inflicted more emotional pain upon you than physical.

It hurt because he promised. Kento had never broken a promise to you before. Never. For better or worse, whether that was promising to buy you a cake for when you were good for a few weeks or promising to slap you across the face whenever he caught you mid-escape attempt.

You asked him if he was going to take you when the sun had set, the fireplace was lit and your cup of tea had long since become cold. For what seemed like an eternity, his gaze lingered, chilling you to the bone from head to toe. Silence. No answer. You teared up and kept scrambling and muttering begs to go outside even if it was just for a moment or two.

With every one, he shook his head and turned to another page of his novel. After enough, he started to sigh to the rest of them. Soon, you stopped, looking down at your cold feet and shuffling to the kitchen to grab your sweater, as useless as it was to keep you warm in this weather. That was when he spoke.

“It’s snowing.” Kento pointed to the apartment window, and the winter wonderland outside looked more horrifying than hell to you and to you alone. Snowflakes rush to the ground every second, painting the sidewalks and roads a shade of white fit for a traditional bridal veil. “You’ll catch a cold, and you could get hurt.”

You stopped walking and faced him. Tears fell from your eyes then, after so long of being unpunished. Despite the warmth of the flames within the stoker placed by the television, your cheeks felt so stinging that you could have sworn that your cries would turn into icicles that would sooner than later impale your feet. You sniffle, and Kento stands up from his rocking chair at long last.

Old habits die hard and come back to life at that very moment. Impulses, animal, and raw and afraid. You ran frantically, wanting to be anywhere but in the same room as him at the very least. But wherever you ran and hid, he would always find you.

In no time, you discovered your back against the wall, caught between the pantry door that refused to budge and the ever-present figure of Kento. It felt like a repeat of the day you awoke in this place, only this time Kento displayed a touch of kindness he lacked before, back when you bit and screamed and always got tied up or hit with his belt. So, because of this slight development, rather than resorting to violence or depriving you of your fundamental rights, he opted for a different approach–a proposition to be exact.

“We… can bake something.” He utters his words with a hint of uncertainty. “Something warm. Whatever you want. I just don’t want you to get sick. During the colder times of the month, influenza especially gets passed around as quickly as wildfire. There is also the common cold. Those… and curses. You aren’t strong enough to defeat them. We both already know that don’t we?”

Despite its lack of fairness, the exchange was still a trade, albeit an imbalanced one. So, you think. Things are set in stone already for Kento. He won’t budge. You may as well not try to delay the inevitable. So, slowly but surely, you nod, almost choking up another sob as you do so.

“I… Yeah. W-We can bake something.”

“Good. How about some cookies? It is the holiday season after all.”

Memories of joyful holidays spent with your true family flood your mind, contrasting sharply with the current reality of being trapped by a deranged stalker. As long as this manipulator holds power over you, the chances of reuniting with your loved ones grow increasingly slim. Concern gnaws at your heart – are your family members safe and sound? You can only hope for their well-being.

However, your heart reminds you that it's important to prioritize yourself. Consequently, you decide to proceed and accept whatever you can in the present moment. Whatever you can.

No matter the circumstances, you find yourself trapped in a suffocating grip. It could be the frost, the concern you harbor for your dear ones, or the relentless pressure of Kento's hands gripping you tightly until you're on the verge of breaking. Turning the heat up will only burn your flesh and not melt away anything. You are going to get hurt whether it is used or not.

#aya abstractions #yandere #yandere x reader #yandere jujutsu kaisen x reader #yandere jujutsu kaisen #yandere jjk #yandere jjk x reader #yandere nanami #yandere nanami x reader #nanami kento #nanami x reader #jujutsu nanami #yandere kento nanami #yandere nanami kento #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #jjk

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yanverse · 13 days

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I have to see my husband, show me Yuri. Please.

bbg i GOT chu husband incoming <33 i present to you my yuri magnum opus !!

"Mr. Maeda"

(cws: gn pronouns, work meet cute, office romance, a bit of petty theft, work-inappropriate kisses, obsessive & overprotective behavior, yuri's a lil secret creep)

wc: 3.3k

Here it is. The starting point of the rest of your life. You worried it might be some big, huge corporate building that you'd sooner get lost in than find your way to the office written on your little sheet of paper, but it was small enough to fit its two-story self smack dab on the corner of the avenue. Easy to access, walkable from where you just moved…and still terrifying. This was the only place that would hire you and the first job you'd had that was actually in your field, so to screw this up would ruin years of potential prospects if you ever decided to move upwards and onwards. There was a whole lot riding on this, but all you could do was swallow those doubts and keep your chin up as you pushed through the door and took your first step into the future.

Ting-ing. A bell chimed overhead to signal your arrival, all other noise from the street growing muffled as the door closed behind you. It was…elegant. Even for an interior decorating office, it seemed lavish. The floors were shiny with fresh wax and the furniture was all arranged so delicately you wouldn't even want to sit, the waiting room off to your left and a showroom to your right while a long hallway extended past the front desk on the far side of the wall. It was all decorated in deep red and white tones for the most part along with some other complementary hues, all save for the bored-looking young woman at the desk who wore a baby-blue top and torn jeans. If nothing else, at least the dress code seemed pleasantly loose.

"H..." You squeaked out your greeting like a shy mouse as you approached her, her eyes stuck to the pages of a book that laid open by her keyboard. “..H-Hello.”

"Yuri's by appointment only, please book online."

Her instructions came out as bland and monotone as you could ever imagine, a business card with the URL slapped down on the upper counter of her desk to stare right back at you. She hadn't peeled her eyes away from her reading for even a second, but when she did, it was because you'd cleared your throat and mustered up the courage to say that you were actually here for the job.

"Here for the–oh!" The mere sight of you had her flipping her novel shut and getting up from her seat, her hand stuck out to greet yours as a look of embarrassment overtook her features. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were–e-er, never mind. Welcome! I'm Angel."

Despite her relatively gentle appearance, the squeeze of her hand was strong–you had little space to dwell on those minor details though, as she briskly skirted around her desk to wave you towards the hall. "I'll take you back to meet Yuri, right this way."

Clack. Clack. Clack. It wasn't her flats but your polished shoes clicking loudly on the tile, echoing your nerves in the silence that was only peppered by the distant hum of computers and occasional chatter. You'd no idea exactly how many agents worked here, just that it was a small agency. Less people to impress, but more intense scrutiny if you happened to disappoint them with your skills….or lack thereof. God, please let your heart stop beating so loud. Angel reached for a door near the very end of the corridor and you took a deep breath, one that was probably noticeable since she reassured you with a look and a curt smile as it opened.

"Yuri! Your protégé is here," Her grin grew wider as you balked at her introduction, she patted your shoulder in parting and slipped away as you forced yourself through the doorway and into the brightly-lit office crammed with desks. Chairs had been tucked in tight to allow more room to manoeuvre since it was oddly cramped, but that was mostly because nobody sat in them; your coworkers either leaned against the desks or by the huge bay windows letting in the midday sun, and each and every one of their heads turned to face you once you took a step into their domain. Not one of them commanded your attention like he did, though.

"Oh, please, Angel. Try not to embarrass me, would you?" His voice, airy and smooth, reached you where you stood and nearly buckled your knees before you even got a glimpse of him. The assembly that loosely surrounded him made way for his lithe frame to step around the furniture and head towards you, smiles creeping across their faces and whispers exchanged between them–it almost distracted you long enough not to look up once he finally stood in front of you.

Oh no.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Ah…" His eyes darted down from your feet to roam their way back up to your eyes in a single pass, so brief you might've thought it never even happened. "...A real pleasure, my sweet." Yuri's cool, soft hands clamped around yours in a gentle handshake, though he barely moved it and rather just held you there like he needed an excuse to stare longer.

Oh, god. Your boss is too attractive to get anything done.

"Y-You too, sir. I've really been looking forward to this." You tried not to stutter out your answer, though Yuri seemed endeared nonetheless and urged you to forget the honours, his grip just barely brushing you once more as he finally managed to drop your hand.

"Let's…oh, what was I saying?" He blinked with an absent gaze, attention fixated on something over your shoulder before he came back down to earth. A quick glance in your peripheral betrayed nothing of note, aside from your own hair. But to think anything of that would be odd, and far be it from you to put your foot in your mouth in front of a boss that actually seemed to like you. "Oh! Right, right–why don't I show you around? We'll get you settled in a minute, but I'll give you a tour first."

He extended an arm out elegantly towards the office, your new coworkers clamouring to get their introductions in to the fresh meat in their presence–yet in all the time he spent showing you around, Yuri didn't seem to take his eyes off you for more than a moment or two.

Which was either a terrible omen of things to come, or a very, very good sign.

The first three days of a new job were usually the most difficult, but a week had passed now and you could swear the hard part just wasn't coming. Every task you'd been given had been a breeze, and with no real assignments yet since you were still in the learning phase, you were practically getting paid to sit around, experiment with your room designs in the decorator software, and chat with your coworkers in between group lunches and the occasional outing to visit potential clients.

The man that had now established himself as your boss was nothing at all like what you expected. Sure, your expectations were certainly lower after your last job plummeted you into financial hell and mental anguish, but you expected the top agent of the city's biggest interior design conglomerate to be somewhat prudish, egotistical, and impossible to please.

But Yuri Maeda was nearly the complete opposite of that. He was by no means lackadaisical, and he did carry a certain air of class about him in the way he walked and talked, but he was not at all like other bosses you'd worked for before. He remembered your name when you walked in the door, and he welcomed you with open arms. He was kind to you and spoke gently of your mistakes, and no matter what, he'd never raised his voice or talked down to anyone about anything.

And he was so, so easy on the eyes. His age showed in nothing but his white hair and even that was more of a fashion statement than anything else–you wouldn't assume a man that barely crested 30 would be so rife with grays under normal circumstances. He didn't even dress like a boss; he'd foregone a suit and tie in exchange for loose, flowing clothing, his shirt hung low to show off his pronounced collarbones while his pants hugged tight to his hips and accentuated those long legs that just kept on going. You'd once asked about his background, and the way his face lit up at the chance to talk about his infancy in Morocco and adolescence in Japan had been the highlight of your day, no doubt. You'd rarely seen such a professional and well-bred man talk so excitedly of his roots while brewing you some coffee and pulling out old photos of his home countries. It was an almost childlike interest, and it endeared him to you even more if that was even possible.

