#Rearrange started the fitting process recently

[qlfilmingupdates]

Currently Filming/In Progress (February 16)

Pre-Production:

Melody of Secrets: preparing

Love Upon a Time, Dog Bro, B-Friend, Roller Coaster, & Y-Destiny Spinoff: workshops

My Magic Prophecy, Whale Store xoxo, Rearrange, & The Wicked Game: fittings

Filming:

I'm the Most Beautiful Count: filming (started in Nov)

Only You: filming (started on Dec 15; scheduled for mid 2025)

The Killer Next Door: filming

The Hell Guard: filming (started on Jan 21)

Moon and Dust: filming

Memoir of Rati: Q3

The Ex-Morning: Q6

Lover Merman: Q6

Me and Who: Q8

Pit Babe 2: Q11

Reset: Q11

Knock Out: Q12

My Sweetheart Jom: Q12

Khemjira: Q12

The Bangkok Boys: Q35 (44 Qs total)

The Next Prince: Q35 (50-ish Qs; 50% done)

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Hiii, I just dicovered your acc and i'm loving it 🥰 I have this lil problem where I have in mind and write scenes but without a plot. And I'm very fond to the characters so I can't put them into a plot because I don't want them to suffer or a think if they do suffer it'll we forced and too much. Any tips for that?

How to Plot A Novel If You Only Have Characters & Scenes

So, you have a great cast of characters and some exciting scenes in mind, but you're struggling to put them together into a cohesive plot. Don't worry, you're not alone. Many writers struggle with plotting their novels, especially when they have a strong focus on characters and scenes. I have also been facing difficulties with this recently. But fear not, in this article, I’ll help you explore how you can plot a novel even if you only have characters and scenes to work with.

Why Is Plotting Important?

Before we dive into the how, let's first understand why plotting is important. A well-crafted plot is the backbone of any successful novel. It keeps readers engaged, creates tension and conflict, and ultimately leads to a satisfying resolution. Without a strong plot, your novel may fall flat and fail to capture the attention of readers.

Types of Plots

There are many different types of plots, but they can generally be categorized into three main types: character-driven, plot-driven, and hybrid.

Character-driven plots focus on the internal struggles and growth of the main character. The plot is driven by the character's desires, flaws, and decisions.

Plot-driven plots focus on external events and conflicts that drive the story forward. The characters may still have their own arcs, but the main focus is on the events and how they affect the characters.

Hybrid plots combine elements of both character-driven and plot-driven plots. They have a balance of internal and external conflicts that drive the story forward.

Understanding the type of plot you want to create can help guide your plotting process.

How to Plot A Novel with Only Characters & Scenes

Now that we understand the importance of plotting and the different types of plots, let's explore how you can plot a novel with only characters and scenes.

Start with Your Characters

Since you already have a strong cast of characters, it makes sense to start with them. Take some time to fully develop your characters, including their personalities, motivations, and flaws. This will help you understand how they will react in different situations and what conflicts they may face.

Identify Your Main Conflict

Every novel needs a main conflict that drives the story forward. This could be a physical conflict, such as a battle or a chase, or an emotional conflict, such as a character's internal struggle. Identify what the main conflict in your novel will be and how it will affect your characters.

Create a Story Structure

A story structure is a framework that helps guide the flow of your novel. It typically includes the beginning, middle, and end, and can be broken down further into acts or chapters. Creating a story structure can help you see the bigger picture of your novel and how your characters and scenes fit into it.

Map Out Your Scenes (High Priority) 🚩

Now it's time to map out your scenes. Start by listing all the scenes you have in mind, even if they are not in chronological order. Then, arrange them in a logical order that makes sense for your story. This may require some rearranging and tweaking to ensure a smooth flow of events.

Connect Your Scenes with Conflict (High Priority) 🚩

Once you have your scenes in order, it's time to connect them with conflict. Every scene should have some form of conflict, whether it's internal or external. This will keep readers engaged and drive the story forward. Look at each scene and identify the conflict present, and how it connects to the main conflict of the novel.

Create a Character Arc for Each Character

As your characters go through different conflicts and events, they should also experience growth and change. This is where character arcs come in. A character arc is the journey a character goes through, from their initial state to their final state. Create a character arc for each of your main characters, and make sure their actions and decisions align with their arc.

Add Subplots

Subplots are smaller storylines that run parallel to the main plot. They add depth and complexity to your novel and can help develop your characters further. Look at your characters and see if there are any side stories or relationships that could be explored in a subplot. Just make sure they tie back to the main plot in some way.

Use Plotting Tools

If you're struggling to put all the pieces together, consider using some plotting tools to help you. There are many resources available, such as plot diagrams, beat sheets, and storyboards, that can help you visualize your plot and ensure all the elements are in place. If you need help with scene structure use my new scene workbook here.

Real-World Examples of Plotting with Characters & Scenes

One example of a novel that successfully uses characters and scenes to drive the plot is "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. The main conflict is the trial of Tom Robinson, but it is the characters, particularly Scout and Atticus, and their reactions to the events that drive the story forward.

Another example is "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. The main conflict is the Hunger Games themselves, but it is Katniss' internal struggle and her relationships with other characters that keep readers engaged and invested in the story.

Final Thoughts

Plotting a novel with only characters and scenes may seem daunting, but with the right approach, it can be done successfully. Start by fully developing your characters, identifying the main conflict, and creating a story structure. Then, map out your scenes, connect them with conflict, and create character arcs. Don't be afraid to use plotting tools to help you along the way. With these tips, you'll be on your way to crafting a compelling plot that will keep readers hooked until the very end.

If you require assistance with developing your scene structure, you can access my Scene Workbook for Writers at no cost.

I am sorry to the individual who sent me this question. I have a lot of questions in my Tumblr inbox and have only recently come across this nice question. I apologize for the 4-month delay.

[beemers-hell]

I've seen a lot of fashion doll posting on your twitter and like, I don't exactly know how to ask but if you ever want to infodump about it on here that would be so genuinely interesting

Not pressuring you in any way of course! I just like seeing your fashion doll posting

rubs my hands together maliciously

Ok so I don't actually have anything I feel like talking about doll wise atm, I prefer making one off posts here n there about the dolls I'm into on twt more than tumblr cause I feel like twt is better suited for one off thoughts while tumblr is better suited for dedicated n thought out posts, at least with how I use it. Which is why you see a lot more wips/shitposts from me on twt than tumblr. so instead I'll just show yall my current collection!!! ANYWAY long ass post time

I've been working on finding and filling out various release lines from different doll brands im fixated on and have been rearranging my collection set up a lot cause of it lol. My shit is scattered all around my room because of how me and my little brother have divided up space for us to display both of our separate collections of things (we are both autistic and insane about our special interests) so there's gonna be a lot of photos lol

TO BEGIN: here's my display case of all my old g1 Monster High dolls I managed to hold onto since I was a kid! I got all of these back when MH initially debuted (when I was around 8 or 9) and all of these dolls have survived through my childhood/teenage years, hence why they're not in super great shape unfortunately lol

the only exceptions to this being the Día de Muertos Howliday Skelita, since obvs that's a recent release, as well as the misc. dolls I have scattered around the top of the case, those are dolls that s0uless has gifted to me over the past 2 years teehee

Moving on, to my current collection of dolls I began purchasing for myself over the past year: starting with this set of shelves next to my bed! I'm mainly using this as my Bratz shelf, but I ran out of room to fit my Skultimate Secrets Fearidescent Dolls where I usually keep my Monster High dolls, so they're there for now.

I only have Jade's reproduction doll because when the Bratz reproductions first began releasing, I was being strict with myself about not indulging in dolls again so I only let myself get Jade since shes my fav. Which I'm sad about, cause I'd love to have all the girls together for both their 20th anniversary reproduction dolls and their Alwayz dolls together. Also, there's a spot left empty next to my Alwayz Cloe bc I have Not been able to find Alwayz Sasha in stores like ANYWHERE for the past 2 months, so I gave up and ordered her online. She'll be arriving here in a couple days!!

Next up is this series of shelves above my dresser that I mainly use to display misc. figures n other shit I've come to own since I was like 12 (you can tell bc of the MHA stuff lmao) but I recently cleared some space so I could fit my Skultimate Secrets Series 1 Dolls (and Spa Day Lagoona + Scare-adise Frankie and Draculaura) somewhere, as well as having a place to display my current set of LOL OMG dolls! And also Bank art doll cameo lmao

Then we have the top shelf of my desk, which mostly has various Knicks knacks compacted into a corner but I put my two LOL OMG Tweens together there, as well as my single Licca doll that s0uless got me for this past christmas and the custom doll they made of my sona for me! <3

(fun fact me and s0uless are currently in the process of making more custom dolls of Eb, Bank, and the triplets but you'll have to wait n see on that one hehe)

And finally for dolls, here's my desk setup, where I display my main Monster High dolls! I mostly just display each Signature Doll + Their Core Refreshes here, but Monsterball Draculaura didn't have space anywhere else so she gets to chill there too lmao

Thats it for my actual dolls, but I have two other photos to share, which is just how I set up my Skultimate Secrets Series 1 Lockers + where I put the posters that come with each Bratz doll I have lmao

ok thats all I'm done now, ill update this when Sasha gets here lmao

[codiecoda]

Stuck - Lex Luthor/Slade Wilson

Slade ends up getting stuck in a tight space due to his gear and calls Alex for help, which leads to a lot of embarrassment.

[Drabble Prompt: I’m stuck! Help me!]

Slade had always viewed himself as a rather limber person, especially when it came to his work and bedroom activities, which was something he had proved to a certain scientist time and time again whenever he would express concerns over outrageous positions he wanted to attempt. It was something the assassin was rather proud of, but despite being so limber, his gear sometimes served to be a handicap in such activities, especially since he did not always remember to account for the change in his size. This just so happened to be the mistake he made when it came to his current situation.

Recently the assassin had promised to rearrange some heavy equipment for his precious scientist while he went to pick up their lunch. The task was going pretty well until he ended up knocking an important paper off the scientist's desk, which just so happened to slip between some shelves. He thought about leaving it, but he knew Alex would probably be mad when he couldn't find it. It looked like a rather tight fit between the shelves, but the assassin was pretty certain he could grab it without issue, but when he began shimmying between them to grab the paper, he was met with the realization that doing this with his gear on was a bad idea, as he had managed to wedge himself in there good and couldn't get himself back out. It was an absolutely humiliating feat.

