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lou-struck · 2 months

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Up All Night

Belphegor x reader

~Belphie gets splashed with Night Cricket essence and is cursed to hear their calling all through the night.

W.C: 3.5k

Warnings: Brief mention of Obey Me Chapter 16, slight angst, Belphie being crabby and kinda mean since he is tired.

Poor Belphegor can hardly keep his eyes open. It may be the early afternoon, but the Avatar of Sloth just arrived back at the House of Lamination after taking a make-up test at RAD. The reason he had to retake the test was not because he got a poor grade or anything; he just was too tired the day off and chose to sleep through all three of his alarms and, subsequently, the exam.

But now that that's over with, he can finally take his afternoon nap,

His head hangs low as he sluggishly trudges through his home. Searching for the perfect place to rest his head. His favorite cow-printed pillow secure in his arms as he pokes his head into your room.

Much to his disappointment, he sees that you are still out running errands or doing something equally as exhausting. Normally, he would have no problem falling asleep in your bed, but today, he is feeling a bit adventurous.

Today, for some reason. He is home alone which means he is presented with with rare opportunity to fall asleep anywhere.

But where should he go?

Lucifer's office?

Leviathan's Bathtub?

That really comfy carpeted spot in Asmodeus' closet?

All this thinking only tires him out more as he wanders into the quiet living room. And when his violet eyes come to rest on the long plush sofa, he knows what he must do.

'I haven't slept there in a while," he says to himself. His legs feel like they are made of lead as they carry him toward the rose-scented cushions. He doesn't even bother to pay attention to the Akuzon package that rests on the little side table that he passes.

His pillow bumps the table and sends the little package tumbling to the ground. The box rolls a bit, and the sound of breaking glass reaches his ears.

'I hope that wasn't important,' he yawns, shrugging off any concerns he had and plopping down onto the couch and falling into a deep sleep.

Unaware of the nightmare he has created for himself.

The front door had just shut behind you when you heard a shrill screech of horror coming from the living room. Your breath hitches as you drop your floral printed tote bag to the ground and rush towards the sound, magic brimming at your fingers, ready for anything.

But as you rush through the doorway, you see the purple-haired Avatar of Envy on his knees, hunched over a fallen Akuzon package. The magic at your fingers fizzles away, and you sigh, seeing that Belphegor still sleeps comfortably on the couch despite his older brother's meltdown.

"Belphie, what did you do to my package?" Levi screeches, reaching over the couch and shaking his youngest brother roughly from his slumber.

He stretches out like a cat and smacks his lips sleepily as he sits up. "Oh, hey Levi. What's in the box?"

Levi sighs and looks down at the open box. Pulling out what looks to be the neck of a broken bottle. "It was the night cricket essence I ordered, but you broke it."

The Avatar of Sloth looks lazily between the box and his brothers. "Oh? I guess I did. I'm sorry, Levi."

"What's night cricket essence?" You ask, stepping into the room and sitting on the edge of the sofa where Belphie's legs are.

"Night crickets are a special kind of bug known to keep demons up at night; I wanted to put a few drops of their magic into my energy drinks so I can stay up all night to play games."

Your eyes widen at Levi's explanation; the Otaku hardly gets enough sleep as it is; he doesn't need some hardcore magical caffeine supplement to keep him wired. "No, you definitely should not do that, ever."

He crossed his arms and huffs, "It's not like I can anymore. He broke the bottle, and the shop I got it from just got shut down."

"I wonder why?" Belphie chimes in, sitting up just a bit more to grab your hand. Even though you are seated on the same couch as him, he feels like you are too far away.

Levi's face is a deep crimson color and he looks like he is ready to burst. "That's not the point. You broke my package and now I won't be able to play through my new game all in one sitting. Everyone is going to find all the hidden items before me, and I'll look like a complete loser on my server."

"Yeah, that is what will make you look lame." The avatar of sloth quips back with youngest sibling-level sass. You bite the inside of your cheek as you try to keep a straight face and not damage Levi's already fragile ego.

"Anyways," you clear your throat, trying your best to desolate this situation. "Levi, you really shouldn't buy things like that. It could really mess you up. And I hate to see you uncomfortable."

Levi looks at you with a grateful smile. "Oh, Mc, you really do care. Even if I am just a pathetic little shut-in. I'm going to make my avatar in the game look just like you as extra motivation to stay alive." he grins, rushing down the hallway, ready to play his game.

Now alone, you look to Belphie, who looks like he is about to fall back asleep holding on to your hand. "Don't you dare," you scold, taking your hand out of his. "You are on dinner tonight, and you are not sleeping through it again and buying takeout."

"But everyone loves Hell's Kitchen." he yawns, looking at you with a pleading expression.

Standing strong you ignore his puppy dog eyes and give him a knowing look.

"Fine, you win Mc." He sighs, taking your hand. "But you have to help me since it's too tiring for me to do it all on my own." You fight the chuckles as he leads you into the kitchen to be his sous chef for the evening."

Hours later, Belphie finds himself in his bedroom. His stomach is full, his teeth are brushed, and he slips on a cool pair of pajamas.

He may be able to fall asleep anywhere, at any time, in any condition, but it always feels better to slip into something cool and soft against his skin at the end of the day.

Beel emerges from the bathroom, a tired smile on his face as he wipes a bit of toothpaste from his lips with the back of his hand. "The Roasted Cockatrice you made tonight was delicious; you should make it more often, Belphie."

He smiles at the taller demon as he slides under his lavender-scented covers. The softness of his quilted down, embracing him like an old friend. "Thank you, Beel; if you like it so much, I can make it again for you sometime, and you can eat as much as you want."

Beel gives him a big, happy smile as he gets into his bed on the other side of the room. "I think I am going to dream about it tonight."

Belphie laughs as he sets his DDD down on its bedside charging port. "Careful Beel, the last time you dreamt about dinner you ended up eating your pillow in your sleep."

He frowns and looks at his mattress, "I really liked that pillow too," recalling the memory foam pillow you got him from the human world. He sighs and slips into his sheets. "Goodnight Belphie."

"Good night, Beel." With a flick of his wrist, he turns the bedroom light on and lets his head rest against the pillow, ready to head off into dreamland.

Minutes turn to hours as his cool sheets heat up uncomfortably, and the enviable sound of Beel's soft snoring can be heard from the other side of the room.

This feeling of restlessness is unknown to the Avatar of Sloth as he tosses and turns, waiting for sleep to take him, but it never comes…

The next morning, you find yourself at the breakfast table sipping on a chilled glass of freshly pressed blushberry juice and basking in the early morning shenanigans of the Avatars of Sin.

