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da-birb-writes-sometimes · 10 months

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Summer Won't Last Forever; 100 Follower Event (Closed)

Technically past the OG 100, but oh well; better a little late than never! And thank you for the support, and I'm happy that people are enjoying the silly little stories I write. Now; onto the event!

Fandom

Just TWST at the moment. You can request the main cast, side characters, and staff!

Duration

I will be holding this event for 10 requests for followers. Once this is filled, I will be closing the event. This is so I don't overwork myself. The only exception will be for mutuals. Mutuals get special treatment, yes.

Once they are filled I will close the ask box until I'm done writing them, which. The ask box will then return after the event.

For mutuals, hit me up in messages if I close the ask box before you can get in ^v^

Rules

1 request per person; the only exception I may make is for mutuals (depending on engagement).

1 character per request; but do include two backups in case I already received an ask for X character with X prompt (also in case there are a lot of requests for one character). You may also include a backup prompt in case it has already been used.

Please include if you would like it to be platonic or romantic in nature.

No NSFW.

If you are on Anon, do feel free to leave an emoji (see here for taken emojis)

As a reminder, I typically only write gender-neutral reader (they/them/their's/you). I make exceptions for trans reader though (just include gender identity and pronouns please).

Ortho and Grim are strictly platonic.

Anything romantic will be aged up; imagine the cast to be in an actual college.

~ Now onto the Event ~

Hot days fall into cool nights. Carnivals arrive in town. Long days spent at the beach or community pool. Fond memories made with friends. But, summer won't last forever.

Prompts

Stargazing

Let's beat the heat

Beach day

Farmer's market

Road trip

Carnival fun

Campfire antics

By the babbling brook

Long-distance relationship

Caught in the rain

Also, feel free to leave up to 3 emojis in brackets if you want to add anything extra. The majority of these should be fluff, but feel free to indicate if you would like something other than fluff in your ask!

Example; May I request *character* with *prompt* and (🌻🌻🌻). Could it please be platonic and fluffy?

These will be in the form of drabbles; which may range between 300 and 900 words depending on if the muse of writing inspiration strikes me or if I get carried away. Knowing me, I may get carried away for some ^v^;

Once this event is done I'll be heading back to writing for the Soul Match AU; which will be none other than the resident wet cat, Idia Shroud *ominous chortling*

Tags (aka my mutuals that I have on my main ^v^)

@eynnwwyjth, @krenenbaker, @azulashengrottospiano, @silvers-numberonefan, @twistwonderlanddevotee, @ithseem, @inkybloom-luv, @leonistic

As a reminder, do not put my work — or others for that matter — into AI as it steals. Link to Masterlist

All works will be under the tags #dove does events & #100 follower event.

#100 follower event #dove does events #twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twst x gn reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland x gn reader #mutuals can and will always get special treatment #tw flickering #<- for the gif #depending on how this event goes can and will effect future events #if engagement is good; great then i'll continue doing them; if not; i'll still do them just not as many #also 10 is a good number since i have noticed that engagement has been super low with a lot of blogs; we don't bite people ^v^#i did 10 for the match-ups and i was able to balance them quite well plus good writing #don't be like dove and write 31308 words [just the soulmatch au] in 34 days; 69.6 pages #<- ayeeeeee nice #gotta read over some inspo material first for idia though; back to the greek mythology hyperfixation i go #writing; powered by hyperfixation~#also i put the rules before the actual event info as that makes the most sense to my brain #edit; 42000 words since June 13 or 14 someone take my laptop away

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pyrrhiccomedy · 4 days

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I am genuinely so proud of my wife for becoming a crafts person over the last few years.

Like, I was always a crafts person. I was an arts and crafts kid. My parents sent me to classes or summer camps or after-school clubs pretty much continuously from when I was about 5 years old, and over the years I did metalsmithing, stained glass, polymer clay sculpting, loom weaving, oil painting, charcoal drawing, clothes-making & tailoring, carpentry, woodcarving, macrame, miniatures, beading, jewelry-making, basket weaving, leatherworking, paper-making, bookbinding, papier mache, decoupage, sand sculpting, and probably more that I'm forgetting. There was never a day in my life while I was growing up when my entire bedroom floor wasn't taken up by 2-5 different ongoing art projects. As an adult, it's given me the firm confidence that I can walk up to pretty much any crafting skill, and get the hang of it, and enjoy doing it.

My wife never had that. She wrote, but that was really her only artistic outlet. Art & craftsmanship were just not any of her business. She always expressed admiration for my gumption when it came to making things with my hands, usually with a "bigger idiots than me have done it" attitude, but she was certain she'd be bad at it if she tried it, and that she wouldn't have fun. As evidence, she would offer every time in her life when she had attempted to learn a craft, and didn't have fun, and all the Arts And Crafts kids picked it up a lot faster than her.

Which like - yeah! Learning how to do a new craft is a skill all on its own! Fine motor control is a skill developed over time! So is spatial reasoning, and materials intuition! She wasn't just 'trying to learn wreath-making,' or whatever, she was trying to learn how to learn how to make something with her hands AND wreath-making, at the same time, so of course it would take her longer than the kids who already had the first part, and of course it would be more frustrating for her. I knew she wasn't uniquely bad at crafts: she just didn't know how to approach picking them up, because she was never encouraged to learn.

And then the pandemic hit.

And while we were all trapped inside and going insane in new and exciting ways to all of us, she tentatively decided to pick up embroidery. She probably wouldn't stick with it, she explained: she'd probably be bad at it. It probably wouldn't be fun. But she thought embroidery was pretty, and literally what else did she have going on?

And then she did stick with it. For over a year. And she got pretty good at it! She embellished a baseball hat for her sister with cactuses and wildflowers from where they grew up which came out adorable. She made an embroidered portrait of one of our friends' cat that they still have displayed in their entryway. And she discovered - and remarked on it often, with mild surprise - that she was having fun. She'd say a lot of stuff like "this stitch was so frustrating at first, but now that I get it I really like doing it," or "I kept getting this tangled but I've figured it out now. I just needed to relax."

Then she took up pottery. We did that as a couple for about a year, too. Now she's a knitter.

And it's just been so great, to see her eyes light up when she sees a sweater she likes, and hear her say, "I could make that!" She's slowly let go of the perfectionism that I think holds a lot of people back from doing crafts: that dismay when you make a mistake which leads to discarding a whole project, or starting something over. More and more she's taking on the veteran crafter attitude of "oops lol, whatever I'll just keep going." She's picking things up faster. She's taking pleasure in learning incremental steps. She's started to see crafting as something that relaxes and engages her, instead of as something inherently frustrating. I've gotten to watch her learn to find joy in making something with her hands. I always knew she was creative and artistic and capable of learning how to do anything. It's been so much fun to watch her start to take that on as part of how she sees herself.

We have this running joke about how she will prematurely declare herself to be in an era. Like, she'll go swimming twice and announce that she's now in her "swimming era," and then never go swimming again. Or she'll make one smoothie, buy a bunch of fruit, and declare that we are now in a "smoothie era," and then a week later we have to throw out a bunch of fruit that's gone bad.

The other day (while she was knitting, and I was sitting on the couch next to her doing crochet), she went, "I feel like I've gotten - like, I'm a bit crafty these days, I think. Like, I've done a couple of different crafts, and gotten pretty good at them. I think this is now, kind of, you know...something that I can say that I do."

I supplied that I would even go so far as to say that she was in her "crafting era."

Her eyes widened. "It's an era?"

I pointed out that it was something she'd been doing pretty much continuously for the last three and a half years. That feels like the start of an era to me.

"Yes," she decided. "It's an era. This is my crafts era. I'm a crafts person now."

She's planning to make me a sweater with a duck on it for fall.

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xoxoemynn · 4 months

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For OFMD Tumblr friends who want a S3 and are scared of Twitter

First, no judgment from me. I very much get it. I resisted Twitter for a long time, and even though I'm now a bit more comfortable on it, it's still not my Fandom Home. There are a TON of valid reasons not to be on Twitter, but if you REALLY want to keep OFMD visible right now and help its chances of returning for a third season, Twitter is the best place to do it. Like it or not, Twitter is still the best social media platform for raising awareness and for instant news updates.

Tumblr posts don't make headlines. Topics that have been trending on Twitter do. And if we want this show to come back, we need to make OFMD impossible to ignore.

By now you've probably seen just how close we came to a S3, and if you're like me, you are RAGING and donning your battle jacket. But I get it can be intimidating to get on Twitter for the first time, so I thought I'd address some common anxieties I see. I'll put below a cut because this got a bit long, but I promise it's a quick read.

I don't know what to say! Where do I even start? That's okay! You don't have to create your own tweets (although it's great if you do). Amplifying other people's posts is also important. Go ahead and like/retweet/reply to other people's posts. This may also help you get an idea of what you may like to say in your own tweets.

Hashtags...yes? Yes! Although don't use too many or you may get flagged as a bot. The biggest one that seems to be emerging is #SaveOFMD. Other popular ones are #RenewAsACrew, #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath, and of course, #OFMD and #OurFlagMeansDeath.

Should I just be tagging all the streaming services? Per @renewasacrew, no. It's counterproductive. You'll want to tag one streamer at a time and be specific. Below is an example of a tweet I made the other day -- use specific reasons why that that particular streamer may benefit from picking up OFMD.

I'm scared. People are mean. Yeah, people are mean. But I will say the vibes over at OFMD Twitter are currently the best I've ever seen them. People seem to have united for the greater good and are being overwhelmingly positive and just trying to do whatever we can to save the show. (That said, again, I already had a pretty curated feed, and was very liberal with blocking users/terms I didn't want to see, but I've been able to spend so much more time in the For You tab than I ever have without being jump scared by something.)

But I don't know anyone there! Wouldn't I just be shouting into the void? Not if you use the hashtags! Fans are being really good about following those and engaging with the tweets. Plus, [Stede voice], I'm your friend. I'm xoxoemynn over there as well, I'll follow you back and engage with any of your posts that I see. Plus, what's been REALLY lovely to see is that SO many lurkers have come out of lurkerdom to support the efforts, and they are being welcomed with open arms, so you will not be alone. Again, I am telling you, vibes? Best I've ever seen them.

I can't get sucked into another social media platform, I don't have the time. The beauty here is you don't need to spend a lot of time. I've been on Twitter more in the past week than I have in the entire year I've had an account, and I'm still only on for maybe an hour total the entire day? I open the app, I check a couple accounts, I engage with a handful of posts, and I close the app. It takes all of five minutes. It's an extremely small lift that can have a very big impact.

My bet is on Zaslav expecting us to be upset, and that there may be a day or two of outrage, but then we'd move on. I'm sure right now he's trying to convince everyone that this is a fluke, and that it'll blow over soon. Don't let him win. Keep OFMD in the news. Be loud (but polite) and make Max and other streamers take note of what a passionate, loyal fan base this show has. Make their stocks continue to drop. Make it clear this is NOT just a fluke, it is NOT business as usual. It's a BIG fuck up with lasting consequences.

Twitter, for all its sins, is the best place to do this.

Now let's get our damned show back.

#ofmd #our flag means death #renew as a crew #truly BELIEVE ME I get wanting to stay away!!#and if after we get picked up again you want to delete your account please go ahead and do that!#but this is a really easy and tangible way to show Max/other streamers #just how beloved the show is and how it would benefit them to save it #I love tumblr but it's not going to give us the kind of impact we want #it's for fans - not for external folks/key decision makers #ANYWAY I am by NO MEANS a twitter expert but I'm getting better #and I've seen some people be nervous about getting on the platform so I thought I'd try to help <3

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slayingfiction · 1 year

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How I push through writing when I don't feel like writing.

Here are some of the techniques that I use to help me write more often or more consistantly when my laziness/depression/anxiety starts to take over.

I watch TV. I don't do it with the purpose of zoning out though. I watch something popular and well-liked such as the LOR or Harry Potter to get new ideas on how I can develop my story and apply their in-depth world-building ideas to help develop mine. Without plagarizing of course!!!!

