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the-cat-and-the-birdie · 9 months

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Spidersonas are the perfect exercise and I recommend everyone try -

Quick-Spidersona Exercises

How I use new Spidersonas as Artistic Practice

[A MEDIUM length post where I share ideas and exercises to create Spidersonas quicker and easier, while practicing your writing/art]

Spidersonas can be a great tool for any artist!

If you're a writer looking for a way to get better at character creation, research, and world-building - Or an artist looking for a way to get better at character design:

Consider trying out Quick Spidersona exercises as a fun way to do that! I use them all the time, because seriously, who says you can only have ONE Spidersona?

(I think I have at least 15-20 now - counting the eight named kids I gave Miguel & Moche)

I usual end up making at least one a week - and I find they're amazing for learning how to make characters quickly and in a really fun way.

Everything can be canon in the Spider-verse, including a sentient piece of Lego-Plastic and a Pre-historic Spider-saur.

Plus, with the Spider-Society being full formed, and canon events at your choosing, you have a loose template for a background - making it easier to throw them into the story.

I use a couple different exercises on making Fast-Sonas, and I thought I'd share some.

Here's a couple of my favorites! If you find this helpful, let me know!

1 - Hour Sona Challenge

Ever have a half-baked Spidersona Idea or come up with a funny crack Spider?

Give yourself an hour (or two) and go at it.

[This challenge is good for quick practice, Character Creation & Design]

Design them a suit as quick as you can, coming up with abilities and a rough personality.

You don't need to go into backstory if you don't feel like it, and it's a great way to get started

This is something you can do routinely - I do, I usually do this once or twice a week; And soon you'll have a full cast of sonas that can interact with each other!

It's great practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.

When you're doing it on the fly, or know it's just one hour - it can produce characters that are more natural, because you don't have time to second guess. Plus, since it's only an hour, you can get as silly as you want!

Stoner-Spider is an example of a 2-hour Sona Challenge.

Adapt-A-Spider

This challenge is good for Character Design

Make your own cross over!

For something a bit easier - Take a Non-Spider character and make them a Spider-person.

This could be anyone, from other Marvel characters, to Disney Princesses, Celebrities, and characters from your other fandoms. You can even make some of your old OCs into Spider-people!

For Artists - this can be a real fun challenge - try and blend the characters original outfit and design into a suit suitable for swinging.

For Writers - try to adapt their current background, and shift it around so they have 'canon events'. If the character you like has lost someone, the person they lost could stand in for their Uncle Ben or Aunt May.

Example: If you're looking to adapt Ellie from The Last of Us, losing Joel could be her Uncle Ben canon event.

This works for every character (basically). What if Black Widow ACTUALLY got bit by a black widow? Now Nat Romanoff is on campus. (Every Peter thinks she's an MJ cause the red hair at first).

No matter how ridiculous, you can stretch it. In Spiderverse, everyone is Canon.

If they can write a SpiderCar - you can write ANYTHING.

Some ideas are:

Celebrities, Animals (like SpiderCat or the Dinosaur), Princesses, Greek Gods, Historical Figures, Fandom Characters,

Mundane Spider

This challenge is good for: Character Building & Design

Not everyone is extraordinary. SOMEONE has to flip those McMiguel burgers goddamn it.

If making a huge story and traumatic canon events send daunting - just... Don't do it. Challenge yourself to make a Spidersona that's literally just a person.

Like a Target employee who got bit by a spider that came out a shipment. And now they have to work at the Society AND target. They wear the Target polo over their suit.

Pick a normal type of person, and challenge yourself to make them super.

Maybe a stay at home mom that got bit by a house spider, or a college student that got bit at the library. Any one could be a Spider-person! So don't worry that they're 'boring'.

Ideas for this:

A person based on your town/city, Random Professions, Teachers, Therapists, People based on hobbies you like to do (ex: Margo is eSports. SpiderCanada is hockey based),

History Spider

[This is good for Research]

History Buffs WHERE U AT?????

If you love a period of history - GO ALL IN.

Take the SpiderNoir and Hobie route.

If your Spidersona was from Ancient Egypt, what would they wear? If you really like the Medieval Era, would their city want to burn them at the stake?

For Artists - What would they wear? And how would the fashion trends of their time period effect their suits?

For Writers - What would be their real name, if it were time period accurate? How would they act and speak? Consider how they would adjust to things like 2099, and how their time period would effect their fighting style.

Culture Spider

If you're from a interesting culture or place, make a Sona for that!

[This is another great one for Research, as well as Character Design too]

I've seen it all, from my own IncaSpider, to Korean Spider-people and Romanian Spider-people.

For Artists - It's REALLY fun adapting traditional dress and colors into a Spider-suit, and you may even find yourself falling down a research hole.

For Writers - This can go DEEP. You can pick any time period of your culture and home. Things like their accent, their behaviors and traditions, and their backstory can all be reflections of your culture.

With HUNDREDS of years is material to pull from, using Culture as a back drop for a Spider can help them seem deep and natural. Plus, you can just Google clothing and use that as suit inspo

Ben Reilly - Mary Sue Spider

Arguably my FAVORITE. Not for the faint of heart.

[This is the best for everything - Literal SELF CARE I MEAN THAT]

BE CRINGE. DO IT ON PURPOSE.

Write a character that's super strong and effortless about it. Pavi is. And he's still a great character.

Write a character who ALWAYS looks kick ass and rides a cool motorcycle or plays a rad guitar - Jess and Hobie are literally THAT.

Want your character to be big and super smart with deep trauma that haunts them? - Ben Reilly and Miguel. The three of them can be a trio.

Challenge yourself to make the COOLEST MOST FLAWLESS DRAMATIC SONA YOU CAN.

Every time you draw something or write something that makes you cringe, or feels to OP or too much.

Good. Leave it in. Turn it up to 11.

Go all out. Draw your Instagram dream outfit. If you want your Sona in 12 inch heels - have at it!

'Oh but that's impractical and stup-'

They're literally a Super-Human. If Gwen can catch a helicopter like that, I think a Spidersona can manage stripper heels or Final Fantasy Hair.

What's the worst that can happen? You're doing it on purpose.

At the best, you'll make someone REALLY REALLY rad - like Hobie.

At the least, you'll make someone REALLY REALLY funny - like Ben Reilly.

Disco-Spider Diane is an example of this. She was probably supposed to be a completely self-indulgent, unhinged Sona.

So much so that she thinks she's perfect, even though she's a little bit naive, lazy, and in her own world. But because she doesn't care.. it's all good :)

No Logic Whatsoever Spider

[This one is just funny. Great one for Character Design and getting out of your comfort zone.]

Spider-Ham, Spider-Car, Spider Cat, LegoSpider, Spiderplush and SpiderPopsicle all have a club. The No Logic Whatsoever Club.

Challenge yourself to make a new member.

Break all the laws of logic. If something can be Spiderman, then it is or duty to make it so.

What's your favorite animal? Make that.

Can they put on the suit themselves? No? Who cares they're a Spiderperson-thing now.

Is there a funny art style you like - make a Bendy's style 1930's black and white silent cartoon.

For Artists - This is a great one. It can be as simple as drawing Spider-man merch and making it sentient. Or as bizarre as drawing a Dinosaur in a Spider-man costume.

For Writers - HARD MODE. For pure crack fanatics. Enjoy trying to make logic of this. Or don't. They are what they are.

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So here are just some exercises and ideas for those looking to strengthen their writing/art skills with Spidersonas.

They can be really quick to make, and you can always build on them over time, do a '1hr Sona Update' Challenge, run them through canon events and see them change.

Having multiple spidersonas can be fun, make writing easier, and it's great practice that translates everywhere - into world building, character design, research, and a lot of other creative skills.

Literally theres no need for just one! The Spiderverse is open to any Sona, no matter how bizarre, mundane, or self-indulgent!!

If this gave you and ideas or inspiration, let me know. If you try a challenge, I'd love to see too!

And as per usual if you've read this far: Here take this as a token of my gratitude

Go forth, create, and kill cringe with your bare hands. Smash it into a moving train. That usually does the trick.

Bye.

#got a couple asks about writing advice lately so I wanted to start here first hi hello :)#nooo proofread lol #spiderman #spider man #atsv #across the spiderverse #spidersonas #spidersona #ocs #spiderman oc #writing practice #marvel #across the spider verse #spider society #spiderman atsv

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sarahsmi13s · 6 months

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Rocks Are Allowed to Crack, Stars Are Allowed to Dim

pairing: jake 'hangman' seresin x fem!pilot!reader

characters: jake seresin, y/n nivans, the daggers, pete mitchell, penny benjamin, diego and benny harding (oc father and son)

warnings: 18+ MDNI, angst, language, ptsd, description of accident, panic attack, injuries, descriptions of scars, flashbacks, fear of death, familial death (mentioned), crying, bottling up feelings, please please let me know if i missed any

word count: ~8.0k

a/n: this has been sitting in my docs and on my wheel for at least a year (please forgive the awkward moments). so i figured i'd take a sliver of the wheel and make him a little lighter! i've also been in a funk lately, so i thought getting something out there might help!

quick summary: everyone deserves someone to comfort them in their time of need, even the ones that always lend their shoulder

Ah, yes, dogfight football. Maverick’s way of creating a team. You play offense and defense at the same time. Tackling each other into the sand, sometimes into the water. It may be chaotic, but it’s fun and a great team building exercise.

Which is why you hated that you were running a little behind.

You sighed as you got out of your car and walked over to where Penny was sitting at the table.

You placed your aviators on your head, “I’m not late am I?” Penny chuckled and shook her head, “Just in time. Want a beer before you go?” You shook your head, “Nah, I’m okay right now. Care to watch my stuff?”

The brunette gestured to the items in front of her, chuckling, “I’m watchin’ everyone else's. I don’t see why not.” You chuckled and sat your wallet, phone, and keys down, as well as your sunglasses. You slipped off your shorts, folding them and laying them down.

“Nivans!”

You turned at the call of your last name, brows raised in curiosity.

It was Maverick.

“Hurry up and get down here!”

You turned to Penny, “This is gonna be fun.” You both laughed before you jogged across the sand to meet everyone by the water.

“Sorry I’m late, Mav.”

Maverick shook his head, “You’re not late, Rockstar. Can’t be late for fun.”

“Not gonna take your t-shirt off?” Phoenix asked when you stood beside her. You shook your head, “Nah, I’m good.”

Hangman sighed, “That’s a shame.”

You chuckled at him and bent down to throw a handful of sand at him.

“Watch it, Rockstar,” Hangman said, his voice light as he glared at you playfully.

“Or what, Hangman?” You challenged, eyes narrowed but a smile pulled at your lips.

Now, you and Hangman joked like this all the time. You considered each other best friends, which confused everyone else on base.

Jake Seresin was an asshole. He was cocky and arrogant. You, Y/N Nivans, were not an asshole. Quite the opposite, actually.

You were humble while still knowing your worth, but also showing anybody up if they proposed a challenge, and not being sour when you lost.

Jake went out looking for competition, you let it come to you.

You were also probably the sweetest thing to walk the planet. Most certainly the sweetest to walk the airstrip.

You were nice to everyone, always giving someone the benefit of the doubt until they truly proved they were an asshole.

You also took care of your team, they were your family. You always had the door open if someone needed to talk. Your arms were wide open when they showed up in the middle of the night because they had a nightmare and couldn’t shake it. You were their rock.

So, when you walked into the Hard Deck that first day of the Uranium Mission and hugged Hangman, everyone was confused — except Coyote who knew you from a year prior. But they didn’t verbally question you, choosing instead to ponder in private.

Hangman sighed, “Come on, Rocky. You're giving your enemy the advantage.” He tugged at your shirt and pulled you into his arms.

You laughed and pushed him away by his chest, “You’re gonna have to catch me first.” Hangman cocked his head to the side, “Oooh, that’s how it is?” You nodded, a smirk playing on your lips, “That’s how it is.”

You panted as you used your shirt to wipe the sweat from your face.

When you let go of your shirt you raised your arms, calling for the ball. They threw it to you and you took off for your endzone.

You felt the sand shift and you knew Hangman was behind you. You had to get rid of the ball, so you called out to your teammate, “Phoenix!” She ran ahead of you and you threw her the ball.

As soon as the ball was out of your hand, Hangman tackled you to the ground.

You laughed as you laid on your stomach, arms out in front of you.

“What was that about ‘catching you’?” Jake grunted from above you.

You didn’t have to look at him to know he was smirking. “Haha, very funny Hangman. Now get off, you’re heavy.”

“First, ouch. Second, nah, you’re comfy.” You laughed and shook your head, attempting to push off the ground and basically buck him off.

But, Hangman wouldn’t let you, laughing as he moved and made you fall back down.

In this new position, Hangman was putting pressure on a certain part of your back and panic shot through you.

“Seriously, dude, get up,” you tried to say with a laugh, not wanting to sound rude or like you were mad at him. He just smiled and rested his chin on his hands.

You closed your eyes and tried to control your breathing, but the waves hitting you pushed you over the edge.

“Jake, get the fuck off me.” You didn’t mean to sound harsh but you were panicking.

Jake was surprised by your tone, along with the use of his first name. He immediately got up and held out a hand for you to take but you just got up and ran to the table.

“Rockstar, where you going?” Maverick asked. You called out while still running, “I need a break for a minute.”

You got to the table, “Is it unlocked?” Penny nodded, “Yeah, why?” “Bathroom break.” Penny just nodded again and watched you take your sunglasses with you as you jogged inside.

Rooster ran over and hit Jake’s arm, “What did you do, Hangman?” Jake shook his head, “I’m not sure.” He put his hands on his hips and watched you disappear into the bar.

He felt bad, he wanted to chase after you and apologize but he didn’t know what he did.

“Well, you seemed to piss her off,” Phoenix said, shoving the ball into his chest.

Maverick looked at Penny but she just shrugged, meaning you didn’t say much.

You ran into the bathroom, throwing yourself into a stall.

You leaned over the toilet and waited to throw up. Tears had started running down your face the minute you stepped in the bar. You coughed and sobbed lightly as you tried to control your breathing.

After a few minutes of that, the nausea subsided and you slowly stood to go to the sink.

You turned the cold water on and splashed your face.

“Shit…”

You closed your eyes as the tight feeling in your chest loosened. You let out a shaky breath and looked in the mirror, cringing at the puffiness around your eyes. You grabbed your sunglasses and slipped them on before leaving the bathroom.

When you stepped outside you saw Maverick and Penny talking, and when you sat down they stopped talking and looked at you concerned.

“You alright? Gave Hangman quite the scare for a second,” Mav asked, squaring his shoulders to you. You nodded, resting your forearms on the table. “Yeah, I’m fine.” You rubbed your forehead, “Hey Pen-”

Before you could finish your sentence, a beer was sat in front of you, causing you to giggle, “Read my mind.”

As he continued to play, Jake still couldn’t get over the fact that you called him ‘Jake’ during a day out.

It wasn’t that you never did, but it was rare that you called anyone by their first name.

But it wasn’t just that, it was the way you said that really made him worry. He had never heard your voice sound like that before.

He looked at you from his spot on the beach, noticing you didn’t come back to join in the fun.

Hangman walked up to Phoenix, worried that he had really upset you and wanted help from the girl you were closest to. “You don’t really think I pissed her off, do you?”

She sighed, “I don’t know, Hangman. Even if you did, I doubt she could stay mad at you for long. She can't be mad at anyone for very long.”

Jake nodded and watched you stand up from your spot at the table.

You finished your beer and stood up, “I’m gonna head out.”

Maverick frowned, “You sure you’re okay, Y/N?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. I just really need to shower. I’ve got sand in places sand shouldn’t be,” you said with a light laugh.

“Okay, drive safe. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, sir.” You collected your stuff and headed to your car.

Jake noticed you leaving and tilted his head, “Hey…” He patted Coyote on the shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

He jogged up to the table to ask Maverick if he knew anything.

“Is she okay?” Hangman asked as soon as he came to a stop. Maverick shrugged, not looking up at the pilot, “She seemed okay. Said she needed to shower.”

Jake let out a breath, “So she isn’t mad at me?”

“I didn’t say that. But as far as I can tell, she’s just tired.”

Jake licked the sweat off his upper lip, putting his hands on his hips as he looked down.

“Hangman, honey, just go talk to her. If she’s upset with you, she’ll be honest about it,” Penny encouraged, giving Jake a small smile. He nodded and jogged to go find you before you left.

You were standing by your car, the door opened as you moved to get in when he approached.

“Hey, Y/N,” Jake called as he walked over to you. You smiled, “Hey, Hangman.”

Jake swallowed, “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I was just messing around. I did-”

You held your hand up, cutting him off, “Jake, I’m not mad at you. I know you were just playing. But your tackle jump started my bladder and I wasn’t kidding when I said you were heavy.” You giggled a bit to show him you were teasing.

Hangman visibly relaxed at the sound, “Okay, good. I know I like to get under everyone’s skin. Sometimes I don’t know when to knock it off. I–”

You held up your hand, cutting him off. “Jake, I can handle your teasing. Yeah, you can get a little mean. But I know it’s all a big show. Come here,” you opened your arms and made grabby hands at Jake.

He just shook his head and chuckled, pulling you in by your outstretched hands and letting them find their place around his built torso.

He rubbed his hand on your back, nearly missing the slight tensing right beneath your shoulder blades before they relaxed. His brow furrowed but he didn’t mention it, thinking that maybe it was you tightening your arms around him.

He kissed the top of your head before you pulled away.

“Geez, Jake, you’re sweaty.”

“You’re not too dry yourself, Rockstar.” You laughed and playfully shoved him away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.” You smiled and slid into your car, “I’ll kick your ass tomorrow Hangman.”

He scoffed leaning on the roof of your car and the open door. “Since when did you get so cocky?”

You smirked and placed your glasses on your head, forgetting that your eyes could still be red and puffy from earlier. “It’s not cocky if it’s the truth.”

Jake shook his head and looked back to the shore. “Uh-huh. We’ll see.” He leaned back and patted the top of your car. “Drive safe.” You nodded, and he closed your door.

He watched you start it up before driving away.

Jake shook his head and made his way back to the group.

Speaking of the group, they had all noticed the change in Jake when you showed up at the Hard Deck a few months ago.

While he was still his cocky self, having no shame in bragging and trash talking, he seemed to tone it down when you were around.

They also noticed how he always made sure to find you in the crowd, keeping an eye on you. Coyote joked that you had Hangman wrapped around your finger, that he would be at your side with a simple look.

Jake was painfully aware of the effect you had on him.

When he met you a year ago, he was starstruck by your dazzling smile.

So, naturally, in true Hangman fashion, he flirted with you.

With a toothpick between his perfect white teeth and his bright green eyes shining under the yellow lights of the bar, he walked up to you.

“I sure hope no one left you alone.”

When you turned, eyeing him up and down to take in the uniform, beer bottle popping as it left your mouth, his breath was ripped from his lungs.

“Well, you’re here now. I’m not alone.”

Seeing your smile up close caused Hangman to blush, and leaving him thankful that his tan could somewhat hide it.

“Well, ain’t I special.”

You nodded, giggling while looking down at the bar, “That you are. But, before this can go any further, I’m gonna be honest, I’m more dedicated to my work than anything else at the moment. And I have to be up by 5, so I’d hate to lead you on.”

Jake shook his head, but you continued, gesturing around the bar, “I’m sure there are plenty of girls here that would love to get attention from you and give you attention.”

Jake smiled –not smirked, smiled– while leaning on the bar, “Well, the only one I want attention from is you. Plus, I can’t stay out too late either. Gotta be at work early too, so I guess we’re both clocking in early.”

None of the feelings that day had been one sided. You also had been starstruck by Hangman.

He was broad shoulder, tall, tan, and had a voice that could make a girl swoon in a second. But you knew he was a pilot, his uniform gave it away, and you knew how they acted. Except, you liked Jake’s company and decided to talk all night with him.

Ironically, what you both did for work never came up.

So, imagine the look on Jake’s face when he saw you the next day in your flight suit.

“You didn’t tell me you were a pilot.”

You smirked, “You didn’t ask.”

He shook his head, biting his lower lip to hide his smile but failed.

You nodded to him, “What do they call you?”

“Hangman. What about you?” You smiled, “Rockstar.”

You were able to peg why he earned his callsign very early on but he couldn’t seem to figure yours out.

Until he had a close call and couldn’t shake it.

The last day of training had just ended, tomorrow you might not come home, and to say you were nervous was a major understatement.

As you changed to get ready to go out with the squad, you couldn’t stop shaking. You knew you needed a drink… okay a couple drinks.

While you changed, Hangman was walking around, looking for you.

When he walked past the locker room, he caught a glimpse of you reaching to pick something up.

He turned to walk in, but stopped when he saw that you only had your pants on. But, before he could stop himself, his eyes trailed up your back; starting from above your waistline on your pants and going up.

Then he stopped, his eyes widening when he saw the large scar that looked fairly new – maybe a year or so old. It spanned from the middle of your left shoulder blade to nearly below your ribcage and was positioned diagonally across your back.

Jake quickly looked away, realizing that you must have not wanted anyone to see it if you hadn’t told him.

His brow furrowed as questions ran through his mind. Was that why you freaked out during dogfight football, the other day? Why you always tense up when you get an unexpected touch there?

Shit… He thought, feeling like a horrible friend for never noticing and never asking.

Jake took a deep breath and walked away, choosing to approach the locker room differently and pretend he never saw you.