Next to you, Beel is devouring a mountain of protein waffles after what you can assume to be an intense early morning workout.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Mammon sneakily trying to pluck all the blood strawberries out of the communal fruit bowl without anyone catching him. And so far, no one has. Especially since Asmo's flash keeps going off as he takes and retakes pictures of the adorable latte art Satan made for him.

At the table head, Lucifer reads the newspaper, the ghost of a smile on his face as he tries to hide his contentment with this family time.

All of a sudden, Asmo drops his phone and lets out a gasp. "Oh Belphie, what happened to you? You look horrible hon."

Your head snaps to the doorway, and your gut fills with concern as you take in Belphie's appearance. His skin is sickly pale, his hair is ruffled beyond what one would call bedhead, and his usually bright violet eyes are framed by deep dark circles.

Had he slept at all last night?

"Shut up, Asmo," he grumbles, dragging himself to his seat and grabbing the pot of coffee from the center of the table.

You could hear a pin drop in the room as everyone watches him pours an impossibly tall mug for himself. He completely ignores the thick wisps of steam that dance on the lip of the mug and inhales the entirety of the dark roast-like air.

Beel swallows the waffle that had been caught in his throat and gently places a hand on his twin's shoulder "Belphie, are you okay?"

"Does it look like I am okay?" he snaps, jerking his shoulder out of his grasp "I heard you stomping all over the place this morning. It's impossible to get any sleep when I have to listen to you all night long."

Your eyes widen. Did Belphie really just say that to his twin? His favorite being in the three realms? Beel's face falls, and he is about to utter a small apology, but he is interrupted by a firm cough from Lucifer, who sets his newspaper down on the polished table.

"Clearly someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," he says, staring down his youngest brother with a gaze of fiery crimson. "You should think about what you are about to say next, Belphegor, or you will deeply regret it."

"Whatever, you guys aren't worth my energy." he gets up and walks out of the room, leaving the room in uncomfortable silence. You glance over to Lucifer and meet his gaze. His jaw is clenched, but he gives you a nod of encouragement that has you exiting the room to try and find Belphie and figure out what has gotten him so upset.

You don't have to go very far. Belphegor's steps are unenergized and painstakingly slow, allowing you to easily catch up to him in the hallway. Gently, you reach for his hand to stop him.

"Belphie, what is wrong with you?" you ask, "You never get mad at Beel like that."

His gaze narrows, and he rips his hand out of your grasp way harder than he usually would. "Well, maybe if he learned how to function without sounding like a stampede of elephants is marching through the room when I'm trying to sleep, I wouldn't have to get mad at him."

"Belphie…"

"And why did you follow me?" He says, his features twist into a cruel smirk that has you taking a hesitant step backward. "Is the nosy little human trying to make themselves feel all important by getting involved in our business? Why don't you get out of my face and get back to the human world where you belong."

Ouch…

Pain flashes in your gaze and he finally realizes that he went way too far. "Mc, I-i didn't mean it~" he tries to come closer to you, to apologize, but it's too late."

Your reply to him is cold and dismissive. "Just go get some rest Belphegor. You obviously need it." You glare at him and turn to walk back towards the dining room.

"Mc, wait." He tries to call after you, but you're gone. And when you sit back at your seat at the table you notice that your breakfast tastes far less sweet than it did a moment ago.

You have avoided Belphie for the better part of the day, and you have tried not to think of his cruel words. You want to give him time to fix his cranky attitude, but honestly, you don't know if you want to talk to him right now.

It is now way too late in the evening you are hunched over at your desk working on something for RAD when you hear a weak knock on your door. You glance at your little clock. It's 3:45 in the morning.

Who would be knocking on your door at this hour?

You pad across the carpet and open the door slowly to reveal the disheveled (and honestly pathetic-looking) Belpheghor.

"What do you want?" you say, tightening your grip on the door, ready to shut it in his face if he says anything rude, but you freeze when you take in his appearance. He looks worse for wear than he did earlier. Clearly, he did not take your advice and rest earlier.

"Please," he murmurs out. "Please let me in"

He looks so pitiful, your cave; opening the door wider to allow him inside. His head hangs low as he drags his feet across your carpet in a zombie-like fashion.

He slowly sits himself down on the edge of your mattress and stares down at his hands as if there is some kind of apology tattooed on his fingers.

"M'sorry." he mumbles at last, his voice raw from frustration. "After what happened last time… I told myself I would never do anything to hurt you ever again. I just wasn't thinking, and it slipped out."

"Clearly," you huff sourly, still licking your wounds from yesterday morning. "If that's really what you think of me, then that's fine, but Beel doesn't deserve to be snapped at either."

He opens his mouth in protest, "It's not like that; you know how much you mean to me, Mc. I'm just not acting like myself." He looks like he is about to cry, and it tugs at your heartstrings. "It's no excuse, but I'm tired."

"Then how about you just go to fucking sleep already then?" you respond. You may just be a human, but the demons aren't the only ones capable of inflicting hurt.

"Because I can't." he raises his voice, and you flinch under the sharp edge to his voice.

Immediately, he steps back for your comfort. This small act of consideration, even in the heat of the moment, makes you see him not as the monster in your mind but as a piece of your heart.

You think about what he is trying to say.

He can't sleep.

How is that possible?

He is literally the Avatar of Sloth.

One time he fell asleep on a rollercoaster because it took too long of a pause at the top before zooming downward.

"What do you mean you can't sleep?" you ask softly. Your feet move on their own, gently closing the distance between your bodies as you sit down next to him on the edge of your firm mattress. "What's going on Belphie?"

Your proximity is like a weighted blanket to him, and he leans in closer to your touch. "I haven't slept at all since that nap I took two days ago by the fire."

"Two days?"

You may not know the ins and outs of the effects that each brother's sin has on them, but you know that Belphie doesn't just sleep all the time because he wants to; he has to. Two days for him must be agonizing.

Thinking back to the other day you try to think of any little details that may lead you to why the poor demon next to you is unable to catch a wink of sleep.

You remember sitting next to Belphie on the couch…

And Levi was screaming about a package…

The Night Cricket Essence!

"I think I know why you haven't been able to sleep," you say, reaching for your DDD and pulling up your browser. Searching for anything you can about the demonic caffeine supplement thingamabob.

The effects pop up instantly, along with several warnings about the consumption of the product. You make a mental note to talk to Levi about his purchase history later, but you continue to scroll about the product.