Zoning out and daydreaming. As I have mentionned before, daydreaming is a huge part of my story outlining and world-building process. I'll stand in the shower, or take a walk and think about how my charcaters would act/react/behave in situations, mundane or not. Doing this gives me a better sense of my characters, and sometimes gives me ideas for scenes I use later on.

Work on writing related projects. These work well at keeping me distracted while still being productive on my writing goals. Example, I have one story I am working now, I made a new language (alphabet and numbers included) to include as a cool and fun component for the book. So, at times when I don't wan't to write, I continue creating the dictionary (very fun, 8/10 would recommend). Also, for the same book, my characters don't work off the Georigian calendar and 24 hour clock, so I've been working at creating a new calendar (harder than it seems, 2.5/10 dont recommend). These are side projects that help my story, without having to write.

Reading. You saw this one coming, I know. Reading is great, especially when you're editing, your writing style will unconsciously change to be more similar the author you were just reading. Also, most importantly, I'll be reading and think, "this story is really good, but you know what story I like even better? Mine." then change to writing.

This one is my biggest life saver!! I learnt about a year ago that sometimes I'll get bored of writing a story, and have difficulty keeping on track. That's why I finished my first book in 2016 and just started editing the first draft last week. The solution for me was to work on multiple projects at once, because it was much harder to be bored of multiple stories. I stick to 2, but will sometimes add a third. This is easy for me, because I have a list of over a dozen series I want to write. Don't abandon one project for another, use them as a distraction/ motivation for each other, so you're always furthering at least one project. I've never heard someone say, "oh no, i accidentally worked on this other writing project for three months instead of the other writing project I was doing. Dammit." No, we're just happy we have written something. Be sure to have well outlined story lines before starting, don't just start writing randomly or you'll reach a point where you don't know where to go from there.

Author/ writer projects. Maybe this is building a following, or community to share your projects and engage with. Tumblr, Insta, Reddit, whatever it is. My hope this year is to start up my website to offer publishing services (editing, graphic design, short writing courses) and build a following as a writer. (See what I did there? Never a bad time to self-promote ;) ) Having your own projects like this will help you in the future when you're going to try to publish and sell your books!

Talk with friends and a writing community. Never underestimate the passion that will burn inside you when talking about your story, or when others are talking about theirs. Surrounding yourself with a positive writing community can be the best thing for you as a writer.

Write or read (your story) every day. I'm not going to be one of those people that say you need to write 1000 words a day, that's a lot. But maybe try for 100? That could maybe only take 5 minutes, and at the end of the year that's still over 36 thousand words of a novel. Or just read your story, and I've always found it helped me get in the creative mood.

Make a playlist of songs that remind you of your characters, your story, or just puts you in the mood to write. Then play it ONLY when you're having trouble writing. Playing it while writing will not help, you'll get annoyed with the songs.

Just really can't do it today? That's okay, take a break. You deserve it. There's always tomorrow.

Does anyone else have ways they push themselves to keep writing? Let us know in the comments!

Happy Writing!

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arataka-reigen · 3 months

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Winter Anime Review by Yours Truly 🍄🌻

This season I said I would not watch anything besides dunmeshi. As we can all see... that was a fucking lie.

In total I've started 10 anime (can everyone praise me and be proud of me for being a bit more tame than I was in the fall season? At least it wasn't 20 anime this time).

My reviews are something I make just for fun, and they 100% reflect my own personal tastes. I might give a highscore to shows other people would call absolute trash, and that's okay! To each their own~~ That being said, I do try to make it very informative to aid you in choosing what you might want to check out by adding a summary and a few content warnings along with the actual review.

A little preview: this season has some great romance anime with couples that actually do make progress in their relationship, which is kind of rare for anime couples, always on their "will they wont they" thing, so if anything, i would recommend picking up one of the romances this time around. (And dunmeshi. Watch dunmeshi.)

***This review will include exclusively animes that debuted this winter, so no 2nd seasons or continuing shows from the fall season.

So, without further ado, let's get into it under the read more.

Dungeon Meshi

Summary: Seinen, Fantasy, Gourmet, Comedy

A party of adventurers gets stuck fighting a Dragon even though they are starving and in no shape to survive. In a last ditch effort to make it out alive, mage Falin sacrifices herself to save her brother Laios and their party. She sends them back to the surface but gets eaten by the Dragon. Now Laios and co are in a race against time to save Falin before she gets digested. The problem? They don't have any money for food. The solution? DUNGEON MESHI!!! AH, DUNGEON MESHI!! DUNGEON FOOD!! JUST EAT THE GODDAMN MONSTERS 😋

Rating: 10/10

Review: if you've been following me for 2 seconds or less you already know dunmeshi is one of my all time favorite mangas. And the anime absolutely delivers. The animation is great, the voice acting is great both subbed or dubbed (the english dub AND the portuguese dub are worth it). The comedic bits hit so hard, and we're just at the start but you can already see bits and pieces of a larger and more dramatic story unfolding.

World building is insane. Character design is insane (everyone say thank you Ryoko Kui our goddess).

Not only is the story incredibly well written with no plot holes, the characters are also well fleshed out and three dimensional.

I could sing praises for it for hours, but then it would leave no space for the other shows on this list so I'll stop now.

But if you only have time to watch one anime this season, this one is it.

Content Warning: blood, death, necromancy crimes 🧟‍♀️

7th Timeloop: the Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy

Summary: Reincarnation, Fantasy, Romance

Rishe is not new to the reincarnation business. This is her 7th time around. After being accused of crimes she didn't commit and having her engagement to the crown prince broken off in her 1st life she went on to discover that life is full of possibilities and adventures. But, after 5 years, she died. Only to find herself back at the moment the crown prince broke off their engagement. With each life she explores new countries and new possibilities, but in every life, after 5 years, she is caught up in the war waged by emperor Arnold Hein, and is killed. In her 6th life she dies directly by Arnold's blade and in a turn of fate she runs into him in her 7th life, catching his attention, and maybe his heart? Can she prevent her death this time around and finally live a peaceful life?

Rating: 10/10

Review: ah, we all knew the otome reincarnation was coming. This shit is my life source. That being said, even if it wasn't, I would still probably really love 7th Time Loop. It's just that good.

Rishe is a great main character, in all her past lives she was on The Grind. From being a merchant, to a doctor, to a maid, to a royal guard. And now she tells herself she just wants to chill, but this girl simply cannot chill. She is playing mind games with Arnold, trying to figure out what he is planning and how to stop the war from breaking out.

Meanwhile, Arnold is head over heels in love and probably so so full of trauma we still don't know yet. We must protect this dude. I'm very excited to find out more and more about him and what exactly led him to start a war against the world.

The animation is gorgeous, I love the way the eyes are drawn like constellations.

The romance is great and developing at a very nice pace, Arnold is very respectful of Rishe's boundaries for their marriage and overall just a really great guy.

CW: blood, death, kidnapping.

Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!

Summary: Boys Love, Adult Cast, Workplace, Supernatural, Comedy

Office worker Kiyoshi Adachi has gone 30 years of life without ever having his cherry popped. Due to this profound accomplishment, he gains the ability to read minds through physical contact. However, this new skill has only made his life harder and he now hates crowded spaces.

On the way to work, Adachi runs into his colleague Kurosawa, curious about what an outgoing guy like him thinks about, Adachi touches him and finds out that Kurosawa has a crush on someone from their office, looking further he realizes Kurosawa is actually crushing on him.

Rating: 10/10

Review: first of all, if you say "romance + adult cast" you already have my full attention. Add mind reading to the mix to make sure that the main character doesn't have miscommunication problems and i'm at the fucking table eating it up.

This show is incredibly funny, Kurosawa's thoughts about Adachi are always so sweet and/or horny and obsessed, but he is still just a super great guy with great morals and he would never do anything Adachi doesn't want (much to Adachi's surprise because he thought the dude was going to jump him anytime with how badly in love his thoughts are).

Adachi is straight until proven otherwise, and Kurosawa proves otherwise really fast. The pace of their romance is really great, we dont get ten thousand episodes of "will they wont they" and I really appreciate that.

CW: none that i can think of atm. Let me know if you have anything i could add here.

Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord

Summary: Otome Isekai, Fantasy, School

Yumiella Dolkness is a girl with dark hair and dark magic (characteristics associated with the Demon Lord) and for that she is feared.

When Yumiella was 5 years old she regained memories of her past life in modern Japan, and the game she used to play: Light Magic and the Hero. In it, Yumiella was the secret boss you had to defeat after the Demon Lord. Determined to avoid this fate she applies gamer logic to her life and begins adventuring in dungeons to max her power levels.

Now, 15 year old Yumiella is going to school, where she will meet the true hero of the game. She wants to avoid calling attention and just go through her school years without trouble. But when their power levels are measured in the first day of school, she is measured as a level 99 dark magic user and now even the king and queen have their eyes on her.

Rating: 10/10

Review: you gotta trust me on this one and get through the first ten minutes, I promise it gets so much better after Yumiella is really introduced. They just had to spend a few minutes doing a gag introduction, where you follow the game's hero before you find our beloved villainess. And it was very cool how the opening resemble a dating sim game opening.

Yumiella is great, one of my favorite female leads this season, and that is including frieren and maomao from the fall season animes that are still airing. She is not very aware of all the social cues and has trouble communicating and making friends, but we get to see her inner thoughts and they're always hilarious.

My favorite gag is that dark magic can be used for healing, but the healing process looks fucking grotesque so people would rather not be healed by Yumiella. For some reason that always gets me.

I really fucking hate the 4 hero characters, they're super annoying, but in a "i love to hate them" way, and I love seeing yumiella wipe the floor with their asses without even trying because she is just that overpowered. Most of the anime is just her trying to use just a tiny bit of her power because if she uses her full power people would just straight up die with a simple punch.

CW: blood

Yubisaki to Renren

Summary: ✨️Shoujo✨️, Adult Cast, Romance

(Summary stolen from myanimelist, sorry) Yuki Itose is a hearing-impaired university student whose world has been shrouded with silence since birth. She has lived in the same place her whole life, and rarely interacts with others save for her best friend, Rin Fujishiro. During her commute one day, she meets the silver-haired and multilingual Itsuomi Nagi, a mutual friend of Rin. Unlike most, Itsuomi is unwavering when he learns of Yuki's impairment; this, along with his experiences abroad, fascinates and touches her. After they part, her fondness of him starts to grow. A new world begins to open for both Yuki and Itsuomi as they learn about each other's different lives.

Rating: 10/10

Review: and here we have The Shoujo Of The Season. And it occupies that spot marvelously.

Yuki and Itsuomi are another one of the incredible couples of the winter season. Relationship developing at a very nice pace that isn't too fast and not too slow (like shoujo can be sometimes). Yuki is very inspired by Itsuomi, she wants to see the world and experience new things now that she got a glimpse into his life and realized how big the world is.

I specially love how cool, calm and collected Itsuomi always acts, but how his cousin, Kyouya, lets us know that Itsuomi is really interested in Yuki and just shows it in different ways, like the way his voice gets very affectionate towards her.

The animation!!!!! Wow!!!! So soft!!! So warm!!!! I love it!!!! I'm sure you'll love it too!!!

Sound design is also very good, it's specially interesting during scenes where we cant hear anything because we are on Yuki's point of view. I wish it happened even more often.

I've seen people compare this show with Koe no Katachi but they're very different shows, specially since we get to see most of this one through Yuki's point of view, while Koe no Katachi was not from the POV of the hearing-impaired character and dealt a lot more with issues like bullying and suicide. Yubisaki to Renren is a lot more light-hearted, soft, sweet and overall just a feel good anime.

I am always going to recommend shoujo. Specially when they're as good as this one is. So definitely check this one out.

CW: none that I can think of. Let me know if there is anything I should put here.

The Foolish Angel Dances with the Devil

Summary: Seinen, Romance, Comedy, Supernatural

The angels and the devils are waging a war. Things are not looking so good on the devils' side, so they send Akutsu Masatora on a journey to the human world, to find someone that can aid the demons on their fight.