Yuri had a strange habit, however. At first you thought you were getting hazed by the frequency with which your office supplies was going missing, but soon you started noticing that whatever item you had lost would magically appear in Yuri's hands. You'd caught him with your pencil behind his ear, your colourful paperclips attached to his files, once you could've sworn that someone had taken a sip from the drink you'd left on your desk, though there was no way for you to prove that was even the case.

Whatever was going on with that, it took a backseat to the unbelievably good treatment you were getting at the office. You couldn't make yourself mess this up on purpose–you had to try as hard as you ever had to make this work and make it last. Where else were you going to get such a nice boss that called you cute nicknames and bought you lunch on a whim?

But soon came the day that you'd been scheduled to help your first client. You'd been excited leading up to it, eagerly absorbing every ounce of advice that Yuri provided as you prepared to flex your skills.

When you came back to the office in tears, however, that dream had clearly been shattered. Angel at the front desk could barely catch you before you dashed into the bathroom to hide, and even when she followed you in to see what was the matter she herself couldn't believe her ears.

“They hated it,” You sniffled from within the stall, your feet pulled up to press your knees to your chest as if the echoes of your sobs off the walls wasn't enough to tell that you were there.

“Hated what?”

“Everything! They hated the colours, and my d-designs, they said they were terrible–the worst they've ever seen! They made fun of me!” You sobbed, the events of the morning sending fresh pains into your heart as you heard your own voice repeating them. Angel heaved a sigh from the other side of the bathroom door.

“I'm getting Yuri. Hold on.”

“No, please, I–I can't let him see me like this, I-” Despite your pleas, the sounds of Angel's shoes pattering away left you feeling defeated, and you slumped your head between your knees. The shame and embarrassment of having such confidence, only to have it ruined in one fell swoop, felt like too much to bear. You wanted to run and hide forever, dig a hole deep enough and jump in.

You wanted to quit, but you couldn't bear it if Yuri fired you–and after several minutes, hearing a sudden barrage of shouting that sounded like his voice outside the bathroom, you had a feeling that was exactly what was coming. You knew it was too good to be true. Deep down Yuri desired perfection, and you were not that–not even close enough to have tried.

Just when you started to consider slipping out of the bathroom and facing the music rather than stay inside and keep sobbing pathetically, the door creaked open. Taut footsteps hesitantly stepped inside, and by the soft breathing, you knew exactly who it was. He rapped gently on the stall door with his knuckles. It took you a moment to slide off the closed lid of the toilet seat, the lock jiggling loudly in the eerie quiet as you slowly opened the door.

At first glance, he looked flushed and out of sorts. His hair was mussed, and his breathing was uneven. He had his inhaler in the hand at his side, but whether he had taken a puff or not already, you couldn't tell. The silence, save for that, was painful.

Unsure of what to say, you looked back at him as he did the same to you. Your eyes were puffy and your cheeks tearstained and still wet, while his chest heaved hard enough that the quiet was finally broken decidedly by a click, and then a deep inhale of breath as he pressed his inhaler to his mouth.

“Mr. Maeda? Are you…okay?”

“How many times…” He trailed off, only to cough slightly into his arm, and take another deep puff of his medicine. With that, his lungs finally seemed to clear, and he could take deeper, longer breaths while slipping the inhaler into his pocket. “...I told you, don't have to call me that.”

“You're my boss.”

“I'm also your friend.”

“...Am I fired?” Your question twisted itself out, because it was inevitable to come off your lips, but it was so soft and meek you felt shameful yourself just asking it. Yuri shook his head.

“No, no you're not–you’re not fired, sweetheart. You're invaluable to my team. You're not going anywhere.” He seemed convinced beyond belief, but you weren't quite there yet. Despite his earnestness, despite his friendliness and charm that was distinctly Yuri, you couldn't quite bring yourself to trust that you were really that special in his eyes.

“Th-They hated my designs,” You sniffled, and brought your fingers up to smudge the tears that ran fresh down your cheek. You couldn't yet bring yourself to meet his eyes. “All of them. They said they were worthless, Yuri. They didn't like them.”

“I know.” He shook his head again, a twinge of something fierce coming over his expression. “They were wrong. Just so you know, I told them so over the phone.” He looked a bit sheepish, quietly rubbing the back of his neck. So that must have been the yelling you heard…

“Wh-What? Yuri, they were part of a big account, their main client-”

“Listen, sweetheart.” He leaned in suddenly, using his height to his advantage as he loomed over you. Not in a menacing way, but more…almost protective, in a sense. “They were worthless. Don't think about them anymore. They weren't worth your designs, nor your time.”

It shocked you to hear him speak so callously of a client, when he had always shown nothing but utmost professionalism in dealing with even the most snobbish of customers. It seemed like there was almost a shift inside him, like something had snapped to make him shout those people down over the phone, and now had him nearly cornering you in the stall as he got closer and closer to you. Only your wide, nervous eyes managed to snap him out of his trance, and at your trembling he stepped back and brushed some hair out of his face as he cleared his throat.

“You…value my professional opinion, don't you?”

You nodded with little hesitation, yet a lump in your throat forced you to swallow. “Yes, of–of course, Yuri.”

“Then believe me when I say that you are far better than you think. You're smart, and very talented, and…kind, and…very, very lovely. You're a treasure to work with. I…” Even though he trailed off, his true intentions glimmered in those clear, pale eyes. “...I want you to forget everything they said to you, everything that made you cry today. They are but a speck on your life–not worth the slightest mention.”

You opened your mouth to protest on instinct; why did you deserve to feel better about it at all? Surely you must've done something wrong. You can't imagine your meager skills being worth such praise. But something was telling you that this was far deeper than the surface level of work, and Yuri just about confirmed it as he cut you off before you could get down on yourself further.

“Believe me,” He took your cheeks into his soft, sweet-smelling hands, and brushed a stray tear away with his thumb. The gesture, as gentle as it was, almost brought you to more tears with how touching it was. “People that behave in such an…uncouth way don't deserve your attention. They don't deserve your love. Your affection. Your…”

Only then did you realize how close Yuri's lips had drifted to yours. Your mouths were nearly closing in on each other, and but for any resistance on your part he would make no move to stop what was happening. This was not in your job description.

But would you really stop him from kissing you when that's all you had fantasized of until now? A small, shy smile slowly made its way across your lips, and Yuri's followed soon after as he smoothly leaned in to claim a warm, firm kiss, with a more eager introduction to his tongue than you anticipated.

A moment passed, then another, and in what seemed like ages but at the same time only a second he broke it off, his expression aghast–perhaps at realizing what he'd just done. Probably realizing that it was a terrible, terrible mistake. You stood meekly and on the cusp of a panicked fit as he brought the back of his hand to his lips, but soon the warmth in his cheeks tipped you off to what was truly stirring in his heart.

“That was…unprofessional. I didn't mean to-”

“I-It's okay, Yuri-”

“-Not in the bathroom, gods.” He seemed preoccupied, your words barely registering. He ran his fingers back through his soft, white strands of hair and took on a look of sheepish delight. “You deserve better than that. Come, let's–to my office, let's go.” He ushered you out of the stall, his grip firm on your wrist like he was too nervous to try and hold your hand.

“Yuri?” You called out, but he seemed in a daze. His breath was catching on every inhale like he was drowning in excitement, yet he was holding himself together just barely in your presence. He wouldn't make much eye contact with you, but when you did spot that look in his eyes…it seemed like he was in the midst of a calm frenzy, his exterior composed but his mind and heart all stirred up, roused, jumbled into a mess of feelings that he was trying desperately not to get lost in. He tilted his body away from you too, as if trying not to let you see him front-facing as if he had something he was nervously hiding.

“T-Take these,” He suddenly piped up, and thrusted a set of delicate keys into your palm while he turned completely away from you. It was all he could not to just hide his flushed face completely in his hands. “Go wait in my office, I'll–I just need a moment to compose myself. Please.” Yuri whined, and at his behest you agreed and stepped out of the bathroom to give him some privacy. Hearing the lock click behind you made you a bit nervous, but as you made your way out and down the hall you fiddled with the keys and thought about all that Yuri had said.

…What a strange, alluring boss he was indeed. But even so, even now, you wouldn't know even half of what Yuri was really capable of, nor what he had been planning for you since the day you walked into the office and captured his heart in your soft, beautiful hands.

#yuri maeda #yuri maeda x reader #yandereverse #yandere ocs #male yandere #3k #ellie writes #chenkari #anons

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cas-backwards-tie · 3 months

Text

Under The Moonlight

Vladimir Makarov x Reader

Summary: You think the Commander hates your taste in music. Why is he so judgmental about what you listen to in your free time? Turns out... maybe you were caught up on the wrong thing.

Words: 2.3k

Warnings: (Vlad should probably be a warning in of itself), Passive-Aggressiveness? , Spying, Grabbing,

A/N: Ugh... I love (and hate) this song bc it gets stuck in my head so easily and it gives me such fantasy vibes. I can't help but imagine wedding vibes and him with this song every listen. btw put two diff versions in links bc those are 2/3 that I have and listen to.

"You know Arabic?" He'd asked. The first time he'd stumbled upon you listening to the song, more than curious when you'd also been singing along. With a shake of your head and a slight smile of embarrassment simultaneously dusting your cheeks with blush, this only makes his eyebrows furrow. "Then how do you know the words?"

The laugh that tumbles past your lips does nothing but further turn up the heat on the already boiling frustration and inconsequential meltdown that will no doubt later take place. "By listening to it," you answer, an inkling of a smile returning in spite of his fury, "over, and over... and over again."

With an annoyed puff of breath you know he's done with you, about to make his leave. "Why?" You ask. For once, you've swapped places as your curious eyes seek out his form.

"Because it would be useful information to know." Ever the cryptic, of course that's all he leaves you with before turning his back to you, arms crossed over his chest as he exits the room.

The second time he hears the song, he's in between meetings. It's one of those rare days where he has a little free time, not that he knows how to spend that sort of thing anymore. Having entered the library, he can hear the radio playing the Arabic song once more. Your voice joins it, again, and Vladimir finds himself subtly eyeing his surroundings as the corners of his lips twitch, tugging at a smile.

He schools himself, able to keep himself in line. While the bookshelves keep him out of view and no one's in the vicinity, he quietly strolls through the stacks, hand grazing the many novels. It seems that now you've been here longer, you're starting to get more comfortable. Even if your voice isn't the loudest, the quiet nature of a library certainly doesn't help as it carries your voice, he's sure, outdoors to the nearby stationed guards.