"What are you looking at?" Belphie asks, leaning over your shoulder. He is so exhausted he slumps into your side, but you don't mind in the slightest.

"The effects of Night Cricket Essence," you reply. "It says here that you should only add a few drops into a drink to keep you awake, but it must've vaporized when you broke the bottle.

"So I inhaled the whole bottle?" he blinks.

"I think so," you muse; it seems to be the only way to explain how someone as powerful as him could be affected.

"When will it wear off?" he groans, leaning back onto the mattress.

"No clue, sorry. I'll keep looking," you murmur, trying to find some kind of a cure.

You scroll and scroll and scroll until you stumble across something that sounds promising.

If consumed in excess, the effects of Night Cricket Essence may be counteracted with a cup of chamomile tea.

Is that all it takes? A cup of tea?

It's worth a shot

"Come with me, Belphie, I want to try something to help you." Despite his restless exhaustion, your soft voice and kinder eyes are able to coax him onto his feet. He follows you out your bedroom door and into the kitchen.

He sits down at the counter as you scamper about the room, grabbing everything you need to make the both of you a nice cup of tea.

For demons, getting ahold of human world tea is next to impossible, but you had just come back from a trip with Barbatos to stock up on some hard-to-find blends. Chamomile included.

It doesn't take long for the tea kettle to whistle as you pour him a cup. You hand it to him carefully before pouring your own.

"Let's hope this works," you mumble, blowing on your own glass, but he wastes no time. He drinks it desperately, and a few droplets strip down his chin and onto the tabletop.

By the time he comes up for air, the cup is empty, and you know this is an immediate difference in his appearance. His eyes droop, and he looks at you with a sleepy smile.

"Thash goose" he stumbles out. You may not have the same twin telepathy that he and Beel have, but you know what he means as he sets the cup down clumsily.

"How are you feeling?" you ask, sliding around the counter and pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of his head.

"Tired," he mumbles, tilting his head up so you would kiss his lips. His movements are sluggish, but the sensation of your lips on his is enough to keep him going a bit longer. “Can I has slee in yer ruum?”

"You want to sleep in my room?" you ask, watching as his lids get heavier and heavier.

"Yesh, wanna cuddle."

You smile as he clings onto wakefulness, waiting to hear your answer. "You can stay with me." Your acceptance brings a smile to his face as he sinks onto the tabletop; his head hits the wood with a thud as he finally dips into his well-deserved rest. His soft breathing fills the room as you finish your tea. Once your little tea break is over, you will have to put him on your back and carry him to your room.

Three days later, you are once again at the breakfast table. When Belphie finally emerges from your bedroom looking extremely well rested. The others, having been made aware of the situation, breathe a sigh of relief when he takes a seat next to Beelzebub.

"Good morning Belphie." Beel smiles hesitantly at his twin through his breakfast sandwich.

"I'm sorry for how I acted earlier; I hope you're not too upset with me to go out for lunch."

The smile that appears on Beel's face makes your heart melt as he nods eagerly. "Can Mc come with us too? Food always tastes better when I eat with both of you."

Belphie glances over to you as you nod and directs his attention back to his brother. "I think that can be arranged."

Tagging: @enchantedforest-network

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lottienatsgf · 10 months

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˚✧ ˚♡˚ ✧˚ abby anderson date alphabet (pt1)

synopsis: one date with abby for each letter of the alphabet, filled with pure fluff and drabbles about each one.

a/n: this has been so much fun to write omg, but it’s taken a lotttt longer than i’d expected, so i’m posting part one now while i continue to write part two. this part contains letters A-L !!! i hope everyone likes it :-)

A = arcade

abby isn’t much of a video game / arcade game person, but once she gets into it, she gets into it. she can’t even decide which machine to go to first; she wants to try everything. you can’t help but giggle as you watch her excitedly bounce from game to game, winning a surprisingly large amount of tickets. some friendly competition arises between the two of you, as she -of course- wants to win, but she’d never let that cause her to act mean to you in any way. after testing out each game, she decides that her favorite is the boxing one, the one where you simply punch the machine to see who can hit it the hardest. she plays this one over and over again, loving to impress you with her strength. after combining all of you tickets, she lets you pick out whichever shitty arcade prizes you want, her face lighting up as she watches you pick out different types of candy and plushies.

B = beach

abby simply doesn’t understand why you’re packing so much in your bag for just a simple day trip to the beach, but she doesn’t complain. arriving at the sandy beach, you can’t help but stare at your beautiful girlfriend, dressed in a tight white tank top and swimming trunks. her hair is tied up loosely in her signature braid, blowing carelessly in the wind. your day on the beach begins! abby ends up being glad that you overpacked, and she happily uses up the sunscreen you brought. even still, the sun tints her cheeks a soft pink color, making her freckles stand out even more. you kiss each one of them before carefully rubbing another blob of sunscreen onto her face. abby prefers to stay in the sand under the umbrella instead of going into the water, but she gladly inspects all the seashells you show her, marveling over your eye for finding the best ones. you stay at the beach all day, soaking up the warmth and the salt air. at the end of the day, you sit together on the blanket, sandy legs intertwined as you watch the sun set over the ocean.

C = camping

abby is a WHORE for camping. she eats up every minute of it, loving the outdoor time and a chance to show off her strength while also spending quality time with the love of her life. she makes sure to do everything for you; carrying all the equipment, setting up the tent, starting the fire… absolutely everything. even with your rebuttal, it’s always, “relax, baby. i’ve got this.” she’s quick to comfort you if you express any fears of being in the middle of the woods at night or getting eaten alive by a bear, and she holds you close to her as the sun goes down. the two of you sit on the ground by the fire and make s’mores, and abby keeps giggling about how sticky her hands are getting from the marshmallows. once the nighttime air becomes cooler, she wraps her jacket around you, making sure you never become cold. you stay up all night with her by the fire, listening to her corny jokes, having deep conversations about the world, and stuffing yourselves full with s’mores. when you finally decide to go to sleep, she pulls you into her sleeping bag, insisting that it’s simply “to keep warm.” she holds you tight as you drift off to sleep, wrapped in her strong arms and lulled to sleep by the gentle beating of her heart and the crickets chirping outside the tent.