Akutsu is assigned a seat next to Lily Amane, the cutest girl in class. But when he tries to recruit her to the devil's side he realizes she is not a normal human. Now he must deal with the fact that he is tied to his mortal enemy, an angel, and with the fact that he might be falling in love.

Rating: 10/10

Review: More like,, the foolish devil gets played by the angel.

Akutsu and Lily get into stupid mind games trying to make the other fall in love, all while realizing that "hey, angels/devils arent so bad after all" as they spend more and more time together.

It reminds me just a bit of Kaguya-sama how the main couple wants the other to cave first.

This show is simply hilarious, I was laughing out loud at so many stupid scenes. Some gags do get old a bit fast, but overall it's still going strong and makes up for where it falls short with how badly in love these two already are just a few episodes in.

I'm not sure we'll get a proper confession this season, but it doesnt look like these two will be stuck forever in the "will they wont they" stage like the couple from kaguya-sama.

CW: there is a scene by the end of episode one that is completely played as a joke that has one of the lead characters putting a collar on the other lead and the imagery was a bit disturbing, definitely leaning on non con bdsm themes, it isnt terrible, just felt a bit distasteful to me, but nothing big, i dont think it should deter you from watching this, but watch out for that.

Solo Leveling

Summary: Action, Fantasy

(Synopsis stolen from myanimelist again) Ten years ago, "the Gate" appeared and connected the real world with the realm of magic and monsters. To combat these vile beasts, ordinary people received superhuman powers and became known as "Hunters." Twenty-year-old Sung Jin-Woo is one such Hunter, but he is known as the "World's Weakest," owing to his pathetic power compared to even a measly E-Rank. Still, he hunts monsters tirelessly in low-rank Gates to pay for his mother's medical bills.

However, this miserable lifestyle changes when Jin-Woo—believing himself to be the only one left to die in a mission gone terribly wrong—awakens in a hospital three days later to find a mysterious screen floating in front of him. This "Quest Log" demands that Jin-Woo completes an unrealistic and intense training program, or face an appropriate penalty. Initially reluctant to comply because of the quest's rigor, Jin-Woo soon finds that it may just transform him into one of the world's most fearsome Hunters.

Rating: 8/10

Review: everyday that passes I find myself liking battle shounen less and less. This one is not bad, it is actually quite interesting, it's just not the type of stuff i'm into anymore, I guess.

That being said, if you're in the mood for it, this one if very interesting. Jin woo's life is now completely ruled by this game that allows him to level up, and he is getting a bit fucked in the head by it.

Animation is great, I love when his eyes get all shiny because you know he's gone Beast Mode.

Not a lot of characters introduced so far, but it's still cool to see Jin Woo leveling up on his own. I mean... a show named solo leveling has got to make sure that the solo aspect isnt boring lol.

For some reason tho I still gave it an 8, which is high, so... it's pretty good.

Jin woo is just a bit... generic i guess. Nothing you havent seen before from an isekai male lead.

Also... i miss his haircut from the earlier episodes, his current haircut makes him look even more generic.

CW: blood and gore, body horror, torture, death games. Big and scary god statue that smiles in a fucked up way and kills kills kills.

Drop Box

Animes I either already dropped for a specific reason or will probably drop in the future simply because I wont have time to watch everything I started this season, so among the 10 I started, these are the ones i'm least likely to finish:

Majo do Yajuu

Summary: Seinen, Action, Fantasy

Guideau and Ashaf are an ominous pair, working for a mysterious organization that deals with magic crimes. Guideau is a feral and unhinged girl/genderless beast with a curse she wants to break and Ashaf is her soft spoken and calm companion. They go from town to town looking for witches to defeat and trying to find the witch who cursed Guideau and get their revenge.

Rating: 7/10

Review: I do like this one, I just think that if it comes to it and I dont have time, I wont miss it too much if I never finish it.

The blood and gore are heavy, and that might be the reason why i'm fine dropping it, i'm not that big of a fan of gore.

Other than that tho, I find the two main characters extremely interesting and i want to learn more about them, specially Guideau and her curse and that crazy beast mode she goes on when she manages to put a pause on her curse sometimes.

CW: blood and gore, body horror

Gekai Elise

Summary: Reincarnation/Otome Isekai, Fantasy, Medical, Romance

(Again, stolen from myanimelist) In her first life, the renowned and genius surgeon Dr. Aoi Takamoto was Elise de Clorance, a villainess of noble descent. Elise's selfishness, insolence, and obsessive love for her fiancé—Prince Linden de Romanoff—led to the deaths of her family members and, eventually, herself. Only after being reborn did Elise realize the error of her ways and decide that, instead of ruining lives, she would devote herself to saving them. But a tragic airplane crash robs her of her dreams too soon.

By a miracle, Elise wakes up in her original body before her official engagement to Linden. Recognizing the chance to cherish her loving family and free Linden from an unwanted marriage, Elise wishes to use her advanced medical knowledge to continue down the path of saving lives. In a deal with the emperor, Elise is given only six months to prove that her true place is not on the throne, but rather with the wounded and ailing who desperately need her help.

Rating: 6/10

Review: I'd like to say I dropped this show for personal reasons, not because it is a bad show.

It is definitely not the best otome isekai of the season (7th time loop and Villainess 99 win by a mile), but it is quite good and has an interesting premise. The main couple didn't seem too promising or interesting to me tbh.

The thing that interested me the most was the fact that Elise's original life was as a noblewoman, her second life was as a doctor and then he got a chance to relive her first life and change the mistakes she made.

Unfortunately, I am a med student, and I simply can't watch medical related stuff without nitpicking it to hell and back. Mostly, I try to distance myself from medicine related shows because my life already revolves around it too much, u know. I just need a break from All That when I'm watching my silly little shows, so... i had to drop this one.

Also, the main character was kind of annoying, but that might just be me.

Anyway, check this out if you think it sounds interesting. I might not be the best judge of this one.

CW: plane crash, death, medical procedures, surgery

Gushing Over Magical Girls

Oh boy...

I'm putting the CW before anything else because this one is problematic and I don't want anyone acting like I didn't warn them beforehand.

CW: this is straight up softcore porn and the characters are all middle/highschool aged. The anime revolves around BDSM themes (so many and increasingly worse themes, from simple bondage to pain play, to age play and other stuff), and there is nothing more than that to it, all the character growth is about the characters becoming more and more uninhibited with their sexual preferences. Also extremely dubious consent for all of it.

This is just a hentai disguising as an ecchi. It's fully yuri tho. Small blessings lol.

Summary: Mahou Shoujo, Girls Love, Ecchi, Comedy

I'm tired already so this will be short. Utena is a girl obsessed with magical girls. One day she gets the chance to become a magical girl herself, however, she is fooled and actually becomes a villain. She is made to fight Tres Magia (magical girl group) and ends up realizing she quite enjoys inflicting pain against them.

Review: the animation is good, very clean, the boob physics is not all that bad (what. this is an honest review and the anime is an ecchi. i gotta talk abt the boob physics.)

It is indeed super funny and definitely unhinged.

Plot wise, it is pretty straightforward, girl likes magical girls -> girl finds out she likes to watch magical girls suffering and in pain and moaning (well, not only watch, she does a lot of touching too)

Do I recommend it? No. Am I having fun watching it? Yes, it is pretty funny if you're the type of person who can ignore A Lot of things.

I'll probably favor the other animes tho so this one is very likely to get dropped before the season is through.

Thank you for reading (if you managed to make it this far lol, although this list is definitely smaller than my fall anime list)

If there is any other anime you think I should check out this season leave it in the replies and I might take a look at it and update this review with it!

#well. here's this.#this season is packed full of great romances #or romcoms #also great #gi talks animanga #dungeon meshi #7th time loop #cherry magic #villainess level 99 #yubisaki to renren #the foolish angel dances with the devil #solo leveling #majo to yajuu #gekai elise #gushing over magical girls #gi reviews #shoujo #shounen #winter anime 2024

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sheeple · 9 months

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Miracles don't exist | 18: I'm on her side

Genre(s): Riddle!reader / Slytherin!reader / kinda slowburn / little happy moments Fandom(s): Harry Potter Pairing(s): Theodore Nott x Reader / Harry Potter x Riddle!reader Summary: Being the Dark Lord's daughter and raised under the strict supervision of the Malfoy's is no easy life. Especially if you start crushing on your father's arch-nemesis, Harry Potter. And that while being engaged to one of his follower’s sons. Warning(s): Talk about torture [Masterlist] [Mini masterlist] [Playlist]

You and the others of the DA walk out of the Great Hall, painfully clutching your hand. The words 'I must obey the rules' are crudely carved into your flesh with your own handwriting.

You hurry towards the dungeons, to clean up your hand and cry in silence. When you walk into the common room everybody's eyes are on you. Nobody knows exactly what you did, but they know it had something to do with Harry Potter and his Gryffindor friends, and that's reason enough.

Draco's gaze is cold when you two finally lock eyes. He gives you nothing but a harsh expression.

You exhale harshly through your nose and turn around to your, hopefully empty, dorm. When you close the door behind you and there is nobody else in the room, you finally allow yourself to take your hand off the wound.

Your hand is throbbing and the words are still steadily bleeding. There is a knock on the door before it opens and Theo's head pops in. A sad and guilty look in his eyes.

"No... Theo... It's not your fault." You walk over to the dark-haired boy and grab his hand with your good one.

A humourlessly chuckles leaves his lips. "I should be the one to comfort you, not the other way around." He produces two vials out of his pockets. "It won't stop the scarring immidiatly, but it'll help with the pain."

You take the bottles of Wiggenweld Potion with a grateful smile. "Thank you. I appreciate it, Theo." Popping the lid off one of the vials, you gulp the potion in one go. "It tastes horrible", you grimace.

Theo laughs and takes your injured hand. He carefully rubs around the irritated area. The pain grows less severe with the second, but the words have not disappeared completely.

"Better?', he asks and you nod. Theo wraps his arms around you and hugs you tightly.

"I'm fine." Your words are muffled against his shoulder.

Theo tightens his hold on you, one of his arms around your middle and the other around your shoulders, his hand laced in your hair. "I don't care. You need a good hug."

The two of you stay like this for a while until your neck is starting to hurt. You take a step back, rolling down your sleeve so the words are concealed. "What's the general mood of our fellow Slytherins?"

"Nobody exactly knows what you've done. But they know it has something to do with Potter."

With a groan, you let yourself fall on the bed, patting the space next to you. The smiles and goes to lay next to you with slightly more grace.

"In how much trouble do you think I am in when we go back home?" You turn your head to the side and study the boy's profile. The freckles on his cheeks, the curls in the nape of his neck, the way his nose doesn't have a single bump.

Theo licks his lips, eyes trained on the canopy above your bed while his finger drums on his stomach. "Somebody will snitch to their parents. But it is the question if the parents will tell. They want to stay in good graces with your father and tell him his daughter was caught with his enemy... It won't end well. Not for them, not for you."

You gulp, imagining what he will do. The Cruciatus curse will be the least of your concerns.

Theo's head snaps towards you and grabs your hand that rests next to your body. "Don't worry. I'll be there if something happens." He squeezes your hand, and you give a small smile in return.

"Or...", he begins unsurely but seems to swallow his words. You shuffle closer to him and nudge him to continue.

"What if... you stay with me during the summer? I-I could write to him to ask for permission. Put in some crap like getting you acquainted with being the lady of the house- or whatever."

Slowly, a smile grows on your face. Would he really do that for you? Would Theo really put up with you for an entire summer?

Theo's face turns a bright red as his eyes flicker from yours to anywhere else in the room. "Stop... Stop looking at me like that..."

"Like what?" You blink slowly, cockling your head slightly to the side.

"Like you like me."

"But I do."

He shakes his head. "No, not like that. Like you like-like me." He tries to let go of your hand, but you don't let him.

"Who says that I don't?"

The dark-haired boy gapes like a fish, eyes wide and lips parted. He's at a loss for words. That's rare. Theodore Nott always has something to say. He looks back at the canopy and his hand starts to grow sweaty in yours.