“I should have known this was a bad idea.” Slade noted while struggling to get himself back out, finding himself unable to move even an inch. “This is the exact reason that I don't do anything considerate. This whole ordeal seemed like the start of a bad porno, and I'm not looking forward to being the star of that show.. I don't have the ass for it.”

It was almost twenty minutes later when the scientist returned, and in that time the assassin had only managed to get himself further stuck by trying to get out of the mess he had found himself in. There was no denying the embarrassment the assassin felt when he heard the scientist calling out his name as he walked in, knowing it was only a matter of time until he found him in such an undignified state. It was an absolutely awful situation to be in.

“I made sure to get you some extra red sauce this time. I was actually hoping to maybe get a taste of it this time—” Alex started to say only to interrupt himself, noticing the assassin's lower half sticking out from between the two shelves. “Slade, is this another sex thing or..”

“No, this is not another sex thing! I got stuck down here when I tried to retrieve a piece of paper that had fallen between the shelves.” Slade snapped, not even needing to see the scientist to know how much he was enjoying this. “I would really appreciate some help here.”

“I don't know.. you're giving me a pretty nice view.” Alex responded, growing increasingly amused when the assassin started kicking his legs in frustration. “Slade, stop kicking! I'm going to help you.”

From there the scientist proceeded to grab the assassin by the legs and began to drag him out, but unfortunately this had the effect of pulling his pants down in the process, giving him more of a view than the assassin would have liked to give. That did very little to stop the scientist from admiring those thighs as the assassin raced to get up and fix his pants. He always loved those thighs, especially when they were bare.

“I swear you did that on purpose.” Slade claimed while tightening his belt, taking both containers of red sauce in retaliation. “Did you at least enjoy the view you received?”

“I loved the view. I rather liked the bright orange boxers you put on.” Alex claimed, not even bothering to hide his amusement. “You can remove them after lunch in order to repay me for my assistance.”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63177067

[sugoiney-weaver]

A Guided Tour of the Fortress Blizzardpaddles

Starting from the top of the fortress, I have a mist generator on the roof

Above the entrance I have a public tavern and a small library. Archer towers surround my fort, though they've never been put to use.

Before the archer towers, I build this platform for my archers. Also never used. The platform in the center was originally just meant to keep snow and rain from falling into the fortress.

At ground level, we have corpse and refuse stockpiles, beehives, nest boxes, and a garden.

On the main floor, we have the trade depot right at the entrance. I separate my trade goods into two stockpiles: one for elves, and one for everyone else. I recently overhauled my military and relocated some of the barracks and archery ranges. at the south is my fishery, which is protected with iron grates in the river and glass blocks above. I'm not sure why but I have perpetual ice in the river. To the east are some new farms I'm building to scale up my dye and cloth production. I also have my surface hospital here, seed storage, and a mist generator.

Below I have archery ranges, soap making, my citizen's/residents tavern (recently rearranged) milling and pressing, farms, and farmer workshops. I'm proud of that tower sticking up out of the water. The river here freezes from mid-autumn to early spring but it was a race against the clock to get that watertight.

Here I have food & Drink storage for the tavern above. I also have a large library with hundreds of written works. Beneath the soapmakers workshops is a stockpile of lye, oil, and tallow. Below the farmers workshops is a stockpile for wool, milk, and processable plants.

Food and drink production, including butchers, ashery (supplying lye upwards), stills, and kitchens.

Storage and supplies for food & drink production, and block & brick storage. meltable objects are above the smelters for recycling.

Manufacturing level. I try to keep workshops grouped by supply chain, with stockpiles above and below in a way that makes sense. See below for an example.

Wood feeds the carpenters and the wood furnace. Fuel is near all the furnaces, kilns, and forges. Textile industry is grouped together. This requires quite a bit of planning, and learning from experience from previous forts.

TEMPLES! I started making quadruple-size temples for the faiths with ~100 followers, because the smaller ones were getting very crowded. Every temple has a bunch of instruments, and almost all of them have a dedicated performer. The large temples are built with steel block walls.

Nobles apartments, and museum.

Guildhalls. I'm starting to build more even if the guilds aren't established yet. As my economy grows more complex, there are a lot more job titles, so there are fewer guilds being established.

Residential quarter. This is my first time giving everyone a 4x4 bedroom. I used to do 1x3 bedrooms, which allowed me to fit 12 rooms per block. I think the dwarves prefer the extra space though. I spent several years renovating the bedrooms by replacing stone walls with porcelain brick, and they LOVE it!

Tombs. Too many tombs. Most of them are full, a lot of them are pets though. My dungeons is here, with my Cask of Amontillado'd werelizard in the northeast corner.

And finally, several layers below, is my cavern hospital. It's really nice to have a second hospital down below for when the Amphibian Folk come and fuck with us.

That's all for this fort. My FPS hovers between 8 and 15 so it takes about 15 hours to go through a single year. I don't want to be done with it, but it's getting unbearably slow.

[swordduels]

Private starter Clarimonde’s mother had prepared a warm bath with scented soaps and clean towels laid out. After undressing they were stepping inside the wooden bathtub to gently pour water above their own head. There was a comfortable silence as they began to scrub themself with great care before rinsing every trace of foam away. Once done they sat in silence while leaning back with a quiet sigh. Warm steam made fog upon the tiny lake house window which usually gave a full view of a glimmering lake inhabited by swans and wild ducks. Unfortunately there had been less hatching of eggs this summer thanks to an increase of hungry marten. As if that wasn’t enough there was an intense heat that refused to give way for rain. Bloodfather had been angered somehow and in order to appease him there was a need for sacrifices to be made. But heathen blood, hymns and dancing rituals had done nothing to bring more rain. The elders had been deeply troubled for some time but were recently given a sign in the form of a prophetic dream. He wished for a bride untouched and unmarried. Most young maidens were already promised away and very few wished to part from their beloved daughters. Bloodfather’s bride would be spirited away to his beloved kingdom for eternal salvation if the bride in question was to his liking. It was an honor to be chosen and yet very few wanted to be given to him. Chosen brides would carry his child as well. Clarimonde blushed while touching their own stomach in deep thought. There was a knock to the door before her mother opened and stepped inside with a carefully folded white dress in her arms. “It is done, get up and dry yourself.” Clarimonde turned to her before doing as they were told. Their mother carefully put down the dress before aiding Clarimonde with the drying process. “I think braids will have to do, we don’t have time for anything else.” She said shortly before steering a chair towards Clarimonde and gestured for them to sit down. “Yes mother.” After doing as they were told she was roughly brushing brough thick locks before swiftly moving them into a three parted pattern that ended with a white silk ribbon. “I didn’t know we had silk.” Clarimonde’s voice came in a whisper as the finished braid was placed above their shoulder. A luxury such as silk must have been quite expensive. “It was a gift child.” There was a soft tone to her voice as one hand gently hugged their shoulder. They blinked and slowly touched her hand. “Do you think he will take me as a bride? I’m not pretty like the other girls.”        “Hush now, child. He will know your heart is earnest and filled with love for him. It is but vanity to think he would only have eyes for what a woman looks like.” “But I am not like many other women.” “Don’t speak of such things. You know how to cook and clean. You have the body of a fertile woman. The only thing you have very little experience of is how to please a husband and childbearing but you’ll learn. He will teach you.”  “Yes mother.” “Cousin Anne has been sewing for days so make sure to thank her properly when we meet her.” “Do you think it’ll fit now? I’m not built as you are.” “She has taken your measurements and rearranged everything. I am certain it will go over your shoulders now.” While speaking to each other they started to feel warm inside while tears began to well up without gracing their cheeks. Above the other shoulder lay soon another braid with a white silk ribbon. “It’s time to get dressed now. After arranging your hair with pins and flowers you ought to be ready.” “Thank you mother.” “You’re welcome.” There was a chaste kiss upon Clarimonde’s head before the silence was broken once again. “I’m so proud of you, Clarimonde.” @lured-into-wonderland

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Hello!

Im also aro/ace happy to see another one in the wild hehe! Thank you for opening up your readings for free, but I imagine you must be getting a large influx so please take your time to getting to this or not at all!

Here we go: Alyssa, she/her

Question: Which direction is my Profesional life heading?

So for some context this year has just overall been a whole tower moment ngl, amd I've been vastly unemployed for a hot uncomfortable second. I am still trying to return to college and finish my degree but because we live in a society I must pay bills so I have a job now. I will say! It's been going good finally as I'm now employed as a deaf interpreter and I'm really loving my job as I'm feeling like I'm making a difference in children lives. However my goals are still aligned with eventually graduating college and going to grad school to be a researcher, my true dream. There's been so many difficulties, but I'm not ready to give up on it either. And logically I know I have my whole life to figure this out, but I feel I have been drifted from so many ports its hard to know where I'm supposed to dock if that makes sense?

Anyways, any guidance you have would be very helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to read this! Thank you :D

Hell yeah, aspec squad! And I get that feeling, Alyssa, I recently had a wild upset of my own when it came to my professional stuff. So with that in mind, your deck for today is The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck, who had given you the Page of Charisma.

Something has torn down the rope bridge that spans the chasm. The villagers need help rebuilding it.

Getting into action and rekindling your sense of adventure starts with the small stuff and with realizing what isn't working. In this deck, the Minor Arcana have been renamed to four of the six major D&D stats, and Charisma denotes your confidence, eloquence, and ability to influence the material world with your energy. A Page is above the numbered cards in a suit, but at the bottom of the court - so while you're really good at what you're doing, you still have plenty of growth to do.

And looking at the card itself, our adventurer has a tiger friend, which means that you're not alone when it comes to your professional life - you have coworkers, friends, and fellow students you can talk to on your level, and you can ask for help from those who are in teaching or guiding positions above you. The adventurer and their tiger are going through a door into a tree together. A tree symbolizes growth, yet the stability of years of experience, while a door symbolizes stepping through a threshold and to new opportunities, whether it's the next step in your chosen path or onto a new path entirely.

So honestly, you said it yourself! You've got your whole life to figure things out, but if you want a little help, start by looking at a general breakdown of your day, week, or month. What's taking up the most time? How can you better adapt your schedule to fit your own needs? Who can you ask for help, either with rearranging that schedule or with smaller tasks within it?