He put on a smile and walked back towards the locker room, “Hey, Rockstar! You almost ready?” He stopped just short of the door, leaning his back against the wall.

Your head jerked up as you pulled your t-shirt down. “Uh, yeah, Hangman. I’ll be ready in a second.”

You finished getting ready and walked out, jumping slightly when he pushed off the wall.

“Geez Hang, don’t do that!” You punched his arm.

“Gosh, I forgot how hard you punch.” He chuckled and rubbed the spot on his arm as you both walked to the parking lot.

You all sat in the Hard Deck, drinking and playing pool.

“Dude, she’s kicking your ass!” Payback laughed as he clapped Hangman on the shoulder.

You were, in fact, kicking Jake’s ass in pool. You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped as the blond narrowed his eyes at Payback.

“Yeah, you feelin’ okay? You’ve been off your game tonight Bagman,” Rooster commented, smirking as he drank his alcohol.

Instead of clapping back at the jab, Jake just rolled his eyes and lined up his shot.

That made you frown, Hangman always had a comeback. Always had sarcastic quips to embarrass the other person. But he was silent.

You made eye contact when he stood, silently asking if he was okay. He just nodded and moved to sink another pool ball.

You didn’t want to drop it, but you did for the sake of having fun before facing the chance of death tomorrow.

Sometime later, after a few rounds of pool and drinks, you all stood around and just talked.

“Hey, did you guys hear about that one pilot that saved her WSO’s life when they got shot down?” Bob asked, looking around the group.

You clenched your jaw slightly, but not enough for anyone to notice.

“Bob, that happens all the time. It’s kinda what we do,” Phoenix said, squeezing his shoulder.

Rooster stood up and sat his beer down. “No, not the way this pilot did. Bob, I know who you’re talking about. I read the mission file, the only thing that was classified was the pilot and WSO’s names.”

You swirled the beer in your glass, not looking up from the amber liquid. “Did the pilot survive?”

When you finished asking, you looked up, trying to ignore the watchful eyes of Hangman as you met Rooster’s eyes.

The latter nodded, “Uh, yeah. Yeah, she did. But she had a pretty serious injury. I’m not sure if she was ever clear to fly again.”

You nodded and looked back down at your glass.

“And the WSO?” Jake asked, eyeing you as you downed the rest of your drink before looking at Rooster and Bob.

“He survived. But I don’t know if he still flies,” Bob answered.

“Well, that’s good that they both survived,” you said, your smile returning to your face.

Rooster shook his head a bit, “Yeah, but that pilot pulled a risky move. Saving some like that…”

Your smile dropped a bit, “People have their reasons.” You raised your glass, “I’m gonna go get another drink.”

Hangman watched you leave as the conversation changed into something more light hearted.

Jake took a step to go after you but Coyote caught his arm. “Hey, come on. Play me in a round of pool. Let’s see if you still got your game.” Jake looked from his friend back to you and saw you laughing with Penny and Maverick at the bar. That allowed him to relax a little bit.

“Oh, I still got my game. Let’s see if you found yours,” he smirked. “There he is!” Coyote laughed and clapped Jake on the back.

As Jake played pool with Coyote, you talked with Penny and Maverick.

“Are you serious?”

You nodded, laughing at Penny’s reaction to you telling her how you and Jake met.

“Pen, why are you surprised? Hangman flirts with every girl,” Maverick said, using his hand to point the direction of the mentioned pilot. You and Penny both nodded your agreement.

“Sounds familiar,” Penny says, a playful grin on her face making Maverick roll his eyes.

You had become so invested in your conversation with Penny and Mav, that you missed Rooster coming up behind you.

He placed his hand on your back, right on your scar, making you tense and jump in surprise.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya’ Rocky,” he took his hand off and leaned on the bar.

“You doin’ okay? You seemed a bit…” He glanced back at the group, thinking of the right word. “...tense a minute ago.”

You bit the inside of your lip, had you really been that obvious?

Still, you nodded and gave him your best smile.

But to him, he could see that it didn’t reach your eyes. He may not have been your best friend, but he had seen plenty of your genuine smiles and this one did not make your eyes shine like the others.

Bradley decided not to press, “Okay…” He turned to Penny, “Penny, could we get another round?” The bartender nodded, “Of course, but you’re reaching your cut off.”

Penny had set a cut off for drinks for the pilots not wanting them to go into this mission hungover. You chuckled and glanced back at the group, all of them messing around and having fun. “Yes ma’am.”

You turned to Rooster and then back down to your empty glass. Penny hadn’t refilled it yet, having started a conversation with you as soon as you came over.

You glanced at your watch, seeing that you had been there for a couple hours.

Penny sat a tray down, placing the full glasses on top. “There you are, Rooster. Who’s tab?”

Rooster opened his mouth to tell her to put it on his, but you beat him to it, “Put it on mine Pen.”

“You got the last round, Rockstar,” Rooster argued. You shrugged, “I don’t mind. Plus, I’m closing my tab for tonight.”

“What? You’re heading out already?” You nodded, sliding Penny your card, “I’m hitting my limit, Roos.”

Bradley searched your eyes for a moment, looking for any indication that something was wrong.

You were usually the one that made sure everyone was okay to go home and if they needed rides; so leaving early rung bells in Rooster’s head.

Penny gave you your card and receipt, “Thank you.” “Thanks Pen,” you gave her a smile before turning back to Rooster.

“Tell ‘em I’m heading out. I know if I do it I won’t be able to leave.” You gave him a one armed hug and turned to Maverick, “See you in the morning, Captain.”

“See you in the morning, Rockstar.”

Penny gently squeezed your hand, giving you a small smile as you slid off the bar stool and walked out.

Rooster, Maverick, and Penny watched you leave the building before turning to each other, concern written all over their faces.

“Is she okay? She’s been acting a little off ever since dogfight football the other day,” Penny asked the two pilots.

They both shrugged, Bradley looking up at her. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“I’ve noticed, but I thought it was just because Harvard and Yale had to eject the other day,” Mav admitted. “We were all a little shaken up by that…”

It was silent for a minute.

“You know… if one person knows anything, it’d probably be Seresin,” Penny said, pointing over to the pilot, who was very invested in the game he was winning, and basically suggesting that they talk to him.

Bradley sighed, knowing that Penny was right and if anyone knew you the best, it would be him. He grabbed the tray, thanking Penny and walking over to the group.

They all cheered when he sat the tray down, taking a glass for themselves.

Jake noticed that there was an extra and he frowned in confusion before he realized it was for you.

He looked up, eyes searching for you in the crowd, panicking a little when he couldn’t see you, “Where’s Rockstar?”

Rooster sighed, “She closed her tab and left. Said she reached her limit.”

Fanboy frowned a little bit, “Why didn’t she just tell us herself?”

Rooster shrugged, “Said if she did it would take longer for her to leave.”

“Does she seem different to you guys?” Coyote asked, finally voicing his concern that had buit up over the last few days.

The group shared a look before making small noises of agreement.

“I mean, she’s still the same Y/N. Still lighting up a room and being there for us like she always has been… I just… I don’t know.”

Rooster looked at Jake, “Hangman, you’re like her best friend, do you know anything?”

Jake shrugged and shook his head, “All I know is she’s nervous for tomorrow and the accident the other day shook her up a bit, but she hasn’t said anything else.”

He took a large gulp from his beer, hoping to swallow the confession of seeing your scar that he wanted to bring to light. You trusted Jake and he wasn’t about to ruin that by telling the squad what he saw when he wasn’t even supposed to know it was there.

Meanwhile, you walked the beach, taking in the fresh and salty air. You just needed the quiet time before you went home.

You sighed and pulled out your phone, seeing a text from Hangman and laughing slightly at the message.

Hangboy: Hey, I get that I kicked your ass those last few rounds of pool, but you could have told me you were leaving. I would have walked you out. Text me when you get home.

Also, there was an extra beer. I assume it was meant for you, but you left so I drank it. Don’t worry though, I can handle it.

You shook your head and opened your phone, but not to text Jake.

You went to your contacts and pressed the caller ID, putting the phone to your ear as it rang.

“Hey, Rockstar, what's up? It’s been awhile.”

You smiled, sighing, “Sure has been, Tundra. How are you? How’s the little one?” “I’m good. Ben is great, he wants to know when you’ll be by again to visit.”

You giggled at the fact the 6 year old wanted to see you. “Soon… hopefully.” “Y/N, I know that voice. Is it happening again?” You shook your head, despite the fact that Tundra couldn’t see you.

“No, no. Well, sorta, but this is different Diego.” You heard him shift, presumably crossing his arms. “What do you mean?”

You sighed, remembering that you couldn’t share all that much about the mission, even if he was former Navy.

“I don’t know how much I can tell you. But I got called back to TopGun, and I could be flying out on a mission tomorrow. A dangerous one.”

“Y/N, do they know?”

You shook your head again, this time to fight tears. “No, but I’m scared that mid air, I’m gonna freeze. I don’t wanna freeze, Diego. I haven’t frozen since our incident. But I don’t know what’s been wrong these past couple of weeks. I can’t seem to shake off this dread… this-this fear. I do-don’t-”

He cut you off, “Have you talked to anyone recently?”

You were silent and he took that as a no. “Y/N, you have to talk about it if you ever want to move past it.” “I did though. I had mandated therapy for my entire time in recovery.” “And have you been since you recovered?”

You threw a hand up, frustrated, “I thought I was past it! I hadn’t had an attack in a year, not until we were playing football. I-I thought it was just a one time thing, and then something happened during training and I just-”

You were cut off by a small, tired voice.

“Is that Aunt Y/N?”

“It is. Do you want to talk to her? I think she needs to talk to you.” “Yes, please!” You smiled as you heard the phone go to speaker and then be passed to the little boy.

“Hey, Aunt Y/N!”

You smiled, tears finally falling, “Benarino, hey buddy.” “I miss you. When are you coming to visit?” You wiped at your eyes with a shaking hand. “Soon, buddy. Really soon,” you sniffled.

“Aunt Y/N, why are you crying?”

You laughed, coughing a little at the end, “I just really miss you Benny. I can’t wait to see you.”

You looked back at the Hard Deck, seeing your fellow pilots laugh and sing.

“I’m gonna bring a friend too. If that’s okay with your mom and dad?” “That’s alright with me, Rockstar. I’m sure Lila won’t mind.”

“Who is it?”

You brought playfulness into your voice, “You remember the pilot I told you about? The one that thought he could fly better than your Aunt Rocky?”

The little boy giggled, “Yeah!” “Well, I think it’s about time you brought home the boy that stole your heart.”

“Diego,” you hissed. “We are just friends.” “Mhmm, sure.” You scoffed, rolling your eyes, “You should probably get Ben to bed before Lila wakes up.”

You heard Diego grunt as he picked up his son, “Goodnight Benny Boy.” “G’night Aunt Y/N.”

“Call me when you make it back.” You nodded, hand sliding into your back pocket, “Yeah, of course. Night Tundra.” “Night Rockstar.”

The call ended and you slid your phone into your unoccupied back pocket.

You took in a deep breath, trying to relax again. In through the nose, out through the mouth. In, out.

On an inhale, the scent of smoke filled your nostrils and it made you hold your breath.

Quickly looking around, you spotted a bonfire a couple yards away. Realizing it was harmless, you let out the breath and tried to relax your shoulders.

But, despite knowing it was completely harmless, your body went into a state of panic. Your chest tightened, limbs went numb, pain spread through your back, and tears filled your eyes.

You held a hand to your chest, the air stopping just before it made it to your lungs, and stumbled to your car as fast as you could, hoping you weren’t seen by your friends inside the bar.

Jake looked at his phone as he left the bar. You hadn’t texted him, and by now you definitely should have been back to your on base bungalow.

Hangman wasn’t going to panic, he knew you well enough that you would have texted or called him if something bad happened. Of course he felt anxious, who wouldn’t, but he was going to remain calm.

The reason you hadn’t texted him when you got home was because the moment you fumbled yourself into your place, you booked it for the bathroom.

Your knees smacked into the tile and you threw up whatever alcohol you had consumed before the strangled sob ripped itself from your throat. You crumbled to the tile as your chest refused to let air in.

Your skin felt hot and sticky, sweat coating it as you laid on your bathroom floor. It wasn’t helping you, your damp, hot skin sending you back to one of the worst days of your life.

So, in a frenzy, you ripped off your shirt and kicked off your shoes and socks before yanking your pants off, not even loosening your belt.

You crawled over the tub wall, too dizzy to properly stand, before fumbling with the knob to turn the water on.

Once you got it turned on, you jostled the faucet switch, a desperate sob escaping as it kept falling down before it finally stuck, turning the shower on and drenching you in water.

And that was how Jake found you.

Jake decided to stop by your place and check on you, that being his only option to get his anxiety to go away.

When he pulled up to your place and saw your car there, he let out a breath of relief.

He parked his truck behind your car and ran to your door, his chest lighter than before.

But his chest became heavy again when he made it to your door only to find it unlocked. You rarely left your door unlocked, if ever.

He cautiously pushed it open, looking around to see if anything was out of place.

Your keys were on the floor, your phone and wallet not too far from them.

Jake walked further in, making sure to close and lock the door behind him.

He held his breath as he looked for you. But his search was cut short when he heard the shower running.

He exhaled and had to take a minute to calm the drumming in his chest.

He cautiously walked to the bathroom, making sure to knock before walking in. He kept his head down so he didn’t see anything he wasn’t supposed to… again.

“Hey I was-”

The door stopped, hitting something on the floor.

Hangman squinted his eyes in confusion. It was your shoe. He kicked it out of the way and pushed the door open enough for him to just step in and close it.

He stopped with his hand on the door, realizing that the room didn’t feel like a sauna. There was no fog covering the mirrors and steam wasn’t filling the small space. You always showered hot, and right now the bathroom was freezing.

Jake finally looked up and saw you curled in the shower, the water cascading from the faucet and hitting your back. It was obvious you had been there for a while because you were shivering.

Jake sat on the edge of the tub cautiously, not wanting to startle you.

His heart broke at the sound of your quiet crying and the puffy redness of your eyes was a sight Jake never wanted to see again.

The eyes that usually held the brightness of the stars and a kindness that was unmatched, were now red, distant, and constantly filled with tears that fell over and mixed with the water drenching you.

He hated it.

Jake held his hand under the water and recoiled at how cold it was.

“Shit,” he cursed as he quickly turned it off.

When you didn’t react, he knew you truly weren’t in this reality.

“Y/N,” he spoke gently and touched your arm. He sharply inhaled when he discovered how cold you were. “Y/N, darlin’, we need to dry you off and get you in some warm clothes. You’ll get sick.”

Jake wasn’t sure if you heard him because you just stared ahead, biting on your nail. He sighed and pulled your hand away from your mouth.

He moved to pull his hand back but you grabbed it, your freezing cold hand latching onto his warm one. “Please don’t… Jake, please don’t leave.”

Your voice was quiet and broken, raw with fear. And he was sure that sent a shiver up his back.

Jake quickly shifted to kneel beside the tub, his thumb rubbing back and forth on your hand. “I’d never leave you hangin’.”

He looked you over, “Can I pick you up?” You nodded, letting his hand slip from your grip and feel it wrap under your legs.

He awkwardly shifted to lean over and pick you up, grunting a little as stood up. He was too pressed about his clothes getting wet, he’s sure he’s got pants somewhere around here.

Jake managed to open the bathroom door and walked to your bedroom.

He sat you on the bed and quickly grabbed the towel on the back of your desk chair.

Wrapping it around you, Jake kissed the top of your head. “You’re okay. You’re safe,” he spoke gently against your hair.

He pulled back and watched you bite your lip to keep your tears hidden.

You avoided his eyes, looking at your shaking hands.

“I’m gonna get you some clothes, okay?” You slowly nodded, lip trembling before you bit down on it again.

Your eyes didn’t follow him as he walked around your room, but your ears were very aware of Jake’s noises; everything from his footsteps to his mumbling.

In under five minutes, neatly folded clothes were placed beside you and Jake kneeled in front of you, his large hands resting on your biceps gently.

“Do you want me to stay while you change?”

It took you a second to register what he had asked, but he was patient and rubbed reassuring circles on your arms with his thumbs.

You inhaled, the familiar scent of his cologne calming you down a bit.

You were tempted to say yes, you didn’t want to be alone but you also didn’t want Jake to see you any more vulnerable than he already has.

You shook your head, unconsciously pulling the towel tighter around you.

Jake noticed it and nodded, “Okay, I’ll go tidy up your bathroom and throw some blankets in the dryer to fluff them up and get ‘em warm.” He gave you a small smile and stood, leaving the room and the door open just a crack.

You managed to peel off the wet bra and underwear, drying off before changing.

That simple task was exhausting. It felt like your bones had turned to rocks and your muscles no longer existed. But eventually, you did it.

You haphazardly dried your hair, basically just dry enough to where it wasn’t dripping, and walked into the small living room.

You sat on the couch, deciding to occupy your hands with your oversized shirt while you waited for Jake.

Minutes later he was on the couch beside you, wrapping you in the fresh-out-of-the-dryer blanket.

“Thank you…” Your voice had a rawness to it that made Jake shiver, something was really wrong and he didn’t know how to help.

He nodded and rubbed your upper back, “Of course.”

He sat there for a moment, just listening to your sniffles and weeping exhales, before finally turning to face you.

“What’s going on? ‘Cause this-” He gestured to you and your current state. “-is way more than just nerves for tomorrow.”

“I’ll be-”

“If you say ‘fine’, I swear,” he sighed to control his volume. “Y/N, you are not fine.”

“Jake…”

The blond pilot took a deep breath, looking at the sliver of couch cushion between you. “I saw it…”

If you weren’t going to be honest, then he needed to be. Maybe what he saw is connected to what was shaking you to your core all of a sudden.

He finally looked up at you and watched your breathing halt as fear filled your eyes.

Jake continued, making sure to keep his tone even, “I didn’t mean to. I was just looking for you in the locker room today and I-” He stopped talking when you choked out a small cry.

He immediately pulled you into his lap, one hand going to the back of your head and the other arm wrapped around your lower back. “I got you… I got you.”

Jake closed his eyes and rocked you a little as his mind went back to the day these roles were reversed.

Jake had sat in the locker room, flight suit half off and tied around his waist. His knee bouncing as his eyes went in and out of focus.

“Hangman!” You called as you ran down the hall. But he couldn’t hear you with the blood still rushing in his ears.

“Hangman! Hang- There you are!” You jogged to him and saw that his emerald eyes were blank, not the playful or confident eyes you normally saw. “Hey, Hang- Jake what’s wrong?” You knelt in front of him, putting a hand on his bouncing knee to stop it.

Jake looked at you, the concern swimming in your eyes breaking whatever resolve he had left.

The tears he tried so hard to hold in finally spilled down his cheeks.

You instantly cupped his face in your hands, wiping them away, “What’s got you so shaken up? I’ve never seen you like this.”

He shook his head, pushing your hands away as he sat up and leaned against the locker. “You’re not supposed to.”

You sighed and leaned back on your heels, “What happened up there?”

Jake wiped the still flowing tears, shaking his head, “I don’t know. I guess- Fuck I don’t know, Rockstar.”

You stood, “Talk to me, Jake. Please, I’m your friend and I want to help.”

Your tone was desperate and worried. This was a new version of Jake that you would have never seen if you hadn’t followed him off the tarmac.

Hangman finally got the guts to grab your hand and squeeze it. He took a deep breath as he tried to collect himself.

“I almost lost you up there. You’re one of my closest friends, we’ve only known each other for a few months and I feel like we’ve known each other forever. I never let myself be that close to anyone, but you made it so easy.”

His voice was raw and shaky. He was scared, but you couldn’t blame him. What just happened to you both was really intense and it was scary. But you were both okay.

You squeezed his hand back, giving him a soft but encouraging smile.

“Can we just- Shit this is gonna sound so weird…”

You knew where he was going, so you straddled his legs and wrapped him in a hug. “I got you Jake, I got you.”

That was when Jake realized the backstory to your call sign. You were everyone’s rock. You kept everyone sane, even at the expense of yourself.

Which is why you were currently shaking and sobbing in his arms. You never sought out comfort for your problems, a bad habit you picked up in high school. You always put everyone first, and you had it in your head that you couldn’t be vulnerable.

You pulled away from him, not meeting his eyes, “I’m sorry…”

“Why the fuck are you apologizing?”

“Because I-”

“Because you’re being vulnerable in front of someone?” You nodded, unconsciously playing with your fingers. “Look at me, please.” You did, biting your lip to hold your tears in.

“You are allowed to be vulnerable. You are allowed to cry. You are allowed to be scared. You shouldn’t have to hide your feelings from your friends. I’m sorry if we ever made you feel like you couldn’t talk to us.”

You nodded, staying silent, focusing on how Jake had moved his hand from the back of your head to your cheek to rub his thumb back and forth on your cheekbone.

Your silence broke his heart a little bit, making him think you didn’t trust him. But he knew he had to be patient with you.

He goes to move his hand away but you hold it there. “I thought I was over it…”

“Over what, Sweetheart?”

“The accident…”

Jake pushed some hair behind your ear, “What accident?”

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes as a few tears rolled down your cheeks. He wiped them away as he spoke softly, “Take your time…” You nodded, swallowing as you tried to catch your bearings.