You two stay silent for a while. Theo anxiously drums his finger against his chest, not being able to lay still.

"Was it at least worth it? Attending Potter's classes", he suddenly asks. Like he doesn't know what to say.

You beam and turn your whole body to the side, resting your head on your fist. "I cast a full-bodied Partonus."

It's no secret that everybody hates exams. The endless hours spent studying are all in vain if the information doesn't stick. And you know that you should have spent more time studying, but it's quite useless to beat yourself up over it as you read over the Charms O.W.L. questions.

You try to subtly glance around but don't dare to try your luck with Umbridge looming around. Turning your focus back towards the exam. Just as you put down your quill to write an answer, a loud bang is heard from outside the Great Hall. Everybody lifts their heads to look around.

Umbridge steps down from her podium and marches down the rows of students as the explosions get louder. When she opens the doors, something bright flies in front of her face before flying into the Great Hall and exploding in brightly coloured fireworks.

There is a moment of silence, after which the Weasely twins fly into the Great Hall and throw fireworks and papers around. Everybody jumps up and cheers, happy to see the toad of a woman in distress.

Little sparks go for your cousin and his friends, firing off in his face. One even leaves the imprint of Draco's scared face on a wall.

One of the twins throws a big one which transforms into a dragon. It chases Umbridge down the Great Hall. And when it caught up t her, it swallows her and explodes, bringing all the decrees she made down with her.

The crowd runs after the Weasleys to the courtyard, where they fire off more fireworks in the air and form a big 'W'.

You look around, a big happy smile on your face. But it drops as soon as you see Harry. His face is pale and he looks like he's going down any minute now.

"Harry!" You rush towards him and help steady him. "Are you alright?"

Hermione and Ron also flock towards Harry with worried looks as he takes off. "It's Sirius. I saw it. Just like with Mr Weasely."

The three of you hurry up the steps, hot on his heels. "Are you sure?", asks Hermione.

"It's the same door I've been dreaming about for months. I couldn't remember where I'd seen it before. Sirius said Voldemort was after something. Something he didn't have last time."

"How are you sure it's real?" Your words make the trio stop and turn towards you. "What if the Dark Lord meant for you to see this?"

If it is true what Harry says, why didn't you feel it? Every time he does something major, it's like he wants you to know.

Hermione nods. "What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you."

Harry clutches the railing as a staircase moves to the other side of the tower. "What if he is? I'm I supposed to just let him die? He's the only family I have left."

You sigh. He's right. If you do not go and it's true, then Sirius will die.

Ron and Hermione look at each other. "What do we do?", asks Ron determined.

"We'll have to use the floo network."

The trio run further up the stairs but you stay put. "Only Umbridge's is not regulated. I'll meet you all in her office, I have to stop by my dorm first."

Without awaiting their reaction, you turn around and practically fly down the stairs towards the dungeons. You rush towards your dorm room and shred your school robes.

Halfway while pulling your shirt over your head, Theodore comes rushing into your room. "What's wro- holy shit!" He freezes and stares at your half-dressed state.

"Theo!"

"Right! Sorry!" He slaps a hand over his eyes and turns around. "Wha- what's going on? What's with the hurry?"

"It's..." You hesitate for a moment. Should you tell Theo? You know you can trust him, but to what degree? "Harry saw that the Dark Lord has Sirius, and now we're going to safe Sirius." You fasten your wand through a belt loop.

Theo cocks his head to the side as he follows after you as you squeeze through the door opening. "Sirius? As in Sirius Black? The murderer?"

Right, he doesn't know the whole story. "Okay, so, Sirius didn't murder the Potters. It was Peter Pettigrew who sold them out. Now is Sirius — who's Harry's godparent by the way — kidnapped by him and being tortured for something. But I didn't feel it happen, so I don't know if it is real." Your chest heaves as you practically said all that in one breath.

Theo looks shocked and baffled for a moment before he jumps into action. "I'm coming with you." He rushes towards his own dorm and this time you're the one following him.

"I can't ask that of you! It could be dangerous!"

He grabs both your shoulders and looks deeply into your eyes."You're not asking, I'm saying I'm going. And especially because it is dangerous should I be going with you."

Knowing you have no say in what Theo does, you hang your head and nod. "Alright. Let's go."

You two run up the steps towards the DADA classroom. The trio is already waiting there and looks sceptical at the sudden arrival of your fellow Slytherin.

"We can trust Theodore", you say, eyeing the three Gryffindors — especially Harry, "he's on our side."

"Correction. I'm on her side. And if she is on your side, so I'll be also." Theo returns Harry's hard stare with an icy one.

Having no time to dilly-dally, you all sneak into the DADA classroom and up the stairs towards Umbridge's office. Harry uses alohamora and the door swings open. Ron closes the door behind him as everyone is in the room.

"Alert the Order if you can", says Harry as he ignites the green flames of the Floo network.

Ron and Hermione look angry at the suggestion of Harry going alone. "Are you mental? We're going with you."

"It's too dangerous", argues Harry back.

"Theodore and I will keep watch, making sure nobody will follow after you." You give Theo a look and he nods, grabbing your hand.

Hermione drops next to Harry on the ground. "When are you going to get it into your head? We're in this together."

"That you are."

The five of you turn around in shock at a fuming and still after smoking Umbridge. The Inquisitorial Squad is not far behind as they have caught other members of the DA trying to help Harry.

The boy in question is tied up on a chair, both his hand bound to the arms. All your wands are taken in and Draco holds you in an iron-like grip. "You don't have to squeeze so hard", you hiss, trashing in his hold. But your cousin says nothing, his eyes on the toad of a woman

Umbridge lowers herself so she's at eye level with Harry. "You were going to Dumbledore, weren't you?", she asks in her sickly sweet tone.

"No."

She slaps Harry's cheek, hard. "Liar."

Everyone is shocked, even Umbridge's lackeys. You stop struggling as you watch Harry's cheek glow bright red.

Suddenly, Professor Snape appears at the door. "You sent for me, headmistress?"

Your blood runs cold. You know Snape was a Death Eater. You don't know if he still is, as you haven't seen him at any of the social gatherings past summer. But the conversation you accidentally eavesdropped on with Karkaroff last year tells a different story. And you're not so sure if Snape gives a damn about you or your safety.

As Veritaserum gets name-dropped, your stomach drops. If they use it on you, who knows what you will spill. Maybe about your father, maybe about his plans. Or maybe nothing.

You start to panic as Umbridge raises her wand to perform the Cruciatus curse. "Tell her, Harry!" You don't know why, but the words fly out of your mouth. You glance at Hermione, and she understands.

"Dumbledore's secret weapon."

That seems to pique her interest and she drops her wand. "Du- Dumbledore's secret weapon?" A sadistic smile grows on her face.

She grabs Harry and Hermione — the latter sends you a mildly panicked look — and orders the Inquisitorial Squad to keep the others under control until she's back.

Draco tightens his grip on you and you whine. "Calm your tits, Malfoy", growls Theo and he struggles against Crabbe's hold.

"Wait until Father hears about this. And your father. Betraying your family like that..."

"You know that he will kill me, Draco. Please let me go and we will never speak about it again." You try to bargain with him. In the hopes he comes to his senses.

But Draco scoffs and you sigh, seeing as there is no other way out. Using your self-defence training, you swiftly wurm yourself out of Draco's hold and with your elbow against his nose, you send him flying towards the ground. You grab your wand from Draco's now lose hold and stun the other Slytherins.

"Is everyone okay? Nobody hurt?" You look around at the amazed faces. You turn to Theo and grab one of his hands. "You alright?"

Theo smiles and nods. "Yeah, thanks to you."

"Hate to break this moment." Ginny speaks up and pulls Theo and you out of your little crowd, "but we have to help Harry. Ron, do you have any idea where they would have gone to?"

Ron thinks for a moment before he seems to know. "The Dark Forest. Let's go."

Taglist (bold means I couldn’t tag you): @the0doreslover @lqndkxlmqma @st4rrry @choppedpartymuffinwinner @ledtassoo @literallyobessed @lestat-whore @vanishingcherry @harrysnovia @pietrobae @ireallywannasleep127 @yeolsbubbles @fruityfrog505 @fluffybunnyu @theroyalmanatee @shinrjj @hegdus @kermits-bitch @m1kasawps @noah-uhhh-what @mypolicemanharryyy @fals3-g0d @decapitated-coffee @thatgirljas13

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prolix-yuy · 9 days

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20 questions for fic writers

Thank you for the tag @oonajaeadira! Funny enough I saw this go around a couple months ago and meant to do it, then life got crazy. This seems like a great time to jump on in!

How many works do you have on ao3?

48! Wowza! That's not counting fics I only post here (like my Writers Iron Chefs and the Bangathon)

2. What's your total ao3 word count?

338,089. That's kind of crazy, I'm not gonna lie. And some of those words aren't filthy :P

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The Pedro Pascal Cinematic Universe!

4. Top 5 fics by kudos

Something New, One Very Good Night, Both Sides of the Door, A Sweet Response to Tragedy, and Good Company. 4 out of 5 of these are from I Think of You, which does warm my little heart. I did laugh that their popularity is completely out of order from the series.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes yes yes! Every single one I get! I'll even yank your tags out and comment on them when they make me especially happy. It's the best part of sharing my stories.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

TECHNICALLY One Very Good Night had the angstiest ending before I continued the series. Same with Cognitive Dissonance! Apparently I get to an angsty end then just write a part 2.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think that's tied with the real ending to my Whiskey & Westworld series, and all the gooey soft fun of my Javi G series. Both make my heart glow in different ways.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Knock on wood, nothing so far. I've gotten a couple of interpretations of my fics that have made me cock my head because I just don't think the person read the story, or if they did they skimmed over the character development part. But otherwise I've had a very nice time with everyone here <3

9. Do you write smut?

If you don't know by now, I'm not sure what you've been reading...

10. Craziest crossover?

100% Whiskey & Westworld. Golden Circle meets android theme park? Lusting over cowboys and having existential crises? It fit better than I ever thought it would and I still love the crap out of it.

(though as a side note, having Javi P be the person who helped Santi find his girls in the SW!Frankie AU is another fav)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not? Yeesh.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but that would be pretty neat!

13. Have you co-written a fic before?

No, but I have had the distinct pleasure of @psychedelic-ink writing a fic in the SW!Frankie AU that made my whole life.

14. All time favorite ship?

HELP I'M TORN. It's a tie between Din and my Reader in I Think of You and Dieter and Murch in Best Laid Plans. I think about both of them so so so much.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will

I have a handful of small WIPs in a folder that who knows if they'll come to fruition. I think the greatest contender is probably the Post-Apocalyptic Frankie I tossed around because The Last of Us came out and it might just meld into a Joel story instead.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I'm good at pacing and giving enough description to keep a reader engaged but not bogged down with details. People connect with my reader characters in a way that makes me super happy. And I write damn good smut.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I can't write outlines or my brain says "it's done :)" and I never write the story. I can't write out of order. I struggle with making characters have meaningful fights and arguments because I'm non-confrontational IRL and it makes me anxious.

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language

Flavor! I love reading it! I tend to shy away from writing it because as someone who knows another language, it never feels natural to me to throw it in. Pet names are a nice way to use it, and I'll allude to speaking other languages in descriptions, but it's difficult so I tend to not add it much in my stories.

19. First fandom you wrote for

Gundam Wing when I was about eight or nine. Part of my username is in homage to that! My friends and I would write our fanfics and then read them all out loud at sleepovers together. Pre-internet, this was my Tumblr lol.

20. Favorite fic you've written

You know, I love all of my fics a whole damn lot, and my top ones are still hard favs. But I think for a story that came out of my heart in a really nice way and that I hold a little closer than the others, The Plan might just top them a tiny bit.

NP tags: @iamskyereads @psychedelic-ink @julesonrecord @wannab-urs @ezrasbirdie and anyone who wants to play!