You've got plenty of time, and things are overall looking really good for ya. You've just gotta trust the process on some parts.

I hope this reading helps, Alyssa! If you feel so inclined, please feel free to send feedback in my ask box and/or reblog my new reading guidelines!

~Jasper

[electricbluebutterflies]

Kabby + Seeking shelter.

PG-ish and also on ao3.

Oh, as if this day wasn’t going badly enough.

Abby cannot remember a time in her life when anyone might have described her as calm – maybe when she was a small child, before she could speak in complete sentences, but even that feels unlikely – but her current state of angry anxiety feels understandable enough. Her idiot of a counterpart had decided it was a good idea for her to see some of the nearby natural features, and she’d been just bored enough and just convinced their respective recent physical damage would limit the range of this outing, and now-

It's snowing, and they are at least two miles from home. This is what she gets for trusting him.

Abby is well aware that she should be used to this, but… the problem is she’s used to Marcus’s spectacular ideas being a little more obviously terrible in general and a lot more obviously dangerous towards her specifically. There have been benefits to the timing of his midlife crisis, fine, but-

“If we make it back in one piece…”

“What do you mean if?!”

Oh, where to start. They are in the middle of nowhere, for one, and not dressed for this weather or at least she isn’t, and she is freezing, and-

“We’re too far to-“

“We won’t make it back in the middle of this. Visibility isn’t-“

Great, so now he realizes they’re screwed, that’s a little quicker than she expected but still-

“I repeat, if we-“

“There’s a cave that way. I think. Not ideal, but-“

Right now she will take not ideal, and right now she’d like to get her hands around his neck but she knows she needs to save her energy for… whatever other fuckery awaits, because this day doesn’t feel over with, and-

He takes her hand, keeps her close, and she would be mad about that too if she wasn’t already mad about a dozen other things at higher volumes and-

To her great surprise, there is a cave nearby enough, and it’s at least dry and not currently occupied by any large animals that might want to eat them, and for all Marcus’s currently-on-display faults at least the man has a sense of direction, and-

“Now what?”

“Now we wait.”

“Until-“

“At least until the sky clears. Probably overnight, if you’re-“

Great. Overnight in an unfamiliar small space with someone she has weird tension with. That’ll end well. She’ll end up on top of him one way or another, she’s sure of it, and-

“You have a plan until then?”

“We should stay close. I’d suggest body heat, but-“

It’s not a bad idea, Abby thinks as she shifts her position closer. She knows they fit well, and while this may be the least catastrophic situation in which she’s been reminded of that…

He’s solid, and maneuvers her a little so her hair doesn’t get stuck on any of the details of his jacket, and there’s an almost-gentleness to it that she does not have mental space to process, and-

“Try to rest,” he murmurs. “I’ll take first watch.”

“You think we need that?”

“If anything…”

She tilts her head to look up at him, big eyes and stubbornness. “You sleep too light. Anything steps on a dead leaf out there, you’ll hear it.”

He gives her a look like she is not wrong and rearranges their positions accordingly. She ends up mostly on top of him as she’d expected, and his shoulder does make a good pillow, and-

“Are you comfortable?”

“I’m too overwhelmed for that to register. For the circumstances… yes?”

It takes her a while to close her eyes, to trust that there is nothing else to do but try to hibernate. His heartbeat is steady enough, arms wrapped protectively around her, and-

(When she wakes up, the snowstorm has passed and everything is alright. Except explaining what happened in the morning, when they make it home. That is… not one of the highlights of her life.)

(Still, somehow, worth it.)

[icantleave]

For the art ask game: 10 and 22

Also when making jewelry, how do you plan out a piece? or is it just looking for a specific vibe?

I'll be honest with you I do not remember which ask game specifically you are talking about since I didn't reblog any today as far as i remember, so it would be cool if you included the questions, otherwise i can't answer <з

And about jewelry: if we're talking about necklaces such as what I post here lately, I usually plan all my pieces, sometimes long before getting to make them, sometimes only when I sit down to do it. But either way when I start I have all my materials in the same place where I can look at them, then I start with the most important parts: in every necklace there's a central part for me, like multiple big beads, or a pendant, or a cool individual bead (i have lots that I own only one of) that I want to be a central piece. Then I search through my materials for all beads that are compatible to it by colour or shape, put them all in front of me and then try to lay them out in a shape of a future necklace, discarding the ones that don't fit in the process and rearranging them until it looks good. Most of the time I take a picture of it when it's done or at least partially done, because the beads have a tendency to roll away :) so I have a couple of recent pictures of a test layout and a finished piece for comparison:

sometimes I find a cool bead and get an idea for a necklace with it, sometimes i have an idea and have to search for something that will fit it.

[biographygen]

Top excite blog Alternative in 2024

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Selecting the ideal blogging platform for your requirements is the first step in starting a successful blog. With the correct tool, running a blog will be simple, from creating the website to controlling the content to expanding your readership. Certain blogging platforms prioritize simplicity by providing only the most basic design and publishing tools. Others favor complete customization, enabling users to change every element of their website.

Excite blog Alternative in 2024:

1. Hostinger's Blog Maker

An all-in-one platform for creating websites, including blogs, is Hostinger Website Builder. With the help of AI, it aims to speed up and simplify website development so you can concentrate on producing content. The AI onboarding wizard is the first step in using Hostinger's AI tool for website development. Choose a blog template, write your brand name, and describe the kind of website you require. Three responsive layouts will be produced by the AI. Important Features - Drag-and-drop capabilities: You can easily rearrange them to suit your preferences and add new sections or elements. Make sure the layout appears well-proportioned by adjusting the row and column guides. - Essential tools for publishing blogs: Make new content, save it as a draft, add a featured image, create categories, and set a publishing date. - Customization of blog category pages: Feel free to choose how many articles to display on a single page as well as what details, like the author's name and reading time, should be displayed. - Artificial intelligence tools: Use the AI Heatmap to examine the design of your website and the AI Content Generator to expedite the blog writing process. You can also use our AI Logo Maker to create stunning and distinctive logos if you don't mind paying a little more. - Features related to on-page search engine optimization (SEO): Based on your website, our AI generates a unique meta title and description that you can modify further. To make each blog post more SEO-friendly, you can also alter the title, description, and URL structure. Cons - Restricted ability to be extended - Installing third-party extensions to add more features is not currently possible. Nevertheless, our product roadmap allows you to stay informed about the new tools we're adding to the platform on a regular basis. - No feature for managing users - It is not possible for more than one person to work on the same blog at once. Thankfully, you can alter the name of the blog post author if you collaborate with a group of writers. Cost - You just need to select the package that best fits your needs because all of our website hosting plans come with the Hostinger Website Builder. - The Premium plan is a good option for a personal blog. Starting at ₹129.00/month, it includes 100 email accounts, an SSL certificate to secure your website, and a free custom domain name. 2. Word Press

One open-source content management system (CMS) is Word Press. It is the most widely used blogging platform available, supporting more than 98% of all blogs. One of the primary factors contributing to WordPress's popularity is its ease of use. Without technical expertise, users of all skill levels can create their own blogs thanks to the intuitive interface. Installing third-party plugins, themes, or extensions gives you total control over how your blog is customized. Important Features - Full toolkit for publishing: Features include storing content as drafts, planning the publication date, examining edits from earlier iterations, and password-protecting an article to make it public or private. - Block-based editor that is easy to use: The most recent version of WordPress allows users to edit pages and blog posts using a drag-and-drop interface. Block patterns are pre-made sections of web pages that you can use or add new content blocks to. Divi is another option for your block editor. - Tagging and classifying content: Make your blog entries easier to read by organizing them. If you have a lot of content, make subcategories within the primary categories. - Actions in bulk for pages and posts: You can save time and effort by using this feature to edit or remove multiple contents from your WordPress site at once. - Management of comments: To keep the audience interested, moderate and respond to comments. You have the option to accept, reject, or flag them as spam. Cons - Dependence on plugs - For a blogging website, WordPress's built-in features are adequate, but installing plugins might be required to maximize the platform's potential. Selecting plugins from reliable developers will help you stay clear of security and performance problems. Cost - Although WordPress is free, in order to use it to create a website, you will need a domain name and a web host plan. - Our managed WordPress hosting packages at Hostinger start at ₹129.00 per month. All packages come with a plugin vulnerability scanner to improve the speed of your website, automatic software updates, and the LiteSpeed caching plugin in addition to a one-click software installer. 3. Medium

Medium is a hybrid of blogging software and social networks. It gives aspiring bloggers the chance to quickly get their content in front of more than 100 million monthly active visitors. Medium tends to be simpler than other free blogging platforms. Because each profile uses the same template, bloggers can concentrate on creating content instead of having to deal with complex design work. Having said that, you can add your logo and alter the blog's colors to make it uniquely yours. Important Features - Intuitive editor for blog posts: It is perfect for novices because of its user-friendly visual interface. A link to your story draft can also be shared so that others can read it before it is published. - Claps for the story: Likes on other social media platforms are comparable to this feature. One user can give you as many claps as they like, which is the difference. Medium is more likely to suggest a blog post to other users if it receives a lot of claps. - Statistics for the story: See how many people have found your posts, read them through to the end, and given you claps by using the integrated analytics tool. - Publications of a moderate size: Several Medium users have shared these blogs. To increase visibility, write one for your local community or submit pieces to already-published magazines. - Subscription to email: With the help of this feature, readers can receive email notifications whenever you post new content. Make sure the promotional pop-up message is consistent with your brand and invites readers to follow you by personalizing it. Cons - Absence of features for personalization - It could be challenging for your Medium blog to stand out if all the profiles have the same layout. Furthermore, using your own domain name is not permitted on the platform. - Very simple tools for blogging - For example, in comparison to other blogging platforms, the content categorization system is inadequate. Furthermore, it is not possible to install third-party extensions to increase the functionality of built-in features. Cost - You can start a blog on Medium about anything for free. For readers who want to access stories indefinitely, they do offer subscription plans. They cost $50 a year or $5 a month. 4. Ghost Ghost is a straightforward yet effective paid blogging tool. It is the ideal option for novices and lovers of minimalist design because of its simple setup and attractive templates. Many content creators have used Ghost for their blog sites, despite the fact that it might not be as well-known as other platforms. YouTuber Ali Abdaal, who frequently posts articles about studying and productivity, is a good example. He runs his newsletter subscription using Ghost as well. Important Features Numerous built-in features are available in Ghost to manage a blog and membership site: - Editor for blog posts that is easy to use: Navigating the clear visual interface is simple. You can preview the article on desktop, mobile, email, and Twitter, upload images, and use a stock photo. - Dozens of themes: The majority of them use various color schemes and layouts in a minimalistic fashion. Both a free and a paid option are available, with prices starting at $24. - Integrated subscription to the newsletter: A membership feature and email list signup form are integrated into the platform. Subscribers can receive content automatically whenever it is published. - Making money from memberships: Provide both free and paid subscription options so that your audience can help you out financially. To accept payments, you must have a Stripe account. - Analytics for members: Ghost's dashboard analytics let you see the engagement and activity of your audience. Utilize this data to determine the next piece of content to produce. Cons - Limited ability to customize the design - For example, you can change the colors and navigation design of the entire website, but you can't change the font. - Expensive prices - Ghost is not the best option for a personal blog because its plans are more costly than those of other blogging platforms on the list. Cost - Ghost provides a free 14-day trial. You can then buy one of the plans listed below. You will receive varying numbers of permitted administrators and blog subscribers for each price tier: - Starter – $9/month. One admin user and up to 500 members. - Basic – $29/month. Two admin users and up to 1,000 members. - Standard – $79/month. Five admin users and up to 1,000 members. - Business – $199/month. Unlimited admin users and up to 10,000 members. 5. Joomla