Once he's around the nearest bookshelf, he peeks far enough just to see your visage. From this, alone, can he paint a picture. Hand still on the page, he imagines you'd been reading, the radio on quietly as background noise, no doubt something you've continued to use since you've yet to get used to the quietness his climate provides. Thus, the radios around the Compound offer solace. He's noticed you around them often. In your focus amidst the book, you'd been distracted by the song, a familiar tune on the radio beckoning your attention. Of course, not being one to resist temptation, you couldn't resist turning it up and singing along.

He can't deny you're awful. Otherwise, he'd probably have to shoot you. It'd grow to be a nuisance, really... and dangerous, a warning signal no doubt. Yet, there's an innocence about you when you sing. Mocha-colored eyes roam your features as he watches, mesmerized, your eyes closed, as your upper body moves to the music from your chair. The smile that graces your lips is one to remember, and it's one that has him equally awed, and yet... in amusement.

"You really don't understand?" With a swift turn, Vladimir reveals himself from the bookshelves, his hands clasped behind his back casually. The gasp and jump that he'd elicited from you does nothing more than garner a chuckle from him.

"Why do you care?" You ask, hand still resting on your heart as you attempt to catch your breath. Staring at him with wild eyes, it boggles you, the way you feel like he's asked you this before. It takes a moment, as it's been at least a month or so, but you remember that he has. He's asking again. "It's not like you know," you tease, poking him back. If there's anything you'd learned early on, and he'd learned about you... it's that you love to play with Vladimir by matching fire with fire. And, equally, he too, loves to do so.

"Actually, I do, любимая," he quips. With slow and calculated steps he begins approaching the table, eyes raking over you once and then twice. "and I don't! I can assure you. I only find it amusing how you seem more than content to sing something which could mean anything... according to you."

While he stops to close the book atop your hand, inspecting the spine and choice of leisure, you suspect. You place your hand atop his, afraid he's going to take the book. It's only when he meets your gaze briefly, long enough to narrow eyes at you before immediately departing for the door a few feet behind you. "Wait!" You call after him. Turning in your seat, a hand comes up to rest against the bulbous ear of the chair; thudding boots abruptly come to a halt as the Commander stops, albeit he doesn't turn around. "What does it mean, then?" You ask, words getting quieter as you start to lose confidence the further the moment continues.

"I'm sure you'd love to know." That's all he leaves you with. Dissatisfied and annoyed with the pettiness and childlike behavior the Commander can sometimes exhibit, you ignore him whenever you can. After all, while he may have originally intrigued you, whatever curiosity you had is not worth whatever outcome you receive in the aftermath of one of his moods.

When you finally find out what the song means, it's at a moment you were completely unexpecting it. After a successful mission, you'd all celebrated by building a big bonfire at camp, sitting around after dinner, sharing stories, and drink. It's not every day you get to let loose, and while normally there's a fairly tight schedule to work around, you know better to take advantage of a free day when you can. With this in mind, you drink to your heart's content. After all, it's on the Commander, right? Listening to the stories, your head leans back against the wooden makeshift benches as your eyes find the bright stars above.

It may be an effortless attempt to map them out, or mentally draw out the constellations you know, but as you listen to the jokes, the stories, songs, and laugh along, it isn't until there's a momentary silence that you finally raise your head again. Scanning around the fire, you notice that everyone's gone to bed, it seems. And sure, while it's been a long day and it'd been getting late, you didn't think everyone would've left so soon. Yet, your eyes are drawn to the only other pair you see, staring at you from a few feet to your right. The last person left at the fire.

"You're not tired?" He asks, and it's weird. It's like there's no mask up this time. You're not sure if it's the alcohol playing tricks on you right now, or if you're really hearing him correctly, but he almost sounds... genuine.

Head leant back against the wood once again, you let it loll to the right, finally able to meet his gaze. The flames make his eyes shine brightly, his features illuminated in a fiery glow. His hair is slightly amess, some strands not falling in the same direction as the wind has blown them around. Nose and jaw sharply outlined by the shadows of the night, you can't help but feel warmth, and not because you're both sitting right in front of the fire. Eyes having roamed his features, they finally meet his again as he turns his gaze from the fire once more to you, clearly anticipating an answer.

With a shake of your head, you do nothing to stop the way your lashes slowly flutter, the mere thought and mention of sleep threatening. As you lift the bottle in your hands to your lips again, wanting to finish the last little fifth or sixth of drink left in it, you're met with a disgruntled hum. "I think you've had enough."

The words should be a warning to you. A loud and clear signal as to what was about to happen, and yet you hadn't put two and two together in your intoxicated state of mind. "Mm-mm. 'Slmost finished," you manage to slur out. Lifting the bottle again, Vladimir is quick to stand, closing the space between you as he snatches it out of your hand and tosses it into the fire. The glass breaks, flames fanning higher momentarily as he reaches under your armpits and lifts you up. There isn't much of a struggle considering you can't put up much of a fight in your state.

"It's time you get some sleep," he states, wrapping an arm around your back as he attempts to guide you to a tent. He guides you outside of the fire circle until you don't move. And while he's a strong man, perhaps it's the drink, or he doesn't know what, but you're being as stubborn as a rock.

"What's it mean?" You ask. This takes him aback; the Commander knows you're not ignorant, and while you may be drunk, there's certainly no way that vodka, or any sort of liquor no matter the quantity is capable of erasing such a simple fact as the meaning of sleep. While he takes a step back, eyes beginning to search for signs of injury, it isn't until he follows your gaze that he understands.

Albeit the distant snoring, the wind, the roaring fire, and crunching of both your boots, he hadn't realized. It was quiet, the radio on the other side of the firepit. The device had been left on, and while the two of you had stayed awake he hadn't paid too much mind to it, yet now he can't help but smile. Of course, of course of all moments this song would play. Right now.

"You really want to know?" Vladimir asks, not backing away as he towers over you, eyes meeting your face in the darkness as he waits for your attention to find him again. After all, perhaps with the way he's been the one to hear you all these little times, maybe... just maybe it could be a sign.

Ridiculous, of course. That's what he told himself for months now, too good to be true. He knows what he's done... what he's had to do. What he will do and must, not just for himself but for his people, for the planet, in order to not only survive, but bring the world to a state that will be beneficial for all. Nevertheless, they always say there's a price one must pay for such deeds. He knows this true... and while he might have dreamt at times of other lives and wanted for other things, those boy's dreams were crushed long ago.

That was... until the radio started playing that song only moments ago. As he scans your face, eager and almost impatient for you to turn your eyes on him, when you do, it's not what he expects. The scoff that meets him leaves him taken aback. Met with an eye roll, and an attempt to walk past him. He knows. He knows he can be rough, and while it might be harsh he grabs your arm and keeps you from walking any further away. Whatever prize he thinks he's found, whatever omen, sign, or soul tie... he's not letting this go. He's not letting you go.

"I know you're just gonna trick me again, okay?" While other times he might be delighted to hear that you think he'd play games with you, nothing but stoicism sits on his features.

Bringing you in close, he searches your eyes as he whispers. "The love words of his eyes are sweeter than songs." Vladimir cautiously places a hand on your waist, the one holding your arm releasing its grip as it slides up to rest on your shoulder. "From a couple of words, from a greeting, I become someone else. When he sways, my heart sways with him. I may sacrifice my eyes and whole life for him, and it's too little." He repeats the words, the two of you gently swaying in the moonlit camp as the music quietly accompanies him in the background through the aged radio.

"My night, oh, night, my night." It feels as if with each passing moment his voice somehow gets quieter and quieter if that was even possible, yet you're already so impossibly close. "Oh night, my night, his love makes the night longer. The love of years between him and I. Just one more step, my heart, it's not a fantasy." Your noses just barely brush against each other, breath mingling in the space between you.

"My soul just go with him and get lost in his beauty. His covets the magic of life, his charm extraordinary. The one whose eyes the moon envied. The smile is the shining sun." There's no denying the heat between you, the tension thick in the minimal space between you, both of your eyes closed as you revel in this moment. Yet, he knows he shouldn't. You wish he would. As the song comes to an end on the radio, he's the first to open his eyes, eager to watch your open yours. As you do, it's the same happiness and adoration that he's seen you with on your expression even when you had no idea what the song had meant.

You might not have known what it meant... but something about the vocals and the expression of the song had just given you the sense that it had been about exactly everything Vladimir had just described to you. "Thank you," you whisper, not quite ready to leave this moment. Not ready to leave his arms.

Zziiippp!!!

The sound of a tent opening nearby causes both of you to distance yourselves, something within each of you sobering up instantly. While, sure, he's the Commander and can have anything he wants... you both know things are better this way.

____________

translations:

любимая = loved one / darling / lovely

forever taglist: @safarigirlsp , @jynzandtonic , @moonlightsolo ,@ohdamnadam

#cod mwiii x reader #cod mw3 x reader #vladimir makarov x reader #call of duty modern warfare 3 x reader #makarov x reader #cod mwiii makarov #cod mw3 makarov #my writing #my fics #cod fanfic #cod x reader #not proofread #not beta'd #song fics #song fic

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pearlywritings · 1 year

Text

Let's shower tonight

synopsis: taking a shower with your husband after a stressful day, and even exhaustion doesn’t prevent you from being two stupid adults in love.

pairing: Diluc x fem!reader

tw: modern AU, established relationship, fluff, nudity but nothing nsfw happens

word count: 2.7k+ words

a/n: this is going to be a part of an AU I am planning to write a big fic for once I have more free time on my hands.

"Ma'am?"

Lifting your gaze from a novel in your hand you spot the headmaid in the doorway, standing calmly with her hands clasped in front of the apron.

"Yes, what is it, Adelinde?" Marking the page with a cute bookmark Bennet made for you (it is a bit messy and somehow burnt on the corner, but you love it with all your heart), you close the book, resting it on your leg.

"Would you like a cup of tea or coffee? You've been waiting for Master Diluc all evening," in her emerald eyes you read empathy and sincere desire to help, and it warms your heart. Ever since you started a relationship with your husband - a boyfriend at that time - Adelinde was one of the few maids to take your side from the beginning. Even if hesitant at first, fearing for her Masters' happiness, she became your full support later on, approving the redhead's choice of a partner, after becoming more familiar with your persona. You'll forever be grateful for how warmly she welcomed you, knowing how much she means to Diluc and Kaeya.

"No, but thank you, 'linde," the older woman mirrors a smile you offer and nods her head in understanding.

"But if you'd need anything-"

"Please, stooop," shaking your head, you point at the big clock on the wall above you. "Look at the time, it's well past midnight. The only thing I need right now is for you to go and rest. You don't have to stay up so late just to take care of me or my stupid running late husband. We will be fine, I promise."