#this was fun!#I feel like James Lipton should have been interviewing me

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worriedvision · 1 year

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Here is part 2 of this fic! It's the one where Alhaitham and Reader were friends since they were young and there's a bunch of feelings that get tweaked about. I'd recommend reading the first part because it would bring the background to this part! I was planning on this being the last part but of course I had to leave it was a multiple ending thing because it would start to get way too long. Be patient, they'll come soon!

You decided to sign up for one of those speed date programmes. It was risky, and you heard the eligible bachelor's were downright creepy or some form of red flag, but you wanted to find someone that you could be with. Since your last conversation with Alhaitham, you never saw him in his usual spots. You knew he was trying to avoid you, and it just solidified that you ruined any chance of keeping the connection you had with him.

Your speed dates didn't go well, but neither did the other people looking for men. You land up making good friends with quite a few people, bonding over the stories you had of the guys at the speed dates that objectified their "potential trophy" as one man stated. As great as it was to make friends, and finding hobbies through them, you still yearned for a lover.

You couldn't stop thinking of him, and you thought getting someone to be a rebound would somehow help.

"Kaveh, why did you gather us here?" Cyno asks, Tighnari nodding in agreement as he looks over for a response.

"I want you two to sign up for that speed dating-"

"Hold on, none of us need that..." Tighnari trails off, Cyno crossing his arms and looking away. "What's this for?"

"Fine, I'll explain." Kaveh sighs, sitting down. "I've noticed Alhaitham sulking around the bar at the time the speed dating is taking place. If I was to guess, it has something to do with one of the people there."

"I would rather not find out how much strength he has by testing his jealousy." Tighnari protests. "He's a fully grown man, surely he knows how to make a move."

"...you two better keep the rest of this to yourselves, got it?" Kaveh asks, continuing before he can get a rejection. "I overheard a confession from his childhood friend and all-time crush. Trust me, it's obvious from everyone but them. He rejected them, explaining he wasn't interested in a relationship for the reason of needing to maintain one."

"I'm still not...oh." Cyno realises, sharing a look with Tighnari. "How about we both go along together. That way, if Alhaitham does try something, it'll be two against one. Not that I think he'd try that in public." Cyno suggests, Tighnari finally accepting it.

There was one day you couldn't go along to the session, work particularly hard, and the next session you saw Alhaitham with one of your friends. It was clear he was there as a successful match. As much as you didn't want to admit it, it hurt to see him courting someone after he told you he was emotionally unavailable for social reasons.

"Good evening." You hear a deep voice say, waving you over. "Care to join me?"

You decide to take a seat in between Tighnari and Cyno, the seat Cyno patted. You made friends with them, finding it nice that you were able to talk to them without looking for the chance to get away.

"Oh, _!" Your friend exclaims, hugging you before ordering a coffee. "The one time you weren't here, a handsome man came in!"

"I'm happy to see you've got someone." You smile softly, knowing for a fact Alhaitham was staring at you. They walk back after getting their coffee, Alhaitham engaging in conversation once again.

"Still not over him?" Cyno asks, you nodding. "Don't force it. From our conversation, I can tell you don't need to do speed dating to find someone."

"I have to agree with Cyno here." Tighnari hums out, taking a quick glance. "He's certainly moved on quicker than you have."

"I mean, it was one sided." You brush off. "It only makes sense that he was able to move on. Maybe after my confession, he decided to give romance a chance." You shake your head, groaning out. "I shouldn't be telling you two about my failure of a romantic life."

"I find it quite interesting." Cyno reassures. "Well, if you are interested, feel free to join me at a table any time I'm here. Due to work, I can't come often." Cyno nods, leaving for his work after waving goodbye to you.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you!" You head your friend exclaim. Looking over, you can see Alhaitham with a small gift for his date. Alhaitham responds with a simple 'I know', which does actually go well, before walking out with his date - walking them home.

"He isn't worth crying over." Tighnari grumbles, turning to you. "I think Cyno is a better match for you. And I'm not just saying that to be a wingman, I know Cyno is better with these things." Tighnari reassures you, taking his leave after finishing his drink.

The bartender looks over the moment the door closes, and they decide to throw in their opinion for free.

"The whole time Alhaitham's date wasn't looking at him, he was stealing glances at you." The bartender states. "He was here the time you weren't, and I think he was looking for you."

"So he's decided to use a friend of mine to find out where I am?" You raise a brow, thoroughly confused. "He wouldn't do that."

"Whatever you say... Just saying, he looked bothered when you were talking to your new pals."

#gender neutral reader #genshin impact imagines #angst #tighnari #cyno #alhaitham #alhaitham x gender neutral reader #alhaitham x reader

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max1461 · 1 year

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I don't want to keep discoursing on evilsoup's post, so I'll make a new home for this sub-discussion here. To reproduce the relevant bits:

@max1461 (me) said:

I find that a lot of anti-anti-civ discourse revives (or perhaps merely continues, since they never really died) the cheapest fallacies of Whig history. There's not merely an acknowledgement of the (true, I believe) fact that industry and modern medicine make the lives of their beneficiaries much better, there is an implicit de facto and sometimes almost giddy dismissal of the value of all that came before. You get the feeling reading a lot of anti-anti-civ commentary that people are itching to condemn anything and everything of the past, and more troublingly any way of life that they personally view as obsolete, just for the sake of it. Just for the discourse thrills. It's reductive and it's unpleasant to engage with.

@sabakos said:

Honestly I have to say that indoor plumbing and modern medicine is good enough that I'd gladly torch even more of what came before and gladly spit in the face of anyone who tried to complain about it. Hypothetically, if the Ancient Greek language had had to be lost for modern plumbing to appear I'd flush the last manuscript of Plato down the toilet and lose no sleep over it. Fortunately, it didn't, but if it did it wouldn't matter.

You can't name one thing that even comes close to billions of people not dying of cholera or starving to death. So it's not surprising that people are eager to shit all over anyone who tries.

@max1461 said:

This is fine but it's totally orthogonal to my point. You acknowledge that Ancient Greek did not in fact have to be lost in order to get modern plumbing, but then gloss over this as if it's a minor aside. No! My point is that internet Whig history enthusiasts sometimes seem to be out to shit on anything and everything that strikes them as obsolete even when it does not need to be lost for the benefits of modern life to be enjoyed, for reasons that seem to me more aesthetic than anything else. Surely not everyone does this, but it's a common enough phenomenon to get on my nerves.

@sabakos said:

It's clearly something that bothers you, so maybe you could give some examples? Because this is all very abstract and I have no idea what you're talking about - based on what you've said here I don't think I've encountered this sort of guy despite being ideologically very similar to how you describe them!

---

There are actually people who think Ancient Greek (read: Inuktitut, Gan Chinese, Oromo) has to die for us all to get indoor plumbing! This is not actually an uncommon shape of opinion for people to hold, in the world at large. There are of course two versions of this, one more harmful than the other but both destructive: "we have to stop wearing kimono and start wearing suits or the Great Powers will never respect us", and "you have to stop holding potlatches in order to become civilized like us".

The point is not that these claims suppose different values than you or I hold, the point is that they are wrong, factually wrong. Unexamined Whig history of the sort which, as I said, sneers at anything that gives off vague whiffs of being "traditional" is making a set of factual errors. It's also often used cynically (as in the second example above) to advance political ends, but that's not really what I'm talking about here. What I'm talking about are people who seem to have a reflexive distaste for anything that appears to them overly sympathetic to the old, any cause with preservationist or restorationist undertones, even when it in no way conflicts with people enjoying the benefits of modern technology. This kind of thinking does active harm in the world. Random tumblr users are of course not likely doing any harm by engaging in it, given that tumblr discourse obviously has no political sway. But it's still frustrating to see a stance that is both incorrect and harmful so casually taken up over (what I perceive to be) petty discourse bouts.

Sometimes, old things are fine, and wanting to keep doing them is fine. When people oppose this, especially on reflexive, aesthetic grounds, I think it is bad.

To be clear, I've never seen anyone in this conversation (you or triv) do any of what I've described here. But I do see it a lot and it kind of drives me up the wall.

#society

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genevawren38 · 5 days

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I am just going to put this at the top : this post is going to be a long vent about missing Technoblade, please scroll on if you do not wish to read.

We are coming up on two years without him.

We are also coming up on three years since I discovered his content.

I thought I was at the point I could watch one of his videos tonight, as I used to often do when I am doing tasks or writing he was always the background noise I used. I remember calling into work when he streamed for the sheer sake of enjoying them while they happened the few times I caught them before...well. I think you know. He was the reason my passion for writing came back to life and I believed I could actually follow my lifelong dream of eventually publishing a story.

But I suppose the part I always forget about grief is the absence of the unique spirit that person brought to your life. I found his content and engaged with it instantly, developing one of the longest running fixations I have had in a good while. The sheer excitement I'd have getting the notification he went live for one of his rare streams.

I don't think it truly sunk in when he announced his diagnosis. I remember discussing it with the irl friend who got me into watching him and both of us laughed, saying he's strong enough to fight off anything.

A few months pass with his rare posts and there was always this tiny little bit of intuition I had where he never told us what severity of cancer it was. Like he was a very private guy, yes, but this seemed extra...odd.

Then I remember the way my heart sunk when 'so long nerds' popped into my notification bar. The dashing of my heart against the floor texting people as I tearfully listened to Technodad tell us the words his son Alex wished for us to hear.

Its been a long two years. Its been great ones, tbh. I found a new passion with QSMP and Hermitcraft after the finishing of DSMP [tho c!Techno will forever remain close to my heart]. I kept writing, with over half a million words in published fics on ao3 and several WIP including 3 original novels.

But the only one I ever wanted to thank for helping me find my creativity again I can't, and I never will be able to.

I miss Technoblade.

I will never stop missing him.

I wish he could have laughed with his friends for many years yet, being silently proud of their accomplishments while he messed with people on the QSMP. I wish he could have had another MCC with friends.

I wish his unique soul wasn't taken from us so soon, as we weren't done following our hero yet.

But the only thing I can do now is continue to speak his tales. The first book I properly publish, the gratitude page is going to be addressed to him. I will continue to tell others about his accomplishments and tell them to go watch his content on his Youtube channel [get him to 17 million!]! Buy some of his merch [when it comes back in stock]! Support his family & friends!

Though he would call us nerds for crying, I think its beautiful how many lives he touched and how many thousands mourned his passing. He was a light all corners of the MCYT sphere and beyond saw and respected, and not too many creators can claim such an honour.

I'll always be a Voice at my core. Even if I spend my time these days as a crow, a huevito, a ferret, a tubling, a doozer and many more, my heart will forever belong to Technoblade.

Please keep creating art and writing in his name. I love scrolling the fanart tags and adore every piece I come across with my favourite piglin in them. Please, please, please keep saying his name. Sing his legends. Make references, continue the jokes, hang out in one of his friends chats and support the people he loved.

Support those who are still here, even if your heart hurts.

It's only painful because we all loved him so much, which is a beautiful type of sorrow.

#wrenrambles #technoblade #subscribe to technoblade #technoblade never dies #techno fanart #dsmp techno #technoblade fanart #technofanart #technoblade fanfiction #technoblade fanfic #technobladefanart

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ahlovelightaflame · 1 month

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It Simply Cannot Be! ~ *Joshua Hong*

Summary: Joshua is good and he prides himself on being good. That's why he's in the Legion of Angels. That is, until they decide he's not good anymore and cast him out. It simply cannot be!

Pairing: Kim Mingyu X G/N!Reader

Genre: Angstyish Oneshot

Word Count: 1085

Warning: Religious Trauma (but not the kind you're thinking)

Masterlist

Taglist: @samepoisonsamevine @kpop-will-kill-me

The night was quiet and the candle light flickered low. You were cleaning up the bar as per usual, making sure the glasses were clean to use tomorrow. There were still a handful of stragglers that kept mainly to themselves. Every so often, one would come up to you, pay their tab, and quietly leave. It wouldn't be long before the last of the crowd would trickle out and you'd be all alone. Not that you minded. It was about time for you to get some shut eye anyways.

At least that's what you thought when the door to the inn slammed open in a flurry of wind and feathers. Before you knew it, the tornado was at a stool before the bar, half leaning over it. You simply stared at the cyclone who was in the middle of a conversation with you.