Another CMS that facilitates blog sites is Joomla. It is a great option for medium-sized to large sites with numerous collaborators due to its sophisticated user management. Its integrated multilingual capability is also excellent for reaching a worldwide audience. The software will automatically translate your front-end content if you just set up one of the language modules. You will need a web hosting service with a Joomla installer, such as Hostinger, and a domain name in order to set up this CMS. Log in to the Joomla dashboard after the installation is complete. Important Features - Multilingual support has been integrated: More than 50 languages can be used by Joomla to translate the content of your blog. - Modules with a blog focus: To make it easier for users to navigate your website, use modules as widgets. You can add a clever search engine, display your most popular articles, and indicate who is online on the blog. - Banner ads: Use the integrated banner feature to place ads on the blog and monitor how many impressions they receive if you wish to run ads. - Sophisticated user administration: Describe their role on your blog, invite new users, and specify what they can do. Messages sent via the contact form on your website can also have recipients added. Cons - Steep learning curve - It could take some time for novices to adjust to Joomla's user interface and usage of web development terminology. Additionally, you have to manually download and upload extensions. - No integrated commenting system - To enable users to reply to your blog entries, you must install an extension such as CComment Core. Cost - Because Joomla is a self-hosted platform, in order to use it, you will need both Joomla hosting and a domain name. - The Premium plan from Hostinger is a fantastic place to start. There is more than enough room to run and expand your Joomla website thanks to the 100 GB SSD storage and limitless bandwidth. The monthly cost is ₹129.00. Read the full article

[isila21]

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[nullshocked]

@orlesianapologist Been busy this morning but now I can sit down and talk about this aaaaaaa!

I'm putting it under a cut to spare my dash. But:

My Process(TM) for Getting That Shit Edited

Step 1: Write the Draft

Like obviously you need a base to work from. I won't tell you how to draft your stuff, because everyone approaches it differently. I try not to focus too much on how something looks or sounds when I am writing a rough draft because fixing it and making it nice is what revisions are for. Sometimes when I write drafts I skip over details and just try to get the action down on paper.

I also have a habit of outlining SECOND rather than outlining first because that's what works for me: I write drafts in what I've seen Chuck Wendig describe as the bring your flashlight method of plotting a story, where I have a vague idea, kinda sketch it out either in the document or in my head, and write from there. (I found this post from him like ten years ago and have found it to be very valuable. Your mileage may vary of course, and what works for one person may not work for someone else.)

Step 2: Rewrites

You have a draft! I'm so proud of you! Now write it again. Writing is rewriting is rewriting. We know the saying.

I focus on fleshing out parts of the story I didn't flesh out the first time around, or adding in details that I didn't think of the first time. Sometimes there's a lot of me planting in FORESHADOWING(tm) that I didn't do the first time because I hadn't thought of it yet. This necessarily tends to balloon my wordcount because of how I tend to write, but it's fine.

I do at this point also take into account what I'm going to call Structural Edits. (I think that's a film term? idk someone probably uses this. Or I might sound insane.) That's the part where I move chunks of the story around for better narrative flow, or remove superfluous chunks that don't fit in. At this stage I am not concerned with how it reads, I am concerned with the plot beats and getting as much detail in as I think is important.

Step 3: Scribble All Over That Shit

It's a little bit of a running joke that I do this stage of editing like a total weirdo. I prefer to print things out because working with paper is easier for me, but you can do this however you want: comments in googledocs/word/etc, make it a pdf and write highlights, etc. Recently when I did this I made the file into a PDF, then turned THAT into image files and draw all over them in photoshop because physical notes help me. Yeah idk either.

This is the stage where I go line by line and pick things apart. I'll list what I look for and why, but this is by no means a hard and fast rule and please do not take my preferences as the arbiter of what makes good fiction. If I made good fiction, I'd be published in something non-academic.

╰┈➤ Paragraph Construction: Everything I talk about after this will largely feed into constructing paragraphs, so I'm gunna start with it. Words matter, as so does the word order. Sentence order also matters. I have a habit sometimes of placing just whatever details I think of down, and it doesn't always flow with the rest of the paragraph it's in. Take it out, rearrange it, use it in a new paragraph. I underline stuff like this to rearrange as needed.

╰┈➤ Sentence Structure As Mood Music: Now into the nitty gritty! How you structure sentences is SUPER helpful for conveying emotion. A lot of the last piece I wrote had structures where Jack is feeling extremely anxious, so there are parts where I let sentences run on and into each other to help convey his anxious mental state. Shorter sentences can hit harder and faster. Longer ones can feel meandering or dreamlike. It's all in the language and the structure. If you wanna be seriously annoying about it, there are entire courses on syntax you can look into.

╰┈➤ Sublimation vs. In Your Face: So the whole "show don't tell" argument is fucking annoying and I don't really pay much attention to it anymore. So my rule for stuff is this: what is a character trying to hide, versus what are they more obvious about? If someone is manipulative and cruel, I'm not going to fucking point that out in the text. I try to work that into how they move, speak, and react to a situation. Body language and expression. All of that. If something is more obvious, then I make it more obvious. I might have the POV character outright state that they think someone is acting manipulatively if they think that's what's happening. I think that's far more useful as a storytelling tool personally and also lets a clever reader piece together little details as they go, which is frankly more engaging.

╰┈➤ Adverbs (-ly) words: This is preference and there's lots of arguments for why it's fine to keep these in. For me, I find that I tend to rely on adverbs in spaces where I can stand to be more descriptive. I usually circle the ones I find on the page and then in the next step I'll look at them and see how I feel. If the adverb feels like the best choice for that moment, I leave it. If I feel like I can use a better word or description, I change it. That's entirely up to you and what you prefer!

╰┈➤ Commas, commas, commas: I tend to learn toward a LOT of comma splices when I write drafts, which leads to a lot of long and confusing sentences. I do try to eliminate some of these if I feel like a passage is harder to follow. Others I leave if they suit the mood.

╰┈➤ The rest of it: Lastly, I just look for how things are worded. Sometimes I see a sentence and I just hate how it reads, so I underline it to see if I can do something better with it. Sometimes I don't like how a scene is flowing so I make a note of it. I also make what I will call "stage notes" in the margins for things I am trying to convey, like "Jack in this scene is feeling very anxious because of x thing" or "this is a tense situation" etc. This is for me to remember when I go to do the next step so I can make sure I am getting across the information I am trying to get across.

Woof, that's a lot. Okay so...

Step 4: Rewrites Two: The Rewritening

WRITING IS REWRITING IS REWRITING— anyway.

So this is the full revision process. Take your notes (however you decided to compile them) and get through and make those changes. Sometimes you will come across other things to fix in the process and that's perfectly fine. Sometimes you may decide not to go with something you made a note of before and that's also fine. But this is where you are making your little tweaks and making it better. There's not a lot to this phase.

Step 5: Optional Beta

I don't tend to ask people to beta read my stuff because I am an impatient asshole and just want to finish it. Don't be me. Find a trusted friend and ask them to read over your work. They don't need to dig into huge details at this stage unless something is just really not coming together for whatever reason. Getting another pair of eyes to make sure something is flowing the way it should is very helpful. A scene may make sense in your head, but another person may have difficult parsing what you're trying to say.

Also my dumbass ADHD brain has a problem with things like missing typos when I go to correct, or leaving out entire words because my brain mentally skips over them, so someone who can find those for me and point it out is helpful.

Step 6: Final Tweaks

Find your typos and missing words. Make sure your punctuation is in the right places. Make any final adjustments you want. You've got this I'm so proud of you. It's not a big thing, mainly just combing to be thorough.

And that's it! You're done! Go forth.

Additional Notes

╰┈➤ Take your time with a piece. I know it's extremely tempting to put something up as soon as it's done. I've speedran finishing fics for a laugh. But between each of these steps, it's a good idea to let the draft sit for a day or two before returning to it with fresh eyes. It's good for your brain and also it'll help you find shit you may otherwise miss because you're too close to it.

╰┈➤ Rough drafts are rough drafts. They're allowed to suck. The entire point of editing and revision is to make it not suck. This was a lesson I really had to beat into my skull so I wouldn't get discouraged from finishing anything.

╰┈➤ Writing is not one size fits all. I do all these steps because that is what personally works for me. I look for the things I do in my nitty-gritty editing because those are personal preferences. Do not take any of this as a hard and fast rule, but rather as insight for how to develop your own process.

╰┈➤ Like a hypocrite, I did not edit any of this post. That's not really important, I just thought it was funny and you should know that.

╰┈➤ I've said this elsewhere, but READ!! Read lots of books! Read different eras and genres of books! Reading will teach you how to be a better writer. Reading theory is also nice if you like, but really just read a bunch of authors and think on their stories. Learn from how they write, and apply those lessons.

THAT'S IT SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG.

My writing advice is to learn how to self-edit your work. It's a skill that takes time and practice to develop but it helps so fucking much. I probably edit way more than is necessary for my fanfic but tbh it's also my practice for learning how to edit my other writing.