"Oh, dear…" her gaze softens and the feeling of looking at the light green sprouts in spring leaves you tingling on the inside. Of course she knows you are capable of that, you are two adults with careers, raising two boys together after all. It's just… Being there for any member of this found family makes her so-so happy.

"Then I'll be off. Offer Master my best wishes. Good night, Ma'am."

"I will. Sweet dreams, Adelinde," and after a small wave of your hand to each other she is gone. With a sigh you open your book again, taking the bookmark between your ring and pinky finger, continuing the chapter.

It is another half of an hour, when you finally hear the front door close and shuffling beginning in the nearly unlit hallway. You patiently wait for the man to appear in the living room you've been occupying the whole evening and well into the night, leisurely resting on a large sofa in front of the switched off big TV screen.

Just from one glance it is easy to tell Diluc is exhausted. Shoulders slightly slumped and hand rubbing his surely stiff neck, he groans when it cracks with his head's movement. Dark circles around his eyes look awful on his palish complexion, and hair looks quite messy - he's surely run his fingers through fiery locks more than once. Oh, and now he is doing it again, brushing bangs back and finally meeting eyes with you. A tender emotion swirls in the redwine depths, and your lips curl into a smile. Closing the book for the second time this evening and putting it on the armrest, you push yourself off the sofa and happily press yourself into his warm embrace, strong arms circling your waist, and yours sliding up his chest and around broad shoulders.

"Hey…" Your lips touch his cheek and the man exhales sharply, pressing a kiss to your temple.

"Hi, dear… I am home," you smile at the heart-warming words, spoken in a hoarse, but loving voice.

"Welcome home, 'luc."

And just like that his body instantly relaxes in your hold, a bit of weight pressing on you, but still not enough to crush - he doesn't want you to get hurt. You stand like that for a little longer - silent and close. Diluc drops his head and buries his face in the side of your neck, red hair blocking half of your vision, but you don't mind, raising a hand to run your fingers through crimson wild locks, dragging a hair tie off in the process. The mane releases like a waterfall, cascading down his shoulder blades, and you feel him sigh against your skin. A shiver runs down your spine when lips brush against the juncture between your neck and shoulder in a silent "thank you".

Diluc wills himself to detach from you, begrudgingly so, half-lidded eyes staring into your soul, into your heart. You nudge his forehead with yours and his lips curl into a soft smile - the one he reserves only for you and your boys.

"Was everything alright?" He asks, as you get a gentle hold of his elbow and lead him to the exit of the room.

"Yes, it was and is," turning the light off you walk into the hallway and let your legs carry you to the bedroom. "And if you are asking about boys, I drove them safely to Amy's house for a sleepover. They've already sent some cute and fun pictures in the family group chat."

"Oh, yes, I saw," the man nods, "they texted us a goodnight too a couple of hours ago."

"And you found a moment to answer," you smile and Diluc huffs, as if you spoke of something hard to believe he'd do.

"Of course."

Your shared room meets you with a soft light clicked on and a smell of cleanliness and freshly changed sheets which is blending in the familiar mix of your and Diluc's scents, making it even more comforting for the tired man by your side.

As he is sliding his wrist watch and placing it on the nightstand, you put his hair tie in a small box in the drawer. Leaving him to take the jacket off, you quickly walk to the bathroom door, to get everything ready for your Friday evening bath-taking tradition.

"Love, I'll start the water," you throw over your shoulder. But before you can disappear into another room, your husband clears his throat and asks you to wait. Turning around you are met with a pretty sight of thick veiny fingers working on the buttons of his black shirt, and his gaze fixed on your figure.

"Let's shower tonight. I am unsure I won't fall asleep in the bath."

A smile lifts the corners of your mouth and you nod in understanding.

"Honestly, same, dear. Then I'll go and set the temperature."

Satisfied with your answer he hums and continues peeling his suit off of himself. You glance at him one more time, suddenly so excited for the upcoming proximity and the feelings of his hands buried in your hair, gently massaging your scalp… You have to shake your head a little to clear it and finally step into the bathroom.

Right away you reach out to a small radio on the lonely standing round table, turning it on and settling on the always music-playing channel. Towels are placed neatly on a shelf near the shower enclosure - one pile for you and one for Diluc, two pretty matching in design, but different in color sets.

Water is warming up quickly, splashing on your outstretched palm, but you wait some more, knowing that your man loves it hot - not borderline scorching, but enough to make skin tingle and steam fog the glass.

Diluc enters the bathroom when you start peeling your own clothes off. His tired crimson eyes travel down your bare back and, without second thought, he reaches to follow the same path with the tips of his fingers, making you shiver lightly. He sees your smile, from how you turn your head to glance at him over your shoulder, and can't help, but smile too.

"Get inside, 'luc. I'll join you shortly," you promise him, putting the clothes in your hands aside and reaching to the waistband of your underwear. The man hums, running a hand through his hair, and walks to the shower.

Blissful sigh passes his lips upon feeling hot water hit his skin, washing over his tired body. Eyelids instantly drop and he tilts his head back to let the droplets hit his face and wet his hair, hands reaching to smooth quickly darkening strands back and comb through them a little.

Diluc doesn’t hear you joining him, too caught up in the moment, but he feels how your arms wrap loosely around his middle, and your soft chest presses against his hard back, urging him to make one step forward, so you can stand under the running water too. A little moan escapes his throat, when your fingers reach in his hair, nails traveling up his neck and right to the back of his head, applying delicious pressure and gently scratching.

“Oh, you poor man…” you murmur in his shoulder, the other hand sliding up his abs and chest, only to be grabbed by his, keeping the lock against his steadily beating heart. He feels your smile against his skin and smiles in return, when your lips touch one of his scars.

Opening his eyes and tugging on your hand, he turns around, quickly trapping you in an embrace of his own, strong arm resting against the small of your back, fingers gripping your hip, all to have you secured and close against him.

“Me - poor?” He asks with a soft chuckle, lifting your hand to place a small kiss to the back of it, lips sending more heat through your body, than the water ever could. “It is you who deserves some pity. After all, I make you wait for me, leaving you alone to deal with the household and two extremely active teenage boys… Sounds like I am a bad husband here.”

“Now, you know it is not true,” you scold him, palm sliding out of his and index finger tapping against his closed lips. “I do not mind staying up waiting for you, when it is the weekend ahead of us and tomorrow is Saturday. Besides, sometimes it’s me who stays late, doing work, and my amazing loving husband is the first person I see upon arriving home in the ungodly hour of the night. And- oh…”

You shiver slightly, all because Diluc's big and broad figure almost fully shields you from the water, leaving your wet skin to cool down. It doesn’t go unnoticed by your husband and prompts him to wrap his second, now unoccupied, arm around you, pressing your bodies impossibly, intimately together, to share his heat.

“And..?” He asks, burying his face in the side of your neck, leaving a trail of small kisses from your collarbones to the line of your jaw. You almost purr, fingers of both hands finding its way to his hair, eliciting a groan out of him.

“And! Our staff is absolutely professional and my role there is purely nominal. Our boys? Diluc, they are angels. True, Benny and Razor are active and adventurers at heart, but they are usually on their best behavior.”

“Hm, I see…”

Distracted by the conversation, with your focus shifted on his hair, you fail to notice how the man’s face is now mere inches away from yours. His eyes crinkle in a silent laughter when yours widen upon realization dawning on you.

“I love you,” your heart jumps in your chest and cheeks grow rosy, which is definitely not the hot steam’s doing. This confession shouldn’t be something new to you, but dang it does it send your whole being into rapture every time.

“I love you too,” is all it takes for the man to lean forward and kiss you with vigor. For a moment tiredness is no longer here, completely forgotten in the haze of your mouths devouring each other, hands desperately clinging to each other and the glass of the cabin fogging up even more. There is no fight for dominance, because you do not need it, relishing in the feeling of your affection, of this moment of being alone, but together, so lovingly close and private.

Diluc kisses you and you feel like you two are sitting in front of the fireplace, cuddling and whispering sweet nothings, with fire lightening your features delicately and licking your skin with its warmth.

But it is wet and suddenly you both are reminded that you are still standing in the shower, and water is running and running, droplets sliding down the sides of your faces and falling in a small pool that is gathering right where your chests are pressed together.

You breathlessly chuckle when a small splash hits your feet after the redhead leans back. Diluc is staring at you intensely, brushing heavy locks away as your hands slide out of his hair and down his shoulders to settle on his well-defined pectorals. You are standing like this for a moment, unmoving and silent, unable to stop gazing into each other’s eyes.

The man is the first to break out of this tender stupor, reaching out to turn the water off and grab your shampoo from the shelf in the niche. It shakes you out as well, when he starts squeezing the substance on his open palm.

“You are the one tired, let me take care of you,” but Diluc only shakes his head, putting the bottle back and gently taking a hold of your shoulder to turn you around.

“Let us not start the game of who is more tired, we both know it never has a winner,” his words make you snort, because it’s true. “I want to wash your hair for you and then you can do the same for me. Sounds fair, right?”

“Yes, love, sounds fair.”

He is gentle, oh so so gentle with you... You can only stand there and squint in pleasure, as his fingers take care of you. You can call him a professional with how many practices he had with you, always a gentleman and ready to assist you first.

“I know you’ve been stressed this week too..” you almost shiver when he lowly speaks so near to your ear. “But you are such a strong and patient girl… So proud of you.”

…and a comforting sweet talker when he needs to as well.

When Diluc is done with you it’s his turn to be taken care of, and if you kept relatively silent, the man has a hard time to do so. He is groaning and sighing audibly when you are shampooing, scrubbing and rinsing his hair, repeating it one more time, because of how thick of a mane he has. His eyes are closed shut the whole process, and you can’t help yourself, pecking his nose whenever the opportunity is present.

The last time you are rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, your husband is attached to your body again, lowering his head onto your shoulder to make it easier for you (which honestly is not as comfortable as if he was facing away from you, but you don’t have a heart to tell him about it).

“So…” he murmurs, when you put the hand shower back in its place, “are we having tomorrow all to ourselves?”

“Mhm, boys asked to stay until tomorrow’s evening. And what about it? Have some plans for us?”

He unwraps his arms from around you and takes a step back to wring out his hair, all the while looking at you.

“Does staying in bed and sleeping half a day sounds like a good plan to you?”

“Who are you and what did you do to Diluc Ragnvindr?” You ask teasingly, sliding a door open, grabbing a towel to pass it to your husband.