"It simply cannot be!" He wailed. "Do you have any idea how much I worked for this? Everything I have sacrificed for them? And just like that, gone! Demoted! Banished! Cast out! As if all of my years of servitude meant nothing to them! How could this be? It simply cannot, I tell you!"

"Good evening to you, Joshua." You greet him, a small smile playing at the corners of your mouth. Your eyes are still trained on the pesky stain in the stein glass you're trying to clean.

"Are you even listening to me?" He continued with another whine.

You nod. "I am, though to you I must not seem very engaged. But I am listening to you."

He narrowed his eyes on you. "You also don't seem very sympathetic to my concerns."

You finally look up and notice that the Joshua before you does not look like he normally does. Usually he is white, gold, and glowing. But his color and light are now faded. He is gray, silver, and dull. You can already guess what happened to him without him trying to tell you. Although, you're unsure as to why he had fallen.

"The legion of angels have not been kind to you, have they?" You sigh and shake your head. "I tried to tell you that it was best to stay away from them, but you wouldn't listen. Still, are you alright? Falling is hard and very painful. I can make you something to help ease the pain."

He shook his head. "The pain has subsided a great deal. It's just a dull throb now."

"And the emotional pain?"

"I don't think it will ever go away." He whispers and you sigh once more.

Taking one of the already clean glasses, you mix a sweet and frothy concoction before passing it towards him. "Drink this. You'll need it."

"What's this?" He asked, eyeing the odd drink with suspicion and a hint of disdain.

"Just drink it. It'll soothe your body and your mind."

He carefully drinks it in one go. You softly smile and he returns it before shyly passing the glass back to you to clean.

"How much do I owe you?"

You look up at him and there's a sharp look in your eye. "Just sit there and listen to what I have to say."

He nods and you get back to finishing your cleaning. "I told you to be careful of the Legion of Angels. Now, I knew you could easily join the Legion and I'll admit, I was a little impressed with how quickly you rose through their ranks. But I know better than anyone how much harder it is to maintain your precarious position on top when there is no room for mistakes. And I know it hurts to fall. I was worried about you. I've always been worried about you. And while I knew you could do very well, I also knew it was a matter of time before something happened. The winds of change will always bring change, as much as the Legion tries to deny it. I'm just glad you didn't fall too hard."

He sighs and places his chin onto the bar. "I made a terrible mistake, haven't I?"

You shake your head. "Not at all. You made a choice, Joshua. And while it may hurt now, it will get better. Things always get better. It's a back and forth dance we all must dance while we are alive. You will get better, I promise. And the best thing is you learned while you were at it. You've grown, though it may not seem like it at the moment."

He gives you another smile. "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Of course."

"Did it feel this way when you became a disgraced God?"

You suppress your shudder with ease and pick up another glass to clean. "It hurt much worse. Angels come and go. Gods are forever. I will always carry this pain until I am once again reinstated. And then I will go through it again when I'm knocked off my pedestal once more. As I said, it's a back and forth we must go through as we live."

He nods. "I understand. But do you think the Legion will ever let me join their ranks again?"

You shrug. "Give it time. You still have some lingering effects of being an angel, and that includes the prolonged life span. Use it and continue learning. Perhaps you'll rejoin them or perhaps you'll find a new calling. Only you can make that decision, not anyone else."

With a much more confident smile, he sits up. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome." You put the last glass away and toss your rag into a pile of laundry you will need to complete tomorrow. "Would you like to stay tonight and rest your wings, Joshua? It's on the house."

He grins. "How could I pass up an offer from a God who protects weary souls? Yes, please."

"I'll have a room done up for you. And tomorrow, I can put you in contact with the Order of Fallen Angels. They can help you navigate life now, considering that you are now half human and half angel. You're going to need a better support system than just me."

He frowns a little at your words. "But I can still come to you if I need support, right?"

You pause a little at his words before nodding. "Sure, if you would like."

"I would very much."

"Very well." You nod. "Now, shall I show you to your room, Fallen Angel Joshua?"

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lucky-bishop · 4 hours

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What was the most annoying comment you got on a fix? Not mean necessarily just annoying.

I don't want to rag on any specific comments I've received, annoying or hateful or otherwise, because I'm a big advocate for encouraging comments and that feels a little hypocritical!

But what I will say is one of the most frustrating types of comments to receive is one that only asks for more. There's a really specific word in there - only - that gets to the heart of it. Here are two examples of comments (not ones I've received, ones I'm making up, just to be super clear).

"omg I need more when will the next chapter be posted"

"ahhh I loved it!! 💓 the way you write them falling in love is so great, can't wait to see more!"

Technically both of these comments ask for more, but the top one only does that. It doesn't compliment the author, it doesn't even tell them if you like what they're writing, just that they feel the need for more, for closure, for whatever. It puts explicit pressure on the author to set a deadline for when they'll continue the work.

I believe that comments like that come from a good place. It's my belief that when people leave comments like that, they are excited about what they're reading! They want more, and they want to know when they can anticipate it! Those aren't inherently bad things, but the message in isolation doesn't communicate those things in a good, positive way.

You can absolutely argue that the second example I provided is still asking for more, but it's through the commenter engaging with the work, engaging with the author. It's personalized. And it doesn't ask for a deadline from the author, just encourages them that if or when they continue, this commenter will be excited to read it.

And this is a completely unasked for addendum, but I get that commenting can feel stressful! I get that sometimes you do not feel like commenting! I overwhelmingly try to comment on most fics I read, but sometimes I don't have the energy. Sometimes I'll save it and try to come back. Sometimes I end up not commenting. I'm not perfect and neither is anyone else. But if you're reading this and you're feeling 'ugh! you're always saying we should comment! but then there's a right and wrong way to do it? that sucks!' and it does suck! And I'm not the authority on right/wrong or good/bad comments! It's totally possible for authors to feel differently about comments - because we are all different people!

Comments that (I, personally believe) are always great can include:

highlights of lines you loved

themes you noticed or appreciated

character or character interaction moments you enjoyed

'more/bonus/second/extra kudos'

'I loved it!'

emojis!

#ao3 comments #comment etiquette #fandom culture #writing #ask #anon

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fanterfane · 11 months

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The State of FanterFane, Now in ADHD!~

HEY YA'LL!

That's something I do now I guess, I say "YA'LL"! Either way, It's time for the first status update since the BIG ONE earlier this year. If you don't remember it or you're new, firstly, welcome, secondly, you can read it here: https://www.deviantart.com/fanterfane/journal/The-State-of-FanterFane-950469980. A lot of what I said here I'm still struggling with, and probably always will be, so it's still relevant. I've been told that several people have been recommended that post by Patreon because of it's high engagement, so I feel especial need to give the algorithm something better to serve. Also, this post is mainly about my struggles with ADHD, but it has other things and status updates sprinkled throughout. If you or someone you know has ADHD, I hope this helps!

For the sake of brevity though, I'll do a TL:DR right here. I developed carpal tunnel two months ago, and I've been working on treating it. It's been going pretty good lately, especially now that I finally have gotten my hands on ADHD medication after my long time lack thereof. As such, I've become much more productive and much, much happier! Things are looking up for me, and I'm hopeful for the future! Social acceptance for who I am now is still sometimes rough, but going better. SFW commissions have done wonders for my mental health, and I have plans for new art projects, commission queues, and more to try and do. I hope that you'll all continue to be the thing I get up for in the morning as I work to accomplish them! I'll be going on vacation next week, and I hope you all have a great summer!

Now for the super long part I don't fault anyone for NOT reading, here we go!

Earlier this year, it felt like I was spiraling down an unrecoverable path. Things I tried to do just wouldn't materialize. I would identify a problem like "My car is dirty" or "My room is messy" or even just "I should read and respond to this DM" and instead of working to solve it my anxiety would start up and make it so that I put it off. What if I messed it up? I was always so tired too, I just felt emotionless whenever I didn't feel sad. What if I just didn't deserve it anyway? What if all of this is a mistake? Those sorts of questions would plague me no matter what, preventing me from solving the very things giving me anxiety spiraling into even more anxiety. It was dumb, but mental health quite often is. It was getting so bad, that writing dialog and even just reading things started feeling like an anxiety induced dyslexic impossibility. For the longest time I assumed it was just depression, and that it would get better with time, but it hasn't over the years. Instead, it's only gotten worse year over year.

Now, I always get a little bit depressed every winter. Seasonal depression gets me down every year without fail, but this year was quite a bit more intense. The struggle between the two lives I live was really getting to me. I'd been doing ever more and more introspection, and discovering all the ways the way I was raised screwed me up definitely didn't help. Repressed memories often have a reason for being repressed. It doesn't help when the people you want to love you the most are the least supportive in your life, and might have even been partly the cause of some of your more unhealthy tendencies. Regardless of their intentions.

A big part of this issue though, I think at least, is that I've been unmedicated for my ADHD since High School. I stopped taking it as a Sophomore because I felt like I was smart enough to pass school without it, and that it wasn't helping me. The stigma against stimulants and medication in general was a big part of that decision. I was not self-aware enough at the time to realize that almost immediately my attention started suffering. It started slowly, too slowly for me to realize it at the moment, but gradually it became harder and harder to pay attention to class work over the years. It got so bad that in order for me to NOT fall asleep during class, I'd doodle on my classwork cause it kept me stimulated enough to stay awake. I'd always made good grades though, so I coasted through highschool on information osmosis and went on to community college, where it really started to catch up with me. Although again, I didn't realize it.

In community college, I had a couple of bad classes that really jarred me. Physics and Calculus. Physics was hard because the teacher was bad at teaching it, and 75% of that class failed the final, so I don't feel very bad about it. But the calculus class though, was the first time I'd ever felt like I'd failed myself in a class. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't understand the derivatives they tried to teach me. I passed, barely, but that was one of the times where I think my ADHD caught up to me, even if I didn't realize it. It wasn't much, but it was definitely a sign of things to come.

Once I got out of community college, I took a gap year between it and a longer stay at a university. During that time, I started trying to work on art more and more as a hobby. I started drawing possession, corruption, femboys, all that sorta wonderful stuff. Then Covid hit. My gap year turned to two, and suddenly that was long enough for me to have started an actual *career* doing this. Which was beyond crazy to me. It motivated me to no end, I wanted nothing more than to create and have fun creating for all my followers.

In the end though, my ADHD caught up to me. Like it always does. Once the initial honeymoon phase was over, and I settled into the hum and drum of being an online digital artist, it reared its head again.

You see, ADHD is not something that goes away. You may not think about it, but it's always there. ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, potentially being renamed soon to the ASD spectrum, is a mental disorder affecting the brain's dopamine pathway. People with ADHD struggle because they have less dopamine for everything than most other people do. This either leads to hyperactivity, because you need to do MORE to feel the normal amount of reward chemical (how I was when I was younger). Or it leads to Inattention, because nothing you do feels rewarded or worthwhile (how I am now). There's just physically not enough dopamine being released in my brain for it to function properly most of the time. That's why ADHD is treated with stimulants like Adderall or Vyvanse, because they stimulate the release of more dopamine in the pathways. Making everything feel *right*. My symptoms may have changed over the years through things like masking and other stuff, but I realized recently that it never went away.

At the end of last year, I started watching ADHD Youtube videos that were recommended to me by my friends who also have ADHD. Lo and behold, a lot of what I was struggling with was the poster child of adulthood with ADHD. Anxiety, inability to do basic tasks, procrastination, lack of motivation, etc etc. I was especially hit hard by the concept of "Executive Dysfunction". Executive dysfunction, common with ADHD, impairs planning, task prioritization, memory, execution, and emotional regulation. All things I've been struggling with for years to various extents. Also things that got worse whenever I was depressed.