“A year before I was stationed with you, I was flying a mission. It was dangerous, but still fairly routine. On my way out, I got hit. It completely destroyed my weapons system. Before I could get back up, I was hit again. This time it took out my engine.” You took another deep breath, looking up at the ceiling.

“We were dropping altitude fast and my WSO and I had to eject. We landed on a beach, we unbuckled so fast,” you chuckled, remembering the relief you and Diego felt before the shit hit the fan.

Jake smiled a little bit at the sound, but dropped it when you started talking again.

“However the jet had also crashed onto the beach too. The fuel had leaked and caused an explosion. I covered my WSO, and a piece of scrap metal lodged itself into my back.”

Jake’s eyes widened, more dots connecting in his mind, “You’re the pilot the squad was talking about at the bar…”

You nodded, wiping your eyes, “Jake, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It’s just… when I was in recovery, if I wanted to fly again, I had to go through therapy. And I haven’t had an attack in a year…” You got choked up again, hot tears rolling down your face, “Hang, I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head, using both of his hands to wipe your face, “Hey, don’t be sorry. Do I wish you would have told me sooner? Hell yeah, but I understand why you didn’t.” You just nodded and relaxed into his hands.

“What happens when you have an attack?”

You took a sharp inhale through your nose before sighing it out, “It depends. I sometimes get flashbacks of the beach, everytime I close my eyes I just see fire and it’s fucking terrifying. Other times, when it gets really bad, I can feel pain in my back, but that’s rare.”

You bit your lip a little as you looked away, and Jake knew, “That happened tonight didn’t it?” You nodded, coughing a little bit, “Yeah, uh, yeah it did.”

“Was it because we talked about-”

“No," you said quickly. "W-well, I mean kinda… yeah. But there was a bonfire happening on the beach, and just the two things… my brain went into panic mode. Before you ask, I don’t really know what triggers it. But during dogfight football-”

Jake’s eyes widened and he dropped his hands, “Fuck, Y/N, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

“Exactly, Jake, you had no idea. It’s not your fault. It was just the pressure on my scar made me panic, and I was back on that damned beach. But I’m not mad or upset with you because you had no idea. So don’t beat yourself up, please.”

Jake nodded, bringing you into a hug again, being mindful of the scar. “Jake, you can touch it. I know I’m safe.” He said nothing and brought a hand to run over the covered scar before tightening his hug.

“Can you tell me about him? Your WSO?”

You nodded, “Diego Harding, call sign Tundra. He has a wife and a son.”

“That’s why you-”

“Yeah, that’s why I covered him. He had a family to go back to.”

“What about you?”

You sighed again, using Jake’s shoulders to sit up, “Most of my family served. My dad was killed in action when I was young. My mom died when I was a teenager, leaving Piers to raise me for a little bit. Then Piers goes and sacrifices himself… so I didn’t have anyone to come home too.”

You shrugged and got off his lap, but snuggled into his side.

He rubbed lazy circles on your bicep. “Well now you do.” You looked up at him confused, “What?”

“You’ve got me to come home to, and I’ve got you.” He placed a chaste kiss on your forehead. “Don’t get sappy on me, Seresin.” He just chuckled.

It was silent for a moment.

“Promise me that you’ll do your best to fly back to me,” he asked in a hushed whisper as if he were telling you a secret.

“Only if you do,” you whispered back.

He held out his pinky, “I promise.” You nodded, interlocking your pinky with his, “I promise too.”

“Can’t break that now, you know,” he chuckled, squeezing your pinky a little. You giggled a little before yawning, “I know, cowboy.”

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jeankluv · 29 days

Text

Birdie - Satoru Gojo | Chapter 08

Words: 4,3k

Summary: You didn’t like him, at all. But due to your bad luck you would have to be forced to work with him and different circumstances end up leading you to the fact that perhaps the word dislike is not the one you use to describe him.

ac: _3aem

Tags: modern au, college au, fem!reader, academic rivals, he fell first, fluff, old money Gojo Satoru, abusive parents, slight slow burn, Satoru is a softy, secondary couple (Geto Suguru x oc), a bit of angst, no use of y/n, hurt/comfort, eventual smut, Gojo plays basketball, Gojo needs a hug

Notes: I’m beginning my studying time this upcoming weeks so expect chapters only on weekends. Remember you can send me requests for small stories with any jjk, op or aot characters, smut or fluff, except smut for minors like Megumi, Yuji, Nobara, etc.. Anyways thank you and have a great week 🤍

Ao3 link | wattpad link

Materialist | previous chapter | next chapter

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You had arrived from work 20 minutes ago to be exact, in that time you had taken a shower and now you were making a coffee to go straight to studying. Tomorrow you had the exam and you had barely had any free time to study during the week. They had given you more work and the teamwork with Satoru had grown. Satoru. It was strange for you to call him by his name, it was even stranger to call him in class, so most of the time you tried not to do it, but Satoru, as clever as he was, had noticed it and had taken it as a new way to mess with you, in a good way of course.

You walked in silence to your room — Kyoko was studying for another of her subjects and her parents had gone to sleep a while ago. Making as little noise as possible you sat down at your desk and opened the book to the exercise page. Putting aside the hot cup of coffee, you sat up straight, ready to spend practically the entire night, making problems over and over again.

You knew you were going to pass the exam, thanks to Satoru's explanations you knew you would get it but you still wanted to pass it. It wasn't because you didn't want to go on that date with him, to tell the truth, right now you wouldn't mind doing it.

While you were thinking that, a smile appeared on your face, which you immediately shook off. If you liked Satoru better and if Kyoko had been right, your “hatred” towards him had always been stupid.

Taking your headphones and your mobile phone, you put on your study playlist on Spotify and began working through each of the problems, with the music filling your ears.

Close to 2 a.m., you decided to get up from the seat where you had been sitting for over two hours and walk around your room to stretch and clear your mind. Your hands ached from gripping the pen so tightly, and your bed was calling out to you to go to sleep.

Your phone, which was on the table, lit up, indicating that a new notification had arrived. Weird. It was 2 a.m.—who could it be?

You picked it up and looked at the notification.

Pain in the ass

Birdie!!

Don't stay up too late and rest.

You'll do great tomorrow 💪

Feeling a mix of surprise and warmth flood through you, you read Satoru's message again, your heart fluttering at his unexpected gesture. Despite the late hour, his words brought a sense of comfort and encouragement that you hadn't realized you needed.

With a soft smile playing on your lips, you typed out a quick reply to him.

You to Pain in the ass

Thanks, Satoru.

Your message means a lot.

I'll make sure to get some rest, don’t worry.

Goodnight 💫

Sending the message, you set your phone back down on the table, you returned to your studies. But without being able to shake the feeling of warmth that lingered within you.

You heard your name being called in the distance, over and over again. It was Kyoko's voice. With your eyelashes still stuck together, you opened your eyes. In the end, you had fallen asleep while studying. At what point? You didn't know exactly.

“What are you doing here?” Kyoko asked, her eyes wide open.

“What…?”

“Your exam is in 45 minutes!”

You had fallen asleep. Damn, damn, damn. How was that possible? You got up from the chair and grabbed your phone. It hadn't rung.

“Kyoko…” You whispered, turning to look at her, feeling your chest tightening. “In 45 minutes, it's impossible for me to make it to class.” You had to take several transfers to get to the university, and usually, it took you more than an hour. “Shit... if I don't show up, I'll fail, and if I fail, they'll take away my scholarship, if they take away my scholarship, then I'll have to give up everything.” You were about to have a panic attack.

“Hey!” she grabbed your face to make you look at her. “If someone can drive you, then you'll make it on time.”

You nodded, it was true. If someone drove you, you would be there in 15 minutes. But who? Who could drive you?

And then your eyes widened as you realized there was someone. You grabbed the phone again and searched for his name among your contacts, dialing and praying that he would pick up.

“Hello!” The familiar voice came from the other end of the line. “It's rare for you to call me at…”

“Satoru!” You cried. “I fell asleep and I won't make it. Could you come pick me up by car?”

“I'll be there in less than 10 minutes, birdie.” And with that, the call ended.

You looked at Kyoko and sighed. “He said he'll be here in 10 minutes.” She looked at you in relief.

“Good, now start getting ready. You are still on your pajamas, I will prepare something for you to eat.” She started to walk away.

“Kyoko.” You called her, Kyoko looked at you from the door frame. “There is no need, you know I get extremely anxious with exams. I will eat something after the exam. Don’t worry.” She nodded and closed the door behind her.

You walked to your closet and looked for something to wear, needing to get ready quickly. You couldn't be late, nor could you keep Satoru waiting. While looking in the mirror, your phone started ringing. Turning on your heel, you approached it and picked up the phone.

“I'm outside.” Satoru's voice came through on the other end of the line.

“Alright, I'm coming out right now.” You said and hung up.

You grabbed your backpack and the notes from the table and hurried through the house. You waved goodbye to Kyoko and stepped outside, finding Satoru's car parked in front. With light steps, you approached the car and naturally got inside.

“I can't thank you enough.” You said as you settled into the seat.

“Birdie, you don't have to thank me for anything.” He said, shrugging and smiling at you. "Ready to go now?” You nodded and finished buckling your seatbelt.

Satoru made sure you had your seatbelt on and started the car. Leaving behind the neighborhood where you lived, Satoru entered the main road towards the university. You had never driven to university so the road was totally new for you.

You focused your eyes on the new view, seeing the high skyline of Tokyo and the different places ahead of you. You let a small sigh out of your lips.

While the car was still moving across the road, you subtly directed your gaze towards Satoru. You hadn't realized until now, but his blue eyes were covered by round sunglasses. As you looked at his profile you couldn't shake the growing feeling that he was in your stomach.

God Satoru Gojo is fucking handsome. You thought to yourself.

Shaking those thoughts away, you looked for your notes and opened them to review a little before the exam. Your leg began to move unconsciously, it was something that happened to you since you were little, when you were nervous.

A hand, that wasn’t yours, stopped the movement of your leg. This simple gesture caused a sensation that went straight through your whole body.

“Birdie.” Satoru’s voice echoed in the once silent car. “You will do it great…” His hand was still on your knee. And for some reason, it didn’t feel wrong or uncomfortable.

“I just…” You swallowed, trying to formulate a sentence. “I just want to make sure.”

Satoru nodded, still looking at the road before him and still having his hand on your leg. You wanted to tell him to move it. It was a gesture that felt way too intimate, way too comforting. You liked way too much.

You coughed and moved your leg, trying to make him move away his hand. He must have caught the gesture because he moved his hand away from your leg and grabbed the steering wheel again.

A feeling of emptiness and remorse settled in your chest. What an idiot you were.

The landscape began to become more familiar, as you were approaching the university. Luckily you were going to arrive in time for the exam, there were still 10 minutes left before it started. You heard Satoru murmur under his breath and felt the car slow down.

You turned to look at him to see what was happening. “What happened?”

“There is always a traffic jam at the entrance.” He explained to you. You paled for a moment to which Satoru noticing, tried to calm you down. “Birdie, there's time, we'll get there. I’ll make sure you get there.” That calmed your heart fluttering with nervousness.

The car moved slowly and the minutes started to pass, you were starting to enter the campus when the clock indicated that there were 5 minutes left for the start of the exam. You felt the car stopping right in front of your faculty.

“Go.” Satoru pointed at you with the head, you looked at him confused. “C’mon birdie, just go to the exam.”

“What about you?”

“I will find a place to park and go.” You were about to speak when Satoru spoke once again. “It’s okay, I will arrive on time and if I don’t then I will cry a little and the professor will let me in. I mean, look at this face.”

You huffed and unbuckled the car seat belt. “You better get there, because I don't want to beat you if you don't take the exam.” Satoru smiled and leaned on the steering wheel, lowering his glasses a little.

“Don't worry princess, that won't happen.”

Your cheeks turned crimson red upon hearing the new name he had given you. “Don't even think about calling me that again Gojo!” You threatened him, knowing that calling him by his last name would upset him.

“Sorry birdie, now go!” You nodded and turned around to start rushing toward the class.

Your legs moved quickly through the hallways, each step echoing through the halls of the university building. With every step, you felt the weight of your anxiety pressing down on you, urging you to move faster. Had your classroom always been this far away? It seemed like an eternity.

Finally, you reached the door to your classroom and skidded to a stop, leaning against the wall to catch the breath that had escaped your lungs. Your heart was pounding in your chest, the adrenaline from the sprint was still running through your veins, it had been a long time since you last practiced any type of exercise, so your body was no longer used to it. You took a moment to compose yourself, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly as you tried to calm your racing pulse.

Now recovered, you entered the classroom and scanned the faces of your classmates. Most were already seated, their faces a mix of nervous anticipation and focused determination. Some, were deep in last-minute discussions, whispering fervently as they exchanged notes and assurances.

Taking your usual seat, you sank into the chair and let out a long sigh, the tension in your body slowly dissipating. But as you looked around the room, a knot of worry formed in your stomach. Satoru was nowhere to be seen. Was he still looking for a place to park?

Professor Tanaka's voice cut through the murmurs of the room, signaling the start of the exam. You looked nervously at the empty seat next to you, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of your stomach. If Satoru didn't arrive on time, it would be your fault. It had been you who had fallen asleep, who had made him come look for you. And now, he could lose the exam because of you. Panic gnawed at the edges of your mind as you waited, hoping against hope that he would arrive before it was too late.

You bowed your head, silently pleading for Satoru Gojo to appear at that exact moment. The minutes ticked by agonizingly slow, each second feeling like an eternity as you anxiously awaited his arrival.

Then, just as your hope was beginning to wane, the door swung open and there he was, Satoru Gojo, striding into the classroom with his trademark confidence.

“Gojo, you're late.” Teacher Tanaka's voice rang out, drawing your attention back to it.

Relief flooded through you as you looked up to see him standing there.

He is here.

“Sorry, sorry.” He chuckled, flashing a cocky smile as he made his excuse. “I couldn't find a place to park, but here I am.”

“Okay, now go and sit.” Professor Tanaka instructed, pointing towards his seat.

“Thank you.” Satoru replied with a grateful nod, walking confidently towards his desk, located right next to yours.

Calmly, Satoru settled down next to you and turned his head to look at you. At that moment, your eyes met and a sudden blush invaded you. Satoru gave you a warm, mischievous smile, accompanied by a playful wink that made you blush again, it was the second time in the day.

With determination, you decided to put any distractions related to Satoru Gojo out of your mind and focused on the exam that Professor Tanaka had just handed out. With a sigh, you gripped the pen firmly and began to read the questions carefully. To your surprise, from the first moment you felt comfortable and confident, understanding each statement clearly.

A satisfied smile spread across your face as you realized that this time was different; Your hours of studying with Satoru had paid off and now you felt ready to face the challenge. With each answer you wrote, your self-confidence grew, and that feeling of accomplishment propelled you to keep going.

Concentrated and focused on your skills, you solved each problem with precision and efficiency.

After 45 minutes, you felt Satoru get up from his seat, drawing curious looks from most of your classmates. Satoru, with his characteristic playful smile, approached the teacher and handed him the exam. He didn't surprise you since he was always the first to finish the exams.

As Satoru walked towards the professor, some murmurs of surprise and admiration were heard around him. He watched as he confidently handed in his exam, exchanging a few brief words with the professor before returning to his seat.

Despite his quickness, you noticed that Satoru didn't seem worried about the outcome. He always had that carefree self-assurance that made him stand out. Meanwhile, you continued working on the exam calmly and focused, solving each question at your own pace.

Satoru's attitude was simply part of his energetic and self-confident personality. No matter the situation, he always seemed to be one step ahead. But this time I would get over it, yes you would.

You looked at your completed exam and with a smile you stood up from your seat. You walked past Satoru and gave him a subtle glance while wrinkling your nose and flashing your proud smile. You walked up to Professor Tanaka's table and handed her your test.

Turning on your heel you returned to your seat, watching as Satoru kept his gaze fixed on you while he smiled at you with a hand on his chin. You sat down in your seat and directed your gaze towards Satoru, he raised his thumb at him, wondering if he had done well for you, to which you nodded happily.

You turned your head and started looking out the window, while you waited for the exam to end. The minutes passed slowly, as you watched the students go from one side to the other across the campus. You felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders and thanks in part to the help of the person you would have least imagined. Satoru Gojo.

It had been over a month since you were paired up for the project, and in that time, you had become closer, as much as it was hard for you to admit. Over the past two weeks, you found that your attitude towards him, as well as your feelings, changed.

With each passing day, your interactions with him became more meaningful and you couldn't help but notice the subtle changes in your emotions. What started as a group project duo you hated and loathed was turning into something deeper, something that stirred your heart in unexpected ways. And something that scared you greatly with every movement you made.

The class was filled with noise and agitated movements of your classmates — the exam was over. You sighed letting out the air of tension and stood up from your seat. Only to run into Satoru looking at you carefully with those blue eyes again. Did he ever look away from you?

“How was birdie?” He smiled at you.

You smiled widely, showing your teeth. “Perfect. I’m going to win our bet.” You challenged him.

“Oh.” He formed an 'o' with his lips. “I can't wait to see that.” A smile appeared on his lips.

“Satoruuuuu.” A voice approached both of you, it was one of your classmates, you saw them a couple of time but never interacted with them.

“Hey.” Satoru smiled with a flirtatious smile drawn on his face, you rolled your eyes at the gesture.

“Satoru, I was wondering.” They looked around and also looked at you. And you swore the gaze wasn’t a nice one. “I’m really bad at this subject and well you’re the best.” To which Satoru nodded with a smile. “I was wondering if you could help me study, we could meet up after classes and you could teach me.” They started touching Satoru’s arm which made an unpleasant sensation run through your body.

Satoru took their hand and placed it far away from him. “Sorry but I don't give private classes.” You looked at him confused, that was clearly a lie. “Now, we will be leaving. Birdie, let’s go?” You looked at him still confused with the lie he just told.

As both of you began to walk away, you overheard the friends of your classmate approaching them.

“I thought she couldn't stand him.” One of them remarked.

“Yeah, and apparently he's been giving her private classes.” Another added.

“Yeah, you know what type of private classes, right?” One of them chuckled. “Her knees must be all red.” The group erupted into laughter.

You rolled your eyes at the disgusting rumors, but over the years, you had learned to ignore such talk behind your back.

Suddenly, Satoru's voice cut through the air. He was no longer beside you. When did he move? “Repeat that if you dare.” He said. “Did you really think I wouldn't hear you with a voice so piercing it echoes throughout the classroom?” A shiver ran down your spine. You had never seen Satoru angry or heard him speak in such a tone. And judging by the stares directed at him, neither had anyone else.

“I…” The person who made the comment stuttered, trembling with fear at the sight of Satoru Gojo's imposing figure and fierce glare.

“What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?” Satoru taunted.

“Satoru.” The one who had approached him earlier to ask for a private class stepped forward. “My friend didn't mean it that way.”

“Is that so?” Satoru said snorting. “Then what did they mean?”

“Satoru.” Your classmate insisted, looking somewhat uncomfortable under Satoru's piercing gaze. “They were just joking around, you know how it is.”

Satoru's expression remained stern, his eyes fixed on the group. “Joking around about what, exactly?” He demanded, his voice laced with a simmering anger.

The group exchanged nervous glances, realizing they were caught in an uncomfortable situation. “We... we didn't mean anything by it.” One of them mumbled.

“And what exactly did you mean, then?” He pressed, his voice low and threatening.

One of the friends stammered, struggling to find words under Satoru's intense scrutiny. “We... we were just messing around, you know?” They muttered weakly.

Satoru's eyes narrowed, his patience becoming thinner with each word that was coming out of their mouths. “Messing around at whose expense?” He snapped, his voice rising with anger.

The group flinched. “We... we didn't mean to offend anyone.” Another one muttered.

You almost laughed out loud hearing them.

Satoru took a step forward, his presence dominating the space between them. “Words have consequences.” He growled. “Think before you speak, or face the consequences.”

With that, Satoru turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the group stunned into silence. As he approached you, you could see his face relaxing and his anger slowly dissipating.

“Sorry about that.” He said, his tone softer now. “You are okay?”

You nodded, not giving much importance to the words of people you didn’t know.

Together, you continued on your way, leaving behind the echoes of the confrontation. As you walked, you couldn't help but give small gazes at Satoru, you wouldn’t have thought Satoru would have stepped out just for you but he did.

Arriving at the cafeteria, you sat one in front of the other and with a cup on each hand.

“Thank you.” You whispered. “For you know, stepping in. There was no need…”

“What do you mean there was no need?” He left his cup on the table. “They were bad mouthing you, trying to create rumors that were no true.”

“People like to talk.” You shrugged casually. “At the end of the day the important thing is what the people who matter to you think about you. Not those with whom you have never exchanged a word and surely never will. They talk because their lives are so extremely boring that to satisfy that void they have, they have to fill it with lies and bad words about others.” You picked up your cup and calmly sipped it again.

You didn't care if people talked behind your back, yes sometimes those words like knives could stab you hard. But at the end of the day those people were insignificant to you, the people you cared about weren't those people so if they wanted to think that you had been sucking Satoru Gojo's cock, then they should. With that story created in their heads, you knew that envy was eating away at them.

“No.” You observed as Satoru's fists tightened on the table, his expression a blend of frustration and indignation. “It doesn't matter if you'll never interact with those people, or if they mean nothing to you. No one deserves to be spoken about in the way they did there.” He declared, his voice carrying a hint of intensity. “You don't deserve that, birdie. You don't deserve anyone speaking ill of you. Because you are truly wonderful and only deserve good and praising words.”