[maxwell-grant]

You have done an (excelent) post on how to reinvent Batman as a Pulp Hero. Do you think you could do one to Superman as well? Or do you think it is impossible to do this with the progenitor of the Super Hero genre without transforming him in a totaly diferent character?

Well, you saying it as impossible only makes it seem ever more tempting of a challenge, but yes, it is a bit harder. I'm gonna link my Batman post here as a reference point.

Partially because Batman's a franchise I've thought extensively about for a long time in regards to what I like about it or how I'd like to approach if given the opportunity, which is not something I can really say for Superman until more recently the Big Blue to start orbiting my brain. I don't have years worth of redesigns or fan concepts saved on my galleries and files to comb through to pick and choose here, and my experience with Superman as a character is considerably different, in some aspects more deeply personal, and not really something I'd like to go into in this blog, at least not now.

Part of the reason why it's harder is also because Batman and Superman have very different relationships with their pulp inspirations. Batman was, ostensibly, a pulp character adapted to comics, a dime-a-dozen Shadow knock-off who picked up and played up diverging traits from other characters and gradually ran with them to gradually forge a unique identity. Superman right from the start was rooted in a much stronger conceptual underpinning: the Sci-Fi Superman and Alien Menace who, instead of being a tragic monster or a tyrannical villain, becomes a costumed adventurer and social crusader. Even the name Super-Man was taken from an early story of Siegel and Shuster about a telepathic villain who ends the story lamenting that he should have used his powers for the good of mankind instead of selfishness. I hesitate to call what Siegel and Shuster were doing “subversive” because that term's picked up a real negative connotation, and it's not like Siegel and Shuster were out to upend their influences (they were pulp aficionados themselves), but rather putting a more positive, new spin on them.

Which is why it also becomes a bit harder to do what I did with Batman and align Superman with some of his pulp-esque inspirations, like John Carter, Flash Gordon or Hugo Danner, without just making it "Superman but he's John Carter", "Superman but it's Flash Gordon", and "Iron Munro / Superman but everything sucks" respectively. It's harder to create a character that wouldn't feel reduntant and derivative at best, and actively contradictory to Superman at worst.

I guess if I had to come up with a "Pulp Hero Superman" take I liked, well first of all I'd have to take steps to distance it from the likes of Tom Strong or Al Ewing's Doc Thunder, those two are as good as it gets in regards to Pulp Supermen. I stipulated for Batman a "No Guns, No Murder, No Service" policy partially to distance my takes on Batman from all the "Pulp Batmen" that just add guns and murder and take Batman back to the barest of basics. Likewise, I'm adding a "No Depowered Science Hero" rule here, which means it's a take that's likely going to veer off a lot more into fantasy and probably enough tampering with Clark's character that it does risk becoming a different character.

Frankly I don't think I'm gonna succeed at doing these without just making it a new character entirely, because with Batman you can get away with just upending the character's aesthetic and setting and even origin and still keep it recognizably Bruce Wayne (in fact Batman does that all the time), which isn't really the case with Superman, who needs those to remain recognizably Superman as he goes through internal changes and character shifts. I guess what I'm gonna do here is more taking the building blocks of Superman/Clark Kent and see a couple new ways I can rearrange them to create a Pulp Superman

Perhaps something we can do is to scale back or recontextualize the "superhero" parts without diminishing Superman's role as a superpowered fantasy character.

One way we can start is by picking on that connection between Superman and the sci-fi supermen/alien monsters of pulps I mentioned earlier and play it up further, to create a Superman who's deeply, deeply alien in a way that no mild-mannered disguise or colorful outfit can really disguise, something so dramatically powerful and alien, that instead you could get tales about the kinds of ensuing changes and ripple effects this has on the world upon the The Super-Man's arrival. And for that I'm gonna have to quote @davidmann95's concept for Joshua Viers' absolutely stunning Superman redesign on the left side of the image above

The red, the goldish-orange and white, the alienness, the angelic, sculpted feeling, the halo, that innocently curious expression: it’s genuinely beautiful. Superman as a redeeming science-angel from beyond our understanding, as much past the uncanny valley of limited human comprehension as a Lovecraftian monster but tuned to the opposite key - you could spend an endless procession of human lifetimes trying and failing to understand this being, but all you’ll ever know for sure is that it is beyond you, and it knows you, and it loves you.

Superdoomsday from Earth 45, healed and transformed into the savior it was originally envisioned as? Some descendant of his, or a future of the man himself? An alien who picked up on a broadcast of Superman from Earth, and so inspired reshaped itself in his image to spread his ‘gospel’ to the stars?

Alternatively, to come back to Earth a little, many, many pulp characters and series were built off the antics and personalities of real people, celebrities getting their own magazines or serials or fictionalized takes on them, so perhaps one way to make a "pulp" take on Superman would be to emphasize a bit more of Superman's real-world roots, trends that inspired his creation directly or indirectly at the time. The Jewish strongman Sigmund Breibart and Shuster's interest in fitness culture, Harold Lloyd's comic persona, the rising "strongman" film genre in the early 20th century, actors Clark Gable and Kent Taylor that supposedly named his secret identity, Clark Kent being a socially-awkward journalist based of Siegel's own school experiences.

Maybe one start to an authentic Pulp Superman, who would still be Superman, would be to just ask the question "What if Superman was a real person and/or a celebrity, and they started making pulp magazines and serials dedicated to him? What would those look like?". You wouldn't even have to restrict it to just a story set in the 1930s, in fact you could even play around with the rise of new mediums over the decades.

This third one is a little closer to some plans I have for my own take on a Superman character, not necessarily what I would do with Superman proper but one of my ideas for a Superman analogue. Superman's a character I'll always associate strongly with childhood and childhood fantasy, and to tap into that I would emphasize the other end of the fiction that influenced Siegel and Shuster: comic strips, in their case specifically Little Nemo and Popeye.

In my case I would bring additional influences from some of the comic strips I personally grew up reading like Monica's Gang and Calvin and Hobbes, and I already talked a bit about Captain Fray in terms of how he’s a Superman character despite being a villain. I guess you could call this one "What if Superman was a public domain comic strip character, stripped of the importance of being the founding figure of a super popular genre or extended universe, and also was kind of ugly?".

He's not "Sloth from the Goonies" ugly, I swear I didn't actually have Sloth in mind when typing out this idea, I've never watched that film nor did I know until now that he actually spends the film in a Superman shirt. That's not really what I'm going for. Visually I was thinking of modeling my take on Superman heavily after Hugo from Street Fighter and his inspiration Andre the Giant, to really emphasize the “circus strongman / freak wrestler” aspect of Superman’s inspiration, particularly in regards to how Hugo’s SFIII version strikes a really great balance in making Hugo ugly and both comedic and fearsome in battle, as well as lovable and even a little dopey (without being outright stupid, like his IV self) in his victory animations and endings.

He's still Superman, he still goes on fantastical adventures to help people, he's still a deeply loving and compassionate soul whose face beams with joy and affection and who's got wonderful eyes and a great smile. It's just that this smile has a couple of mismatched stick-out teeth or some missing ones, and he's got a crooked smile some people take as smug or malicious, he’s got a strongman’s gut instead of a bodybuilder’s abs, his nose is a little busted (maybe he’s had too many crash landings), and his hair is a little wild or greasy, and he doesn't exactly have very good people skills because of how others usually react to him and, y'know, he doesn't get the kind of publicity Superman would get despite doing ostensibly the same things. He’s not deformed, he’s incredibly intelligent and capable, but in comparison to how superheroes are usually allowed to look, he might as well be Bizarro in the public eye.

It becomes a running gag that people tend to assume some nearby fireman or cop was the one who rescued the hundred orphans out of a burning building single-handedly, meanwhile he's getting accosted off-panel by police officers who think he set the building on fire, or think they can bully this weird man dressed funny. He goes to rescue old people in peril and occasionally they yell at him that they don't have any money. He doesn't get asked to lead superhero meetings or teams even though many in the community advocate for just how much he does for the world, he gets censored out of tv broadcasts or group shots (even his face is sometimes pixelated when they do show him), people invite him on talk shows and don't really let him talk or assume they got the wrong guy. He goes to rescue a woman dangling off a building, and then he gets attacked by like three different superhero teams who assume he must have kidnapped the poor damsel. He was the first superhero, he is the strongest of them all still, but he never really gets credit for it, it nor does he even want to. None of this at all stops him or deters him, except for some occasionally funny reactions.

This never really changes for him, he doesn't really earn people's approval nor does he have to, instead the stories, outside of the gags and adventures you’d expect from a comic strip, veer more towards others learning to be less judgmental and him learning ways to better approach people. He isn't any lesser than Superman just because he doesn't look like most people would want him to look and he doesn't have to look like Superman. Really I think we could use more superheroes that don’t look all so uniformly pretty.

Again, probably not a take that would work for Clark proper, but it’s one way I would take a shot at doing Superman with my own

I have other stuff in the works for this character but I'd like to keep them to better work on them for now, but yeah, these are three of my shots at developing a Pulp Superman.

Alternatively here's a fourth idea that's more pulp than all of these: Join up Nicholas Cage with Panos Cosmatos again, or whatever weird indie director he decides to pair up with next, and let them do whatever the hell they want with Superman. Give us Mandy Superman. Superman vs The Color Out of Space. Superman vs Five Nights at Freddy's. Superman’s quest to find THE LAST PIG OF KRYPTON. Anything goes.

[krakenartificer]

When I got my ADHD diagnosis, I looked at the questions on the screening form and thought, "If this result comes back positive, then I'm definitely not the only person in my family who has it." Questions like

"Have difficulty finishing one activity before starting another one" and

"I finish others' sentences before they can finish it themselves" and

"have trouble staying on one topic when talking"

...I thought were just weird quirks of my family, but no. When I got my results, I contacted my cousin, and she contacted her sisters and mother, and .. .. yeah. Basically everyone in my dad's side of the family is ADHD.

Now there are some problems with that, obviously, (getting family reunions to stick to a schedule is lol no) but there are some really fantastic perks. For one thing, no one in that family minds if I interrupt them while they're talking ... everyone's happy to keep 3 conversations going at the same time .... and no one minds if you fidget constantly.