“I am Diluc Ragnvindr, and I married the most incredible woman, who nags me so much about my sleeping schedule, that I try to compensate for it during the weekend. Her name is Y/n Ragnvindr, by the way,” you almost drop the towel at his bold words, which he swiftly steals from your hand and starts wrapping around his head.

“You..!” An embarrassed squeal dies on your lips, when your gaze falls onto his right hand, spotting a golden band, gleaming in the light of the bathroom. Yeah… You are Y/n Ragnvindr, and you do nag him about how wrecked his sleeping habits are.

Only because you love and care about him.

“You know what? That’s not a good plan,” Diluc stops in the middle of adjusting another towel around his hips, and stares at you puzzled. You grin in response, grabbing a towel of your own, pressing a fleeting kiss to his lips on your way out of the enclosure.

”It’s a perfect plan.”

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #diluc x reader #diluc x fem!reader #diluc ragnvindr #diluc ragnivindr x reader #genshin modern au #will tag as a separate kind of au later

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doorhanginoffthehinges · 19 days

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hi erm i dont know why im asking but what is all for the game? like ive seen alot about it and i really want to consume this piece of media but i also do not know what it is at all?? pls help

ah jeez. aftg is complicated yet the best thing that’s ever happened to me fandom-wise. worst thing to happen to me productivity-wise. first books called the foxhole court, then the Raven king, then the ravens men. there’s physical copies of the books, but i haven’t ever seen it sold at any bookstore ever, only off of Amazon, but the kindle prices are real cheap and you can find almost any book online free via questionable websites.

all for the game is a book trilogy centred around a runaway w loads of trauma, but he’s running away from his kinda mob boss dad—gasp— which may be off putting but it’s like you don’t think of it as a mafia book it’s just a book that has bad guys who happen to be the mafia. i don’t think that’s a spoiler.

it’s also centered around made up sport, but it doesn’t feel like it’s centered around to but it totally is. it also doesn’t feel made up? like it’s not fantasy it’s just not real.

its gay, which you probably know if you’ve seen any fan art, but it’s not really sweet gays it’s kinda course and gritty but absolutely lovely and heartwarming. but also I have hazy memory bc I read the trilogy in a week but im pretty sure that only gets started midway through the series, so it’s not the WHOLE plot but it’s like a portion of it. their relationship isn’t really problematic, it’s basically the opposite, and all the angst is in the plot and characters themselves rather than how they interact w each other.

speaking of, this trilogy covers A LOT of heavy heavy topics, I’d say what was most off putting for me was the past rape and pedophilia which is touched on pretty briefly but at the same time very largely, but im sure somewhere there’s a list of tws somewhere if youre at all concerned about that.

it’s a fun read! it’s not at all too long (i mean, you read the goldfinch, not at all on the same level as that regarding word count im pretty sure) and i hear it reads like a fanfic, which might be why i consumed it so fast. it has no fantasy or sci fi, its basically a novel or slice of life I guess. i don’t really know the proper terms. there’s action that comes in the form of some violence, but i think most action is really on the exy (made up sport) court. oh also im pretty sure there’s an on page bj and the like. but no sex.

if I knew you in physical life I wouldn’t rec you this bc a) u might read it and hate it and it would ruin me and embarrass me b) u might read it and find it mediocre and it would ruin me and embarrass me c) you don’t read it and I feel annoying and finally d) u love it and it ruins you.

anywho, I hope u have a fun day/night, idk your time zone, and happy reading/non reading/watching. Thank you for giving me a reason to rant about my little obsession on this random monday evening! hope this helped/was what you were looking for

#damn sorry it’s so long #once I get started it seems I cannot shut up #look even now im still talking #it’s been two hours me shut up #also sorry I take any opportunity to rant over my obsessions #aftg #all for the game #nora sakavic #the foxhole court #the raven’s men #the raven king #also sry abt some of the text lingo that might’ve slipped through I was texting my friend (let’s be real. my crush) when I crafted this #and she went to be already and I’m way too tired to edit

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whoreadsnowadays · 2 years

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Can I request seperate romantic HCs for the 2012 turtles with GN!Reader S/O who loves books and likes to read their s/o stories all the time before bed or just in general as a way to spend quality time together?

I don't know if it's obvious but I absolutely have favorites........

These guys r just so so silly in my little head.. truly The Teens Ever

Warnings; Uhhhhh cursing, a very brief mention of Raph and reader getting into a past fight

( Romantic ) 2012 ! Turtles x Gender Neutral Reader

Read and Relaxation

- Leo -

He's always been a fan of reading, whether it be comic books or fiction novels.

He wouldn't be caught dead with a textbook in his hands though, he wasn't that much of a stick in the mud no matter what Raph said

So when you came around, practically a walking talking library, he was ecstatic.

Whenever the two of you got together it was more often than not like a little bookclub.

Donnie joined in occasionally, but not often, and Mikey and Raph stayed far away from your boring nerd conversations

When Leo is having a bad day, he often shows up at your apartment, gently knocking on the window if you were there and awake.

And you'd always smile and let him in, no words being exchanged as he quietly sat down on your bed and watched as you pulled a book you were reading from your bookshelf.

You'd sit down next to him and he'd scoot closer to you, pressing his shoulder to yours as he looked down at the book in your hands, waiting patiently for you to start reading

And usually, ten pages in, his head was on your shoulder and he was out like a light.

You knew how much pressure was on his shoulders, and how much he and his brothers had gone through, and you were grateful that he trusted you enough to be as vulnerable as he was around you

So you simply hugged him closer and continued reading, happy to go back and reread what he had missed when he inevitably woke up.

- Donnie -

Donatello was not very much of a reader surprisingly, he much preferred being up and doing things with his hands than sitting silently and reading

But when he met you he was so comepletely and utterly enamored by the way you spoke so lovingly of writings and stories

So much so that he even borrowed one or two books from Leo, but not without begging him not to say anything to Raph or Mikey. He'd never hear the end of it.

He never heard the end of it from Leo either, but he never spoke a word of it to the others, so he couldn't really complain.

He sat in his lab often, trying to focus on the words on the page and not his twitching muscles begging him to tinker or type or tap away at something

He couldn't get through one chapter without backtracking to reread at least 10 times.

He offhand mentioned his difficulty with reading while you were in the vicinity, and instantly you were next to him, offering a solution.

"I could read to you?" You offered, a bright grin on your face

Donnie blinked at you as a blush rose to his face. "Wh.. what?"

"I could read to you! While you work! Then you can move around and listen to the story at the same time!"

Just the thought had Donnie's head spinning.

You? Read to him? Like out loud? In private? He could've fainted.

"Or I guess you could use an audio book if you aren't comfy with me reading to you-?"

"No no! Uh, reading sounds uhm fun! Nice! Fun.."

And yknow what. It was fun.

You would sit in an extra rolling chair near the back of the lab, voice loud and clear in the echo of the room as he rolled around adding to various notes and inventions, absorbing every word that came from your mouth.

And slowly it evolved in the two of you being mutually invested in every book franchise you had brought up to him.

Every time you gasped before a line he'd instantly look to you, eyes wide in interest,

"What?"

"Oh my god Donnie."

"Oh my god what?? What happened??? What is it??"

"Donnie you're not ready for this-"

"No cmon just say it!"

"Donnie.. they were roommates."

"OH MY GOD THEY WERE ROOMMATES?!"

- Raph -

At first Raph thought it was dumb. He'd see you with a book in your hand and tease you about your nerd hobby almost nonstop

But after a particularly grueling argument between the two of you, he held back most of his comments.

One evening in particular really changed his perspective entirely.

You had an awful morning, coming down to the lair as soon as possible to sit with Raph and just vent.

Raph nodded along slowly, getting a little pissed on your behalf, but you shut him down (gently) pretty quick.

You expressed that you were just tired, emotionally and physically, and that's when he noticed your book in the bag you had brought with you.

He hesitated before speaking softly, offering to read your book to you in the privacy of his room.

You looked at him, surprised, before smiling and nodding, standing up and grabbing your bag before rushing to Raph's room.

You got comfy on his bed, watching as he sat next to you, skimming through the book slowly.

"Listen, babe.. I'm not a great reader so don't like.. expect perfection, okay?"

"I know big guy, I don't mind. Cmon I wanna listen."

And so Raph sighed and started from the beginning.

You had of course heard all of this before, but watching and listening to him read was enough to get an even better experience than the first time

And Raph, though he'd never admit it, was absolutely enamored by the story, almost forgetting that he was reading to someone

You noticed of course, but said nothing, too touched by the sight to disturb it even a bit

- Mikey -

Mikey was not a reader. But he was willing to try anything once.

So you tried your hardest to get him interested in your stories, audiobooks, reading to him, him reading out loud, no dice.

So you gave in, realizing your defeat you left the issue be. He just wasn't one for words without pictures, and that was fine. A little disappointing, but fine.

He was still your Mikey, and you'd love him even if you didn't share that particular hobby.

And yet, even still, every time you slept over he'd put his head in your lap, and look up at you with those blue eyes of his, and he'd beg you to read to him.

It confused you to no end. If he didn't like the story why did he want you to read?

What you didn't see, as you focused on the words in front of you each night, was the adoring look in his eyes as he watched and listened to you.

The words blurred together in his ears, almost as if his brain didn't want to process the boring speech, but your voice persisted

Your voice was so nice to listen to, soothing and smooth as you spoke so fluidly, doing funny voices for certain characters he didn't know. You almost looked like you were being transported to another world, like he did when he read his comics.

It was a trait you both shared, the ability to retreat into your minds eye at a moments notice. His brothers disliked when he did it, especially on missions, and while they could certainly be nicer about their approach, he truly did understand where they were coming from.

He just couldn't help it sometimes.

But, as he laid here slowly falling asleep to the lilt of your tone as you spoke words he couldn't comprehend, he thought that maybe if he looked half as content as you did in this moment, it wasn't so bad after all.

#tmnt x reader #tmnt donatello x reader #tmnt leonardo x reader #tmnt michelangelo x reader #tmnt raphael x reader #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2012 michelangelo #tmnt 2012 raphael #tmnt 2012 donatello #tmnt 2012 leonardo #tmnt 2012 x reader #i love writing these guys so so much they r so <3<3 #they deserve the world #but also i want to put them in a hydraulic press n crush them with angst #lovingly ofc #Romeo Writes

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yue-muffin · 3 months

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*cracks knuckles* Here we go.