His words resonated deeply, igniting a warmth in your chest as if a comforting flame had been kindled. It was remarkable how Satoru possessed the ability to evoke such a profound sense of reassurance with just a few simple words.

As you met his earnest gaze, you felt your cheeks warmer.

“You’re an idiot.” You said hiding your face in the coffee cup.

Satoru looked at you offended. "What have I done?" He cried.

You were about to reply when your phone started to sound on your bag. “Hi.” You said.

The happy voice of Haibara sounded on the other side of the phone singing your name. “I was calling you to tell you that tomorrow we will be closing the store. So you don’t have to come, you are free!”

“Oh!” You gasped in surprise. “That’s great! But nothing happened right?”

“Nop.” He popped out the ‘p’. “Just enjoy your weekend. Now I need to leave! Bye!” And with that he hanged out.

You looked at you phone for an instant. “What happened?” Satoru spoke.

“Nothing.” You put your phone aside. “Haibara called me, he wanted to tell me that tomorrow I would be free.”

“Great.” He smiled. “The basketball team is having a party at the disco. Wanna come?” He cockily looked at you.

“Are you inviting me out, Satoru Gojo?” You raised an eyebrow. “The results for the exam aren’t out yet.” You challenged him.

“Oh princess if I win the bet I won’t be taking you out to an ugly club.” There it was again that new nickname that turned yourself on.

“Gojo.” You replied with a mocking tone. “Don't even think about calling me that.”

“Kyoko is coming.” He said ignoring your words.

“How do you know that?”

“Suguru is my best friend and Kyoko is his girlfriend, duh.” He said sticking his tongue out.

“I will think about it.”

“Pretty please.” He said pouting.

“I didn’t know the great Satoru Gojo could pout like a puppy.” You mocked.

“Oh for you I would that and much more.”

The conversation was taking an unexpected turn, entering a territory that felt strangely flirtatious. Were you inadvertently sending signals, or was Satoru intentionally leading the interaction in that direction?

You shook your head, dismissing the thought as absurd. No, that couldn't be it. Surely, it was just a result of the comfortable rapport you shared as friends, nothing more. And Satoru, well, he was just being his usual charismatic self, right?

But despite your attempts to rationalize it, a nagging doubt lingered in the back of your mind. Could there be something more to these exchanges? Or were you simply overthinking things?

You couldn't deny it, you felt attracted to his presence and appreciated the moments you spent together. And as your connection had deepened, so had your feelings that blossomed within you.

You still didn't want to admit that something had changed in you regarding Satoru Gojo. But you knew it was there, your feelings for him were undeniable and showed no signs of fading.

You brushed off those thoughts, chalking it up to imagination. After all, you and Satoru were just friends, nothing more, nothing less. At least, that's what you kept telling yourself.

Note: a more transitory chapter than other thing, but the real shit is about to start in the next chapter.

—if you want to be tagged comment below

🏷️: @lavender-hvze, @crybabytoru, @sanriosatoru, @norvacaine, @sadmonke, @faetoraa , @hexipessimistic, @gojoful , @kitzusune, @sh0jun , @manyno , @ropickle , @lolsasuke , @milk3evee

#gojo satoru fanfic #gojo satoru x oc #gojo satoru smut #satoru gojo x reader #gojo x reader #gojo satoru x reader #satoru x you #gojou satoru x reader #satoru x reader #fanfic jjk #jjk x you #jjk x reader #birdie | gojo satoru #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen

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tsunami-of-tears · 4 months

Text

A Court of Shadows and Sunshine — Part Nine

Azriel x Aurora (OC)

Summary: Cute mating bond fluff and chafing. Most filler chapter.

A/N: SHE’S BACK!! Sorry for the hiatus - I’ve been struggling since the holidays. It’s been hard to get back into it, I lost my uncle recently so I think there will be some self-insert to come.

Wordcount: 900

Warnings: Fluff, slight angst/pining, sexual themes

Part Eight

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧

Azriel

It’s just past dawn when Azriel slips back into bed, the dim morning sun illuminates the room in a hazy glow. Aurora stirs, reaching out for him.

“Where’d you go?” she asks sleepily.

Azriel sinks into the warmth and wraps his arms and wings around Aurora - in both protection and comfort. “I had some business to attend to, I’m here now. I’m not going anywhere.”

Aurora gently grabs Azriel’s bandaged hand. “Who did you beat up?” she questions, turning her head to look into his eyes.

“No one that didn’t deserve it,” Azriel answers, kissing Aurora tenderly on her forehead.

Aurora sighs, relaxing further into Azriel’s chest. “Are we training with the others today?”

“I planned to give you some time off, I don’t want you to push yourself.”

“I know, but it gives me something to focus on. It helps to channel everything more healthily.”

Azriel rests his chin against the top of Aurora’s head and sighs deeply. He completely understands where she’s coming from, but in the same breath - his protective instincts were firing and he didn’t want to put her at risk.

“How about we train together, just the two of us? That way, you won’t lose any progress and I won’t worry so much.”

“Okay, deal,” Aurora agrees.

————

The next few days were like a dream.

No, they were better than anything Azriel could have dreamed up. He had his mate, and she was everything and more than he’d ever hoped for.

Their days were split between exercising and lounging around together - either chatting or simply enjoying each other’s presence.

Azriel taught Aurora new fighting techniques and after, she taught him new yoga poses.

With all the training, Azriel was working one muscle harder than the rest - his self-control.

Gods…

The way she moved, how she looked up at him with those big beautiful eyes and that innocent little smile.

Azriel had never yearned for someone like this.

Still, there was one thought that played over and over in his mind. ‘It could have been worse.’

Azriel guessed what Aurora meant by that, but he wasn’t sure Prythian would still exist if his worst fears were confirmed.

Regardless of that glowing thread and the tug in his chest, Azriel would wait for Aurora to make the first move. He’d rather go without those touches forever than push her too far, away from him.

————

Aurora

Ever since the mating bond snapped into place, Azriel had barely left your side. And, he’d never pushed for more intimacy than you were ready for. You truly didn’t understand how you got so lucky, but you thanked the Cauldron every day.

Helion, your uncle, was staying in Velaris to assist in your magic training, alongside Rhys and Amren.

It was strange to spend time with Helion knowing the truth of your heritage, you wondered how you never noticed the resemblance. It seemed so obvious now. It was bittersweet - you were grateful to have him in your life again but it made you wish you’d had more time with both of your parents.

Once you understood how your powers worked and what they could do beyond creating light - it was much easier to start to harness them. It wasn’t long until you were breaking small wards created by your High Lord and his Second.

As well as spell-cleaving, you discovered your magic made a great shield - one that could protect you from even the harsh blast of a Siphon. With your budding confidence and your growing grasp of your powers - everyone agreed it was time to rejoin Valkyrie training.

————

Despite the cold wind rushing around you, you felt warm and at peace. You always did with Azriel. In his arms, you soar above Velaris, making your way to the House of Wind for training. Your first training session with the group since the bond snapped.

You hadn’t seen much of Cassian or Nesta in that time, and you were worried they’d been avoiding you since you revealed your powers.

That worry faded quickly, as you’re met with big smiles from everyone.

Cassian steps forward, moving closer to you and Azriel. “Good to see you, Rory. Let’s see if you’ve kept Az in shape.” Cassian smirks at you and playfully slaps Azriel on the chest. Azriel straightens his back and his wings flare slightly, making him appear even taller.

You glance between the males, and you scrunch your nose, slightly confused. “What do you mean?” You question. “We’ve been training every day.”

“Training eh, is that what you call it?” Cassian chuckles.

Wings flare, and glowing beams of red and blue flash in front of you. The movement stops as Azriel pins Cassian to the ground on his back. Cassian raises his hands, conceding defeat. “I’m sorry Az, chafing much?” he laughs.

Azriel glares as he offers Cassian his hand, helping him to his feet.

From beside you, Nesta rolls her eyes and crosses her arms across her chest. “Illyrian brutes,” she mutters.

Cassian turns to address the group, “Okay, let's warm up and then Rory, you can show us what you’ve learnt in your special training.” One glance at Azriel’s face has Cassian backtracking and raising his palms again, “Oh no, Az, I meant the training with Helion. I promise I won’t joke again.”

The remark makes Nesta scoff, and the pair begin bickering. You smile softly and look up at your mate. Love pours down the bond in both directions. It took a while, but you’ve finally found your family. Both of you have.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧

Tags ♡ @mis-lil-red

Part Ten

#azriel shadowsinger #azriel acotar #azriel fanfic #a court of thorns and roses #azriel #azriel x oc #acotar fanfiction #acotar fic #acomaf #acowar #acotar #acosf #azriel fic

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greenerteacups · 5 months

Note

I absolutely adore your characterizations in Lionheart. Who has been the ‘easiest’ or most natural character to write, and conversely which character have you struggled the most with?

ooh, a fun one. so the answer's actually changed! right now, the most natural character to write is easily Draco (thank GOD, right?) i've developed the kind of intimacy with his brain in that special way that only spending 500,000 words and five years with someone can. it's at the point where I can basically just go, "what would Draco do here?" and have an immediate gut-check answer, which is great, and really speeds up the writing process. but in the beginning, he was much harder! I knew I had to sell people on this version of him that was already very far removed from canon, but couldn't be too OOC, or he'd just feel like some random pureblood Gryffindor OC. specifically, he needed to be bratty, cowardly and cruel, and yet also the kind of person the Golden Trio would conceivably befriend. all this had to happen while also being an eleven-year-old boy.

Hermione, in contrast, came much easier when she was younger. Baby Granger is nothing more or less than the world's nerdiest, bossiest, try-harding-est twelve-year-old, which i found fairly easy to write because i happen to have held that title myself. in later books, inversely, she's been much harder, because i have to convey more with less. Hermione hates talking about her emotions, for one, and even though draco knows her well, there's a lot about her he doesn't and can't understand, so i as the author am limited in my toolset for expressing what she's thinking. like, one of my biggest frustrations in book 4 was that hermione is almost assuredly having insanely complicated feelings At All Times about the Ministry of Magic and her muggle-born identity, but because draco's main coping mechanism for the situation is Don't Think About It. while we get some of it — get as much as I can cram in, frankly, without just dumping hermione in a therapist's chair and forcing her to digress — we don't get nearly as much as I would like. but hey, you know, at some point you have to throw in the towel and admit your story can't do everything. gotta leave something for the other writers, greedy.

the hardest character to write is and ever was Narcissa Malfoy, because she walks this fine line of sophistication and brutality, domesticity and professionalism, meticulous control and helpless madness. she's a woman of contradictions, and trying to weave that all together without losing sight of her, or making her flat, is a pretty draining exercise. i find myself procrastinating scenes with Narcissa, even though i love writing her, just because i know she's going to make me work for it.

#greenteacup asks #lionheart #lionheart spoilers

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genericpuff · 3 months

Note

Are there any story ideas you've had where you either are putting off starting it or opting not to because you realize it wouldn't work well as a full story and simply works better as something for yourself to enjoy?

I've had some standalone story ideas that I kinda just left to sit and do nothing, those are typically rare though because my brain just isn't the type to randomly think of brand new ideas from scratch.

What happens more often is that I get ideas with the stories I am actively working on that I opt to just turn into separate little side stories because they won't work in the greater narrative. I don't share them with others, they're just for me ~ I know it might sound silly but writing fanfiction about your own work is a great way to try other genres, character dynamics, and ideas that might not work with the greater project (while not having to start entirely from scratch because you're using characters you've already designed!!) Plus when I do that I can still bring what I developed back to the main story in some way (especially when it comes to character writing exercises, there's no better way to write well-rounded characters than to put them into different random scenarios and see how it would play out LOL)

There are loads of little side stories I have about my OC's that aren't in their respective main story that I still enjoy revisiting, it's fanfiction suited exactly to my tastes and it gives those unfinished ideas a home :> And best of all it's secret so I can have all the fun and freedom to do what I want without having to worry about it making sense or reading well or fitting with what I've already established, so it's truly embracing chaos 😈💖

#ask me anything #ama #anon ama #anon ask me anything

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bratshaws · 4 months

Text

through the hourglass 359.brb x oc

a/n: AUGH, he's so beautiful !!(comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none uwu

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

/316/317/318/319/320/321/322/323/324/325/326/327/328/329/330/331/332/333/334/335/336/337/338/339/340/341/342/343/344/345/346/347/348/349/350/351/352/353/354/355/356/357/358

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @louisahale @leobabbyyy @booklover2sblog @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12

@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @fanboyswhore9 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae @lilmonstrjedi @hobiismyhopeu @teacupsandtopgun @insominac23 @gh0stsgoodgirl @mygyn @chavivaelisheva @kmc1989 @enchantingharmonyalpaca @callsign-magnolia @mrsbradshaw01

Her husband had many talents.

He could play several instruments.

He was funny.

He was great for quick fixes!

He could also drink water angrily.

She looks up at him as she fills her own bottle, the gym had more people now and Rooster took on himself to stay close to her at every second they were there. Ever since she told him about the women…well,he was never one to hide when he hated someone. “Roos.” she whispers, “Baby, you look ready to murder someone while drinking water.”

Rooster glanced up from his water bottle, he swallowed the water in his mouth with a deliberate gulp, the muscles in his jaw tensing with controlled restraint.

"Sorry, Bea," he replied, his tone light yet tinged with underlying tension. "Just...keeping an eye on things, you know?"

Beatrice nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She appreciated Rooster's protective instincts, even if they sometimes manifested in seemingly mundane actions like drinking water. "I know, Roos," she murmured, her voice soft with affection. "But you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself."

Rooster's gaze softened at Beatrice's words, his fingers intertwining with hers as he leaned in closer to her. "I know you can, gorgeous," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I just...I don't want anything to happen to you."

She leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to his cheek. "I know, Roos," she whispered, her breath warm against his skin. "And I appreciate it more than you know. They walked away, they didn’t even notice us."

Rooster smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit at Beatrice's reassurance. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead before pulling away, his gaze however, was still scanning the gym for any signs of trouble.

"Come on," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "Let's finish our workout and get out of here."

“What’s the next thing you want to do,Roos?”

He glanced around the gym, his mind racing with possibilities before settling on an idea.

"Well," he began, his voice contemplative, "how about we hit the weights next? I could use a good strength training session, and I could show you a few exercises too if you're interested."

Beatrice smiled at Rooster's suggestion, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. "That sounds great," she replied eagerly, her excitement evident in her voice. "I've been wanting to try out some new exercises, and having you there to guide me would be perfect."

“Oh you stop it.” he murmurs,kissing her lips softly, “You are too cute for your own good. You know I wouldn’t mind.”

Beatrice giggled at Rooster's wods, her heart fluttering with warmth as. She leaned into his kiss, "Alright, alright," she teased, her voice light with amusement. "No need to butter me up, Roos. Let's hit the weights before you start getting too charming."

Rooster chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he stood up from the bench, offering Beatrice a hand to help her up. "As you wish, gorgeous," he replied, his tone playful. "But just remember, you asked for it."

With a shared grin, Beatrice and Rooster made their way over to the weightlifting area of the gym, the sound of clanging metal and grunting exertion filling the area. Rooster selected a pair of dumbbells and demonstrated the proper form for a bicep curl, his movements smooth and controlled as he lifted the weights with ease.

Beatrice watched intently, her eyes focused on Rooster's muscular arms as he performed the exercise. She admired the way his muscles flexed and bulged with each repetition, and she couldn’t look away.

"Your turn, gorgeous," Rooster said, setting down the dumbbells and offering them to Beatrice with a smile. "Give it a try."

“Hm?What?” Beatrice blinked, momentarily lost in the mesmerizing sight of Rooster's muscles. She shook her head slightly, refocusing her attention on the task at hand. "Oh, right," she replied, a sheepish grin spreading across her face. "Sorry, got a little distracted there."

Rooster chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he handed the dumbbells to Beatrice. "No worries, gorgeous," he said, his tone light and teasing. "Just remember to keep your form steady and controlled, and you'll do great." and he leans his elbow against the wall and his bicep flexes again.

Evil.

Beatrice noddedand she positioned herself to begin the exercise. She took a deep breath, focusing all her energy on her biceps as she lifted the dumbbells with deliberate precision.

At first, the weights felt heavy in her hands, and Beatrice struggled to maintain her balance. But with each repetition, she found her rhythm, slowly,her muscles growing stronger and more accustomed to the movement.

Rooster watched on with pride, his gaze never leaving Beatrice as she powered through her set. “Atta girl, that’s my girl, you are doing great!”

“Y-Yea?”

“Yeah.” he smiles, “You are doing amazing.”

Beatrice's confidence soared at Rooster's encouraging words, a sense of accomplishment washing over her as she continued to lift the dumbbells with determination. With each repetition, she felt her muscles burning with exertion, but she pushed through the discomfort.

As she completed her set, Beatrice set the dumbbells down with a satisfied smile, her chest heaving. She glanced up at Rooster, her eyes shining with pride. "How was that?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

Rooster grinned, his eyes alight with admiration. "That was amazing, gorgeous," he replied, his tone filled with genuine warmth. "You've got some serious strength in those arms."

"Thanks, Roos," she said, her voice soft with gratitude. "I couldn't have done it without your guidance."

Rooster reached out, gently cupping Beatrice's cheek in his hand. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Bea," he murmured, his thumb brushing against her skin. "You're stronger than you think."

Beatrice leaned into Rooster's touch, savoring the warmth of his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes, relishing in the quiet intimacy of the moment, grateful to have Rooster by her side.

After a moment, Rooster reluctantly withdrew his hand, a playful glint in his eyes. "Alright, enough mushy stuff," he teased, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Let's see what else you've got."

Beatrice laughed, the sound light and carefree. "I'm ready for the next challenge."

“Good.”

They turn around just in time to see the two women on the machine they wanted to use. Normally, Bea wouldn’t…care. But her husband was angry, so he was going to deal with that…”Come with me gorgeous.”

Beatrice followed Rooster's lead, her heart pounding with anticipation ,she could sense the tension radiating off Rooster, his jaw clenched with frustration as he prepared to confront the women.

As they reached the machine, she stood beside Rooster, her gaze steady as she braced herself for whatever was about to unfold.

"Excuse me," Rooster said firmly, his voice cutting through the air like a knife. "We were waiting to use this machine. Do you mind if we take turns?"

The two women glanced up, their expressions shifting from indifference to annoyance as they took in Rooster's imposing figure. Beatrice held her breath, waiting for their response, her heart pounding in her chest.

One of the women rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips. "Sorry, handsome," she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "We're kind of in the middle of something here. Maybe you can come back later? Wait…oh you are the cute pilot."

Rooster's jaw tightened at the woman's flirtatious tone, his expression hardening with annoyance. He glanced at Beatrice before turning back to the women with a forced smile.

"We're actually in a bit of a hurry," he replied, his tone firm but polite. "So if you wouldn't mind, we'd appreciate it if you could finish up here."

The second woman scoffed, her eyes narrowing with irritation. "Oh, come on," she retorted, her voice laced with disdain. "Can't you see we're busy? Why don't you find another machine to use?"

Rooster’s patience wears thin. "Look, we're not asking for much," he said evenly, his voice tinged with irritation. "We just want to use the machine for a few minutes. Is that too much to ask? The gym is full"

The first woman leaned in closer to Rooster, her gaze smoldering with false allure. "Well, if you're nice to us," she purred, her tone dripping with insincerity, "maybe we can work something out."

Rooster's expression darkened at the woman's suggestive tone, his grip on Beatrice's arm tightening in frustration. He took a step back, putting some distance between himself and the women, his jaw clenched with anger.

“I don’t think so," he said firmly, his voice laced with warning. "See my wife and I are just going to do this and leave.” he narrows his eyes when the women looked at Beatrice and he almost dared in his mind for them to say something about her.

The women exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from annoyance to frustration as they realized that Rooster wasn't going to be swayed by their flirtatious advances. Beatrice bit her lip, resisting the urge to intervene, knowing that Rooster could handle himself.

"We're not interested," Rooster said firmly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a workout to finish."

The women exchanged incredulous looks, their attempts at seduction falling flat in the face of Rooster's resolve. With a frustrated huff, they reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Rooster and Beatrice to pass.

Beatrice breathed a sigh of relief as they walked away from the women, her hand still tightly clasped in Rooster's. She glanced up at him, "Thanks for handling that, Roos," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. "You didn't let them push you around."

Rooster smiled down at her, his eyes softening with affection. "Anything for you, gorgeous," he replied, his voice gentle. "I won't let anyone disrespect you or make you feel uncomfortable."

“Well they did talk about you but…”

“Bea,baby,” he smiles, “The only woman who can tell me things is you…and your mom sometimes.”

Beatrice chuckled at Rooster's playful remark,she leaned into him, pressing a tender kiss to his cheek. "You're the best, Roos," she murmured, her voice filled with gratitude.

Rooster wrapped an arm around Beatrice's waist, pulling her close as they made their way towards the weightlifting area. He glanced around, his eyes scanning the room for an available bench press. "Looks like there's one over there," he said, nodding towards an empty bench.

Beatrice followed Rooster's gaze, her eyes landing on the vacant machine. She watched as Rooster adjusted the weight settings, his movements fluid and confident as he prepared for his workout.