D = dinner and dessert

after a loooong day of working, abby wants to treat you to a nice little surprise. she watches as you get all dolled up, literal heart eyes as you apply makeup and style your hair. once you’re both ready, she takes you to a fancy dinner at your favorite restaurant. “pick out whatever you want,” she tells you. you glance at the menu, not wanting to spend her money. “are you sure?” “you deserve it. you spoil me so much, let me do the same now.” she insists. you order your favorite food, and you enjoy your meal together in the romantic candlelight. it takes you forever to finish your meal since the two of you can’t stop talking, discussing things going on in your lives. after dinner, she takes you out for dessert, bringing you to an adorable cafe with so many options to choose from. abby orders a coffee and a slice of cake, and you get your favorite sweet treat. she gushes over how beautiful you look and won’t stop staring at you to eat her dessert. finally, you both finish, and abby insists on order another slice of cake togo so she can eat it later.

E = escape room

abby is so. good. at escape rooms. she’s incredibly smart and always solves them so quickly, but she pretends to be confused just so she can have more time with you on the date. “yeah, i really have no idea what to do here,” she’ll say, meanwhile she’s already two steps ahead of you. still, she loves watching you figure it out, the way your brow furrows as you think and the way you talk out your thoughts as they come to you. of course, there’s been a few instances where the two of you have gotten in trouble at an escape room for making out when you were supposed to be solving the puzzle, which you both laugh about any time you go back to one.

F = fair

abby is pretty nervous about a fair date. there’s huge crowds, long lines, and you can’t forget about her fear of heights. she absolutely refuses to go on any rides that leave the ground, but she’s more than happy to play rigged carnival games with you and try all the different types of fair food. you beg her to ride the ferris wheel with you so you can kiss her at the top of it, but she won’t give in. her compromise is to give you as many kisses as you want - as long as her feet don’t leave the ground. of course, you take her up on this, smothering her with kisses any chance you can get. she blushes as this draws the eye of a few people, but neither of you really care. abby is somehow a master at the fair games, especially the darts or shooting ones. she has no use for any of the prizes, so she gives them all to you. by the end of the day, your stomachs are full from excessive amounts of fried food, and abby’s hands are full of huge plushies that she won for you. “that wasn’t horrible, hmm?” you tease her. “absolutely terrible,” she replies sarcastically, earning a kiss on her nose before you leave the fair.

G = gym

it’s no secret that abby loves the gym. she’s so happy that you finally agreed to go with her, and she gets you the cutest athletic set to wear. you have no idea what half the machines in the gym are, but abby quickly gets you accustomed to everything. you end up having a pretty good time, racing abby for who can run the fastest mile (she wins. obviously) and who can lift the heaviest weights (again, she wins) the exercise is done in a fun way, and abby is soooo supportive. “hell yeah!” she’ll exclaim after you complete and exercise, and she makes sure to reward you with tons of kisses and praise. she’s become your own personal cheerleader, and you return the favor as she works out. you can’t help but stare at her muscles as she flexes them, earning playful smirks from your girl while she continues to show off her skills.

H = horror movies

abby looooves watching horror movies with you. not so much for the actual movie aspect, but mainly just because she loves to hold you during the really scary parts and run her hands through your hair as you bury your face into her chest. before the movie, she insists on preparing a plethora of snacks, because “that’s just part of the movie watching experience.” you finally get everything ready and you curl up in bed with abby, flicking off the lights and starting the movie. she pretends to not be scared, but you still catch her flinching at the jump scares and you can feel her heart beating faster. you snuggle close to her, loving the feeling of her protective arms around you as the movie goes on. you absentmindedly trace over her skin with your fingers while you watch, and abby occasionally leans down to kiss the top of your head. halfway through, the two of you become way more interested in making out than watching the movie, which leads to the entire last half of the movie being forgotten. as the credits begin to roll, abby pulls away from your lips, leaning over to check the time. “over already?” she grins, reconnecting her lips with yours once more.

I = ice skating

after dressing up in warm clothing (and a lot of persuasion) abby reluctantly follows you to the ice skating rink. abby does not like skating. however, more than that, she likes pleasing her girl, so she obliges. let’s just say that abby is not good at ice skating. of course, you’re not a pro at it, but even a small child could be better at skating than abby. her usual confidence disappears the second she steps onto the slippery ice, and she begs you to hold her hand and never leave her side. as you slowly glide over the ice, she grips your hand impossibly tight, her knuckles turning white and her hands becoming increasingly sweaty. she’s a mess, and of course, she’s incredibly embarrassed about this. you find it adorable to watch her slip around on the ice and insist on holding your hand, begging “no! no, please don’t let go!” but finally, she’s been struggling so much that you decide to just leave early, promising her that no, you’re not mad and no, she didn’t look stupid. on the way home you stop to get a sweet treat for a very defeated looking abby, who gladly accepts it.

J = jewelry making

as soon as you come up with the idea of a jewelry making date, you and abby storm the craft store for supplies, returning home with bags of beads, string, and charms. neither of you could decide on just one color or design, so you just bought everything. a little while later finds you both sprawled out on the carpet, carefully sliding plastic beads of all colors onto the string. abby lays on her stomach, propped up by her elbows. she would never ever admit it to her friends, but she’s actually really enjoying herself. some light music plays in the background, and your girl hums along softly, focused intently on figuring out the perfect color combination for her bracelet. you’ve been stringing together a combination of pinks and purples (as well as some heart and star charms) and abby seems to have decided on a light shade of blue. the two of you work mostly in silence, too focused to engage in conversation, but she’ll occasionally look up at you with pure adoration in her eyes, her mouth spread into a wide smile. after a long time of bracelet making, abby sits up, reaching out to you to drop a bracelet into your hand. “for you,” she grins as you examine the bracelet. it’s a chaotic mess of an entire rainbow of colors, but it’s the letter beads in the center that catch your attention: a-b-b-y. “you can wear it all the time, and i’ll always be with you,” she winks. “that was the corniest thing i’ve ever-“ you begin to say, but the sound of her laughter cuts you off. she takes the bracelet into her hands, sliding it carefully onto your wrist. in return, you gift abby with one of the bracelets you made, a soft pink one with glittery hearts. blushing profusely, abby puts it on, rotating her arm to admire it. “i love it. i love you,” she says, kissing the tip of your nose. abby wears your bracelet every day, never taking it off her wrist. anytime you see abby, you can guarantee that she’ll be wearing her pink beaded bracelet given to her by the one and only.