I have been quite curious about ORV for a while, though I had absolutely NO idea what it was about until I finally decided to take the plunge. I mostly keep finding interesting playlists, quotes that promise lots of pain and suffering, and cool fanart. I avoided it until now because it's long. Really, really long. And long series either go one of two ways with me: I either binge the entire thing at the cost of my sleep (and sanity) or read it so slowly I forget what happened in the first half by the time I get to the midpoint.

Anyways, something overcame me this weekend and I decided to finally read it.

Chapters 1-6: Prologue + Starting the Paid Service

I was genuinely surprised to learn the story is about a book becoming reality with death game shenanigans because, again, I've only ever seen pretty fanart and vague quotes that revealed nothing about the plot. Immediately, I was like 'okay, I'll read a bit and give it a chance'. This isn't normally my type of genre, but I do read outside my comfort zone sometimes (and enjoy it, like SVSS which is transmigration + comedy which is usually not my thing).

The opening lines caught my attention, actually, they work really well as a hook despite being the ending of the webnovel in the book. It leaves you with a lot of questions

"There are three ways to survive in a ruined world. I have forgotten some of them now. However, one thing is certain: you who are currently reading these words will survive."

Also, not that you really need the reminder with the page count right below, but it definitely implies this is going to be a looong journey. If there are only three ways to survive and you've forgotten some already, that must have been quite the journey...Anyways, I just really like the tone of the opening lines.

So, like, Kim Dokja is sadly relatable haha. The struggle of the daily grind is real. So is wondering how your coworkers can have so much energy or be such go-getters when you're just trying to get through the day.

However, his reaction to the whole 'fiction becomes reality' or even the traumatic head-bursting deaths right in front of him just isn't normal. And also sliiightly worrisome. Genre-savvy he might be, that's some traumatizing shit right off the bat! Although, that kind of goes for anyone in this story who survives past the first few chapters.

But Kim Dokja is surprisingly chill about the whole thing. The whole scene with the crickets also shows that he's intelligent...and also kind of good at messing with people. He might monologue to us, but he certainly doesn't go into detail with any of the people around him, or explain much about why he's doing something.

The story also shows a pretty realistic range of reactions to all the traumatizing crazy going on.

And for a story I wasn't sure I was going to like, it sure is a page turner. I'm not terribly used to all the game mechanics, but they're actually pretty fun. The game commentary just sparks joy in me, for some reason.

The whole "sole reader of this entire novel" thing is also interesting. One, it does put him at an advantage to literally everyone else "canon" to the story or not. But on a meta level, who do we write stories for? Sometimes it's for oneself, but most of the time stories are made to be shared, they're tools used to communicate with others. So, that makes the "final" line in the novel even more impactful. To you who are reading this story...

Next up will be chapters 7-11: Protagonist...

#omniscient reader's viewpoint #i'm actually further along at this point #but i wanted to go back and blog a bit about each “arc”

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richincolor · 5 months

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Jessica's 2023 Favorites

It's always so hard to pick my favorite books of the year -- there were so many! I read poignant graphic novels that made me sob, lighthearted adventures that made me think, and heartfelt romances that I couldn't stop telling people about. I've narrowed my favorite reads this year down to three -- and I imagine they might be on your list too! We'd love to hear what you loved reading this year and what you look forward to reading next year. Anyway, without further ado...

In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee A debut YA graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl's coming-of-age story—and a coming home story—set between a New Jersey suburb and Seoul, South Korea.

Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee knows she's different. Ever since her family emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she's felt her Otherness. For a while, her English isn't perfect. None of her teachers can pronounce her Korean name. Her face and her eyes—especially her eyes—stand out. As the pressures of high school ramp up, friendships change and end, and everything gets harder. Even home isn't a safe place, as fights with her mom escalate. Deb is caught in a limbo, with nowhere to go, and her mental health plummets.

But Deb is resilient. She discovers art and self-care, and gradually begins to start recovering. And during a return trip to South Korea, she realizes something that changes her perspective on her family, her heritage, and herself.

This stunning debut graphic memoir features page after page of gorgeous, evocative art, perfect for Tillie Walden fans. It's a cross section of the Korean-American diaspora and mental health, a moving and powerful read in the vein of Hey, Kiddo and The Best We Could Do.

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa El Diablo is in the details in this Latinx pirate fantasy starring a transmasculine nonbinary teen with a mission of revenge, redemption, and revolution.

On Mar León-de la Rosa's 16th birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn't enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar's father and the entire crew of their ship.

When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up your soul to save your father by the Harvest Moon or never see him again. The task is impossible--Mar refuses to make a bargain and there's no way their magic is any match for el Diablo. Then, Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate -- and the captain's son; and Dami, a genderfluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption -- or it could mean certain death.

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.)

These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

#highly suspicious and unfairly cute #the wicked bargain #in limbo #ya lit #graphic novels

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crookedcrowclub · 5 months

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Review for A Conjuring of Light by V .E. Schwab

5/5 ⭐️

WOW.

reading this felt like reading a crossover novel of all my favourite characters from the previous two books because each of them were so incredibly fleshed out that this could’ve been anyone’s story. it feels as if i’ve met these characters and had conversations with them because they seemed so tangible.

Plot & Pacing

what book 2 lacked in terms of plot and pacing, book 3 more than made up for it. the story picks up right where book 2 left off and the momentum doesn’t slow down one bit. it only kept getting better with surprises and twists at every turn. if you know me, you know that books are my sole sustenance when it comes to escaping the horrors of reality and ACOL swept me off my feet from the very first chapter!

Characters

the character dynamics were much more nuanced and their interactions were TO DIE FOR (!!!) not to mention, they all had insane chemistry with each other and some wholesome moments thrown in as well. kell, lila, and holland have cemented themselves as my ultimate disaster trio and i just couldn’t get enough of them.

the flashback scenes gave a deeper insight into each of the characters’ backstory and i ended up caring more about them than i imagined. holland’s especially packed a punch. his chapters were agonizing to read, emotionally charged and tugged at my heartstrings. i saw him as the villain at the beginning of this trilogy but it turns out, he’s an anti-hero who deserves to be happy after everything he’s been through. his chapters alone were a solid 5/5 stars for me, and he has earned a top ten spot in my Most Favourite Fucked Up Characters of All Time 😌.

as for lila, she had it all: beauty, brains and brawn! but besides that, we also see her come to terms with her attachment and abandonment issues that she’s struggled with since book 1. her arc was moving yet powerful. most of it strongly resonated with me because it hit too close to home. delilah bard is basically me but in different font and i adore my knife wife so much 🫶🏼.

kell’s daring persona that i sorely missed in book 2 made a sweeping comeback and his character was even more striking than before! unlike in the previous book, he was very level-headed in this one and took on the fitting role of a natural leader who guided his team in their quest to defeat evil. he kinda reminded me of kaz with the easy way he almost always got the final word. his chapters were poignant with direction and focus, which was refreshing to read.

i was thrilled that we finally got alucard’s POV (!!!!) i like his character but sadly, he didn’t really stand out in the book for me. it felt as if he was merely a plot piece to keep the story going. things were happening and he was just kinda there. either way, i enjoyed being in his head and learning more about his past.

rhy was less annoying and bratty (thank goodness) which i think had a lot to do with alucard’s presence at the beginning. he also had lesser chapters in this book but he started growing on me around the 70% mark. i liked how resilient he was in never giving up or cowering in face of adversity and how much he cared for his people. towards the end, he proved to be a well rounded character with a satisfying arc.

side mention: the minor characters (hastra, lenos, tieren, maris, ned, maxim, emira, even cora!) were amazingly well developed and despite their limited page time, they stole the show all the same! i would deadass be down to read each of their spinoff stories if the author ever decided to write them.

Conclusion

overall, ACOL struck a perfect balance between character-driven and plot-driven storyline to the point where the characters ceased to be fictional and started seeming like actual people in my head. not only that, this trilogy felt like getting a warm hug from an old friend because it reminded me of six of crows and a couple other YA novels which i loved during that time. it was nostalgic reading it even though i’d never read it before.

as for the ending, it was satisfying but the suspense was over quick. i wanted to see more action in the final fight scene after all that buildup but either way, it was fulfilling to see my beloved characters find closure after everything that happened. i can see where the continuation trilogy is headed and im beyond excited to read it!

ANOSHE✨

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bettsfic · 1 year

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Hi Betts! I love your writing advice and I've been following it for years, and it's been a wonderful resource <3 So I mostly write flash and/or short fic (the longest thing I've put out was in the 9k range) and I really like shorter stuff because I feel like I have more control and I really love the form of the short story, even if that stuff doesn't get as much attention in fandom. The thing is, sometimes when I go back and read my stuff I feel like it's underwritten, even if I still really like the prose and what's on the page. Something feels off with the pacing, say, or I just feel like I want to be in that world more, like there are more details to be filled in-- a general sense of incompleteness. Or, these past couple of months, I've had ideas I wanted to write that I know would need 10-15k to execute properly, and I just feel defeated because I don't think I have that in me as a writer. I'm not interested in writing novel-length fics or anything like that-- I just want to be able to convey what I want as economically as possible, but when I sit down to draft it feels like pulling teeth to break even past the first one thousand words. You got any tips?

the key to writing longer stuff is to ask questions of your narrative that take a long time to answer, and can only be answered by drafting it out. i wanted to work on a novella, 25k max, and now it's 110k just because i kept asking myself, "what is this guy's deal?" ("this guy" being the main character, who is based loosely off a guy i used to know and who i never understood even a little). on the way, other characters joined the conflict and then i wanted to know what their deals were too. i think it takes a lot of curiosity and having no idea what the thing you're writing even is in order to write something long.

another way to make a work longer is to create multiple, high-stakes anchor points. anchor points (or turning points, quest markers, whatever you want to call them) are events in a story that are more or less fixed. some of them are obvious: if you're writing a romance, one anchor point is going to involve a first kiss and/or a love confession. another one might be offering your characters a happy ending. if you're asking a lot of questions of your narrative, more anchor points will be created, complicating your path to the ones that were set early on.

the further back you start them from your anchor points, the longer the work is going to be. if i'm looking to write a happily ever after ending for two profoundly fucked up characters, and if i throw in more anchor points on the way (say, murder) it's going to take a lot of work to get them where i want them to be. continuing the murder example, if i have a character who has never killed anyone before and doesn't seem like they even could, i have to set up some kind of external arc that would lead them to decide to kill somebody, and also an internal arc to push them to that point.

an example (albeit kind of an extreme one) is an original character i made named layla, for the aforementioned should-have-been-a-novella. in early drafting and plotting, i wanted to make her a kind albeit determined person. i didn't know anything about her, and i didn't need to. she's not the POV character.

but as my main character became more complex, it seemed less likely that someone like him would fall for someone who didn't have a lot of depth to them or some kind of darker edge. so i thought, haha what if she's a psychopath? i wrote her that way for a while, but i wasn't vibing with that either. and then i thought, what if she thinks she's a psychopath but absolutely is not a psychopath? what would make her think that about herself? a sociopathic older sister, i thought. and what if layla is made to do awful things to protect a younger sister? and if so, what are those awful things she had to do? what was that like?

as an exercise, i wrote out her life story just to answer these questions, and it was so fun and cool to be in her head that i ended up making her a POV character. and whenever you add a POV, your word count basically doubles. (i guess that's another tip: write a lot of character POVs in one thing and see what happens.)

my last tip is what i call the spaghetti draft. a spaghetti draft is a draft in which you're throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. it's a process of intentional over-writing. you're throwing in backstory, you're describing ten cracked tiles in somebody's bathroom, you're pushing your dialogue so far the characters start to bore you. throw everything you can possibly think of into it until it is disgusting to you.

then you go back and pare it down. hopefully in spaghetti-ing, you've discovered more threads to tug, more questions to ask of your story, more paths toward what's still unknown.

i have a post that talks about (among other things) beefing up your interiority that might also be helpful.