As Rooster settled onto the bench, Beatrice stood beside him, offering him words of encouragement and support. She admired the way he focused all his attention on the task at hand, his muscles rippling with strength as he lifted the weights with ease.

With each repetition, Rooster pushed himself to go harder, his determination evident in the set of his jaw and the intensity in his eyes."You're doing great, Roos,"

Rooster flashed her a grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Thanks, gorgeous," he replied, his voice tinged with exertion. "I love having the visual reward.”

Beatrice smiled, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her as she stood beside Rooster, “I can say the same– how many of those you usually do?”

Rooster paused for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly as he considered Beatrice's question. "Hmm, it depends," he replied thoughtfully, "I usually aim for three sets of ten reps, but I can adjust the weight and repetitions based on how I'm feeling."

Beatrice nodded in understanding, her eyes following Rooster's movements as he continued his workout. She marveled at the way he effortlessly lifted the weights, his muscles flexing with each repetition. “Hmmm…so you are going overboard to impress me?”

Rooster chuckled, his cheeks flushing slightly with amusement. "Maybe just a little," he admitted with a grin, his gaze meeting Beatrice's. "But you know me, I can't resist showing off for my gorgeous wife."

Beatrice laughed, "Well, you certainly know how to make a girl feel special," she replied, her voice filled with warmth.

Rooster's grin widened at Beatrice's words, and as Rooster completed his final set, he sat up on the bench with a satisfied sigh, his chest heaving with exertion. He glanced over at Beatrice, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Your turn, gorgeous," he said, patting the empty space on the bench beside him.

Beatrice raised an eyebrow in surprise, her gaze flickering between Rooster and the bench press. She had never tried weightlifting like that before,"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Rooster nodded, his expression encouraging. "Absolutely," he replied, his tone filled with confidence. "I'll be right here beside you, every step of the way."

“...okay…” Beatrice settled onto the bench, her hands gripping the barbell with trepidation. She took a deep breath, channeling her inner strength as she prepared to lift the weights.

Rooster positioned himself behind Beatrice, his hands resting lightly on the barbell as he guided her through the proper technique. He offered words of encouragement and support, his voice gentle yet firm as he helped her find her rhythm.

Rooster watched with pride as Beatrice completed her first set, a wide grin spreading across his face. "You're doing amazing, gorgeous," he praised, his voice filled with admiration. "Keep it up!"

Beatrice smiled, trying her best to stay focused. It doesn’t take long for Beatrice to finish her final set, she sat up on the bench with a satisfied sigh, her chest heaving like his was. She glanced over at Rooster, a proud smile on her lips. "How did I do?”

"You did fantastic, gorgeous," he replied, his voice filled with genuine warmth. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Roos," she murmured, her cheeks going red. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Rooster leaned in closer to Beatrice, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "Anytime, gorgeous," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. "I'll always be here to cheer you on, no matter what."

With a shared smile, Beatrice and Rooster made their way towards the water fountain, their bodies buzzing with energy from their workout. They refilled their water bottles, savoring the cool liquid as it refreshed their parched throats.

"Hey, Roos?" Beatrice spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them.

"Yeah, gorgeous?" Rooster replied, turning to look at her with a gentle smile.

"I was thinking..." Beatrice trailed off, her mind racing with possibilities. "Maybe we could make this a regular thing? Going to the gym together, I mean."

Rooster's eyes lit up with excitement at Beatrice's suggestion. "I'd love that," he exclaimed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "It would be a great way for us to spend more time together when I’m not deployed."

"Great, it's settled then," she said, her voice brimming with excitement. "It was fun.”

Rooster nodded in agreement, his smile widening at the prospect of their future gym sessions. "I can't wait," he replied, his voice filled with anticipation. "Now,come on, time to get our kids back.”

#im happy yall are still here #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw x named reader #tgm oc #tgm fic #tgm fanfiction

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romanarose · 1 year

Text

Darkness on the Edge of Town: Chapter 1

Joel Miller X Reader

Chapter 2

Masterlist

Summary: While heading home for a mandatory lockdown, Joel stumbles on something he wasn't supposed to see with FEDRA guards and steps in. This, unfortunately, lands with him spending unexpected time with a young woman. Oh, and there's only one bed.

warnings!: attempted gang rape, physical hard with a gun, mentions of blood, canon typical violence, lmk if I missed anything! EVENTUAL SMUT

A/N: This was supposed to be a one shot. Now I'm not sure how many chapters we're looking at. Three minimum. Also, I KNOOOOWWWWW this follows the biggest Romana trope: Protective! Man protecting a woman. I will not apologize.

EDIT: This was originally posted as an OC fic, because I had bigger plans for it, but I honestly lost a lot of steam on it. I was going to give up on it tbh but someone sent an ask asking about a chapter 2, and I hate to disappoint! So I'll be condencing the story and making it a reader fic. hoping you guys like it! ****************************

As the sun was setting, Joel walked to his home, trying to savor the last of the outside he’ll have for the next couple days. The local government had made a mandatory few day quarantine for no discernible reason other than to exercise control, remind the citizens who was in charge. A week, give or take, without work wouldn’t be great by any means, but Joel and Tess at least had a partnership, so they weren’t completely on their own. This week, however, Tess was gone. She was making a trade with Bill and Frank when the lockdown announcement came out, and Joel had to radio over for her to stay there until it ended. This meant that he had a week alone in his tiny apartment room without Tess knocking on his door for one reason or another.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” A woman shouted from the alley he was passing.

Joel’s survival instincts said to keep walking; wasn’t his business, wasn’t his problem, wasn’t him or Tess or any of their allies. He didn’t need to get involved. But Joel knew right from wrong, and as much as he liked to pretend to himself he wasn’t a good person, that he wasn’t the same person he was before Sarah died, he couldn’t keep walking. Plus, Tess would kill him if she knew he walked away from this. Turning down the alley, he saw you being pushed and pulled by some soldiers; all men. One pulled you by the shirt so you were flush against him, and you shoved him off yourself, making the young man hit the alley wall. This action earned you a pistol whip, causing blood to come out of you forehead as you cried out, stumbling backwards into the arms of another man, and Joel couldn’t stand back any longer.

“Hey!” He shouted, striding further into the alley. One of the soldiers grabbed your arm, keeping her to him and away from Joel. “What’s goin’ on here?” He said, eyeing the men. He was more or less familiar with them, some he knew their names, some he didn’t but recognized their faces.

One man he had dealt with, a trouble maker who liked to use his power to his benefit and was surround by rumors of his treatment of women. Nothing could be proven, and no real accusations were made; they wouldn’t go anywhere if there had been. His name was Ross, a younger man than Joel was by a few decades, one of those who had been teenagers when shit went south. That age had been terrible in the ‘before’, a time of confusion and soul searching for anyone, and all that had been interrupted by losing everything. This created a lot of inner turmoil that never settled for most. Some killed themselves, some managed it, some became god awful people.

Ross spoke, eyeing Joel with a smirk. “Curfew, Joel, you know the rules.”

“She’s still got ten minutes.” Joel spoke firmly, his stare intense on the younger man, letting him know he wasn’t backing down. His eyes connected with yours. Joel wasn’t an idiot, he knew there were different dangers in this world for women, something he’d likely never have to worry about outside of concern for Tess.

Not phased by Joel the way many others were, Ross continued his hold. “She lives on the other side of town, she’s not getting there on time. But don’t worry” He laughed lightly. “We’ll escort her”

If Joel wasn’t certain what they were planning, the way they laughed and smiled at each other told him. With a grunt, you kick your leg hard against his shin repeatedly, causing him to shout and push you off of him to stop the assault on his leg. Joel took the opportunity, grabbing your dirty shirt and yanking you back behind him. Surprisingly, you smack his arm in return. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

“I’m trying to help you” Joel grumbled to you.

“I don’t need it” But none the less you stood behind his broad body.

Ross was less pleased now. “Lockdown is in 5 minutes, how you gonna get her home before then, Joel?”

Joel hesitated. This was the last thing he wanted this week, a week where he had an excuse to stay home, be alone and wallow in his own misery, but there was no way he could live with himself if he just left you. “She’ll come with me”

Ross eyed him, obviously irritated that he’s losing. “You didn’t seem like the type to take in a charity case… or do you have some ulterior motives.”

Joel didn’t play games. Turning on a heel, you were now in front of him and he pushed you forward and out of the alley quickly. “Go”

You shoved him off you, whispering harshly. “Stop fucking touch me!”

“Go” But he kept his hands off you.

As they turned the corner, he heard Ross call out to them. “Four minutes Joel!” His voice echoed mockingly. “Better hurry!”

But Joel was already speed walking.

“Where are we going?” You scrambled after him.

“My place.”

You stopped in your tracks. “I’m not going with you.”

Turning around only briefly, he took one long stride towards her, pointing his finger. “You have two choices. Go with me to my shithole,” He pointed back towards the alley. “Or you can do with them. Up to you.” He saw you glare at him as he turned back around; he did his part and you were an adult, you could make her own stupid choices.

He heard you footsteps. You quickly followed him.

Joel and you barely made it in time.

The room was… a room.

One bed, a beat-up old lounge chair, a dresser, table and two chairs. The ‘kitchen’ was a small stove with a single burner, but it didn’t look very used; the microwave did. To the left there was a door, presumably to the bathroom. You stood in the doorway awkwardly, body tense and stiff.

Joel gestured vaguely around the apartment and grumbled something she didn’t quite understand, but she assumed it didn’t really matter what he said.

“Nice place” You said, looking around.

Looking slightly defensive, he replied. “No one’s making you be here”

You frowned at him. “I was trying to be polite, but fine, you live in a shithole.”

“Yeah, well, this shithole is where you’re stuck for the next few days, unless you wanna risk it with Ross” He said with a little bite, before feeling just a bit bad. When he glanced over at you, you were harshly glaring at him. “I’m Joel” He muttered under his breath.

“Yeah” You scoffed. “I picked up on that between you yanking me around”

Joel turned to face you, crossing his arms in annoyance. “You’re welcome” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Undeterred, you crossed your arms back, hips cocked as you stood in defiance, seeming to consider your next words. Then, as nervousness flickers around your face, you seemed to realize the position you were in. Looking away and to the floor, you spoke softer. “Thank you. I know this isn’t… ideal”

“Don’t worry about” He grabbed a flannel shirt and sweats from his drawers and tossed them abruptly at you, then motioned for the bathroom. “Showers o’er there. There's… um…” He hesitated. “Under the sink.”

You furrowed your brow, confused. “What’s under the sink?”

Running a hand through his hair, Joel turned away and pretended to be suddenly very interested in the lamp. “You’ll see.”

“Sounds like a threat, but okay.” You murmured as you shuffled into the bathroom before stopping and turning around, telling him your name.

He gave a nod, barely acknowledging you as you disappeared into the bathroom. This was going to be a long fucking week.

When you took in the dingy bathroom, you decided to see what he was talking about beneath the sink. When you opened up the small cabinet, you found possibly the last thing you were expecting to see in the bathroom of the world's grumpiest man. Pads. The initial surprise you felt was quickly overtaken with a swell of warmth. You wondered about the type of man he was before the outbreak. The last 20 years had broken some of the best people down, the need for survival tearing people apart… but you firmly believed good people remained good deep down, someone inside them, even if it only came out when necessary. And today, as you faced down a group of men with evil intentions, it was clear that this was a situation he couldn’t ignore. You’d seen a lot in your years, more than enough for several lifetimes.

The bath felt nice, even if it was cold, as did his clothes, as well worn as they were. When you padded out into the one room place, you saw him standing over what could barely be called a stove.

“It’s just shitty canned soup, you can have some. I don’t got a lot here, but enough to get us through.”

“Thank you. I can pay you back once I get home”

“Hm.” Was his non committal answer.

A pause.

“And thank you for stopping-”

“Don’t mention it.”

“I mean it-”

Joel whipped around, his eyes intense and alight. “I said, don’t mention it.”

You shut your mouth but glared at him, letting him know he was being a dick. And yet, you really weren’t in much of a position to complain, were you? He had saved you from an attempted gang rape, the act of which caused him to have to put you up in his home, share his clothes, his water, his food… All the while giving no indication he had any ill intentions of his own. How many people would do this for a stranger?

He got his food, sitting at the table and once again gesturing vaguely towards the ‘kitchen’, prompting you to get food for yourself. You didn’t feel you weren't exactly wanted at the diner table, so you looked around for another place to eat, moving over to the chair. It wasn’t the worst thing she’d sat on, but it wasn’t the best either. A new problem was glaring as they ate in silence.

There was only one bed.

You piped up. “I can sleep on this chair.”

“Yeah” Was all he responded.

Clearly, he meant for you to sleep there anyway. It was going to suck, but it was better than whatever was planned for her in the alleyway.

Wordlessly, he walked off and shut the door to the bathroom and it wasn’t long before she heard the water running to take his own cold bath. Amazing bedside manner, really. Top tier. You tried to remind yourself you were looking a gift horse in the mouth, and brushed off your bitterness. When Joel immerged, he didn’t look at her as he walked past.

“So,” You started.

“No.”

“How long have you-”

“No.”

“Do you at least-”

A loud groan as he scrubbed his face, signaling you to stop.

You sat there, staring at the wall while Joel went about his business before you heard him call to you. “Hey. C’mere”

You turned around, eyeing him suspiciously. “Why”

“If you want your fucking forehead infected, that’s on you”

“Wait!” You scrambled up, walking over towards him where he had some basic first aid. “Sorry, I-”

“Sit” He directed to the chair at the table, not making eye contact.

Doing as you were told, you sat down at the table, looking up at Joel as he bent over you. You winced as he applied the disinfectant. “You could sit-”

“No” Despite his harsh tone, his touch was gentle, careful, and moving away when you winced.

“So” You tried to start a conversation again. “Joel. That’s Hebrew, right? Are you J-”

“Stop.” Joel briefly put his hands down, standing straight up. From your view on the chair, you suddenly realized how tall he was. His eye contact, when focused on you as it was now, was all consuming. “We’re not friends, we’re not going to come out of this as friends, we’re gonna be lucky if we don’t rip each other's head off. So how about you stop talking, and I stop wondering if I can drown myself in the bathtub every time you ask me a question.” When you didn’t argue, he oh-so softly applied a bit of antibiotic ointment, careful not to waste the little he had.

“Well, that was a bit blunt” You commented as you studied his face. Handsome, older; graying but not falling apart. His accent was southern, but where? You could not place, but that would explain his sense of duty.

“You asked if I was Jewish an hour into knowing me, and out of nowhere. I don’t think I’m the blunt one here” Joel muttered again, but this time there was a hint of… something else. Not quite playful, there was nearly no change in his tone, he was just as gruff as before, but the way he spoke indicated it was almost a joke. Almost. But not quite. He stood up without another word and washed his hands of the antibiotic cream and remaining blood that had oozed out. Grabbing an extra blanket from the drawer, he tossed it at you aimlessly and hit the light.

“Go to bed”

“It’s 8pm”

“Go. To. Bed.”

“Old man”

This received no response from him, but you laughed to yourself.

“Good night Joel.”

A loud sigh was the only response you got.

**************************

I'VE NEVER WRITTEN FOR JOEL SO PLEASE BE NICE! I don't know a whole lot about this universe or the world building so I'm so sorry if this is wrong. But I love Pedro so so so so much and I love TLOU so far!!! Please leave a comment if you like what you see so I know people want more, and reblog if you are so inclined! It's the only way to spread my work on this sight!

Shocker. The fic is titled after a Springsteen song. Joel Miller Listens to Springsteen, Melloncamp and Petty and I will not be taking criticism at this time.

And! Be sure to check out my other Pedro character fic, Take Your Time with my boy Frankie Morales! Tagging some I think may be interested, if you aren't interested in Joel fics just comment to be removed!

My love, @welcometostayingawake @trinkets01 @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @luciannadraven33 @howaboutcastiel

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laduenadelswing · 4 months

Text

Love game (Vox x female OC)

Chapter 3

Isabel stood in front of the old, red, rusting Hotel. Just as she was about to knock on the door. A blond, cute and overall positive woman opened the door. “I am Isabel, I don't know how I got into hell and could use some help.” She sopped. “Oh, don't worry, there is always a place for a lost soul. I am Charlie.” She smiled, hugged her and seemed happier than everyone. Oh, yes! Vox told her Charlie was a sunshine and naive, it's not that hard to manipulate her. Isabel thought. “Uhhh, I need to introduce you to our family.” She exclaimed excited.

Alastor - A deer like demon and hotelier. Everyone seems intimidated by his presence. Angel dust-porn star, famous very horny and masking. He would understand her, they went through the same things in a different setting Charlie – Sunshine and rainbows, way too happy for hell. Naive. Husk-Barkeeper, seemed pretty smart but wouldn't be to be manipulated easily Sir Pentiuos- Not as powerful but had deep-rooted desire for friends Nifty-small, clean, crazy Vaggie- instantly distrusted Isabel, never smiles except for Charlie but seemed to support her no matter what.

This would be a challenge.

“What do you guys do all day?” Isabel asked intimidated. “In the morning, we usually work on redemption and trying to become a better person. After that some go to work, go to Husk at the bar or work in the hotel.” Charlie almost screamed while laughing, happier than any human has ever been. “So nice, what do you eat normally?” Isabel asked, her stomach growling. “Normally everybody grabs something,” Charlie explained, scratching her head. “Let me cook something, since everybody has something to do and every exercise is done. Let me help.” Isabel smiled nervously. “Of course, Alasitor, help our new guest please.” Suddenly a tall figure appeared behind you, he had claws, deer like hair and the biggest smile on his face. “I've seen you before?” Isabel thought. She couldn't quite remember exactly what happened on her first night, but the demon looked familiar. “Pleased to meet you, darling.” He smiled. After your brief introduction, Vaggie pulled Charlie aside, her eyes killing you. “How can you get any kind of food here?” Isabel asked. “We could take a stroll, but for now you can leave it to me.” With a snap, the whole kitchen was equipped and food appeared right in front of your face. “Wow impressive, I assume you're vegetarian? Since you resemble a deer.” Alastor glared at her. “Why dear. In my days, hunting was really normal. I was pretty skilled.” As the last words left his mouth, the surrounding air heated up, the lights began to flicker and his face turned dark. He is intimidating, know I understand why Vox wants me to keep an eye on him, Isabel thought. She forced a smile on her face. “ I have never hunted before. The paparazzi always hunted me.” She confessed. Alastor laughed, “Oh dear, I couldn't be this bad, couldn't it?” Now her face turned pale, thinking about how many times she was stalked and harassed made her sick. “How did you survive your first night, darling?” Alastor deflected. “ I just ran into someone who gave me a job and a place to stay.” Isabel answered truthfully, thinking about her previous night with Vox, he was really caring. “Convenient” Alastor exclaimed. Together they cooked a balanced dinner with fresh meat, raw meat for the radio demon, a bunch of different vegetables and fruits. The whole hotel crew feasted on their home cooked meal. Charlie loved it, Angledust was horny as always, Husk smiled, nifty couldn't stop eating, Sir pentious was happy and praised the food. Vaggie, however, stayed quit and glared at her.

“You are a really great addition to our team.” Charlie fangirled. This made her smile, no one has ever been so cheerful in her presence and meant it. “I love to help, maybe you can help me someday to go back to earth.” Charlies eyes grew bigger. “How is earth right now?” She asked curiously.

“Right now? I don’t know if it´s getting better or worse. So many people fight and hate each other, the real beauty is forgotten. But to be able to travel anywhere you want is actually amazing. I am sure you would love the sun, beaches, galas and stars.” Isabel answered Charlie's happiness was addicting. Charlie smiled. They tidied up, everybody seemed to go their way. Alastor showed you your. It was small, but it had character. With some pictures and cool pillows, it would be very comfortable, she thought. After that, he also left, she could leave after they did all their funny games. She waited a couple of days before leaving the hotel at night. Vox lost his mind. He covered every centimeter of hell with cameras, except for the hotel. Not seeing his obsession made him sick. He gave you into the claws of his enemy. Until she left the hotel one night, she looked so stunning. It was way too long since they have last seen each other. The chokehold she had on him was unbelievable.

She went downhill and as soon as she wasn't right next to the hotel, Vox appeared. “Long time no see.” He greeted her and kissed her hand. “Vox, how are you?” She asked him as they walked into the night. “Ah you know the usual, work, Velvet, Valentino. Nothing special.” He smiled. “I love seeing you again. Hell can be exhausting. It's refreshing to have someone like you around.” He admitted. They tried to vanish into the crowed. Some demons looked around to attack the couple. “Oh, she looks like fresh meat.” They murmured with their predatory smiles.

They cornered Vox and Isabel. “Gentleman, I am sure you don’t want to get into a fight with me.” He buzzed. As they came closer, his left eye started changing, his smile grew bigger, and he shoved you gently behind his back. The gang of demons turned away immediately, hypnotized. “Let's get out of here.” Vox whispered. The rest of the walk was uneventful, Isabel tried to vanish in Vox´s shadow. Vox towered her and made sure she was under his protection. “Finally.” He stretched when they entered his apartment. They sat down, Vox purred both of them a drink. They caught up on the events that they missed. As the night continued, they climbed up the rooftop. “I really missed that.” Vox confessed. “What did you miss, the company or the view?” She shot back playfully before continuing, “I missed our conversations too Vox, the hotel is great, but this is something different.” Isabel admitted.