K = karaoke

after finding an old karaoke disc stored away in an abandoned building, abby is insistent upon trying it out with you. you’re pretty embarrassed to sing in front of her, but abby promises you that she won’t judge you. after lots of begging, you give in, and abby pops the dvd into the player and sits you down next to her on the couch. she’s gathered two hairbrushes to use as microphones, persistent on the idea that this has to be “as realistic as possible.” however, as soon as the dvd starts playing, you know you’re in for a mess. all of the songs are ancient, and you have no idea how any of them sound. this results in you and abby guessing the melodies, singing painfully out of tune while making up how you think the song would go. “ooh, i got this one!” she exclaims before breaking into the chorus of one song, tripping over her words and laughing more than actually singing. “yeah, you really do,” you tease her, even though you’re no better. all of your fears about singing in front of abby are gone, replaced by the sheer happiness of the two of you laughing and playing around together. even though neither of you know any of the old songs, you still play the dvd until its very end, dramatically improving to all the songs. by the time it’s done, you’re both sore from smiling so hard and worn out from all the laughing.

L = library

abby looooves reading. huge book nerd. she flies through novels, always wanting to talk to you about what she just read. one day, she takes you with her to the library to pick out some new books. as soon as you enter the building, she’s off, on her way to find her newest selection. you follow cluelessly behind her, pointing out books with interesting covers, or marveling over how long some of them are. “this one is so good,” she’ll say to you, pointing out a book on the shelf that you’re passing. you pick up a few books, reading the synopsis and flipping through the pages. abby continues to wind through the shelves, curiously hunting for a new book. after searching the entire library, her hands are full of books of different lengths. “okay, which one should i get?” she asks you. you look through each one, wanting to make the best decision. finally, you’ve made your pick, and abby heads to the counter to check it out. you follow behind her, gazing at your beautiful girlfriend. she looks so happy, so excited. she hasn’t stopped smiling since you set foot in the building, and you just love watching her do things that she loves.

#tlou fanfiction #abby anderson x you #tlou x reader #abby the last of us #abby tlou #abby anderson headcanons #tlou abby x reader #abby x reader #tlou abby #abby anderson fluff #abby anderson #abby anderson x reader #abby anderson drabble #date night #tlou fic #pure fluff #abbysdykewrites

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cosmal · 1 year

Text

𝐇𝐨𝐭 — 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧

day three of my christmas drabbles advent calendar

summary — you bring remus home to visit your family for the holidays. he grows to love spending christmas in summer.

warnings/tags — fem!afab!reader, she/her pronouns, reader goes swimming, reader has hair long enough to be tied back

note!! — this is a totally self-indulgent fic. and for all my aussie/kiwi marauders fans!!

“This is weird,” Remus murmurs, handing you a tray of prawns. Along with the water dish.

“They’re gross, I know,” you giggle. “My dad loves them.”

Remus shifts in his seat, “No, not that,” he’s smiling, “It’s hot. It’s Christmas. It’s Christmas and I’m in a t-shirt.”

"You can take it off if you want," you giggle over the top of your bottle, sitting back in your chair.

"I will not," he gasps.

You love this look on him. He's been here for a week and he's all sunkissed and glowy. If you weren't spending the holidays at your parent's house, you'd have already jumped his bones.

"You'll go swimming with me, though?"

The backyard is full of your family members. Cousins running around with sticky, red iceblocks in their hands - your aunty's chasing them in turn, with wet paper towels. They're loud. Really loud and they really love Remus.

You're not surprised, he's perfect. You think they might love him more than you do. Impossible, obviously. But your dad had sat down with him in the lounge room and seemed genuinely interested in whatever Remus was telling him about his work. Your father has never read a book in his life, but for your boyfriend, he'll listen to him ramble about writing processes and workshops. In turn, your dad will force him to watch the boxing day cricket match tomorrow because Australia's playing England, so Remus must know a thing or two about cricket test matches.

"I told your mum I'd help her with the desserts," he leans over to kiss you on the cheek. His lips a burning heat over your already warm skin. It feels nice.

"Then you'll come for a swim?" you ask hopefully, lips pouting. You know he will, he'll do pretty much anything to make you happy. Sometimes you despise him for it in a totally loving girlfriend type of way. He's already in his swimming trunks. His legs looking fucking lovely.

He gets up from his seat at your outdoor table and it scrapes along your deck, "I'll be 20 minutes," he says with one more kiss. Quicker than the last but still as fond. You think maybe, even more, when he presses his fingers into your scorched skin.

You let him and your mum dish up trifles and a pavlova that always seems to be bigger than the year before. Remus says something really stupid and it makes your mum laugh. A full-on, hearty chuckle that is usually only produced at the cost of your own father. You smile all the way to your room.

Once in your swimmers, a set that you know Remus loves, modest enough in your own backyard, surrounded by your own family, but enough that you'll expect to be stuck to your boyfriend's side for the rest of the day. You walk back out to your backyard to find him in the middle of your lawn.

A cousin wrapped around his leg, another climbing their way up his torso. He's laughing, you're not sure how, because they both keep kneeing him in bruisable areas as they climb him like a jungle gym. Eventually, they pull him to the soft grass and it ends up in a sort of tickle-fight. It's more giggling than anything.

Your chest fills with as much warmth as you think it can allow without you feeling the urge to cry. Watching him get along with your family so well is more than you'd ever expected. He keeps surprising you and then he doesn't because he's Remus. Your boyfriend Remus, and he treats you with so much love and respect that you know that's just him. It's second nature to him and you'd expect nothing less for the people he knows you love also.

You know you're staring, you can't help it. Your cheeks ache with how wide you're smiling. Remus walks up to you once he's toddler free and pokes you in the cheek. You snap out of the little lovesick bubble you'd found yourself in.

"He's strong for four years old," Remus laughs, kissing you on the cheek again like he can't help it. You know he can't because you kiss him just as often.

"My aunty thinks he'll be good at rugby," you giggle.

"Or wrestling."

You lean in to wrap your arms around his waist, he doesn't let you. You startle, confused.

"I've never seen this before," Remus can be smug when he wants to be, sliding a finger under the strap of your swimmers, snapping the tight material against your skin.

"Yes, you have." You go too shy under his loving gaze. His eyes droopy but still full of mirth. You can feel a heat eat its way up your chest. If he makes fun of you for it, you'll be sure to blame it on the sun.

"Right," he runs the material between his fingers, distracted.

"Remus, stop it," you mumble. Completely melted.

"Stop what?" Still smug.

"Just take your shirt off, please. I wanna go for a swim."

Remus doesn't have to be asked twice. He takes his white button-up off, a gift from your family, and you try to ignore the feeling you suddenly have to stare more than would be acceptable in your setting. You also ignore the wolf whistle your uncle let's out.

Remus genuinely blushes.

"I think my family really likes you," you tell him, tracing a scar in the hinge of his elbow.