Naturally, the first thing someone might do to solve this, is get treated/medicated. So that's what I tried. I enrolled in a private health care plan (self-employment doesn't get healthcare through their employer, GO USA) just to find out that it was in the middle of a ADHD medication shortage. I was eligible to get approved for VyVanse, the meds I took when I was a kid, because they were 500$ a bottle. My insurance was 250$ a month. So they denied it, citing that I "Haven't tried the other medications." The ones that I tried getting, Adderall and a couple other ones, were never in stock. Even my friends who already had medication started being unable to get any at all. It was around that time that I made The State of FanterFane post, because this really hit me hard. I'd done everything I was supposed to, but the world still shot me down for it.

Then, on top of everything else, I developed Carpal Tunnel. Which screwed me up even more mentally and physically. Suddenly, even when I WAS motivated (which was getting rarer and rarer) I couldn't even draw then because my wrist was constantly in pain. It really started feeling like things really were unsalvageable. I truly felt without hope for the first time since college, and before that high school. Like everything I had done up to that point was pointless, and only resulted in me sacrificing my health for something that would've never worked out.

...Until the first week of this month, June 2023. When one of my friends was able to get their hands on Adderall again, signaling the end of the shortage. I immediately took my prescription to my local pharmacy, and got my first ever bottle of Adderall XR. I had high hopes for what it would do for me, but the thing I didn't expect was for me to regain hope.

The next day, I took my first dose and proceeded to start deep cleaning and rearranging my entire room. I did laundry, folded clothes, wiped away dust EVERYWHERE, organized my belongings and important files for the first time EVER, unpacked moving boxes that hadn't moved in 2 years and much, much more! Essentially, I turned my entire room upside down over the course of a week. I can't really put into words just how liberating it felt, how finally being able to just see a problem, and then solve it immediately without any anxiety or self-doubt changed *everything*. Even better, every task completed was less anxiety to affect me whenever I felt down or depressed. I can't hate myself for having a messy room when it's so clean, it's literally *rearranged* after all!

To put it simply, it felt like my brain was *working again*. For the first time in literal YEARS. Once I was done cleaning, I moved onto working on art, posting, responding to messages and sorting personal files. These past three weeks have been three of the most productive weeks I've had in a very long time. I feel like I've not been this productive since the initial honeymoon phase of Dullahan Dilemma and the Attenborough collection (callback!). All the while, I got better at treating my carpal tunnel, to the point where it's not constantly pins and needling me anymore, and it even feels just generally better all the time! I've been getting better and better at doing various tasks, and I believe I'm truly on the road to recovery now.

Things from here are looking up! Genuinely! I wouldn't be here either if it wasn't for all of you kind people supporting me, even through the toughest times. I'm beyond grateful for that. I'd worship the ground you all walk on if I could. Without ya'll, I would not be here today. Forgive me for taking on a somewhat political tone, but I have no idea who I'd even be at this point without all of you, and all of my wonderful friends that I’ve met while doing this. Perhaps I'd have fallen deeper into the alt-right pipeline as a disenfranchised southern white guy. Becoming more homophobic and repressing my inner self even more than I already had been my entire life due to my upbringing. That was the only place I felt like I could fit into the conservative worldview my folks raised me in, after all. Maybe I would've gone back to school for a degree I couldn't use and in debt, landing in a terrible corporate job that didn't care for me. At least I would've got health insurance then, but also maybe all of my health problems would've gotten worse and worse and never got better, since I never would've had the motivation to fix them by working out, losing weight, and watching my diet. I honestly don't know, and thinking too deeply about the "what-ifs'' of it is pointless.

But now, what I can say is that when all the anxiety clears and the depression abates, I'm truly happy. For the first time in my life, I feel like I actually have an identity. Like my emotions actually do matter and that I'm not just some soulless machine whose only goal in life is to make money. I'm a human being. Although I may not be created in God's image, I have thoughts, feelings, and most importantly, flaws. I'm gay/bisexual, I'm not very masculine nor do I desire to be so, I like having long hair, and I like doing more effeminate things that most guys in the crowd I was falling into would balk at and blame on chemicals in the water. In other words, I feel healthier than ever. Mentally AND physically. I thank all of you, each and every single one, for staying with me throughout all of this. If any of you ever feel like you wanna reach out, especially if I can help you in some comparatively small way, please do. My DMs are always open, it's the LEAST I can do.

Some other things I should touch on- I've gotten a lot of surprising support for my transition from my extended family and friends. The closest is still the most difficult, I can't get my nails painted for instance, I was told not to when I asked, much to my chagrin. I've got a pride bracelet I've been wearing around, and no one has said anything about it, so that's good I suppose. Fox news still blares on the television in the living room, even after all the stuff that's gone down with *that* channel in recent times. I've given up on trying to convince them otherwise. I’ve been discredited anyway because I draw "X-rated shit", that doesn't make enough money. Even though as far as most people my generation are faring financially, I'm doing pretty good!

The SFW commissions have been going fantastic! Especially on the mental health side of things. It's helped me realize that I do in fact, have options. I'm not trapped doing one thing forever, which is honestly the thing that was scaring me the most. Just like the threat of a soul-draining corporate job till the day I die. I don't have to worry about what I'll be doing in 10 years, because I think I've built enough support and especially self-taught skill that no matter what I do, I'll be okay. It's only up from here, and I've even been feeling the flame of passion returning for TF and other lewdness! So you can for sure expect to see much more of that over the next few years, no matter what!

Speaking of money though, I have more plans for the future now too. I'm gonna make more money by doing more commissions and creating more sources of revenue. Just so that I can afford to move out, and get away from this toxic environment I find myself in. The cheapest apartments where I live run for about 750$ a month, so I'm hoping to save up over the next year and move the hell out. I think I'll be able to afford it, provided there are no extraneous events that hurt me financially. I'll be trying things like more YCH's, sketch commission streams like the patreon request streams, art packs, and maybe even merch! Ya'll be the first to be notified about any of this. The first YCH auction will hopefully be this weekend! It will be based on Nyan Cat possession, and the MC will be trying to run away from the cringey 2000's era meme culture that haunts them to this day. Thing is, the past has a funny way of coming back to haunt you!~

Finally, I'm going on vacation next week to see some friends in LA! If you're someone I know/trust around the LA area, and you wanna meet up, let me know in DMs and we'll see if we can arrange it! I may take a further vacation the week after for rest, but after that we'll be back to regularly scheduled LEWDNESS work!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for coming with me and supporting me on this journey. Happy pride month, and I hope everyone has a great Summer! I love all of you! Here's to several more years of FanterFane!

XOXO,

FanterFane

#announcement #adhd #my adhd #living with adhd

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thatonebirdwrites · 12 days

Note

6 & 15 :)

6. Show us a bit of a WIP! The Rojarias fic:

“What do you read?” Sam pulled up the LIDAR program and keyed a command to send to the drone. She needed a few test runs before she plugged in trajectories for the drones to focus upon. Lena had drilled that into her. Best to find mechanical issues before the arduous mapping project started. A fault like that could ruin a scan easily.

Andrea shrugged with one shoulder and settled in the dirt next to Sam's makeshift desk. A waft of her fruity perfume drifted between them.

“Likely far beyond your reading level.” When Sam shot her a glare, Andrea smirked. “Archeology and biographies. What did you think I read?”

“I don’t know, historical romance?” Sam said, her nose wrinkled in irrritation. “Or the Great Gasby or something.”

“Boring.” Andrea flicked her fingers. “Prefer a good shooter to that.”

“What do you have against romance?” Sam didn’t mind reading it. If she was honest, she was a bit of a romantic herself. Dreaming of meeting her soulmate, where they’d live happily ever after. She'd written many a poem about it, ones that will never see the light of day.

“Fools fall in love,” Andrea said with a disdainful sniff. “And the pointless tropes. A dog could write better fiction.”

Sam turned back to her drone and keyed in another command. It flew higher and began to move along Sam’s ordered trajectories. How could someone dislike romance? Sam thought of Lena and how she fell in love with Kara. Lena definitely wasn't a fool, but it didn't seem worth contesting Andrea's wild claim.

“I happen to like all sorts of books,” Sam said as calmly as she could. “Even romance. Love, unlike most emotions, requires work to keep it alive and healthy. Sharing that tale? Dwelling in such vulnerability? That's gorgeous." Sam smiled as she thought of what it'd be like to have that bond with someone. "Everyone has a story, you know? And that’s beautiful in a way.”

Andrea stared at her for a long moment.

Sam kept her gaze on her laptop, though she did check her periphery when the seconds changed to minutes. Seemed her tactic was working. Killing her with kindness.

“What are we looking at?” she said finally, while gesturing to Sam’s work.

15. Have you noticed your style change over time?

I suppose it has after decades. When I wrote my first novels in high school, my prose was riddled with adverbs and far too much purple prose. I was pulling a Tolkien, but my descriptions didn't hold enough of the five senses.

I learned that trick when I was in college. It was the one good thing I got out of the creative writing course I took. Though I never continued in the writing program at my university because they had a vendetta against science fiction, and that was literally all I wrote (well, I did dabble in pure fantasy sometimes).

So then I found some writing communities online (one I remember fondly was LookingGlass, but after it died in 2009, I found Legendfire, and the admins/mods there became my chosen family. We still game together every Thursday). They taught me how to properly critique a work, but with kindness and encouragement while digging into the meat of it. This helped me better understand how to edit my own works. I suspect that also influenced my style.

So although I still write novels -- my Korrasami fanfiction is over a million words spread out over several "books" and my Supercorp fanfic is already past 200,000 words -- I have found a better way to immerse the reader. Engaging all the senses when appropriate, digging into specific POVs, being consistent on whose POVs I detail, and doing intense research became more my approach.

That's filtered into my style I think. I've had people say they are impressed with my immersion and world-building, which is a lovely compliment and makes me feel like I'm on the right track.

Perhaps someday my original fiction will be published, but until then, I'll keep experimenting and growing through the fanfiction I write.

Thanks for asking! :D

#ask game #my writing #rojarias #fazedlight

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lionessinarms · 15 days

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The Month In Between chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Two weeks has past and Firetown's repairs are moving quickly. Wade and Ember have been working really hard at their jobs but haven't been seeing each other as much as they would like. They try to at least grab lunch or dinner together when then can but Ember's new welding job leaves her very exhausted. Bernie has even caught her falling asleep rebuilding some shelves at the Shop. There's been no time for dates.

Wade has been going above and beyond on his inspector job. He is only responsible for pointing out the violations that need to be fixed. He instead takes time in his reporting. Giving the knowledge he's been learning from his mom, he writes individualize action plans to get the building up to code, and on budget. It's extra long hours on his laptop at night but to him it's well worth it. Wade hates giving building owners the bad news and not being able to offer a solution. Which is why he takes in the extra work to help better the community he feels connected to. Gale takes notice of this and has him in her office.

"So Ripple what did you want to meet with me about?" Gale asks.

"Well, I wanted to request a transfer for next quarter to the city Ember's internship is at. That is if I'm doing a good enough job." Wade says without confidence.

Gale then tells Wade, "Kid, I'll be real with you for a second. I only hired you as a favor to your mother and you were this close to be fired. Finding that leak was your last chance."

Wade looks nervous and gulps.

Gale continues, "But then all of a sudden it's like you found your spark. I never seen any inspector be so thorough and have these amazing actions plans for the city repairs. You're on fire kid! You really got a passion for this."

Wade questioning himself says, "Well it's easy when you connect with the people you are trying to help? I just want to help them through it other wise I feel like all I do is give bad news all day."

Gale says, "Well it's working. Your the reason the repairs are going fast in Firetown. Keep up that attention to detail. In the mean time I'll look for your replacement and you are going to train them to be exactly as you are now. I'd hate to loose ya but I get that that Fireball of yours is cute." Gale does a wink.

Wade with a smile gets up and shakes Gale hand. "Thank you Ms. Cumulus. I won't let you down!"

Wade gets back to work in Firetown but then heads to an outdoor mall on his lunch break. He had to white lie to Ember about having the work through lunch but this secret isn't harmful. Wade stands outside a jewelry store. He takes a confident deep breath as he steps in. Wade looks over at a Water couple around his age being helped by a salesman. They are picking out matching wedding rings and they look very happy together. A Water salesman steps up to help Wade.