#writing advice

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thousand-winters · 1 year

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What are your favourite tlh characters and why?

Hi there! ✨

If you have seen my blog the past few weeks, you probably can guess some of them, but here we go:

Grace

I feel like Grace is one of the most complex characters we've ever gotten in TSC and it feels like such a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong, I am perfectly aware that these are YA novels, so I generally don't expect the books to be super amazing, I know what I'm signing up for, but that's precisely why I like her so much. Her personality is very unlike other female characters we've gotten in the series and I don't mean that in a "not like other girls" sense but in the sense that it caught my attention immediately, because CC doesn't have the best track of giving her girls gray morality without treating them like they suck for that.

I guess I was always curious about her? Even in CoG she gave the impression she was more than she seemed, and reading her backstory in CoI just made me hurt for her and root for her to have a happy ending after so much misery. There's something really satisfying about characters that have faced so much hardships finally getting a chance to simply be.

Alastair

Oh, boy. When I first read CoG and I read about Alastair, he felt to me so much like my older brother that I loved him immediately. It helped that I found his snark incredibly funny. However... as I kept reading TLH, he actually started reminding me of, well, myself. For many reasons, but let's not get too personal here, haha, let's just say I found his flaws, his struggles, and his stubbornness to go on in spite of that very relatable. How could I not love him deeply and dearly?

Aside from my biased reasons, I also find that his character is written very consistently and I loved his character arc (I stand by how simplistic some things felt in COT, but even so), how he had his highs and his lows, that was very nicely done. He also feels like a complex character because he's allowed to fuck up badly and it doesn't get swept under the rug, though I would say they go the other way with him and Grace by being too harsh, but I'll take my wins where I can.

Christopher

Oh, Kit, sweet Kit, you were the best of them all. Christopher is such a great character because, while mostly ignored the first two books, he's endearing practically without trying. CC's books have this thing where sometimes they try to convince you a character is likable for X reasons and it simply doesn't work for me that they tell me that I should love a character.

Christopher doesn't have that problem, they kinda present him to you as this klutzy nerd, but he's so much more than that. His logic helps him be the most compassionate and kind from the group, no matter what the narrative tries to tell you. He's perceptive, he's fair, he's fun. Who doesn't like Christopher even if he isn't their favorite? He knows what he is and what he wants and he follows through with it, he's such a pillar of the group that passes unnoticed because he's always in the background, but by the gods, he's so good.

Honorary mentions

Thomas and Ari.

I adored Thomas in CoT, though I must admit he doesn't spark my curiosity and excitement quite like the other three did, in the way that I would get immediately engaged the second I saw their names on the page. Nothing wrong with him, just my personal preferences, but he was truly funny and sweet and I quite liked that!

Ari... I do like her, in a way, I wanted to like her so bad, but she's trapped as the love interest in Anna's narrative, and given that I have no love for Anna's character or their pairing, it was hard for me to enjoy her appearances. She didn't have a chance to shine on her own, but when I think of all the ramifications of her story, I swoon a little. She could be so interesting.

#thank you for the ask!#this doesn't feel super coherent but since it's subjective bc it's about my faves that's probably fine #grace blackthorn #alastair carstairs #christopher lightwood #thomas lightwood #arati bridgestock #ari bridgestock #the last hours #tlh #the shadowhunter chronicles #tsc

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bubuli-3110 · 2 years

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Cover to Cover

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Characters: Uzui Tengen X Fem! Reader

CW: NSFW MDNI: Explicit sexual content, teasing, rubbing, unprotected sex, cum inside, slightly demeaning, fingering, slight lack of self confidence, modern era.

Synopsis: Tengen's left one week for work, however when, he returns he's quickly swooped off by his friends for a boys night how. You plan to repay him for making you wait with a little inspiration from your novel.

Word count: 1.67k

Requests are: Open (JJBA, JJK, AOT, and KNY) A/N: Yay!~ first time writing a drabble like this coming from fanfiction~ I hope my fellow Tengen stans enjoy~ P.S. you may be able to tell I watched Howl's moving castle again recently.

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It had been quite awhile since Tengen had had a boys night. While you really didn’t mind your lover going to hang out with his friends, you were a little antsy and bored waiting for him to return. After all, he had just returned from a week long business trip for work. You wanted to see him and spend time with him, but it has been a long time since he’s got to hang out with his friends. So you let it slide when he asked if it was ok, and tried to ignore the fact that you’re bored out of your mind and missing him like crazy.

You tried everything that you could think of to fill the quiet evening in your shared apartment. You tried watching TV, browsing the internet, and listening to music, but nothing filed the void of bordom.

Your last resort was something you hadn’t done in a long time. Read that novel that you started forever ago. Because of your busy schedule and your boyfriend that takes up a lot of your time, you hadn’t had much time for reading. Not that that bothered you. You’d rather be doing things with Tengen than anything else. The novel you started a while ago is a romance. You struggled to remember what was even happening the last time you’ve read this novel. You took a comfortable laying position on the couch and began reading from where you left off. Surprisingly enough the scene that you dive into quickly evolves into something more naughty. You blush at the words written on the page. This is not what you remember happening at all. The words of two characters were getting hot and heavy after a long time away. The female partner goes out of her way to tease her male partner and make him crave her after being away for so long. Sounds familiar.

While your boyfriend hadn’t been gone very long, you did think it might be nice to surprise him like in the story. The novel scene had your stomach in knots. Tengen was only gone for a week but you craved his touch more than anything now. You fidgeted uncomfortably remembering some of the other passionate encounters you two had together in the past. He hadn’t even come home, before going to meet with his friends.

Upon finishing the erotic scene you had made up your mind to try to tease your boyfriend a little whenever he decided to show up. You’d wait for him to come home and become the most irresistible thing he had ever laid eyes on.

You toss the novel aside and went digging into your closet. You were quickly able to find the unopened box of laundry I’ve been saving for a special occasion. You carefully let the sheer lace lingerie cover what small parts they did. You took one look at yourself in the mirror and for a moment hesitated feeling a little self-conscious, however your desire to please your boyfriend outweighed any doubts you were having about yourself or your ability to do what you were about to do.

With everything set now all that was left to do was to wait for him to come home. So you waited with the mood set, lights out, only a few candles lit, and you sensually leaning on the made bed in your lingerie. The clock read 11pm. You finally heard the door nob turn, and fixed yourself up one last time.

“Y/N? Where are you? I’m home!” You hear Tengen say.

“In here!” You say.

You were laying on your stomach, gently swinging your legs back and forth. You rested your chin in your palms pushing your breasts together. You wanted show them off since it was one of Tengen’s favorite parts of your body. When he walked in the room and locked eyes with you and the scene you painted, you flashed him a slight smirk and you could see he was caught off guard, but his face quickly creeped into a pleased smile.

“I missed you darling~ I’ve been waiting for you.” You smile, leaning your head to one side cutely.

“I’ve missed you too, princess.” He says dropping everything and making his way over to the bed.

Your lingerie left little to the imagine seeing as it was more or less stands of lace barly covering the important bits. Tengen’s eyes turned to thirst he knelt down in front of you and gently cupped your cheek in his large hand.

“You’re simply the most beautifully flashy girl I’ve ever seen Y/N.” He says smiling before attempting to pull you into a kiss. You pull away gently with a smirk.

“Not so fast Mr. flamboyant. I’m gonna have a little fun with you since you made me wait until now.”

You saw Tengen chuckle nervously. This would be your first time being in total control. You were a little nervous, but ready to give it your best shot, and see how long you could tease him before be broke.

You sat up and motioned Tengen to come lay on the bed. You took your place on top of him and he looked pleasantly up at you. This gave you the confidence you needed. You pulled his shirt off over his head and let you hand trail down his sculpted chest. You planted a few gentle kisses before finding a spot near his neck to nibble and suck on. Your hands rested on his shoulders. You felt his hands rest themselves on your hips and heard his breath hitch.

You smirked a little to yourself as you started to grind your hips into him. This elicited a moan from your silver haired lover which turned you on more then anything. His low groans were music to your ears and meant you were doing something right. A few more rough grinds and you could feel his hard cock through his jeans and his fingers squeeze into your hips more. The thin lace between your pussy and his jeans did nothing to stop your wetness from seeping onto him. His hands started to wander up your body, but you quickly placed his hands back on your hips.

“Comfy?” You says teasingly.

“I must be in a lot of trouble.” He sad biting his lip.

Time to try something from your novel. Using the courage you mustered, you quickly go on the attacked, roughly and quickly taking in his lips which he happily returns. You lock onto his tongue and begin to suck earning another moan from Tengen. He squirms slgihtly underneath you. You felt the need to push him farther.

You break the kiss and slowly begin removing the lace on your body. Letting it drop to the floor. Tengen watches with lust filled eyes, his fingers fidgeting on your hips. Leaving only your thin lace panties. You smirk down at him pushing your breasts together. Tengen digs his fingers into your hips. You could tell how much he wanted to touch you. He worshiped your body and not being able to explore it was killing him.

“Don’t make me beg Y/N.” he whines.

“You know, I like the sound of that” You smirk.