"I'm really happy they do," Remus pulls the hair tie from your wrist, moving to tie your back from your face. His fingers tickle your neck and you shiver despite the temperature. Remus grins. "I didn't just spend fifteen minutes decorating a Pavlov for no reason."

You snort. "Pavlova."

"Hmm?"

"It's a pavlova."

"Right..." he chuckles.

"Pavlov was the guy with the dog theory."

It's Remus's turn to snort. "Dog theory."

"Yeah."

He traces a knuckle down your cheek, "You're adorable."

"Stop it."

"Really."

"Remus..."

"That's why I'm really sorry." He says. Suddenly serious.

"For what?" you ask. Also suddenly just as confused as he is stern.

He doesn't respond.

"For what, Remus?"

The squeal you let out when Remus throws you over his shoulder is loud and pretty, in his own opinion. That's why he has no problems when you tug at his hair to stable yourself. You're suddenly dizzy, blood rushing to your head. Remus feels worse when you giggle in his ear.

"Remus!" Your protests are broken up by peels of laughter.

"I said I'm sorry!" he laughs.

"Don't! I'm serious."

He jumps in the pool, pulling you under with him and you both come up, smiling like idiots. Your family roars with adored laughter and your smile widens.

You swim towards him where he's standing just before the deep end. His laughter dies down as you pull him down so the water's up to his neck.

"I hate you."

Remus lets you wrap your legs around his waist. Content with holding you up. "No, you don't."

"We're breaking up."

Remus gasps, "Don't tell your dad."

"I think he'd die," you giggle.

"I think I would too."

You press your face into his wet chest, "Don't die."

"Never," he sighs. He has zero problems with kissing you over chlorine-soaked hair.

Christmas in the summer is better, Remus thinks. But only if he gets to spend it with you.

#remus lupin #resmus lupin x reader #remus lupin x fem!reader #remus lupin x reader #remus lupin fan fic #remus lupin fluff #remus lupin x y/n #remus lupin drabble #remus lupin fanfiction #marauders #the marauders #marauderx reader #marauder fanfiction

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lace-coffin · 5 months

Note

Hii 👋 Sorry if this req is odd or to specific lol. But how do you think Asa deal with a s/o who has phobias? Like I have a rlly extreme fear of the dark and needles, and I'm wondering wether or not Asa would give af about wether or not part of his collection has a phobia lmao. Have a great night/day!

How would Asa Emory react to a member of his collection having a phobia/phobias?

Asa Emory x gn!reader

Requests are open!

this is a super interesting ask! I literally love specific asks so no worries there! I hope u have a great day/night too < 3

It depends how high up in his collection you are, what you mean to him exactly. If you’re the drugged up captives in the lower levels of the hotels, scratching against the caged walls then he won’t care. You’re already sub human in his eyes, having to turn to cannibalising your cell mates for sustenance ,he couldn’t care less if your environment is making you more afraid.

If you’re a little higher ranking than that, one of many subjects he’s currently experimenting on then he may take your phobia into consideration, not through any affection for you however, it would be out of pure convenience.

How is he supposed to run his tests when you’re unresponsive and shivering for the first hour after he releases you from the box, still shaken from being kept in the dark for hours at a time. He doesn’t have the patience to deal with your squirming and crying when he tries to stick you with a needle, not being able to get the vein correctly if you keep moving.

He may administer needles whilst your asleep or leave a light on where you’re residing for the night so he doesn’t have to deal with you being “uncooperative” (you’re not being uncooperative, your just scared out of your mind, not that Asa cares)

Finally if you’re Asa’s prized pet and S/O then he’ll be merciful and try help you either conquer your phobias or outright do anything he can to make you feel safe.

Asa only uses needles with you if it’s absolutely necessary for your health and tries to avoid them completely otherwise. Your master will talk you through the whole process of administering the needle, distracting you if you need it, he may even blindfold you if you can’t stand to see it happen. He’ll ignore the death grip you have on his arm for your sake.

Once the jab is done he’ll comfort you, telling you that you did perfectly and he’s proud of you for being so good for him. “Just like that cricket, all done”

You’ll have a nightlight installed in your cage or near it so your never completely in the dark, even then your cage sits at the foot of Asa’s bed, filled with plush blankets and pillows, so he’s never far if you’re having a hard night and can’t cope. He’ll scoop you out of your cage and hold you against him, pulling you under the plush duvet and hushing you until you feel safe again. “So brave for me, cricket, focus on me, that’s it. Just let yourself go, sir’s here now”

#slashers #slasher x reader #slasher headcanons #asa emory #asa emory x reader #the collection #writing #my writing

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tiredgayloser · 7 months

Text

Thank you, Chef.

In honour of Cooky's official retirement from cricket, I've complied a list of my five favourite moments from his career. Cooky has always been one of my favourite players, a role model both on and off the field, and even though it's been years since he's worn England Test whites, I'm still not ready to see him go.

So, in no particular order:

His Ashes 244 at the MCG in 2017 [Boxing Day Test]. I love going back and watching it.

2. His one and only Test wicket. Just look at that face of joy. Something makes me think this probably ranks higher in his personal list of "best moments" than a grand number of his finest batting innings.

3. Showing up to the post-match interview for his last ever match soaked in the bone in champagne and beer (ft. a very emotional Jimmy, who couldn't stop himself from crying. Me too, Jim).

4. Pissing himself laughing over Straussy obliterating his glasses.

5. His highest ever Test score of 294. I may not have been into cricket at the time (being very young 'n all), but the highlights reel of it is just magical to watch.

Shit, Cooky. Come back? Please?

#alastair cook #england cricket #cricket #cricfam #thank you chef #:(

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buriedself · 6 months

Text

" we're going to be taking a lie detector test today. you will be hooked up to the machine, and we will ask you a series of questions - whether you tell the truth or lie is up to you, but the test wil be able to snitch out any lies."

" should've put the monitors on my prosthetic. " a joke that's only obvious by the smile that stretches across his face. " let's get this shit over with. "

" to start, what is your first name and what city are we in ? "

" we are in new york. my first name is vicente, but i'll also respond to chente, vee, vic, vice, [INFORMATION CENSORED FOR FIFTEEN STRAIGHT SECONDS], and sixty-six. "

" thank you. how are you feeling today ? "

" annoyed. i got dragged out of bed by my agent for this. i don't even know why i still have an agent. jesus. siri, remind me to do something about my agent. thanks, siri. "

" understandable. how about an easier one - what's your favourite colour ? "

" sentinel will send a sniper out for me if i don't say dark purple and silver, so let's settle on red, yeah ? red bull red, not ferrari red. "

" and your favourite film genre ? "

" cheesy romance. hallmark, if i have to be specific. there's just something about those holiday specials that you can't get anywhere else. "

" let's see - what is one thing you wouldn't be found without ? "

" headphones or airpods. even if i don't have my phone, it gives the illusion that i don't want people speaking to me. yup, i wasn't playing anything the day that picture was taken, but no one spoke to me. they do their job. "

" keeping it light, what's your drink of choice ? "

" there's a certain je ne sais quoi to boxed red wine. " vicente butchers the french and is proud.