But the best perk -- at least that I've found so far -- is that all of our parents have coping mechanisms, and passed them on to us. When I found myself unable to handle tasks with more than one step, my father didn't say "WTF are you talking about? It's easy! Just do the thing! Stop being lazy!" No, he could relate completely, and he sat down and taught me how to handle that.

So today, I'm going to pass on to you the coping mechanism my dad taught me for handling the "cannot put tasks in order / cannot get started / forget what I'm doing" problem. You'll need to adjust it for your own needs and your own struggles, but hopefully it'll be helpful in setting up your own process.

I'm going to walk through it with a big project I'm doing at work, just to have a concrete example. That will make some of the discussion specific to computer programming and technical writing, but I do the same thing for all my projects, so hopefully it'll be generalizable.

So to set the stage:

I was supposed to modify this piece of code -- we'll call it "Rosetta" -- to make it handle call data as well as what it was already doing. I did that.... but we now need the code to be able to handle calls (if that's wanted) but also to be able to handle NOT having calls (if THAT'S wanted).

Which is just .... ugh. So much. SOOOOOOOO much.

So. Break it down.

Step one is to get some recording mechanism - pen and paper, whiteboard, blank computer document, whatever

(Technically, this is a different coping strategy, so we'll just take a quick detour: WRITE THINGS DOWN. Your brain is shit at remembering things, and anyway you've already got limits on your working memory; why would you choose to tie up some of that limited resource in something that could be accomplished with literal stone-age technology? Don't even try to remember things. WRITE THEM DOWN.)

I like sticky notes: they're readily available in all offices, they're pretty cheap, and (most importantly) they can be rearranged if it turns out that I forgot a step or put the steps in the wrong order (which, like, let's be honest, I am definitely going to do). But they kill trees and create unnecessary methane emissions, so I've recently switched over to using virtual sticky notes. That's the format I'm going to use for this example, but you can use anything that meets your purposes.

So, you've got something to write with, you're ready to start.

The first question is: what are you trying to accomplish here? What would "done" look like? What is our goal?

I need to end up with a version of Rosetta that will make the correct results if you don't want calls, and will also make the correct results if you do.

The goal here is that you end up with a statement that you can definitively say (a) Yes this is what I wanted or (b)No this is not right because _______

In this case, in order to do that, I'll need to define "correct results" for both call- and non-call versions. But if I have that nailed down, then this statement meets that criterion: I'll be able to say "Yes, this is what I wanted: see, it makes the correct result for calls, and it makes the correct result for not-calls". Or else I'll be able to say, "No, this is wrong: see, it makes the correct result for calls, but on not-calls it does X and we wanted Y."

I have a clear, definitive standard about what I need to do and whether or not I've done it.

But there was a prerequisite there: I need to define "correct results".

So that goes on a sticky note: Create test that will compare my results to existing call!Rosetta-results and to existing not-call!Rosetta-results.

[ID: Two blue boxes, one on top of the other. The top one says in white text "Create test to compare my results to call!results" The bottom one says "Create test to compare my results to not-call!results"] OK. So now we know what we want. The second question is: what do we need to do in order to get that? Here's where the sticky-note recording system really shines, because you don't have to answer this question sequentially. You just start writing down every single thing that is not the way you want it to end up.

I need it to remove commas in the python script, not the bash script

I need to delete the first part of the get_runs() function, which doesn't do anything

I need to delete the rest of the parameters passed to build_query_script() function, because runs encompasses all the others

while we're on that subject, runs doesn't even need the group_variable, so let's pull that out of the parameter document

we also have a dmf defined, which the bash script demands but doesn't use; let's change that demand

since we're changing the structure of the parameter document, we don't need to pull new metrics for each run, so let's move that outside of the runs() loop and only run once

right now the parameter document is ALMOST but not quite "one row per template". Make it so it's actually one row per template.

among other things, that's going to require making it possible for a template to be followed by nothing at all, since it's the assumption that a template will have a metrics block after it that makes it not quite one row per template. So make it possible to publish a template with a null block

the other thing that's weirdly hard-coded is the definition of what a block looks like. Would it make more sense to separate that out into an input file, like the parameters document? On the one hand, that would make it much more flexible; on the other hand, that's another piece that can break. Don't know. Put a question mark on it.

etc

Here's what it looks like at the end of this step:

[ID: A black and white background showing many boxes in two different shades of blue, all with white text. Some of the boxes are overlapping each other.]

As you can see, at this phase you don't need to worry about any of the following:

ordering the tasks. Just stick 'em right on top of each other for now

how you're going to do any of this. Right now we just need to know what, not how

sticking to only one project. As I was working on this, it occurred to me that this whole process would have been a heck of a lot easier if someone had just made a user manual for this, and since I have to go through all the code line-by-line anyway, I might as well write up the documentation while I'm at it. (To help out future-me, if nothing else.) So I put those tasks on another color of sticky note.

making notes that make any ***ing sense to anyone else. This process is for you, and only you need to understand what you're talking about it. Phrase it in ways that make sense to your brain, and to hell with anyone else.

on that topic, also don't worry about making steps that are "too small" or "too dumb" to write down. This is for you. If "save document" feels like a step to you, then write it down.

You also don't need to get every single step involved in the project right now. Get as many as you can, to be sure, but the process is designed on the assumption that you ARE going to forget important steps, and is designed to handle that.

When you can't think of any more steps, then the third question is: what order does it make sense to do these in? Are there any steps that would be easier if you did another step first? Are there any that literally cannot be done unless another step is complete?

This is also a good place to group steps if they fit together nicely. When I used physical sticky notes, I used two different sizes; digitally I can of course make them whatever size I want.

So I have several documentation steps that (a) do need to be written to make sense to other people and (b) I really need to know what's going on before I can do that. I could write them now, but if I did, I'd just end up re-writing them based on things that change as I'm coding. So we'll move those to the end:

[ID: Three dark blue boxes with white text. They read "Create step-by-step instructions for creating your own metric agg", "Create step-by-step instructions for modifying a metric", "Create step-by-step instructions for modifying a query."]

These parts, though -- if I had all the variable structures written down, I could look at them while I'm coding. Then I won't have to keep scrolling back and forth in the code, trying to remember if it's an array or a dictionary while also trying to remember what part of the code I was working on. Brilliant. Move that to the front.

[ID: Seven dark blue boxes with white text, three large, four small. The first one is large and says "Write up explanation of how Rosetta works." The second one is large and says "Document structure of all variables." Attached to that one are four smaller boxes that say "All_blocks", "Runs", "metric", "New_block". The third large one says "Document what qb_parameters.csv contains"]

Also, while I'm at it, I should get the list of variables I need to document -- then I won't have to keep scrolling to find them. Make those sub-steps.

I definitely keep needing to look up what's in the parameters document, so I should write that down, too. For the user manual I also should write down what's in the metric document, but I don't need that for myself, so I can send that to the end.

[ID: The same three dark blue boxes from two screenshots ago (create step-by-step instructions for metric agg, modifying a metric, and modifying a query), now with another dark blue box in front of them with white text that says "Document what granular_metrics.tsv contains."]

These five are all small steps, and are all related in that they don't actually (hopefully) change the functionality of the code; they're just stuff left over from prior versions of this code. So we can lump them all together.

[ID: Five light blue boxes with white text that say "Delete first part of get_runs()", "Have build_query_script only receive the "run" parameter" "Delete dmf" "Move metrics=get_metrics() outside build_all_blocks (all the way up to the top level?" "Delete group_variable from qp_parameters"]

My brain likes this better, so that I can keep track of fewer "main steps", but that's just a peculiarity of me -- you should lump and split however you prefer to make this process easier for you.

[ID: The same five boxes from the prior screenshot, now all made smaller and attached to a larger box that says "Remove Legacy Code"]

Keep going, step by step, sticky by sticky, until you've got them in order. If -- while you're doing this -- you remember another thing you need to do, write it on a sticky and slap it on the pile; you don't have to stop what you're doing to deal with it, because it's written down and it's on the pile and it will get processed; you can just keep working on the thing you're on right now.

[ID: All the same boxes from the first screenshot, now in a neat row. Some of the original boxes have been grouped together. The ones that were said to be at the beginning of the process are on the left and the ones that were said to be at the end are on the right.]

Step four: for the love of all that's holy, SAVE THIS LIST.

Write it on your cubicle whiteboard where it won't be erased

write it on a piece of paper and tape it to the office wall

send an email to yourself

take a picture with your phone

I don't care but save it.

When I used physical sticky notes, I kept them all on the hood of my cubicle's shelf. Now, as you can see, I use Powerpoint, which is irritating af but does allow me to keep everything in a single document, which I can write down the path of.

[ID: White text on a black background says "open ~/Documents/Rosetta\ Modifications\ and \Documentation.pptx" The next line says "Notes in Rocketbook pg 10-12, 16" The next line says "Turn that into documentation that can be used for making modifications."]

And now (finally) you can answer the question "How would I even get started on that?" You look at the first thing on the list, and you treat it as its own project. You can hyperfocus on this step and completely forget about everything else this project requires, because everything you need to remember for the rest of it is written down.

If, as you're working a step, you think of something else you need to do for the big project, write it on a sticky and slap it on the pile. Don't even worry about trying to order it or identify sub-steps; as long as it's not blocking the thing you need to work on right now, you don't have to care. Just stick that bugger anywhere at all on the list, and go back to what you were doing. When you un-hyperfocus and come back to look at your list, there'll be a big sticky note stuck sideways across all the rest of the steps, and you'll remember to file and order it then.

Other benefits of this system

1) The first question really helps with unclear directions from your boss. You can take whatever they told you to do, and translate it into a requirement that is clearly either met or not-met, and then run it back by the boss.

If they say, "No, no, we want ______" then phew! You just saved a huge miscommunication and weeks of wasted work! What a good employee you are! What an excellent team player with strong communication skills!

If they say "Yes, that's what I want," then you know -- for sure -- what it is you're trying to accomplish. Your anxiety is reduced, and your boss thinks you're super-conscientious.

(And if your boss is a jerk who likes to move the goalposts and blame it on their subordinates, then have this conversation over email, so you can show it to their boss or to HR should it become necessary.)