You lean down, pressing your breasts to his chest running you thumb across his lips.

“Should we get these jeans off you?” You ask.

He nods vigorously and is all too eager to help you get them and his boxers off. He just needs one more push. You wanted to see that desperate Tengen take control and ravage you. He was near his breaking point. That much was obvious. He wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted when he wanted it.

“Do you want me darling?” You ask while working to get your lace panties off.

“More than anything.” He says desperately. His cock is rock hard by now dripping slightly with pre cum.

“That badly?” You taking his length in your hand.

Tengen’s expression seemed to relax thinking you were about to grant his wish. Instead you place his length between your wet folds. Rubbing against it. Tengen moans loudly gripping the sheets. You couldn’t tell if he was moaning from pleasure or frustration.

“This is too cruel Y/N.” He whines and pants.

“What are you gonna do about it?” You smirk down to him. Even like this, his cock felt amazing agsaisnt your core.

It only took a few seconds of rubbing for him to snap. His eyes darkened and he let out an almost animal like growl. Quickly flipping you on your back pinning your wrists above your head.

“Ok brat, now it’s my turn~” He purrs.

This was what you were waiting for. Him to demand and take control. He pulls one of your legs over his shoulder roughly leaving no time to prepare before he rams his large cock inside you, bottoming out instantly. You both moan loudly together finally getting what you’ve been waiting for.

Tengen starts at a quick pound, determined to bruise you. Payback for edging him on no doubt. Your wet skins slaps together forming a symphony of clapping, moaning, and panting. Pure ecstasy. Nothing and no one compared to how he felt inside of you.

Tengen’s pace started to become uneven, but no less hard. He released your hands only to take one of your breasts in his large hand. He planted head face between them, licking at them viciously. You throw you head back and gasp at his tongue. Your legs lock around his hips and you grab onto his silver locks becoming a moaning mess.

“T-tengen” you moan.

“Cum for me Y/N. I know you’re close.” He grunts.

He was right. His rasp animalistic voice was nearly enough to make you lose it alone. He sits back up, quickening his pace once again and moves his hand down to your wet clit working perfectly with his thumb. Tengen was a master with his hands. Within seconds, your back arches and your vision blurs. Your walls clamp down hard on to Tengen as your body seizes into a raging high, releasing a cry as you cum all over his cock. Tengen lets out a deep groan of his own as he bucks, climaxing inside you. His twisted orgasm face was a sight to be treasured.

Your body finally begins to relax and you loosen your grip on Tengen. He pulls his head back up and grins at you.

“That’s my girl. Even if you were being a brat before.” He chuckles.

“Ok, maybe no more extreme teasing for awhile. I’m sure I’m going to be sore and bruised from you.” You chuckle at him.

“Good, maybe you’ll remember that the next time you feel edging me on after being deprived of you.” He says planting a gentle kiss on your forehead.

“Noted dear.” You smile.

“Come on, let’s go get cleaned up and go to bed before I get the urge to punish you again.” He says pulling out of you.

“Alright darling.”

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luckyduck0 · 7 months

Text

Wearing Each Other’s Clothes- flufftober prompt!

—

A soft melody sounded out from a record player, causing the girl to hum as she flipped the page of her book.

Sophie sat in the windowsill of her room, entranced to the novel she started only hours before. It had become somewhat of a habit, when things got too much for her, Sophie would retreat to the safety of her room to decompress. And, oh, how that strategy always seemed to work.

Fortunately, this wasn’t one of those times where she was overwhelmed. She’d just woken up on the wrong side of the bed, in a way. However, to combat the annoying problem at hand, Sophie recalled some things Dex had told her.

“If you ever need to calm down, just do something you like. I always play Animal Crossing when I get overwhelmed.” Dex stated, munching on a candy bar. “Like, I’m typically a Mortal Kombat kind of guy, but sometimes I don’t need to stress about beating some character in a game, y’know?”

He was right. It kind of ticked Sophie off, a bit. Dex had a way with being right about the most obvious things, yet Sophie still needed a flashing light in her face to even get clue!

Anyway, she took his advice.

Eda had come up to check on her, since she hadn’t said much when Sophie came down to eat breakfast. She was worried, that much was clear, and Sophie appreciated it. The blonde had explained via note that she needed to have some “me-time” before she became a functional member of society again. And like the Angel she is, Edaline completely understood.

“Okay honey! Text me if you need anything, I love you!” She wrote in reply.

Sophie smiled at the words, sliding an “I love you” note back under the door before returning to her perch.

Another detail that made all the difference, was what she was wearing. The baggy sweatshirt was normal, but it wasn’t hers. You see, this particular hoodie belonged to her boyfriend, Keefe. They’ve been dating for months, six months almost. But this was the first time Sophie ever unconsciously wore something of Keefe’s. At least, until she finally noticed.

She’d remembered another thing Dex said, about eating comfort food and wearing comfort clothes. Sophie hadn’t really understood at the time, but she was starting to now.

Sophie was in the middle of a paragraph when she recognized a smell. One of vanilla and coffee. Sophie sniffed the air, wondering if her boyfriend had somehow managed to sneak another personalized air-freshener into her room, when she looked down. The hoodie itself was a midnight blue with some light-colored wording. Sophie sniffed again, and it was stronger.

She was a bit confused, any other day Sophie would have surely noticed the change of clothing. Perhaps it was because of the weird feeling she’d had all day, putting her into a slight funk. Or maybe, Dex was right, and clothing could bring comfort.

She didn’t have long to think about it before her door was being knocked upon. A familiar tune, something that a certain someone always used to be endearing. The blonde had half a mind to ignore it and continue reading, as she was still down in the dumps. But, she also remembered how dejected Keefe looked the last time she left him waiting outside like a stray.

With a sigh, Sophie reluctantly sat up and walked over to the door, her feet dragging as her body felt heavy like cement. Opening the door, Sophie couldn’t help but feel her heartbeat speed up for a second.

Keefe stood there with a goofy grin, armed with bags of what Sophie could only assume were snacks. However, her attention was attracted to Keefe’s shirt.

Or, more specifically, her shirt.

It fit nicely on him, despite his lengthy frame. Sophie silently thanked her past-self for always picking bigger sizes of shirts.

Suddenly, there was a tap on her shoulder, and Sophie looked up. Keefe, in all his glory, smiled down at her and lifted a brow.

“You good, Foster?” He asked, and Sophie quickly had the realization that he’d been speaking the entire time.

Clearing her throat, Sophie mustered up a pathetic “yes” in response.

Keefe hummed, nodding and then gesturing to her room. “May I come in, my lady?” He requested in a terrible British accent.

“Ha, yeah.” Sophie huffed out a laugh, moving to let him through the door. “Do my parents know you’re here?”

“If you mean Mrs. Ruewen, yes. If you’re talking about Mr. Macho Man himself, then no. Pretty sure you’re Mom said something about him feeding the bulls in the pasture…?”

Sophie smiled and rolled her eyes, the petty little feud between her boyfriend and her Dad had been long-standing, since before they even got together. Grady wasn’t very appreciative of Keefe’s troublemaker and carefree attitude, and Keefe just loves pushing other people’s buttons. So, clearly, it was a recipe for disaster.

Sophie closed the door, sauntering up beside Keefe as he laid out all the snacks on the bed.

“Hey.” She muttered, looking up to his eyes.

“Hi.” He replied back, his eyes crinkling as he smiled at her.

Again, Sophie’s heart rate sped up a little. She wasn’t embarrassed, she just, always felt floaty when Keefe looked at her. Especially with such a warm expression.

“What’re you doing here?” Sophie asked, sitting next to the pile of food on the bed.

Keefe puffed up, his face turning every shade but chivalrous. “Well, a little birdie told me you weren’t having a good day. And, since I’m a loving boyfriend and loyal partner, I took it upon myself to try and make you’re day a bit better. So, ta da!”

Sophie nodded in response, unwrapping a small Snickers and popping it into her mouth.

“A little birdie?”

“Jolie and Amy.” He admitted, with no hesitation. “Two little birdies then, I guess. But, they were worried and figured that, me being me, I could cheer you up the best.”

She smiled, swallowing the candy and standing up. “That’s nice. Thank you, Keefe.”

On her tip-toes, Sophie pecked the taller’s lips, already feeling much better than before. Still a bit gloomy, though.

Keefe didn’t waste any time, however. In one swift motion, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a soft kiss to Sophie’s lips. Recovering from the shock quickly, Sophie returned the gesture and embraced him, her arms around his neck.

“Mm, you’re lips taste like chocolate.” Keefe points out, licking his lips and glancing up, as if to savor it.

Sophie smiled, a thing she seems to do a lot around him. “Yeah? Well, you smell really good, so.”

“Really? You like it? I got it from Linh, she said it matched my vibe, or something.”

She was right, vanilla and coffee really worked with Keefe’s personality.

“Anyway, is that my shirt?” Sophie asks, bluntly.

“Huh? Oh, yeah! I found it in my bag, must’ve gotten mixed in last time I was here. I actually started listening to these guys. Green Day, right? Yeah, they’re pretty good.” Keefe rambled.

It was one of things Sophie loved about him. His ability to just, talk. She also felt warm because, well, he started listening to one of her favorite bands! Just because of a shirt!

Quickly, Sophie pecked his lips again and then untangled herself from him.

“Feel better?” He inquired, blinking over at her.

“A little. Wanna watch a movie?”

“Heck yeah, lemme make some room real quick.” Keefe shoved the snacks into the plastic bags, setting them on the nightstand and hopping onto the bed.

Sophie brought her laptop over, as well as a weighted blanket and a fluffy one.

“Thank ya darlin.” Keefe teased in a country accent.

Sophie giggled and sat down, pulling the blanket over her and passing the other to Keefe, who gladly wrapped himself up in it. She opened the computer and thought about what to watch.

A few minutes later and they decide on A Nightmare Before Christmas, one movie they both could watch endlessly.

Keefe wrapped an arm around Sophie, pulling her closer and nuzzling his face into her hair. Her face heated up a bit at the affection, she was still getting used to it. Despite the length of their relationship, Sophie was still adjusting to physical affection. Though, she got over the embarrassment of it, now it was just feeling flustered.

“Oh, also..” Keefe spoke up. “That hoodie looks really good on you.”

Almost instantly, Sophie’s face exploded into a overheated mess of a red.

Okay, maybe she was still a little embarrassed.

@flufftober

#flufftober 2023 #day 1 #kotlc #sophiefoster #keefesencen #sokeefe

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