" which of the following have you attended, and would you attend ? "

bold what's been attended, italicize what would attend / attend again.

the ballet. the met gala. the horse track. the race track. ("seriously?" "a hundered percent. take it or leave it.") a yacht party. the opera. the orchestra. a broadway show. a shakespeare production. a concert. a comedian. an ( american ) football game. a soccer / football game. a documentary film. a film premiere. a polo game. art museum. wine tastings. nyc sightseeing tour. celebrity sightseeing tours. haunted tours. charity galas. fashion shows. fashion week. disneyworld / disneyland. a basketball game. a hockey game. a baseball game. a boxing match. a cricket match. the golf course. the olympics.

" oooh, we're jumping into something a bit heavier now. what is the one thing you want to achieve in life ? "

" i'd like to see the drivers i mentor and train get a championship. if sentinel is watching this, i don't care about the constructor rankings, i just want them to win for themselves. "

" who knows what the fates have in store. how do you feel about reputation.com ? it's all anyone seems to be talking about lately. "

" yeah, here's what i think about that. " vicente curls the fingers of his prosthetic hand down so that the middle one is the only one left up. " i'm too damn old for that crap. i'm washed up, but i'd rather have them pick on me than pick on the kids. "

" everyone is entitled to their own opinion, i guess. what's the weirdest / craziest headline you've read about yourself there ? "

" [INFORMATION CENSORED DUE TO COARSE LANGUAGE] " on screen, for viewers at home, a screenshot is shown of a tabloid site with the headline 'this was the most humiliating day of vicente cortez's CAREER. he'd have more of a chance of winning a sixth world championship now than he did twelve years ago,' dated two years back.

" what's something you are currently working on ? "

" strategizing new race tactics along with formulating some upgrades to the cars. "

" i'll look forward to it. one last official question - and it's an easier one. cats or dogs ? "

" i've always had dogs, so i feel like that's a clear win. waldo, my dachshund, just turned ten a week ago. everyone say happy birthday waldo. "

" personally, i'm a dog fan anyday. anything else you'd like to add ? "

" no. thanks. if you excuse me i have some people to talk to very urgently.. "

" well, thank you so much for joining us today - can't wait to have you back with us soon."

#wealth.lies #intro... later <3

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carryonlikewedidbefore · 5 months

Text

Starc on his way to the crease

#cricket #boxing day test #MCG

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partybarty · 1 year

Text

Cam Green got a fiver.

#I'm not sure if that is how you spell it #also sorry about not blogging yesterday we were at Christmas 2.0 with the otherside fo the family so while we watched the cricket we didn't #have our laptops #Cam Green just keeps getting better and better #boxing day test

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mrlondonboy · 6 months

Text

🔍 Harry Griffin Jr Takes a Lie Detector Test

" Seem simple enough."

" to start, what is your first name and what city are we in ? "

"Harold. Or Harry. And we are in the amazing New York City."

" thank you. how are you feeling today ? "

"Just peachy. Had my morning beagle and coffee. I'm content."

" understandable. how about an easier one - what's your favourite colour ? "

"It's been blue forever. But like a darker blue. I don't know the name, but let's just say dark blue."

" and your favourite film genre ? "

Harry lets out an airy chuckle. "Most people would say Superhero movies, with my track record but I want to make the record straight I do enjoy a good horror thriller."

" let's see - what is one thing you wouldn't be found without ? "

"It is too "basic"- is that the term?" Harry laughs trying to understand these new terms being tossed around. "My phone. I'm always on it. Text, random Google searches during the day."

" keeping it light, what's your drink of choice ? "

"Whiskey on the rocks." "That's a lie." "Okay, okay. You got me. I'm kinda of a fruity drink kind of guy. Long Island Ice Tea is up there.

" which of the following have you attended, and would you attend ? "

bold what's been attended, italicize what would attend / attend again.

the ballet. the met gala. the horse track. the race track. a yacht party. the opera. the orchestra. a broadway show. a shakespeare production. a concert. a comedian. an ( american ) football game. a soccer / football game. a documentary film. a film premiere. a polo game. art museum. wine tastings. nyc sightseeing tour. celebrity sightseeing tours. haunted tours. charity galas. fashion shows. fashion week. disneyworld / disneyland. a basketball game. a hockey game. a baseball game. a boxing match. a cricket match. the golf course. the olympics.

" oooh, we're jumping into something a bit heavier now. what is the one thing you want to achieve in life ? "

"Not to keep in the footsteps of dear old Dad, but maybe finally get that Oscar. Not necessarily in the acting career but one of my films I produce getting some attention. Outside of my name."

" who knows what the fates have in store. how do you feel about reputation.com ? it's all anyone seems to be talking about lately."

"I've heard of it. It's a website. I've seen dozen of these in the past couple of years now. My name is always circulating in these outlets. Ever since I've shown my face to the public. I do have to admit this one knows where to get their information."

" everyone is entitled to their own opinion, i guess. what's the weirdest / craziest headline you've read about yourself there ? "

"Oh, man. A recent one I saw that actually made me laugh, that I had signed on to this trip to space that other celebrities were going. As much as I wish that was true, I didn't make the cut. - I know!" Harry reacted to the gasps behind the cameras. "I'd kill to go to space."

" what's something you are currently working on ? "

"A few projects here and there. Mostly producing. So sorry to disappoint any fans of mine that want another Superman movie any time soon."

" i'll look forward to it. one last official question - and it's an easier one. cats or dogs ? "

"Thanks. They are some projects that are close to my heart. Oh dogs 100%. I have a Collie, Quinn." Harry was quick to pull out his phone with his free hand. "This is the little guy."

" personally, i'm a dog fan anyday. anything else you'd like to add ? "

"That this was fun. Only got one beep out of it. Gotta say that's a win."

" well, thank you so much for joining us today - can't wait to have you back with us soon."

#wealth.lies #wealth.task

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lindsaywesker · 1 year

Text

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday.

37% of the web is porn.

Sex burns 360 calories per hour.

Baths kill more people than terrorists.

Earth has lost 50% of its wildlife in the past 40 years.