At that moment, Vox's internal conflict became palpable. He wanted to taste her lips, get a taste of how their intimacy would be. Vox restrained himself, he was a master manipulator, always in control. H e wanted her closeness, but only if she desired him as well. Vox tried to get some space in-between them. She was caught in Vox's magnetic field of desire, the energy between them was growing. Shivers ran down her spine. She looked at him seductively. Her face painted in a light blue shine.”Blue suits you.”He whispered. “Thank you for saving me.” Isabel replied. He tucked her hair behind her hair. She took his claw and gave it a small kiss, looked up and gave him a Hollywood smile. At this moment she could see the electricity shooting through his body, his eye glitching a little. “You know, Vox, sometimes it's good to let loose.” She whispered, while Vox became stiff under her touch.

“Chaos can be beautiful.” Isabel added her smile made his world lit up. “I really don't want you to go back there.” Vox admitted. “Vox, you are the one who wanted me there.” At this moment, he knew it was too late to kiss her. Or was it? She turned away from him and faced the breathtaking view from the roof. A shy smile appeared on her face. “Oh, I think I need to go. I don't wanna cause any trouble.” She faced him, “Thank you, Vox.” She smiled, hugged the Overlord a little bit longer than adequate, and left smiling. Vox repaid her smile, it was genuine. He walked her to the hotel. “You wanna come back tomorrow? Or whenever you want.” He asked with a hint of shyness, before he turned on his best PR- smile. Isabel, not wanting to cause any commotion, went back to the hotel. As she entered, Angle sat on the couch. “Had a long night, Sugar?” He asked playfully. “Kinda.” Isabel replied. “You're dating someone.” He asked half-heartedly whilst scrolling on his phone. She chuckled and left into her room.

Authors Note: I would love to hear some feedback. Also, I am so excited for tonight's episode. Thank you so much for all the love. It means the world to me.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin alastor #hazbin vox #hazbin hotel vox #vox x reader #hazbin charlie #hazbin hotel fandom

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artyandink · 2 months

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we could be more | interview | 1

A/N - Since I found no faceclaim name for Ivy, I’m making an OC called Raye McClaren. Enjoy!

FIRST DAY ON SET

“Today we’re here with the cast of Supernatural.” The reporter, Haley, announced with a smile. “We have Jensen Ackles, who plays Dean Winchester, Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and the newest addition, Raye McClaren as Ivonne Rainer. How are you guys feeling having completed season two?”

“Do you want my honest answer?” Raye asked with a smirk.

“Absolutely.”

“Like I wanna leave- just kidding.” She giggled after getting a shoulder punch from Jared. “Exhilarating, cause I went into this not knowing whether the fans would like Ivy or not because, you know, late addition, so on and so forth, but she got an amazing reaction.”

“You really worked for that role.” Jensen grinned, nudging Raye.

“Like she actually worked out.” Jared teased, patting her on the shoulder. “Tell ‘em.”

“So,” Raye chuckled, “I got on set around halfway through the filming of season one, and I’m with Diane, the costume executive, and I meet Kripke, and he takes one look at me and goes ‘well…’ Cause Ivy’s a badass, we’re meant to have a-”

“- badass figure.” Hayley and Raye finished together.

“Exactly. So I’m wonderin’ what’s goin’ on and then Kripke just comes out with ‘ok, you’re gonna give us some muscles before your season two debut.” Raye then made a comical expression, which made Jensen laugh. “He gave me six months. I said ‘No, Eric, give me four’. I was that eager to get lean. Yeah, so I buy every exercise equipment thing and new-fangled object because I need to jack up.”

“We were like- are you sure?” Jared cackled, slapping his knee. “Cause she wasn’t an avid exerciser.”

“Now she’s terrifying; she’s a full blown adrenaline junkie, benching insane amounts and doing pull ups like she’s breathing.” Jensen chuckled, hand on her knee. “But we’re proud of her.”

“She’s our adrenaline junkie.”

“I can imagine.” Haley giggled. “And apparently you weren’t actually about to audition for Supernatural, Raye. What changed your mind?”

Raye giggled, running a hand through her hair. “Well, I was actually going to audition for The Devil Wears Prada, which I realise now that I had no chance for if Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt are in it, but Jensen called me up one day and told me about his TV show Supernatural, which he was on with Jared and they were lookin’ for someone with my description to play a character called Ivonne Rainer.

“I’d known Jensen since I’d been his colleague in Dawson’s Creek in ‘03 as CJ’s eventual girlfriend and best friend Autumn and again his love interest Alyssa in Dark Angel, so I was hyped to be on another set with him. I told my agent, Carly, to book me an audition and I turned up in the wardrobe which I thought Ivy would wear. I felt so nervous, but thank the stars that before every audition I start method acting - I terrified the hell out of Carly - and I was already in the zone.”

“Think about it.” Jared smirked, gesturing and Jensen. “If he wasn’t here, she wouldn’t be.”

“Shut up.”

“It’s true and you know it.”

“I’ve got a big head about it.” Jensen winked.

“You two won’t let me live it down.” Raye shook her head with a soft smile. Jensen patted her knee, then took her hand.

“Raye and I had worked together a lot and our on screen chemistry was insane, so I had to get her on Supernatural. And after Dark Angel, of course she’s fit for Ivy, and I can’t see anyone who’d do a better job.”

“Aw, Jen.”

“You’re great at what you do. Don’t sell yourself short, y’hear?”

“Loud and clear.”

“So, guys, what was your favourite scene to film so far?” Hayley asked, smiling a bit at Jensen and Raye.

“These two have done too much talking, so I’ll start.” Jared grinned. “Uh, I’d say the play fight scene in Tall Tales. That one was particularly memorable because Jensen and I are just rolling around, Raye pushes us both off the bed- it’s just an amazing scene.” Jensen and Raye shared a knowing smirk, which caught Jared’s eye. “Uh, the look on their faces probably means they have a shared answer.”

“I think we do.” Raye smirked, and Jensen nodded.

“Wanna say it together?” He snickered.

“On three. One, two-“

“The sex scene.” They chorused, then giggled.

“It’s cause while Jen and I had kissing scenes before, we’d never had a sex scene.” Raye shrugged, looking over at Jensen. “It tested our calibre as actors in the moment.”

“Eric Kripke’s only instruction was go intense.” Jensen grinned, his hand sliding up to Raye’s mid-thigh. “And we had to stay as in sync as possible cause a lot of things could go wrong, but we managed to get through it.”

“The fans loved it too.”

“Oh, they went mad.”

“See, these two have something brewing in the fan base.” Jared smirked, nudging Raye. “The fans call ‘em Raysen.”

“But, sadly, there’s nothin’.”

“Yet.”

“Shut up.”

#jensen ackles #supernatural #jensen ackles x reader

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spotsupstuff · 11 months

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where should i start reading your Rain World stuff about your OCs and such?

i don't really have any order in it so just jumpin into the oc tag n readin thru it would do, i guess?? though yeah,, tumblr isn't nice with the tags i won't lie, so i'mma compile some stuff for ya

there Are something of intro posts for the characters, though they've evolved a lot over time (originally the Anemoi Iterators were just not a thing, the only one i was meant to have was Fish with Zephyr serving only as a little neat backstory for one of the scugs connected to Fish. so Zeph especially has had a lot of evolution done to her character)

here are the posts: • Intro for Fish Inside a Birdcage, the Seafarer, the Tinkerer and the rest of their little family (x) (out of this Fish and Tinktink are most important n developed, with Seafarer bein a char i wanna work on a bit at some point) • Intro for Murder of Crows (she's a bg character for Moon's group, I rarely actually do stuff with her), Abet Zephyr, the Pan Wielder and few of the Scavs living in Fish's facilities (x) (this is also where The Children of Eo group is first mentioned) • Intro for the rest of Anemoi Iterators of The Children of Eo group, voice claims (Zephyr's is outdated) and the first look at world map, which i'm updating for myself as i'm workin on this stuff and will repost at some point so y'all can see the updates too (x) • List of Iterator City names (x) • Voice claim for Three Sparrows and updated one for Zephyr (x) • Spotto™ Ancients design reference post (x) • -sigh- "Who's Beppi?" (x) (here's him as a baby) • quick off the string in Ancient times AU designs for Euros 'n Boreas (x) • Sparrows' quickly put together art ref (proper one pending) (x)

Three Sparrows' lore is scattered basically all over over the place n she doesn't have a proper intro post yet

Some direct links for the convenience: • How the Great Cycle works in the Serotonin Take (a little add-on to it)

• Iterator anatomy lesson (mostly about the puppets) • Iterator anatomy lesson: detailing of the Hivemind that makes them up • Iterator anatomy lesson: personality development • Rambling about worldbuilding, mostly the Folk Gods (quite disorganized, explains The Saint though) • Ancients' hand mutilation in the name of the Global Religion • Ancients' mask culture • Ancients and their feeding face tentacles • Ancients' "hair" • Ancients and water habitats • Ancients, their venom and Also The Cleaning Slugs • Ancients' gills and some stuff with breathing • Three Sparrows character notes • Little drabble thing for Three Sparrows, though some things might not hold up • "Has Sparrows made any connections while in school?" • Three Sparrows and her slugcat reincarnation (lil continuations of it x, x) • "The Eo Iterators get off the string, who dies who thrives?" (not canon, except the Haboob comic at the beginning) • Zephyr and Moon swap as a characterization exercise that got a lil outta hand (not canon, but neat either way) • A continuation of the above, with Looks to the Moon in the Eo group + some talking about Abet Zephyr as a person • Fooling around with the concept of Zephyr knowing Pebbles, but then big explanation of Mission Self-preservation aka the biggest thing happening in the OC lore • "Can Euros run Doom?" • How did Caper of Euros and Three Sparrows get together romantically • Caper of Euros' priorities the lil comic • "What is Euros like during a Hivemind unsync?" + Three Sparrows the treasured component • Euros and Sparrows married?? • Caper of Euros' first case of the Rot • post 1st Rot reconcilation between the lovebirds • "Did Euros' entire Lab have to be rebuilt after the eradication of the 1st Rot?" • Sparrows' deathbed • Sparrows' Memory Crypt beef (x)• "Who's older? Notos or Haboob?" + Euros 'n Haboob's relationship • Gushing about the ending of the playlist for the group (link to the playlist itself here) • some Tinkerer and the Scavs fooling around content • tiny Seafarer post • what happened between Seafarer and Artificer? why were they separated?

(new text block cuz apparently tumblr has a character limit for that) • Iterator anatomy lesson: the antennas • Iterator anatomy lesson: sexuality and desire for pleasure • Ancients' blood • Ancients' skin texture • "How are Ancient's born?" • "Did Ancients' ancestors have even bigger teeth?" • Farmer Ancients weaponry and tools + Sparrows' encounter with a Red Centipede • "How'd Zephyr end up like that?" • "What are some of Zephyr's happiest memories?" • "Did any other continent have a bootleg Iterator situation like Zephyr?" • What was young Boreas like • Boreas, his batflies and what Desaevio was like • "Very beautiful, very powerful." Boreas animatic made by me sister • Angry Boreas? Let's try to fix him with a controlled shock • Filler Iterators stuff, especially introduction of Orion's Pathway • designing filler stuff a lil: NAE, Gem, high circle Sparrows outfit, first look at the Preacher, Expiation and Spore • Orion's helmet and RW constellations • some lore stuff for Orion • Orion's General • more on the Polar War • Fish and Pigeon Drones • Fish Inside a Birdcage Daycare for scav kits • "What is stored on Caper of Euros' puppet chamber pearls?" • How Boreas and Zephyr took Euros' romantic relationship with Sparrows the comic • Sparrows' daily routine • "Has Sparrows ever seen Euros without his faceplate?" • Iterator baby photos and first appearance of Sparrows' mom, Inkling of an Inbound Daybreak • "Does Sparrows hide her tail in her high circle outfit?" • Movement within an Iterator • "How does it feel like to respawn?"/Sparrows' first death described a little • How did that wedding of Euros n Sparrows' looked • "Does the Rot smell bad?" • "How did Boreas bail Sparrows out of getting fired after the 1st Rot case?" • Grandmama Sparrows • some stuff on Euros' 3rd Mechanic • Euros and his relationship to his memories of Sparrows • "Why do Biting Notos' colony worships teeth and the mouth?" • "Did Notos know something was wrong with its puppet?" • "What does Orion think about Notos' puppet design?" • Biting Notos' sins against its own kind • Inhale in Haboob colony (and herself) notes and ideas • some things on the relationship between Euros 'n Haboob • the Anemoi + Fish as slugcats • Fate of Boreas' Blessing in Saint Time • Ascending Biting Notos comic

#Spot says stuff #rw #oc tag #honestly n actually imma use this post as a sort of navigator thingy #this is mostly specifically the oc stuff. things that are mostly or only with the canon iterators i haven't put in here. for that browsing-#-my rain world tag should be more than enough

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love-kurdt · 7 months

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How to Write a Good Fanfiction: A 5 Step Manual

Hello! My name is @love_kurdt, also known as Eva, and I’m a Wattpad Veteran of the early 2010s, where the genres of Slash Fics, Y/N, and Imagines ran rampant. I spent years of my life as a kid scrolling through my iPod touch, weeding through Wattpad’s plethora of profiles, on a quest to find quality fanfictions. I found a handful, which I added to a specific reading list to come back to when I needed a break from screaming into my pillow because of the sheer audacity of thought-criminals who called themselves writers.

When I’d reached the point of reading the same five works over and over in a never ending cycle, I decided to make the life-altering decision to start publishing my fanfictions online. Granted, I was only thirteen at this point, so my writing wasn’t spectacular by any means, but I came to discover that over time, the mere acts of reading and writing can light a spark of inspiration that can carry you to creative success.

I’ve been writing my own works for over ten years now, and can confidently say that I have cracked the code to writing a good fanfiction that will have your readers captivated instead of cringing. Please don’t get me wrong– if you want to just write fanfic on the internet for fun, and not to write a novel, that’s great, too! That’s what the internet is for; exercising your free will. But this manual is tailored towards those who want to hone in on their craft and gain a substantial following as strictly fanfiction authors. So without further ado, let’s jump into it. Godspeed!

Step 1: Choose Your Fandom

What show, movie, or book has drawn you in and left you feeling like there should be more to the story? When one of those media comes to mind, you’ve chosen your fandom!

Step 2: Do Your Research

When writing fanfiction, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that you need to know the canon of the fandom you’re writing about. The canon is also known as the source material. For example, if someone were to write a Draco Malfoy x OC fanfiction (*cough* a 200+ page Draco Malfoy self insert fic written at 11 years old in a series of notebooks bound together with multiple layers of Gorilla tape *cough*), the canon would be the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. It’s, in essence, what “really” happened. It’s totally fine if you want to write a non-canon compliant fic, too! In fact, they’re extremely popular, specifically within the “fix-it” genre, which usually involves characters that died in the canon but the author kept alive in their fanfiction. Either way, you should have a general idea of how the canon functions within the context of the fandom, so you can make creative choices that diverge from or stick to the canon.

With the canon comes the fanon, which is basically a compilation of fan theories and headcanons that are often common themes in both canon and non-canon compliant fanfics. A pretty niche example of this is the Byler fandom (the ship between Stranger Things characters Will Byers and Mike Wheeler), where there’s an official list of theories on Tumblr that are used in many, if not most Byler fanfictions. There’s FlickerGate, where the flickering of the garage light in Season 1 is actually Will and Mike in the Upside Down in Season 5. There’s BirthdayGate, where the antagonist, Vecna, manipulates the minds of everyone in Hawkins to forget Will’s birthday, which is a central plot point in a lot of Byler fics since no one seems to remember it, not even his best friend. There’s also LetterGate, where Will confronts Mike in the canon about not sending any letters after he’d moved away, but the theory reveals that Mike wrote plenty of letters– he just never sent them because they ended up turning into love letters, which in turn resulted in internalized homophobia. You get the picture. Most theories reach far into the land of delusion, but it doesn’t stop writers from creating incredible work that could easily be mistaken for a script.

But Eva, what if I just think the characters are hot and I don’t give a shit about the cannonball? I can’t tell you what to do, my friend, but I highly suggest you at least consider the canon so you can avoid all the petty, obnoxious gatekeepers in some fandoms who can be unhinged enough to send death threats if you leave out a significant canonical detail. But you do you!

Step 3: Choose Your Platform

There are three popular platforms to choose from: Archive of Our Own (ao3), Tumblr, and Wattpad. There are also a few other lesser known or dead pages such as fanfiction.net, but I honestly wouldn’t bother with those, since they’re more infiltrated with anons and bots nowadays.

This is where you want to think about 1) where most of the members in the fandom you chose reside, and 2) the demographic of readers you want to reach. For example, I observed a higher number of Nirvana fans on Wattpad than the other two platforms, which is why I chose to post my full length Kurt Cobain fanfiction, “You Know You’re Right,” on there. It also helped that my favorite author of another Kurt Cobain fanfiction on Wattpad, @/ugh-nirvana, had hits in the hundreds of thousands, so I was confident that my book would do well on that specific platform. On the other hand, the Stranger Things fandom is in full swing on Tumblr and ao3, so I chose to post those fanfictions on there rather than on Wattpad. It all just depends on who’s where.

You also have to consider how active you want to be on your platform(s). Tumblr is more of a blog situation, while ao3 and Wattpad are solely for publishing the work. If you want to have a life beyond the realms of the world wide web, choose Wattpad or ao3, as inconsistent updates are a bit more accepted than on Tumblr. But if you want to throw yourself headfirst into a fandom and put your whole author-ussy into your fanfic, then Tumblr is the platform for you.

You should be aware, however, that Tumblr involves a lot of upkeep, as well as constant, strategic, and active participation within your fandom. Visual aesthetic is vital to any functional Tumblr blog. Most profiles have directories, with color coded links to each work’s homepage, which is linked to each individual chapter, which are then distinguished by a unique GIF to capture a prospective reader’s attention while they’re scrolling through copious amounts of content. And there are always new ideas and theories in development in certain fandoms, so it’s crucial to keep up with recent updates in order to stay relevant.

After all is said and done, you don’t have to get married to one platform for the rest of your life. You can choose to be exclusive to one or two platforms, or publish everything on all of them! The decision is ultimately yours!

Step 4: Obey the Writer’s Trifecta of Consistency

Yes, I came up with this term, and yes, it should be a real thing. Because in every piece of writing, whether it be fanfiction, a short story, an actual book, a screenplay, what have you, it is critical to be consistent in your People, your POV, and your Plot. Let me explain.

People

Your people, or your ensemble of characters, consists of three hierarchical levels: your protagonist/antagonist, your side characters, and other background characters. I should emphasize the importance of building character profiles for everyone, including your pre-existing characters from the fandom, but specifically for your original character(s) if you have them. That way, you know who serves as a major plot device, who serves as someone who just helps time move faster, and those who are mentioned by name but have very little significance to the events of the story. I’m going to reference Harry Potter again, since most of the world is familiar with the characters. Harry and Voldemort are the protagonist and antagonist; Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid and company are side characters; and Peeves, Seamus Finnigan, and Blaise Zabini are background characters. Keep this hierarchy in check; don’t let your main characters fade away, and don’t let your background characters shift to the forefront for no reason. If you do plan to move a character up or down the ladder, make sure to have clear motive as to why you’re bringing this character into or out of play.

2. POV

Your POV is the point of view in which you’re writing from. Assuming you’ve been in a typical middle school English class, you’ve heard of the first, second, and third person points of view. I cannot tell you how many times I have read fanfictions that jump from one POV to another, sometimes within the same sentence. I open the door and see Kurt Cobain standing in the corner of the room. She walked across the floor to meet him there. See what I did there? I jumped from first person present tense to third person past tense. Do not attempt this at home.

The least common of the three points of view is the second person, or what I like to call the Y/N point of view. In fanfiction, second person POV is often used in self-insert fics, where instead of a character’s name, it’s replaced with “you.” That’s why a lot of romantic character x reader fics are so popular. You should feel free to use this one, especially if that’s the kind of vibe you’re going for, but I’m going to elaborate a little bit more on first and third person, as they’re a bit more “literary.”

The first person POV confines the narration to the mind of one character. It can also be done with multiple characters, but be sure to do it so it’s painstakingly obvious to the reader whose POV you’re writing from. Also note that if you plan to write multiple first person POVs, try to keep that number on the lower side, as a large number of POVs can get really complicated really quickly. Third person narration can be done from two angles: limited or omniscient. Limited is more similar to first person, in which you’re confined to one person’s viewpoint, but they aren’t the narrator; you’re just seeing the story through their eyes. Omniscient is my favorite, because you can narrate from a bird’s eye view with the freedom to travel from mind to mind and read their thoughts.

Building character profiles can be really helpful when developing both first or third person POV; if you connect with a particular character more strongly than the rest, that should tell you whose POV you should write in. If you choose to switch POVs, be sure to do it either on an alternating/rotating basis, or if you repeat, it should be apparent as to why that particular character is the “voice” of that scene.

3. Plot

Dare I say that Plot is the most important step of them all, so do not skip this one, whatever you do! The biggest mistake most fanfiction writers make is having a concept but lacking a plot. It’s like biting into an apple just to discover it’s a lemon. Many writers are capable of starting off strong, but once their initial story begins to meander, traveling into uncharted territory, their brainchild can become a monstrosity.