Salesman, "Hello sir is there anything I can help you find?"

Wade gets excited and rambles, "Yeah hi, I'm shopping around for an engagement ring but my relationship is still new but amazing. I really just need a better idea for what to budget for the next few months before we move in together."

Salesman, "Great. You came to the right place. Let me show you some styles and do you happen to know her ring size?"

"Actually no." Wade holds his hand to look at it.

"No problem I got a chart you could look at." The Salesman holds up sizing chart.

Wade points over the a very small size but then again Embers digits are very thin. "She's around this size."

"Oh, that's pretty small for Water." Says the Salesman.

Wade was taken back by surprise. He never really thought about how strangers view his relationship with an Element not of his own because frankly he doesn't care. Now it's time to test if he is in the right place.

Wade then goes, "Oh yeah I forgot to mention she's Firish can you should me your selection of fireproof rings please?" Then Wade gives the salesman a look of I dare you to say something Elementalist.

The Salesman looks surprised for a second then gets back to his job, "Of course they are right over here, My mistake I should of ask you first."

Wade is relieved and laughs it off, "Haha, not a problem."

After some time, Wade steps out of the jewelry store. He looks up and does a dreamy sigh but then a young woman's voice breaks his good mood.

"Wade Ripple? Is that you?" Asks a very attractive Water girl his age.

Wade has a look of horror on his face but quickly changes it to not be suspicious. He then fake smiles and says, "River. Hi, crazy seeing you again." Wade doesn't have a mean bone in his body as awkward as this, is he's a nice guy.

River runs up and hugs Wade. Wade clearly not wanting to hug back gives her a small pat on the back.

"Wow it's been what almost a decade? You've really grown up." River then notices his name tag and flirtatiously goes, "And a city inspector now?"

Wade takes a few steps back as soon as River lets go of him. Wade looks like he's partially melting, his hair slopped down, he's sweating, and runs his hand on the back of his neck. "Yeah.."

Lucky for Wade. The Salesman interrupts, holding a piece of paper. "Sir you forgot to grab the estimate for your engagement ring."

Wade turns to the Salesman completely forgetting River is there. "Oh thank you." Wade looks down at the paper and smiles. It's like his watery waves on his head have come back to life and he stands proud.

River is staring at him in shock then goes coyly, "Wow Wade sounds serious. Does she know about me?"

Wade doesn't make eye contact with her as he folds up the paper and puts it in his bag. "Actually yeah she knows and it's very serious." He makes eye contact with River when he says serious.

River chuckles at Wade, "Well it's good to see you again Wade. Tell your mom I said hi." And with that she structs away.

Wade immediately turns the opposite direction and says to himself, "Pfft, yeah my Mom never liked you." When he is far enough away he pulls out the estimate. Wade takes a breathe in, does a dreamy sigh out feeling confident. "I got a lot of saving up to do."

Nearing the end of day at the job site, a worker in a suit passes out paychecks in envelops and hands Ember hers. Ember almost forgets she is getting pay for this work, "Oh thank you." She opens it and is shocked by the amount.

Next scene is Vinny with the check in his face and just laughs at Ember's surprise. "Ha, yep that is what an apprentice welder makes plus you've been making killer OT on the weekends."

Ember pulls the check down and stares at it for a second, "Dang!" She then paces and rambles, "This? This is so much! I mean my glass internship coming up is paid too but this welding job isn't just taking care of my travel costs." Then is dawns on her. "It will cover all my living expenses while I'm there."

Vinny goes with his arms held up, "Well what an amazing opportunity you have and the experience you're gaining from welding is going to help you prefect your glass making. Especially if it tempered."

Ember gets a bit honest with her boss, "Well it's exhausting work though not gonna lie."

Vinny isn't insulted by it and puts his hands down. "I know that waterfall hasn't been easy. I'm lucky I've been tolerating it as well as I have. I have a team working on converting some fire proof suits to water proof. Water guy actually came up with the idea."

"That's great and about time." Ember then takes a moment and ask Vinny, "Hey can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure kid." Vinny genuinely not fazed and is actually expected what she is about to ask him.

Ember is a bit nervous and she holds her arms to her sides close. Worried her question might be insulting but she goes for it anyway. Rambles a bit too. "Well it's about your parents, I'm in a mixed Element relationship and me and my parents had no idea that that was even possible." Ember nervously flared up a bit with her hands up, "Not that we're prejudice towards other Elements being together we just simply didn't know. Wade and I just kind of happened." Ember smiles at thinking of Wade.

Vinny give a warm smile and laughs, "Yeah you and Wade remind me a lot of my folks. My mother is Firish and dad is rock hard stubborn. I guess that's why the fell hard for each other."

Ember laughs but let's Vinny continue.

Vinny gets a little serious, "I learned very quickly we were not like most families but we all stuck together. Me and my five other siblings."

"Five wow." Ember thinking that's a lot of kids.

Vinny laughs then continues, "Ha ha yeah but we all love and support each other. That has been the biggest lesson growing up as a mixed Element is how to love yourself and each other. Love is alway worth it."

Ember smiles and goes, "Yeah I know. Thank you for telling me."

Back at the shop now. Ember is helping her father finish stocking shelves for the reopening tomorrow. Flarrietta, Flarry, Cinder, and Clod are working too. As they are working Ember has just told Bernie about her first pay check.

"Whoa! That's a lot of money! Maybe I should of become a welder?"

Flarrietta chimes in, "Are you kidding Bernie? You were made to create this shop."

Flarry says, "It's the gem to our Firetown."

Ember agrees, "Yeah Àshfá."

Cinder goes up to her husband, "You really got a strong heart for this and I wouldn't of had it any other way. Besides doing any repair work always brought out your temper. You hate it and you know it."

Bernie puts his arm around his wife, "Ahh you're right. Serving the community did bring me such happiness. Speaking of happy how are things with you and Wade Ember?"

Ember leans back on a self and has a dreamy look on her face. "Oh Àshfá, he's wonderful stopping by the job site when he can for us to have lunch together. But we haven't gone on a real date in a while because we are both so busy with work."

Flarrietta chimes in again, in support of Ember. "I keep hearing stories about how he has been going door to door in Firetown teaching everyone how to keep water out. Even helping create plains for the repairs of each building. He's the nicest Water guy ever, very polite, and respectful too."

Clod adds, "He gives me water when I'm thirsty since the pipes here don't have water in them anymore."

Ember smiles warmly as her father goes, "Okay okay, I'm warming up to the water guy."

Ember sincerely tells her father, "Thank you Àshfá. You have no idea what that means to me."

Bernie's expression gets a little serious as they walk over to the back, "Hmm, I just wish you guys happiness but I know there will be judgements from others. I wish I knew more on how to protect you from that."

Ember tells her father, "Well, I started talking to Vinny about that, he's one of six kids."

Bernie surprise, "Six?"

Ember laughs then looks at the clock. "Oh, I better get going to Element City."

"Oh?"

Ember forgot to tell her parents, "Yeah Wade invited me over to watch a big Windbreakers game."

Bernie confused, "Wind what? Game?"

"Glad the Wetro is up and running again but the motorbike would of been a shorter commute." Ember turns and gives her dad a hug. "I'll be back home later on tonight."

Author's Note: WADE IS GETTING A RING!!!! XD

#pixar elemental #elemental #ember lumen #wade ripple #pixar #wade x ember

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animehouse-moe · 4 months

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Marriage Toxin Volume 1: A Matchmaker Made In Heaven

Yes yes I'm a little late, but I still wanted to talk about this first volume and maybe even encourage a few people try it out. Really, it's great fun and full of potential as both author and artist have a solid head on their shoulders and some pretty deft hands at work with the series. Plenty to chat about of course, otherwise why would I be here, so I'll just get into it.

The basic gist of it is a bit of an absurdist comedy wherein a master assassin specializing in poisons ends up saving his mark so they can help him get married so his grandmother can be satisfied as the clan line continues onwards.

Yeah, a very very novel concept, and that sentiment remains for the entirety of the first volume. But let's rewind a little, take a better look at the bigger picture here. Marriage Toxin is an author-artist duo, so I have some higher than average expectations for its execution. Thankfully, both ends are promising, and they give me some great ways of highlighting those proficiencies.

Gero here, our poison master and head of the similarly titled Poison Master clan, has a phenomenal character design.

Messy hair, rectangular glasses, long and loose clothing, ankle length pants. Sharp and dark fashion that betrays a disinteresting, unassuming, and even awkward and offputting air. Couple that with his overall build and his slouch/hunch and you have a very low level character that's perceived as "simple".

But, that same messy hair, that same loose and long clothing, that very same hunch can be used to weaponize Gero and turn him into a freaky terror of the night.

It's sublime work that appears ever apparent with the simple addition of a gas mask (and a side profile view). Very very smart work in creating a character whose appeal completely shifts depending on where you're looking at them from.

And just to be a little cheeky, I'll say that that sentence pertains to the work in creating his personality as well. Neurotic and high strung but ever aloof, Gero's identity as a character is equally as fluid. Flipping a single switch accomplishes a great deal with him, and vibrating between those two modes of operation is Marriage Toxin's very charm. Which is still a little bit away.

I'll just take a moment to explain the layouts and paneling for the series. It's good. Rather straightforward in terms of paneling which does weigh it down, but the layouts are really great and express a comfortable amount of range.

Though, I will say that the lack of creative paneling is a shame, purely because of some of the ideas that were cooked up for this first volume. Hopefully we'll see that degree of expression evolve as we go on.

You know, while I'm on the point of hoping for better, it's just a bit of a complaint but I'd really love to see the side characters more expressive. Considering the impressive degree exhibited by Kinosaki and Gero, the gulf between them and the rest of the characters can feel a little odd at times.

All in all, I wouldn't say anything falls short of expectations with art for this story. It's all very solid, backgrounds and environment art are comfortably common, and Kinosaki and Gero command the reader's attention during the volume. It does more than what it needs to in order to engage a reader, and it deserves praise for that.

Of course, engaging the reader isn't a one sided visual affair, the writing needs to be up to snuff, and it definitely is. It's hard to explain without spoilers, but I'll do my best.

I think the easiest way to describe it is practical, and not in a bad way. It lines up countless one two punches of foreshadowing/leadup and delivers swiftly with its relation or reveal. Here's just one example.

Some might argue a little heavy handed, but considering the goal of this series, I don't have any issues with a more straightforward approach to a well written narrative.

And it's not like it's a one off either, the author has very clear intentions and ideas they want to realize with this series, and if you're paying attention you'll understand very quickly.

That aside, let me talk in broad strokes here with narrative work.

Marriage Toxin as an action comedy is really enjoyable. The action is very prevalent and reads easily as it aims for impact over experience with its feeling, and the humor is perfectly exaggerated and telegraphed, effortlessly filling page after page.

I am worried about it turn too action heavy and forgetting its roots (just because the action is that good), but I'm not super worried.

Keeping the ball rolling with action though, an assassin power system? Very unique, and they've chosen all the right ideas for expressing it as a fluid and free scale where they're not likely to encounter too many issues. And I mean that in terms of power balances, but also in regards to how many bad guys they can cook up for this series.

And lastly, LGBTQ+ representation, and not in a "look at me!" way. It feels as natural to the characters as it does for them to breath. It's really great stuff to see in a prominent and popular Shounen Jump title. Hoping they'll give us more details and interactions in that vein, but I think even with what we have in this first volume I'm very happy to see the representation.

At the end of it all, there's a lot of praises to be sung for this first time pair of mangaka. Marriage Toxin is impressive, in every sense of the word. It's not knock your socks off incredible, or once in a generation outstanding, but it's certainly a cut above a lot of other new series in similar veins.

So would I say it's for everyone? Definitely not, no. Humor is touch and go, so it's best to give it a shot before you commit if you're not into the more loud and fast style. Thankfully, Manga Plus has all chapters of the manga available digitally for you to check out, so I really recommend that people at the minimum give it a shot!

#marriage toxin #marriagetoxin #マリッジトキシン #anime and manga #manga #manga reccs #manga recommendation #manga review

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