The big bang was quieter than a Motorhead concert.

Men are biologically hardwired to fall asleep after sex.

100,000 Japanese people disappear without trace every year.

The brain naturally craves four things: food, sex, water and sleep.

A blue whale can swallow half a million calories in a single mouthful.

The literal meaning of “Once in a blue moon” is once every 2.7 years.

The number of emails is expected to reach 376 billion daily by 2025.

In North Korea, the sentence for getting caught watching porn is death.

Being alone weakens your body. Having friends strengthens your body.

British people inserting things up their bums costs the NHS £350,000 a year.

The Peter Principle holds that people are always promoted beyond their ability.

Studies show that the average man exaggerates the length of his penis by 20%.

In 1997, Bill Gates invested $150 million in Apple to save it from going bankrupt.

According to a 2014 study, shorter men report that they have more sex. (No comment.)

On average people are 2 inches shorter and 20% poorer than they claim to be online.

Friendship has more influence on longevity than exercise, diet, heart problems and smoking.

In 1973, China had an excess of females and offered the U.S. 10 million Chinese women.

In 2011, a lorry crashed on the M1 spilling enough Marmite to cover 24 million slices of toast.

Eminem wrote and recorded ‘The Real Slim Shady’ three hours before his album was due.

To test what happens when someone sits on their phone, Samsung has a robot shaped like a bottom.

India used to be the richest country in the world until the British invasion in the early 17th Century.

In 2006, Liechtenstein accidentally found 0.3% more of their country when they remeasured their borders.

The more you hide your feelings, the more they show. The more you deny your feelings, the more they grow.

A study has found that friends-with-benefits relationships are just as sexually satisfying as marital relationships.

Marrying your best friend eliminates the risk of divorce by over 70%. These marriages are more likely to last a lifetime.

According to new research, your cat will happily take treats from your enemies. Your dog, however, will not.

At the 1968 Olympics, Bob Beamon broke the long jump record by so much they had to find another tape measure.

Emotional pain lasts for 10 to 20 minutes, anything longer is actually self-inflicted by over thinking, making things worse.

In 1900, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle caught fire during a cricket match at Lord's. The ball hit a box of matches in his pocket.

You may gain 20% more muscle strength by working out in the afternoon instead of the morning, according to a study.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 619,000 people die each year due to heat stroke.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ has been rated the best movie of all time according to IMDb, with a rating of 9.2/10.

There are 67.1 million tracks sitting on music streaming services that, in the 2022 calendar year, attracted 10 or fewer streams.

Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, who terrified audiences with movies like ‘Psycho’ and ‘The Birds’ was frightened of eggs.

The most expensive movie ever made is ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011) with a budget of $378.5 million.

When pirate Jean Lafitte (c. 1780 – c. 1823) saw that the governor of Louisiana had offered $500 for his successful capture, Lafitte put up flyers offering $1500 for the capture of the governor.

A ‘binfluencer’ is a person on a street who takes the lead in putting out the correct waste and recycling bins on the correct day, thus prompting neighbours to follow suit. (My next door neighbour is one!)

Okay, that’s enough information for one day. Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday! I love you all.

#mixcloud #mi soul #dj #music #new blog #lockdown #coronavirus #books #democracy #brexit #cronyism #election #tuesdaymotivation #radio

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if-confessions · 1 year

Note

Do you think there are downsides to posting an intro WITH a demo? This might sound like a stupid question, but 99% of Tumblr intros are “demo tba” and they get a lot of hype (obviously hype isn’t the most important thing, but everyone here wants some engagement).

I would want to have a playable demo if/when I post an IF, but I do worry a bit that people will read the intro, read the demo, and then…not really engage. It looks to me that demoless IFs get a lot of engagement BECAUSE they don’t have a demo yet. The mystery leaves people curious, which leads to asks, which leads to more hype, which leads to more asks (and the cycle goes on).

So do you think it’s smart or stupid to have a demo ready?

Honestly, I really don't know, Anon. I've done the dropping the intro with a demo (CRWL, P-Rix, Rye...) or full ass game (MtP, Comp games) without any teasing, and teasing/posing an intro post without a demo (Harcourt). The one who got the most hype was CRWL (and still do).

I think there are more factors outside of the demo/no-demo dichotomy that affect whether a post blows up. Like those effects below (but not limited to):

who posted the intro post (already popular authors will get more traction...)

period of the year posted, even day and time of day posted

whether the intro was promoted on other platforms (discord, itch, forums, twitter, etc...)

whether the post was tagged properly and shows up in the relevant tagged search (a few days old blog before posting apparently helps)

who reblogged the intro in the first few days (and when it was reblogged); if the creator is friend with larger authors, it will help

the design of the post (is it aesthetically pleasing)

the genre of the project (romance tends to be a fan favourite, darker concepts seems to be looked for, slice-of-life is getting some traction...)

the themes of the project/story

the planned gameplay

the types of trigger warnings (or whether there are even some)

the amount and variety of ROs (also, hotness, diversity, tropes used, etc...) and whether there are already visuals

whether there will be customisation and how extreme it is planned (physical, behavioural, background, etc...)

the syntax in the post (structure, grammar, etc...)

whether the blog has already content (I think that one is marginal?)

whether a blog as a custom theme

whether the reader of the post think there will be content...

whether the people engaging with the project creates easily headcanons and prefer the ambiguity of not having a demo to go wild with their OC

the colour of the sky that day and if all the stars are aligned...

....

(that's all I could think of right now...)

And still, no matter how many boxes you check, none of this will matter if the reader doesn't interact with the project. You can have an intro post that blows up, but then crickets in the inbox; and opposite have a project with a few hundred notes and a few active readers that blow up the creator's inbox.

Demo or no demo, it all comes down with the reader's willingness to interact with a project they find interesting.

===

It could be an interesting experiment to run, and see which effect matters the most, to understand why a certain post blows up or not. Though many of these aspects would be hard to quantify objectively, many of these would be hard to track (or at least tedious) and I would assume most (all) new creators would not want to divulge what they have done nor would readers admit to how much interactions they have. Anyway... media studies/marketing/psychology/behavioural science peeps, get on this shit, please!

So we can only speculate, and our assumptions might be completely wrong.

But we could have a poll... 🤔

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Anyway, don't feel pressured to go one way or the other. There are way too many things that will affect how popular a project gets.

[old comments in tags: slow but consistent growth might honestly be the best thing to get less pressure from the start and you get to test the waters with how comfortable you are with sharing things /]

#confession time #if-confessions #demo or no demo

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