In order to write a solid plot, it’s pretty common knowledge that you need to have a beginning, middle, and end in place. It doesn’t need to be overly specific or down to the last detail, you just need to figure out how your characters make it from point A to point Z (the larger scale), and how points B through Y factor into the plot (the smaller scale). There are a few routes that you can take in order to do this: you can write the entire thing ahead of time without any input, you can write the entire thing with the feedback of a beta reader or proofreader to help you work out any kinks or mistakes before you publish it for the entire platform to see, or you can publish it gradually and take feedback from your readers as you go. Should you go with the last option, though, you should be made aware that if you aren’t already an established author, it may feel like you’re talking to a wall, and you will likely feel discouraged from writing the story altogether.

I find it helpful to outline the whole thing. I have a closet door in my house dedicated to a Dave Grohl true crime fanfiction I’m working on. I’ve written the entire story from beginning to end on index cards, split into four different parts with each card representing a chapter. What’s good about outlining is that I can edit my story as I go along. If I decide to change something, I can add or remove an index card, then replace or rearrange the other index cards to work around the change I made, and that way, I don’t have to start over from scratch. It’s helpful to see everything laid out in front of me, so I’m not left at the end of a completely improvised plot with a slew of loose ends that I’ll need to go back and edit. It’s also better than publishing each part individually then having to redo everything after your readers have already seen it. And I don’t know about you, but I enjoy it when I’m able to save some time, energy, and lengthy explanations to random people online. That is, unless you enjoy constant feedback from readers, in which case you can change the plot on a chapter by chapter basis based on their feedback.

Consistency in all of these respects is key. I cannot emphasize this enough. Keeping all of these elements in check will help you create a sort of cohesiveness that will neatly wrap the story up with a little bow on top.

Step 5: Use Relevant Tags and Content Warnings

Repeat after me: tags matter! Again: tags matter! When you’re about to publish your fanfiction, you’re going to be given the option to add tags to your work. For my first few years spent on Wattpad, I had no idea what tags were, so I didn’t use them. Thankfully, the platform was still pretty small, so people still found my work pretty easily. Nowadays, though, it’s nearly impossible to find what you’re looking for without searching excessively specific tags and using a million filters. It’s unfortunate, but look at it this way: there are so many people contributing to so many fandoms that the content is seemingly endless!

What you’re going to want to do is add as many tags as you can but keep it as simple as possible. I know that sounds kind of oxymoronic, but I mean it in a way that all of your tags relate directly to your story, and not just to the fandom itself. A lot of readers feel misled when they’re scrolling through their filtered search page for, let’s just say, a Byler fanfic, and end up neck deep in a Mileven fanfic in disguise. That’s not a fun experience.

Lastly, please remember that you are publishing your work on the internet, and you don’t know who may encounter your work! Listen, we live in a world where everything needs to be overexplained, everything needs trigger warnings, and everything needs to be neutral or else someone is going to hate you. I get it. I’ve been writing fanfiction for a long time. It might be annoying to add content warnings, especially if one of those warnings spoils a major plotline, but if I’m being honest, I’d rather be safe and add the damn warning than not add the warning and be responsible for someone’s worsened emotional or mental state. Bottom line, it’s just fanfiction! Let’s do our due diligence to create a community full of love and understanding for everyone!

After that, you should be all set to publish! Let’s review one more time for the road:

Choose Your Fandom

Do Your Research

Choose Your Platform

Obey the Writer’s Trifecta of Consistency

Use Relevant Tags and Content Warnings

If you’ve stuck around for this long, thank you so much!

I hope this manual helps you along your fanfiction writing journey, wherever it takes you <3

#fanfic #ao3 fanfic #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #female writers #fanfiction #wattpad #ao3 #stranger things fic #byler fic #creative writing #ao3 writer

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beefromanoff · 2 months

Text

Project Mockingbird Ch. 16

summary: Charlotte's press conference, dinner party at the Avengers' Tower, Asguardian mead. what else needs to be said?

pairing: Bucky Barnes x OC

author's note: a longer chapter this time! let me know what you think! thanks for reading! the slow burn is BURNING baby!

tag list: @bangtanxberm @scott-loki-barnes @kayhi808 @charmedbysarge

(let me know if you want to be added <3)

chapter list

_______________________________________

As the sleek Quinjet sliced through the clouds en route to New York, the mood among The Avengers was surprisingly light. With Charlotte’s press conference looming ahead, there was a ripple of nerves from those who preferred to remain out of the public eye, balanced out by those who were more on the veteran end. Several days of preparation had led them to this mid-morning flight, where the team had decided to make a weekend of it. With their headquarters being upstate at the compound, there wasn’t much need for the team to be at the Tower in the city. Tony spent the most time there of anyone, residing there with Pepper most of his days. His research and development space was ten times the size of the lab at the compound, spanning nearly twelve floors and responsible for producing all the newest tech to outfit the team. Other than that, it was used as a base for any Avengers who had business in the city, or just wanted to get away. There were two large residential floors with around twelve bedrooms each. Some of the more seasoned members, like Steve and Natasha, had their own personalized rooms from years of visiting. Others just chose a guest room when they came to visit. Peter was the only other one who spent considerable time there, with the Tower being only blocks away from where he took college classes during the year.

The interior of the Quinjet was full, with people occupying nearly every sitting area. Nat and Steve sat at the front, piloting the ship. Calla sat behind them, eyes glued to her laptop, chatting to Bruce on the phone pressed between her cheek and shoulder. Sam and Peter sat across from Wanda, Charlotte, and Bucky in the open back galley. Wanda had made a game of tossing grapes into the air for Sam to attempt to catch in his mouth, but he was continually derailed by Peter snatching them away at the last second with a well-timed web.

“Aw, come on man. That’s not cool.” Sam rubbed his jaw, having just bit down on nothing. “You better sleep with one eye open, kid.”

Charlotte leaned back in her seat, watching the playful exchange between Sam, Peter, and Wanda with a small smile. She glanced over at Bucky, his expression unreadable as usual.

"You know," she said, nudging him lightly with her elbow, "you could join in on the fun too. Unless you're afraid of losing to Sam."

Bucky raised an eyebrow. "I think I'll pass. Not really in the mood to fight another grown man for food today." He frowned at Sam flailing his arms to catch his balance after lunging to catch a grape in his mouth. “Or to look like…that.”

Charlotte chuckled. "I see you’re feeling especially cheery today."

"Of course I am," he replied, his lips quirking up into a small smirk. “Today’s your big day.”

“Don’t remind me.” She slumped lower in her seat, covering her eyes with her hands before peeking through her fingers at him. “Is it too late to make a break for it?”

"Sorry, you’ve exhausted the number of times I’m willing to jump out of a plane for you this month." He gave her his usual semi-annoyed look before softening it into a half-smile. “Don’t be nervous. You’ll do great.”

Charlotte nodded, a small sigh escaping her lips. "I mean, it’s not even the interview that’s bothering me. It's the fact that everything is, like...official, you know? I know I’ve been at the compound for a while, but I still kind of felt like I was just crashing there. Even the training exercises, all of that…I just feel like I’ve been staying as long as I’m welcome. But this, telling the world, I don’t know."

Bucky nodded in understanding. "I get it. I do. Don’t think this changes anything. You still have complete freedom to walk away whenever you want. This is just part of what we do. You aren’t trapped anywhere.” His hand twitched on his leg like he wanted to reach for her, but he didn’t.

"Thanks, Buck," Charlotte said, offering him a grateful smile.

"No problem," he replied, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than usual before he turned to look out the window.

Charlotte felt a flutter of something in her chest at his lingering gaze, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. With Bucky's reassurance, she felt a little more confident about the upcoming press conference. She followed his glance out the window and allowed herself to zone out for the rest of the short flight.

Once they landed, the team dispersed into the Tower, each member attending to their own pre-conference rituals. For Charlotte, this meant entering a world she was far less familiar with than she expected.

Pepper led the trio of women to a spacious room filled with racks of designer clothes and a vanity table laden with makeup and hairstyling tools. The scent of luxury perfumes mingled with the smell of coffee being brewed in the corner.

"Welcome to the glam squad headquarters," she announced with a flourish, a warm smile on her lips. “Any of these outfits are available for you to wear today, and our lovely team will ensure you look your best before we hit the stage. I’ll come back for you in about an hour and a half. Let me know your lunch order and I’ll make sure it’s delivered.” She gave one final reassuring nod before stepping out the door.

Wanda was already browsing through the outfits, her fingers dancing over the hangars with an appreciative hum. "You're going to look stunning, Charlotte. The world won't know what hit them. I am a little jealous, though, I didn’t have half of these options when I joined." She gaped at the designer dress covered in plastic she tugged off the rack.

Charlotte chuckled, though her nerves were bubbling just beneath the surface. "As long as I don't fall flat on my face, I'll consider it a win."

"That's the spirit," Natasha quipped, her tone light but her gaze assessing. "Remember, if you look hot, they’ll only half pay attention to what you say anyways."

“Gee, that’s uplifting.” Charlotte cocked an eyebrow.

“Well, it’s true.” Nat shrugged. “Might as well use it to your advantage.” She held up a blazer dress with a plunging neckline.

“I love, but I think we should go for pants this time around.” Charlotte tugged the hem of her cargo pants up, revealing the almost-healed stitches still marring her leg.

“Probably for the best,” She agreed. “Wanda, you got anything good?”

The outfit ultimately chosen for Charlotte was a pair of cream, high waisted slacks and a matching vest-style tank top that complemented her athletic figure perfectly while hiding her unsightly battle wounds. Though her advanced healing had taken care of the various cuts and bruises across most of her body, her ribs remained black and blue and the leg…another story completely. The fabric was forgiving enough to allow for comfortable movement, yet tailored to show off her curves. The ensemble was accented with a simple gold belt, adding a touch of sophistication without overdoing it. After an hour of ironing, curling, being made up by a team of beautiful but somewhat rough-handed women -- the three Avengers were left alone.

Wanda, with a gentle touch, brushed a few of Charlotte’s curls, loosening them with her hands. As she worked, she shared her own story of the first press conference she attended, the nerves, the fear of being judged, and how she found her strength. She had the shit luck to have to do a press conference shortly after a particularly public failed mission, with the news not being especially fond of her at the time. The look in her eye said she still carried the weight of their judgment.

"It's about owning your story, Charlotte. Not letting the world dictate it…because they will try. Don’t let them tell you who you are or who you should be."

Charlotte listened intently, absorbing the wisdom being offered as well as the glimpse of vulnerability. She looked at her reflection, seeing not just the physical transformation but feeling a shift inside herself. She could do this. She was playing a part, just like every other time she’d stepped into a new world before. "Thanks, you two. For everything."

Natasha placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, locking eyes with her in the mirror. "We've got your back, always. Pepper won’t let it go sideways, and if anyone tries anything…." She winked and tugged at the hem of her dress, revealing a thigh holster.

With a final gloss touch-up, Charlotte stood ready, the epitome of a public figure: poised, confident, and only somewhat reluctantly embracing her new role in the spotlight.

It was a blur of activity from there.

Pepper came to retrieve the girls and guide them to a small room beside where the conference would take place. The men of the team were already waiting, having undergone a slight transformation themselves. Most of them wearing some variation of a button up or suit jacket, they looked equally as handsome as they were lethal. The sounds of a crowd in the next room carried through the wall, catching Charlotte’s attention. Stepping back through the door, Pepper stood to usher everyone through to take their seats at the long table on the stage.

As they walked to the doorway, the team offered their affirmations to Charlotte, each one expressing their confidence in her in their own way. Steve’s reassuring nod, Tony’s overstated wink and thumbs-up, and Wanda’s warm, encouraging smile. As they filed out of the room, Charlotte was left alone in the sudden quiet of the room, unable to make her feet move.

“Hey.”

Charlotte jerked her head up to see Bucky leaning against the doorframe with an ease that belied his own turbulent history with the spotlight. He watched the others leave, ensuring they were alone before turning his full attention to Charlotte. "You look ready to take on the world out there," he remarked, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Charlotte met his gaze, her expression a mixture of gratitude and burgeoning panic. "I feel like I'm about to face a firing squad."

"That’s just the press. Less lethal, but twice as persistent," Bucky quipped, moving closer. His tone softened. "Hey, look at me," he coaxed gently until she did. "You've got this. You're strong, you deserve to be here, and you’ve faced shit ten times as bad as this in the past two weeks. This is nothing."

Charlotte huffed a laugh, tension easing slightly at his attempt to lighten the mood. "I think I’d take the airborne dogfight over this right about now."

“Careful what you wish for.”

Looking up at him, her eyes pleaded. “What if they hate me?”

“That’s impossible.” He didn’t miss a beat. There was a pause as he stared down at her before shrugging, a mock-serious expression on his face. "Plus, if I can win over the court of public opinion, then a superhero gymnast with a penchant for high-stakes blackjack doesn’t stand a chance of failing. Plus, you’re not half-bad looking."

Her laughter was genuine this time, cheeks flushing. "Thanks, Bucky. Again."

He offered her a reassuring nod, his gaze sincere. "Don’t mention it. Just remember, those people out there? They’re not your judges. You’re not on trial. You’re here to tell your story, on your terms. That’s all."

As Pepper opened the door, giving them the final call, Bucky stepped aside, offering her the way out. "Showtime, Charlotte. Time to introduce the world to the newest Avenger."

With a deep breath, bolstered by Bucky’s words and the support of the team, Charlotte stepped through the door. The room buzzed with anticipation, a sea of faces and flashing cameras directed at the stage where Charlotte took her seat beside Pepper Potts, who had assumed the role of moderator for the event. Charlotte's gaze swept across the crowd, taking in the eager expressions and lifted recorders. Despite the butterflies performing acrobatics in her stomach, she held herself with an almost deceptive calm, playing the role of the poised and practiced figure she so desperately wished she was.

Pepper stepped forward, offering a warm smile to the audience. "Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. As you know we're here to introduce a new member to the Avengers Initiative, Charlotte Rossi. Many of you might know her from her impressive gymnastic achievements in the past, but today, we're here to discuss who she is and her new role with us.” She read from her notes, clearly well-rehearsed, because she only glanced down every few sentences. She gave their pre-written statement about Charlotte having been recruited and training with the Avengers for the past few months, and how they believe she will be an incredible asset to the team. When she finished, she looked back up at the crowd with her usual poise and calm. “Questions?"

The first question came swiftly, a hand shooting up from the front row. “Charlotte, many people in the gymnastics world were confused and angry about your sudden appearance on the scene. Where, exactly, did you come from?”

Nervously, Charlotte leaned into the microphone and joked. “How much time do you have?” The ripple of laughter through the crowd relaxed some of the tension in her shoulders. She was warned not to bring up her heritage, Pepper reaffirming how skittish the American press could be when it came to ‘outsiders’ in positions of perceived power.

"Charlotte, can you tell us about your transition from gymnastics to becoming an Avenger? How did those skills translate?"

Charlotte’s response was more relaxed, her voice steady. "Well, I’ve found that dodging bullets isn’t all that different from navigating a balance beam, except the mistakes are a lot more dangerous than a five-point deduction." Another round of chuckles amidst the raised hands.

Another question followed, more personal this time. "There have been rumors of your...let’s say, 'adventurous' nights in Las Vegas. Care to comment?"

Finding her rhythm, Charlotte offered a wry smile. "What can I say? I like to keep life interesting. But to set the record straight, no laws were broken. Unless you count breaking the bank as a crime, in which case, I think you’ll be more concerned with Mr. Stark over here."

The atmosphere of the room lightened with her candidness, her ability to address rumors head-on while still maintaining a playful air about her. A seasoned reporter from a major news outlet raised her hand, her expression one of genuine curiosity mixed with the tenacity of a journalist looking for a deeper story.

"Charlotte, much of your background remains a mystery to the public. Would you mind sharing some of your experiences that shaped the person and the Avenger you are today?"

Charlotte took a deep breath, her training with Pepper reminding her to navigate these waters carefully. She had been instructed to answer honestly, to allow the world to see her as a person and get invested in her story, but also not reveal so much that any potential enemy would gain an edge on her. She gestured down the table at the rest of the team, all watching her with encouraging smiles.

"Everyone here has a story, a journey that led them to where they are. Mine was...complicated. I was orphaned, abducted, and subjected to years of horrific experiments and abuse that I don’t know if I’ll ever go into detail about.” The room was silent, the eyes of her teammates somber. A few, Natasha and Bucky in particular, looked like they’d rip the head off of anyone who dared interrupt Charlotte in this moment. “I've faced challenges and situations that tested me in ways I could never have imagined. Ways that you probably can’t imagine. But it's because of those challenges that I learned resilience, the importance of standing up for what's right, and the value of strength—not just the physical kind, but the strength of character. Those are the qualities I bring to the Avengers. I want the horrors of this world to continue to remain a mystery for all of you, and your children, and their children. I want to stop the evil before it starts. I want to protect the innocent the way I, and so many others," Her eyes darted to the side, to Wanda and Natasha, before facing forward again. “...weren’t protected.”

A murmur of approval and slight applause went through the crowd, cameras flashing wildly now that the vulnerable moment had passed.

Another question followed swiftly from a bald man in the front row, touching on her capabilities. "Can you tell us more about your powers? What makes you a valuable asset to the Avengers skill-wise?"

Smiling slightly, Charlotte replied, "Why don’t you come up here and find out?” More laughter, except from the reporter asking the question, who paled. “I have enhanced reflexes, strength and a very adaptable mind, which, when combined, allow me to anticipate and counteract threats in ways that are... unconventional."

Her answers were measured, revealing enough to satisfy curiosity without delving too deeply into the traumas of her past or the specifics of her abilities. It was a balancing act—showing vulnerability to make her relatable but maintaining enough distance to keep her privacy intact. The mock-conferences and press training with Pepper had seemed like overkill at the time, but Charlotte silently praised her for mandating them. Ten or so minutes passed with similar questions, asking about things they knew she wouldn’t be able to answer, like future missions and training protocol. She gave them the canned answer she’d practiced so many times. It went around and around before the inevitable question about her love life emerged from the crowd, thinly veiled as professional interest.

"As the newest Avenger, there's bound to be speculation about...romantic connections within the team. Any comments?"

Charlotte’s laughter was soft, flipping her hair behind her shoulder as she leaned in to answer. "I wasn’t aware that joining the Avengers came with a dating service. I’ll have to check on that. Right now, my focus is on settling into my role and using my abilities for the greater good. But thanks for asking."

Pepper raised her hand to quiet down the chuckles of the crowd and the clamoring for further questions. “I’m afraid that’s all the time we have today. Thank you all for coming, please feel free to contact me with any further questions regarding Ms. Rossi or the rest of the team,” She was cut off by an overzealous reporter in the second row.

“Wait, wait, Ms. Rossi,” She was flushed, clearly nervous. “What should we call you? I mean, there’s Black Widow, Captain America, the Falcon…and you?”

Charlotte felt Nat’s hand squeeze hers under the table as she grinned. “Mockingbird.”

________

The evening sky was streaked with hues of orange and pink as Charlotte stood alone on the balcony, taking in the breathtaking view of the New York skyline. The gentle breeze tugged at her hair, sending strands dancing around her face. She savored the stillness of the moment, a welcome respite from the chaos of her thoughts.

A soft voice interrupted her daze, and she turned to see Bucky stepping out onto the balcony, his figure illuminated by the fading sunlight. The team had opted to stay dressed up for the evening, with Tony throwing an over-the-top dinner party for the occasion. She’d borrowed a loose, but low cut black slip dress from Natasha, not caring that the bandages on her left leg showed beneath the calf-length hemline. It was only the team tonight, anyways, and they’d seen much worse. Bucky’s black dress shirt hugged his chest, his long hair falling just above the collar where it was tucked behind his ears.

"Hey," he said, his tone surprisingly gentle.

"Hey," Charlotte replied, mustering a smile.

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, both lost in the beauty of the sunset.

"Quite the view, huh?" Bucky finally spoke, breaking the silence.

Charlotte nodded, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Yeah, it's... surreal," she said softly.

Bucky chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Tell me about it. Never thought I'd be watching sunsets from a place like this."

Charlotte's gaze lingered on the skyline, a playful glint in her eyes as she turned to him. "Just taking it all in. Hard to believe I went from some shit orphanage in Russia to this."

Leaning next to her, Bucky chuckled. "Hey, you had a few steps in between. Vegas, right? I’m sure you saw some views there that put this one to shame.”

“I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t see much of the sun while I was there.” Charlotte chuckled sheepishly. “I spent most of my time in the casino, losing track of time. And money.”

“Sounds like you acclimated to modern life quicker than I did. I was still figuring out smartphones while you were racking up chips at the Bellagio, and I had about five years of real world experience on you."

Charlotte laughed, a hint of mischief in her smile. "Hey, a girl's gotta eat. We figure out what we have to do to survive."

Bucky nodded in agreement, a wry smile playing on his lips. "I don’t disagree…but it does sound like your methods of survival are more on the glamorous side.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Like I said,” She winked. “A girl’s gotta eat.”

There was another moment of comfortable silence as their chuckles faded into the cool air. Shifting her weight on her heels, Charlotte glanced back up at Bucky.

"How'd you manage?" She asked, her curiosity evident. “To acclimate to all…this.” She gestured across the horizon.

"It took me a while to find my footing. Everything moves so fast," Bucky replied, glancing at the bustling city below. “I used to live over there, you know.” He pointed to a suburb across the skyline. “Brooklyn. Steve and I grew up there. It was so simple back then, but of course, we didn’t realize it at the time.”