2) Having this project map means that when you spend an hour staring at the requirements and trying to figure out how to get started (which, let's be honest, you were definitely going to do anyway) ... When your boss/coworker comes by and says, "How's it going?" Instead of having to say "I haven't even started 😞" You can say, "Pretty well! I've got all the steps mapped out and am getting ready to start on implementation!" and show them your list, and they think you're very organized and meticulous. 3) Sometimes, especially in corporate jobs, you and your coworkers will run into a problem that's too big for even Neurotypicals to hold all in their heads. At that point, the NTs will be completely lost -- they've never had to develop a way to handle projects they can't just look at and know how to get started. So then you pipe up in the meeting and say, "OK, well, what exactly are we trying to accomplish?" and everybody at the conference table looks at you like you're a goddamned genius and you don't have to tell them that you use this exact same process to remember how to make a sandwich 😅

4) Having this project map makes it so much easier to stop work and then start it up again later, but this post is already really really really long, so I'm going to address that in a separate (really really long) post.

[joyfulholland]

The Peace Treaty - Mob!Tom

....when your father orders you to make peace with Tom Holland, heir to the other crime family, you find working together is not as horrendous as you once thought.....

a/n: enemies to lovers with mob!Tom...this was a labour of love but I really like how this turned out and I hope you do too! i was largely inspired by all of my insanely talented friend Hannah’s (@duskholland​) mob!Tom writing, which is an absolute must read for anyone and everyone! please let me know what you think! this was nearly a smut but I changed my mind so if anyone would be interested in a part 2 please send me a message!

warnings: swearing, lots of mentions of violence, some mentions of blood/injuries

word count: 6.1k

All weddings have a little drama somewhere, but you thought having to throw a knife to stop the unwanted guest escaping was a tad excessive.

Luckily, the majority of the wedding party and guests were out in the gardens, so it was only a select few who had seen you interrupt the man’s swift exit. You smirked in triumph as he turned back to face you, his posture having slumped realising that not only was he cornered, but severely outnumbered. Smoothing out the cobalt silk that was your bridesmaid dress, you took one step forward, before pausing at the cough from the man beside you.

Tom wordlessly flipped the pistol he was holding so that you could easily take it from him. His actions caused you to raise an eyebrow, and he smirked as he revealed the second handgun tucked into his waistband.

“Knew you wouldn’t be able to carry in that dress.” He grinned, eyes scanning your figure as you took the weapon from him. “Figured I better bring a spare so you wouldn’t have to miss out on the action.”

“Thank you.” You didn’t hide the surprise in your tone, still not used to his friendly attitude. Gesturing at the man still in the doorway, whose eyes were darting between you both, and the four other men behind you, you returned to the task at hand. “Shall we?”

“After you darling.”

~one week earlier~

“You can’t be serious Dad.”

Your father rolled his eyes from where he was seated across from you in front of the fire, the sound of laughter and music drifting under the door to his study from the party going on outside. Taking another sip of his whisky, he sighed at the incredulous look still plastered on your face.

“It’s time you made peace with him. I’m getting old, it’ll be your turn to run things soon, and we’d like to retire knowing the two of you aren’t at each other’s throats and throwing everything we built away. Besides, your sister’s wedding is almost here, and I want it to run smoothly.”

Sinking back into your chair, you let out a frustrated sigh before raising your own drink to your lips. Growing up as the eldest daughter of one of the two biggest crime families in London, you’d been raised preparing for the day it would be your turn to take on the “family business”, and you had relished in the prospect. The only issue you had taken to the entire affair, one which it seemed your father was now determined to resolve, was the heir to the other notorious family with whom you shared your work: Tom Holland.

One year older than you, the rivalry between you had started young. Both determined to prove you would one day be capable heads of your respective families, you’d attempted to one up each other at every opportunity available. Where he had excelled in marksmanship, your skill with a knife was incomparable to anyone else. When he began working for his father full time, you had begged your own to let you do the same, pleading that the fact he was older irrelevant. His specialty was smuggling, so you made disposal yours. The two of you even had a private scoreboard of times your activities had namelessly been displayed on the news, bragging that you were more successful at getting away with it than the other.

“Just shag him already.” Your younger sister, Isabelle, had groaned not a month before, as you’d finished regaling her with your recent triumph over him. “You’ve both been madly in love since you were about two years old.”

You’d almost spat your wine at her, the statement causing you off guard. Whilst it was no secret that Tom had suddenly become incredibly attractive over the course of a summer away when he was seventeen, you had made that fact irrelevant as your feelings towards him held nothing but contempt.

“I’m not in love with him.” Your words had come out as defiant, but it had only caused her to snort into her own drink. “Belle, he’s an arrogant, selfish arsehole who has done nothing but show as much hate towards me as I have to him since we were old enough to throw building blocks at each other.”

“I think you meant passion, not hate, but whatever.” She rolled her eyes, knowing when to drop a subject. “But it would be better for us all if you got along at least, and so help me God if the sexual tension between the two of you ruins my wedding I’ll murder you, heir to the firm or not.”

Which led you back to sitting across from your father, who had just informed you that he’d agreed with Tom’s father Dominic that the two of them were to hold ‘peace treaty’ talks between you.

“Did Belle put you up to this?” You asked suspiciously, eyes flashing to the door where you knew she would be holding court as the host of the wedding shower.

“She and your mother may have suggested it.”

“So she snitched to the both of you.”

“Actually, I think it was your mother’s idea first, she’s been speaking about it for a while.”

The smile on his face let you know you were defeated. It seemed they had all colluded together to force you into the ceasefire of your battle with Tom, and there was no way to escape it. Letting out another disgruntled sigh, you finished the remainder of your drink before rising from the chair.

“I assume he’s here.” The tone of your voice made your father let out a bark of laughter, and you knew you sounded like a child who had just been reprimanded. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Not waiting for an answer, you crossed the room and re-joined the party that your father had pulled you from, rearranging your face into a fake smile as you passed guests in various states of enjoyment on your way to the main reception area in your family estate. You’d barely stepped over the threshold of the doorway when his voice rang clearly above the music.

“Well, if it isn’t my new best friend.”

Turning to face him, you saw Tom push up from where he was leaning against the wall. Your eyes quickly scanned his body, noting the near-empty glass held loosely between two ring-clad fingers. His black suit jacket fitted him perfectly over a crisp white shirt, which had the top three buttons undone to reveal a thin gold chain around his neck. He was flanked on either side by his two most loyal friends, Harrison and Tuwaine, both of whom offered you a smile. Whilst the rivalry between yourself and Tom was strong, neither of you had ever taken any issue to those in both of your inner circles.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who’s had the play nice speech.” Skipping any greetings, you return the other men’s smiles before focusing on Tom. He gives a short chuckle at your words before raising his glass to his lips and finishing the remainder of his drink. “For the record, I have no intentions of becoming friends.”

“I’m wounded darling.” Tom’s still wearing an obnoxious smirk as a server comes to offer you a glass of champagne, taking away his empty glass in the process. “I thought we could make a a good team, make everyone even happier.”

“In your dreams, Holland.” You know he’s just baiting you, but with the prospect of at least a couple more hours of party ahead of you, your patience for him was limited. “We can be civil at events and make an effort in any deals. But that’s it. We are not, and never will be a team.”

Not giving him time to answer, you swiftly turned on your heels and entered further into the crowd of people celebrating your sister’s upcoming nuptials, determined not to let him ruin this night for you anymore, and not to think about him until the next time you saw him.

Which, it turned out, would be sooner than you had hoped.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The following morning, you had retreated back to your own apartment.

Having cited ‘business’ as your reason, you knew that your family had seen into your lie, and that you wanted to be able to sulk in peace. You’d promised, under threats of bodily harm, to return two days before the wedding, giving you a good four days to get your bad mood out of the way.

The alone time only lasted fifteen hours.

It was drawing close to two a.m. when the banging on your door disturbed you. You hadn’t fallen asleep yet, having been going over some files at your desk, but the loud beating had startled you, and was unexpected enough for you to grab your gun from your bottom draw before approaching the source. Checking the spy hole, a string of curses left your mouth as you unchained and unlocked the door.

Tom fell through the threshold, his brown curls dishevelled, and his knuckles bruised. A thin trail of blood trickled down the side of his face from a slash above his left eyebrow, and a dark patch pooling on his shoulder alluded to there being another injury beneath his shirt. Quickly shutting the door behind him and relocking it, you spun to glare at the man who was now propping himself up against the wall of your hall.

“What the hell are you doing here?” You asked him, taking another survey of his injuries, and noting the yellowing skin under his eye that had a blue tinge. He had never been to your apartment before, but it didn’t shock you that he knew the address, especially as you knew his. Instead, you chose to ask the next most prominent question. “Have you been stabbed or shot?”

“I was close by, needed to tell you something.” He ignores your question, so you move past him to get to your bathroom, noting the wince he tried to hide as he moved to follow. Gingerly sitting on the edge of your bathtub, he watches as you grab a first aid kit from the cabinet under your sink. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I’m not going to stand here and watch you bleed.” You roll your eyes at him as you turn to face him, gesturing towards his shirt as a hint for him to remove it. He does so slowly, grimacing as he tries not to move his shoulder. You can’t help but take a sharp gasp when you see the gash running over the top of his skin, clear that a bullet had skimmed past him and not quite missed. Tom sends you a weak smile as you turn back to grab something to clean the wound. “What were you so desperate to tell me anyway? You could have just called.”

“Like you’d have answered.” Tom jokes as you step forward to begin patching him up, a hiss falling through his lips as you make contact with his injury. “You’ve made it clear that you only want to speak to me on a need-to-know basis, and this was urgent. That’s going to need stitches isn’t it? Just try and stem the bleeding until I get home, Haz is pretty decent at sewing me up.”

Your eyes flashed to meet his for a brief second before returning to his shoulder, nodding at his question. You couldn’t deny that you probably would have rejected his call and had nothing else to say to him in response. Grabbing some gauze, you start to tightly pad over the wound, waiting for him to continue.

“I ran into Jason.” His words promptly stop your actions, and your eyes connect again. Jason Boule was the son of another crime family, one whom which neither your father or Tom’s had gotten ever along with, and one who had been attempting to sabotage both of your businesses for years. “I think they’re trying to get someone into the wedding.”

“What did he say?” You ask, finishing with his shoulder before grabbing something to start cleaning up his face. “And what did you say to make him shoot at you?”

“Asked me to pass on congratulations to the happy couple, claimed he was disappointed he hadn’t received an invite, that he was sure it was going to be a day to remember.” Tom spoke the last few words with gritted teeth as you wiped over the cut along his face. “Then he…I may have said something about how vermin weren’t usually invited to weddings, which is about when he shot at me.”