Bucky paused, considering his thoughts. "The team helped a lot. Steve, especially. He’d just gone through it a few years before I did, so he was extra empathetic. I don’t know if I would have figured out half the shit that I did if it weren’t for him."

“Is that why you’ve been helping me?” Charlotte nudged him. “Just paying your super-soldier duties forward to the next poor soul thrust from cryo into the modern world?”

Regarding her carefully, Bucky shook his head before looking back out into the last few beams of light. “Something like that.”

Charlotte's laughter filled the air. "Damn, Sarge. Here I thought you were doing it out of the goodness of your heart.”

“Maybe I just like feeling like I’m not the most out of touch person on the team.” His voice bordered on playful.

“Whatever stops the tears.” Charlotte gave him a light shove, picking up her heels from where they were discarded on a nearby patio lounger. “But for now, we should probably head back before Tony sends a search party."

Offering his arm with a gentle tease in his tone, Bucky said, "After you, Ms. Rossi. Let's not keep the man waiting."

________

The evening unfurled under the twinkling lights of the Tower's lavish dining room, an opulent space that could easily have doubled as a ballroom in another life. It was somehow sleek and modern, but regal and timeless all at once. The massive table, hewn from a single slab of dark, polished wood, stretched across the room, its surface gleaming under the soft light of numerous crystal chandeliers. Each setting was a masterpiece of fine china and gleaming silverware, flanked by crystal glasses that caught the light and scattered rainbows across the white linen tablecloth. Around the table, a jovial atmosphere bubbled among the Avengers, the change of scenery causing everyone to let loose for the evening.

The press conference had gone off without a hitch, marking yet another victory for the team, not just on the battlefield but in the court of public opinion. It was an occasion worth celebrating, and Tony, ever the consummate host, had spared no expense. His private chef had outdone himself, with course after course of exquisite dishes that would have made a Michelin-starred chef green with envy. The air was filled with the rich aromas of gourmet cuisine so fancy that Charlotte couldn’t even place half of it.

As the first round of plates were served, Tony stood, glass in hand, capturing the room's attention with the clink of a knife and a flash of his charismatic smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, and Spiderlings," he began, winking at Peter. "Tonight, we toast to many things. To the newest Avenger, Charlotte, who's shown us all that a life of white collar crime and card counting is something to aspire to." A round of hollering and whistles filled the room, Nat rustling Charlotte’s hair as she giggled.

"To Pepper, whose brilliance behind the scenes ensures our press conferences look more like award shows than the PR minefields they truly are. All while looking absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself…and I do." Another wave of laughter and applause swept through the team, with Pepper smiling modestly, her cheeks tinged with a blush of pride.

"And let's not forget to raise our glasses to Sam and Calla," Tony continued, his smile broadening. "The two people on my payroll who managed to keep the biggest secret from what was previously thought to be the world’s leading intelligence organization. We really should be more concerned about that. To Sam and Calla!" The table erupted in a chorus of congratulations, with the couple beaming, their hands intertwined.

Tony's gaze swept across his team, a twinkle in his eye. "And because no celebration is complete without a challenge, even our super soldiers aren't off the hook tonight. Thanks to a little intergalactic bartering, I've secured a keg of Asgardian mead. So, let's see if those enhanced metabolisms can keep up with the gods. Cheers!"

Laughter bubbled up around the table as Tony poured the golden liquid, serving two glasses to the reluctant super soldiers across the table from Charlotte and Natasha. Crystal glasses were thrust into the air around the table, clinking and spilling as the buzz from the wine served at dinner caught up to everyone.

"Here's to us," Tony declared, his voice carrying the weight of their shared trials and triumphs. "To the Avengers, new and old, and to a night that we'll remember—probably. Actually, hopefully not. Drink up!"

Charlotte

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so full in my life.

Six courses. Plates practically licked clean. Dessert still on the way. Which, of course, I’d ordered two dishes. Who the hell could choose between red velvet cake and bananas foster anyways?

The meal didn’t seem to slow anyone down. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with Earth’s Mightiest Appetites. Looking around the room, it was like the most chaotic renaissance painting you could imagine. Sam, with his arm around Calla, was telling a story that somehow had Peter terrified, Wanda laughing so hard champagne was about to come out her nose, and Pepper looking mildly concerned. Tony was engaged in conversation with Calla, somehow tuning out her fiance’s antics. Though his eyes had the classic red-wine-glazed look in them, a quick glance at his lips told me they were talking about carbon fiber photon reactors. Snooze. On Sam’s other side, Steve was playing right into Natasha’s hand. She was leaning forward onto her elbows, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger as she pretended to listen to his story about the Yankees’ World Series win back before the war.

I couldn’t help but admire her tactic. Poor Stevie, looking equally as excited to be talking about Babe Ruth as he was to have Natasha’s undivided attention. I chuckled, taking a sip of my wine, catching Bucky’s attention across the table. He shook his head ever-so-slightly, rolling his eyes at the scene unfolding beside us before turning back to pretend he was listening to Steve as well. Amid the joviality, I found myself continually stealing glances at Bucky. He was surprisingly engaged in Steve's story, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he listened. There was a warmth in his eyes that I'd grown accustomed to, a subtle shift from the guardedness I'd seen when we first met.

Then, Tony, with that mischievous glint in his eye, raised his glass for attention, and the room fell silent. "I've got the best idea for our next fundraising initiative," he announced, his voice cutting through the air. "The ‘Women of the Avengers’ swimsuit calendar. Think of the headlines, the buzz! Pepper, get Sports Illustrated on the phone. We need to get the ball rolling."

The table erupted in groans and laughter, and Pepper promptly smacked Tony on the arm, a warning in her eyes. Amidst the chaos, I caught Bucky's gaze. His eyes traveled over me slowly, appreciatively, sending a shiver down my spine. Leaning in slightly, he murmured, just loud enough for me to hear over the chaos, "I'd hang that on my wall."

My cheeks flushed and my heart somersaulted in my chest at his audacity. In a room filled with drunken laughter and shouting, we somehow shared a private moment, our eyes locking amidst the chaos.

I wondered if he was thinking the same things I was. The same filthy, depraved things. It was a fleeting connection, but it was enough to make my pulse race and my breath catch in my throat.

Before I could fully process the moment, Steve elbowed Bucky, teasing him about his newfound appreciation for modern digital calendars, and the spell was broken. But the ghost of Bucky's gaze lingered, burned into my skin. As I forced myself to turn my attention to the rest of the table, I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on me, an almost intoxicating thrill that danced along my skin, igniting a spark of…something.

I could only hope it was a firework and not an atomic bomb.

After dessert, the atmosphere had shifted as everyone moved to the lounge while the staff cleaned the table. Tony, who seemed to get his kicks from getting everyone drunk and causing trouble, had suggested, "How about a game to keep the night interesting?" which was met with an enthusiastic chorus of agreement and raised glasses.

We settled into the spacious living area, sitting in various degrees of sprawled across the sectional and the floor. At the heart of our haphazard circle, a bottle of Asgardian mead, now half empty, stood proudly. "Alright, we're playing 'Never Have I Ever'," Tony declared, brandishing five fingers in the air, "Avengers edition. And let's not forget, honesty is the best policy, especially with FRIDAY, and Jesus, as your judge."

The game started with mostly harmless confessions. Pepper shared that she'd never dyed her hair, prompting Tony to jest, "Really? I totally had you down for a secret pastel goth phase."

The stakes and laughter rose as the rounds progressed. "Never have I ever stolen something," Sam chimed, casting a glance around the room as if Scott Lang were present to take the fall in that round. Grinning, I put a finger down and took a drink, seeing Natasha do the same across the room.

My turn came, and I felt a momentary hesitation, keenly aware of all the eyes on me and everything I truly hadn’t done. With a dazed smile, I ventured, "Never have I ever been mistaken for a celebrity." The room erupted into laughter as several fingers dropped. Tony grumbled about his frequent mix-ups with Elon Musk, and Peter, flushing, confessed, "Someone thought I was Tom Holland once."

Bucky, who had been partaking with a quietly amused smile, chose his turn to engage fully. "Never have I ever gone skinny-dipping." His declaration sent a wave of laughter and surprised exclamations through the group as multiple fingers, including Steve's to everyone's astonishment, were lowered.

"Alright, Rogers, you've got to have a tale behind that," Tony prodded, only to be met with Steve's good-natured refusal and a chuckle as he took a sip, "Not a chance, Stark."

As the game unfolded, laughter and pure drunken candidness seemed to dissolve the last remnants of formality among us. I found myself caught up in the genuine joy of the moment, laughing with an ease I hadn't felt in ages. Surrounded by friends, real friends, I felt the burdens I’d been carrying for so long lighten, even if just for the evening.

As Wanda took her turn, her grin widened mischievously, lighting up the room. "Never have I ever made out with someone in this room," she announced, and the room fell into a brief, suspenseful silence before bursting into laughter and gasps of faux outrage as nearly everyone lowered a finger.

Wanda's eyes twinkled with mischief as she confidently dropped a finger of her own, her gaze briefly connecting with Peter's in a silent, shared joke. One by one, fingers descended amidst smirks and secretive glances. Pepper and Tony exchanged a look of amused resignation, Steve and Natasha shared a glance that spoke volumes, confirming rumors without a word, and Sam's arm found its way around Calla -- everyone taking a sip of their drink.

Well, all but two of us.

All eyes eventually drifted to Bucky and me, the lone two not ensnared by Wanda's cleverly laid trap. The air between us felt thick, suffocating, as our teammates' expectant glances bore down on us.

"Come on, you two, don't hold out on us," Tony teased, his smile broad and mischievous. "This is a safe, albeit slightly incestuous, place," he assured.

"Yeah, join the club. We're all exceptionally good friends here," Sam added, winking as Calla elbowed him.

I couldn't help but laugh somewhat nervously, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. Bucky's reaction was so characteristically him. “What, do you want me to do a backflip or something? Fuck off.” He waved off the laughter and boos of the team, taking a longer drink than usual from his glass. I had never been more thankful for his grumpy old man shtick.

My stomach warmed as I gulped down more champagne, averting my gaze briefly before recovering with a playful retort. "Alright, storytime, everyone. If we're airing out our laundry, let's make it a show. What about you, Steve, Natasha? And Peter, Wanda, do tell," I said, managing to deflect attention while fueling my own curiosity. Peter? Wanda? Really? Do I know these people at all?

Bucky simply shook his head, amusement touching the corners of his eyes.

The room murmured with anticipation, everyone's attention now laser focused on Steve and Natasha. After a shared, silent exchange, Natasha leaned in, her voice low. "Let's just say, long missions can get... interesting. You find ways to pass the time," she teased, leaving much to the imagination. Whistles and catcalls filled the air as Steve blushed, looking sheepish but not ashamed.

The spotlight then shifted to Peter and Wanda, the former wearing an expression of embarrassment mixed with fond remembrance. "Peter wanted to make an ex-girlfriend jealous, and being the wonderful friend I am, I agreed to help," Wanda explained, grinning.

Peter chimed in, "It was more effective than we anticipated," eliciting another round of whistles from the group.

The chaos reached a new height as everyone seemed to freak out at the new revelations about how salacious, and as Tony said, incestuous our little team truly was. I made a mental note not to refer to us as a family, ever. I opened my mouth to excuse myself, but the team was so distracted, I saved my breath. Pushing myself off the ground, I grabbed my glass and made my way around the massive couch. I hadn’t quite realized how much I’d drank until standing up, feeling my head spin. Maybe mixing the Asgardian mead with expensive champagne wasn’t my best idea, but hey, Tony said the goal wasn’t to remember tonight, and I was well on my way.

I found myself at the bar, reaching for a bottle that promised to cool the warmth in my cheeks and the flutter in my stomach. My hand brushed against metal fingers, and the world seemed to tilt slightly on its axis. Bucky, with his stupid silent approach, apparently had the same idea, and was reaching for the same escape in a bottle.

"Sorry," he whispered, his fingers closing around my fist, gripping the neck of the bottle. Yet, he made no move to distance himself; instead, he edged closer, the air between us practically crackling with electricity.

Our eyes locked, and in that moment, the crowded room, the laughter, and the music faded into a distant hum. I could smell his cologne and the bitter scent of the otherworldly mead. I could see the stubble along his jawline.

"No, you’re not," I found myself whispering, the words a mix of challenge and invitation, laced with a yearning for the line we’d drawn in the sand to be crossed.

His smile was slow, deliberate, dark. "Not even a little," he confessed, his voice husky.

The air around us seemed to thicken, time slowing as we leaned closer, the rest of the world blurring into insignificance. The anticipation of the moment was almost palpable, our breaths mingling, his lips the last thing I saw as I closed my eyes. My stomach seared with the fire that ripped through it and threatened to burn me alive.

"Hey, you two! You're missing the best part of the party!" Sam’s voice had never felt more unwelcome as it carried around the corner, his fists banging on the wall.

We sprang apart, the spell broken. I swore I felt the moment freeze over and shatter into a million pieces on the ground. Bucky's gaze turned guarded, yet a smile lingered on his lips, a silent acknowledgment the fact that, I don’t know…fucking everything almost just changed. I couldn’t tell if it was the base of the music or my own heartbeat thundering through my bones. All I could see was a set of blue eyes, watching me, daring me to say anything.

Bucky released his grip on mine and the bottle, muttering, “I think I’ve had enough tonight.”

"Coming, Sam," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt, my heart still racing, my muddled brain struggling to process what just almost happened.

As we rejoined the group, the buzz of the party enveloped us right back in. I settled onto the couch between Wanda and Peter, animatedly cheering Steve on in a game of flip cup against Tony. I took a slow sip of the champagne I’d refilled and a deep breath along with it.

Atomic bomb, for sure.

#james bucky barnes #bucky barnes #avengers #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x oc #winter soldier #bucky fluff #sebastian stan #winter soldier fluff

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aludrakijurorin · 2 years

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Giant list of helpful references and resources for artists and OCs!

A giant list of references that I use often, or have found useful, and would like to share with others. If any of the links are broken or unsafe, please let me know so I can remove them.

--Free images--

Vecteezy - A site to download vector art and stock photos.

Pixabay, Unsplash, Pexels, and Public Domain Pictures - Lots of public domain and royalty free stock photos.

Smithsonian Open Access - “Where you can download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images—right now, without asking. With new platforms and tools, you have easier access to more than 4.4 million 2D and 3D digital items from our collections.”

--Names--

Nameberry, Magic Baby Names,Think Baby Names, Meaning of Names, 20,000 Names - All great for finding character names.

Fantasy Name Generators - Great for naming characters, locations, streets, buildings, towns and so on.

My Dog’s Name - Actually has some decent sounding dog names that aren’t just ‘Fluffy’ or ‘Spike’.

Dance Names - A random site I found with an abundance of nice names.

--Words--

Words to Use - A handy theasaurus-like site.

More Words and Word Finder - Nice when you need to find words, for example ones that ‘start with ROU’ or ‘end in INE’.

OneLook - Find words related to what you type, that aren’t limited to a theasaurus.

Word Mixer - Enter in 2-5 words and the site randomly mixes them together. Great for names and creating a species.

Latin Dictionary - A list of words in the latin language and their meanings.

Random Word Generator - Great for coming up with prompts to draw. Good for monthly art challenges.

RomajiDesu - For japanese words and meanings.

Tip of My Tongue - Find words that you can’t seem to remember.

--Poses and Anatomy-- Sensitivity warning for some of these sites showing full human anatomy.

PoseManiacs - A site with premade poses that you can rotate. Hand viewer is coming back soon!

Magic Poser - The web version of the Magic Poser App. Create your own poses and models at any angle.

DesignDoll - A posing program that is free, unless you want to save a pose or model. Can add multiple models to a scene, import Blender models, and use Doll Atelier to easily upload premade models. Also comes with a hand library, with fully poseable fingers, and a ton of other features.

Japanese Macho Stock - A free stock site of macho Japanese men doing silly or everyday actions. Nice for muscle studies.

Anatomy 360 - A program to view 3D scanned real models for references. You have to buy the program, but they do provide some free references on their site.

Poses for Drawing - A pinterest board with a handful of pins of poses and references.

Adorkastock - Tons and tons of free pose references with varying body types that have anime and videogames in mind rather than just random poses. Posts often on Deviantart and Twitter.

Jookpubstock- Similar to Adorkastock, posts free references on Twitter frequently. Lots more available through their Patreon, including hand packs and item packs.

CharacterDesigns - A site with convention and event photos you are free to use.

Pose Tool - A site with an expansive search function to find the pose you’re looking for. You can browse the thumbnails but the packs have to be purchased.

Quickposes - A tool to find poses or use as warmups. Comes with a section to sort which poses you want to see.

Body Builder - A great way to visualize a humanoid character’s body shape based on variables such as height, weight, and how much exercise they get. I doubt it’s fully accurate, but it’s still useful.

漫画素材工房 ‘s Pixiv - So so so so many helpful images on nearly any kind of anatomy possible. It’s all in japanese, but the images are clear enough to understand without text. Also has done lots and lots of hand references.

----And now, a pose tip!--- Having trouble looking for a pose, or model, or you just don’t draw people? Try looking for YouTube videos! Dog agility events are great for dog anatomy, music videos are useful for more unique poses. Street/Town walking videos are great for environment references. Use your resources! Most 3D printing sites have 3D model viewers on the site, so you can view any modeled object in nearly any angle without downloading or buying anything. Thingiverse and Sketchfab are nice places to start.

--OC Ideas--

Character Personality Quiz - Uses sliders to determine a character’s personality, and compares them with already existing characters in media.

123 Ideas for Character Flaws - A list of well, 123 character flaws.

Flaws and Weaknesses Generator - As the title says! Also has other helpful links for character designs.

16 Personalities - The popular personality test to determine what personality people fall under. But also useful to answer in character too.

Thought-Provoking Questions - A list of questions you can use to flesh out a character (or yourself).

--Colors--

ColorSnap - Make your own color palette by uploading any image.

Paletton - Select color schemes for websites or images. Drag the dots to create complimentary and tri-color schemes.

Coolors - Press your spacebar to create new color schemes. Lock or unlock colors you like, and rearrange them to your liking.

--Sounds--

MyNoise - Set ambient tones for drawing or writing. Make it feel like it’s raining outside, or you’re sitting in a café, or outside on a summer night but minus the cicadas.

Ambient Mixer - Has plenty of premade ambience, but you can still craft and edit your own.

--Other--

Waifu2x - A site that enlarges an image without losing the quality (most of the time). I mostly use it for Switch screenshots but I’m sure it can have other artistic uses.

Save as PNG - A useful Chrome extension that adds a ‘Save as PNG’ section to your right click. Nice for when images keep saving as .webp files. (you’ll have to search for this extension yourself, it doesn’t like me linking to it.)

Timer Tab - Turn your browser’s tab into a countdown clock. Useful for keeping focused.

Timer for Productivity - A small downloadable program to help keep you focused. Uses a timer in green when you’re working in an art program (or other authorized program), but stops and turns red if you click off and get distracted.

PostyBirb - A downloadable program that lets you upload an image to multiple websites at once. Includes many art sites such as Deviantart, Tumblr, Furaffinity, and many more. Will adjust your tags, titles, descriptions, and ratings to fit every website, and even allows minor changes for each individual site. I questioned it’s authenticity at first since it requires your login information, but after asking some tech-savvy friends, it’s been deemed safe. However, please use your own judgment and research unknown programs before downloading them!

--YouTube Artists--

Akihito Yoshitomi - A manga artist that shows their entire process, from sketching thumbnails to inking and finalizing tones. Often posts sketchbook drawings.

Jenna Drawing - A lovely artist that shows their progression over the years. Beautiful style.

Kaiteki ART - A wonderful watercolor artist who works with all kinds of interesting water based ink.

おてだま/ Otedama Art - Uses all kinds of mediums with beautiful results on every one.

The Art of Aaron Blaise - An animator that has worked for Disney in the past, who makes animation tutorials and often live streams his animation process. Has lots of amazing tips to give.

Proko - Has TONS of art tutorials, and brings on many different kinds of artists that give their own tips and classes. Can be anything from figure drawing, to environmental rendering. Has tutorials on the barebones basics of art and how to get started too. If you can draw a triangle, square, and a circle, then you’re on the road to success.

A standalone video that shows how to draw from a reference, and how to see where your flaws are.

A huge tutorial on Low Poly Modeling in Blender. Very long video but great for beginners.

50 Quick Tips and How to draw FAST - both have lots of tips for using Clip Studio Paint.

--Useful Tips--

Blender and ZBrushCoreMini are free 3D modeling programs. Krita is a free paint and animation program. Clip Studio Paint often has sales at half their regular price (I got mine for $25USD). Also has a free trial option. Worth every penny in my opinion.

Can’t figure out how to draw a background, or need a quick background sketch? Open up a photo in Clip Studio Paint if you have it, go to Filter > Effect > Artistic, and play with the sliders to your hearts content. Ta da, quick background.

Take photos of yourself in a pose, or use a mirror if you have to. Sometimes you don’t realize a pose is impossible or unnatural until you try it yourself.

When you go out, take photos of scenery! You have free references then. Just don’t take or use photos of other people unless you ask for their permission first.

I have many more useful images on My Pinterest that I try to keep updated, including color schemes, writing tips, clothing, tutorials, and a little bit of humor.

And remember, it is okay to use references.

#OC #OCs #original character #original characters #helpful #tips #reference #references #art references #list of art references #character #characters

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