“You missed something out in the middle.” You smirked as it was Tom’s turn to roll his eyes, having not missed the way he’d changed his mind mid-sentence, passing him an instant-cool pack from your kit. “Hold that on your eye.”

“Thanks.” He muttered, doing as you told him. You waited expectantly, and he groaned before carrying on. “He may have said some shit about you in the middle, which I may have punched him for, but that wasn’t important to the alluding to sending someone to the wedding point.”

“You punched him for bad-mouthing me?”

“Well, yeah. Just because I give you shit for not being as good as me, doesn’t give him any right to. Especially not what he said, which I won’t repeat for the fact it was disgusting.”

Eyes once again locked on his, you found yourself lost for words. Tom had tried to joke it off, but the idea of him defending you, in any situation, felt like a foreign concept. Dropping your gaze down, you sucked in a breath at the realisation of the intimate situation the two of you were in: you, standing between his legs as he sat, shirtless, with only centimetres separating the two of you. As you raised your eyes slowly back to his, you found Tom’s gaze still fixed firmly on your face. A moment passed, and for a brief second you found yourself leaning closer, until a loud buzzing signalled Tom’s phone ringing in his pocket. Snapping yourself out of it, you took a step back, eyes returning to his and forcing your face to remain neutral as he glanced at his screen and sighed.

“You should get home, get your shoulder looked at properly.” Your words shattered the tension that had surrounded you both momentarily, and Tom coughed before nodding and reaching for his discarded shirt. “Thank you, Tom, for coming to tell me.”

“All part of the peace treaty.” His smile looked forced as he pulled his shirt back on and stood, passing you back the ice pack and making his way to leave your apartment. “You wanna tell your Dad-“

“No.” You cut him off quickly, running a hand through your hair as you think through the situation. “I… this wedding is important, and I don’t want him worrying. We can sort it right?”

“OK.” He nods, his usual smirk returning. “You’ll actually have to answer my calls though.”

“It’s a sacrifice I’m sure I can manage.” You roll your eyes at him, and Tom chuckles with a nod before going to unlock your door. “I’ll speak to some of my guys in the morning.”

“And you said we couldn’t be a team.”

“Go home Holland.” You sigh, gently pushing him out of your apartment. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Counting down the hours darling.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next few days were filled with flurries of phone calls between yourself and Tom, some more pleasant than others. Almost all of the calls were logistical; how many people the two of you planned on telling, whether or not to station someone at the exits. In an attempt to remain focused, you tried to keep your tone formal and business like, not deviating from the matter at hand.

The problem was Tom had other plans.

You’d be halfway through discussing exit routes when he’d suddenly ask your opinion on his suit for the wedding, or you’d be texting him floor plans and he would send back a picture of options for his shoes. And then of course, once or twice, the two of you would disagree about something and end up fighting, with one of you hanging up on the other before calling back almost immediately because it really wasn’t an issue you had time to ignore. Trying to balance getting along after so many years of competition, in addition to doing everything you could to ignore the moment that had transpired between you the night in your bathroom, as well as calls from your sister about last minute wedding worries was giving you a permanent migraine.

The day before the wedding, he called you just as you were finishing dinner with your family.

“Now’s really not the time.” You murmured, skipping any formal greeting as you stepped into the empty hallway. “I’ve just-“

“Come outside.” He cut you off, tone matching yours. “Got something you’ll wanna see.”

Not giving you a chance to respond, the line cut off, leaving you no choice but to follow his orders. Stepping into the snug, where everyone had retired to after finishing, you flashed an apologetic smile.

“I’ve just got to step out for a bit.” You told them, earning an eye roll from your mother and a curious look from your father. You shook your head slightly, reassuring him not to worry. “Won’t be too long.”

“If you’re not back when I go to bed I will kill you.” Isabelle sighed, head tilting back over the sofa from where she was seated in front of you. “Promise me you’ll stop and say good night.”

“Promise.” You mutter, dipping forward to kiss her forehead before retreating from the room. Hurrying down the hallway, you slipped out of the large front doors to see the outline of Tom leaning against his car, parked close to the doors of your garage. Crossing the gravel, the cool evening breeze made you shiver as you walked the dark to meet him, the hem of your dress grazing against your thighs. Getting close enough to make out his features, you called out to him. “Roddy let you in the gate?”

“Told him I had a meeting with you, he let me in no questions asked.” He hummed; body still angled from where he was leaning on the hood of his jaguar. “Figured you must have told him something.”

“Warned him we could have an unexpected visitor tomorrow so to not question you if you turned up.” You affirmed, crossing your arms around you in an attempt to keep warm. “What is it you wanted to show me?”

Tom’s eyes dropped to your arms and smirked, before pushing off his car and opening the door, tilting his head at it as a signal to get in. You did so wordlessly, sighing in content as he shut the door behind you and the heat of his car engulfed you. The car smelled more like Tom’s aftershave than any air freshener, which only strengthened when Tom had slipped into the driver’s seat moments later. As he reached across you to open the glove box, you held your breath as his arm, exposed from where he’d rolled up his sleeves, grazed your body, mind still determined to rid yourself of any minor attraction to him. Tom pulled out a large envelope, fingers brushing yours as he gave it to you before settling back into his own seat. Sliding out the contents, you found printed emails containing directions to your father’s study, as well as photographs of your family estate, and the name of a company which you were in the middle of a business deal with.

“May or may not have hacked into Boule’s emails.” Tom explained before you could ask, your eyes lifting from the papers in front of you to meet his. “I know we didn’t agree on that, but Paddy is becoming one hell of a whiz kid at it, so asked him to see if he could find anything.”

Smiling at the mention of Tom’s youngest brother, you returned your attention to the documents, speed reading through them as Tom waited for you to reply. Noticing the names on the email addresses, your eyebrows raised in surprise.

“You aren’t kidding about Paddy.” The surprise in your tone made Tom chuckle, and you lifted your gaze back to him. “These were coded, weren’t they?”

“Told you, kids got skills. Think we’re pretty lucky he’s already one of the family, or we’d all be fighting over him.”

“Well at least now we know what Jason’s coming after.”

“And that he’s only sending one guy. We’ll barely have anything to do.”

You chuckled softly at his words, leaning back against the chair and letting your gaze wander over the darkened landscape of your estate. You could only just make out the large marquee that had been erected for the wedding, most of it obscured by the dark as well as part of the house.

“Think we could have always worked together like this?” Tom’s words startle you, and you tilt your head to the side to find him mirroring your position. “You know, if you could have just admitted I was better when we were kids, then it would have been fine.”

You let out a short laugh, watching his lips pull into a grin at the sound. Seeing how smug he was, an idea flashed into your head. Before Tom could realise what was happening, you pushed yourself off your chair and swung your legs to straddle over his, pulling the small knife you had tucked into your belt free to press loosely against his neck.

“What was that about being better than me?” You asked, grinning as his expression changed from one of shock to frustration, his eyes rolling as he raised one hand to push gently at your hip. “You’re getting slow, Holland.”

“Doesn’t count.” He protested, eyes following your hand as you flipped the small blade back into the safety of its holder. “You’ve pulled bigger knives on me than that. Anyway, that wasn’t fair, I’m unarmed.”

“So I wouldn’t find your gun in the armrest box beside us?” You tease, settling back on Tom’s thighs and opening up the compartment to prove your point. “Oh, look, I was right.”

“You’re acting like you know more about me than I do you, but I’m well aware that you have another knife strapped on you, so this works both ways.”

“How do you know I have two?”

“Because you’ve been carrying two knives since you were seventeen after that job we had to do together that almost went wrong, and you only had one.”

“You remember that?”

“Course I do, you stole my car keys and refused to let me drive myself home.”

“Because you’d been shot.”

“I was barely bleeding.”

“That’s because the bullet was still stuck in your ribcage. Just because I hated you didn’t mean I wanted you to die. Besides, I was right. You passed out barely five minutes later.”

“You hated me?”

“Back then? Immensely.”

“And now?”

You hadn’t realised that you’d been getting closer to him, but as Tom asked his question, you felt his breath fan across your face. He’d sat up straighter, his hands sliding up to sit on your waist, whilst yours sat at the base of his chest, your eyes level and lips centimetres apart. Up close, you could see the mark left behind above his eyebrow from the fight a few nights prior, and the yellow tint below his eye where his bruising hadn’t fully healed. Tom’s eyes didn’t leave yours as he waited for you to answer, his thumbs dragging slow circles against your sides.

“Maybe a little less.”

You were sure your words had been inaudible, but Tom somehow seemed to hear them, and he smiled before lifting one of his hands to cup your neck and bring your head forward to close the gap between you. His lips brushed over yours tentatively as your eyes fluttered closed, both of you still hesitant in this unchartered territory. As his tongue swiped across your bottom lip, you emitted a soft sigh, hands tightening around the fabric of his shirt to pull him closer.

Doing so changed the mood from hesitation to excitement, and Tom tightened the grip on your neck as the kiss deepened. His other hand, which had still been sitting on your waist, slowly moved down and dipped below your dress until it was holding the back of your thigh. Breaking the kiss to catch your breath, Tom used his hold on your head to angle it, his lips trailing steadily along your jaw.

“If you leave any marks I’ll stab you.” Your threat was undermined by the moan that immediately followed it, as Tom found the spot by your ear, and you felt him grin against your skin before he pressed a final kiss to you and pulled back to meet your gaze. “I mean it, I’m not walking down the aisle behind my sister covered in hickies. It’ll be your funeral instead.”

“I love it when you threaten to kill me.” He smirks, darting forward to capture your lips once more. Pushing him lightly, he groaned as he fell back against his chair, the hand on your neck falling to his side. “Alright, alright. You don’t need to worry darling, because as much as I want to, the first time I fuck you isn’t going to be in my car.”

“The first time?” You push back from him, raising an eyebrow as he smirked. Tom simply hummed at your question, the hand on your neck dropping to grab both of yours. You waited for him to respond, only growing annoyed as he did nothing but smirk at you. Losing your patience with him, you wrench your hands free to lean across and open the car door. “You’re so infuriating, that’s why we never worked as a team. Your ego.”

“Definitely nothing to do with your temper either.” You weren’t looking at his face as you climbed out of the car, but you could practically hear him roll his eyes. Smoothing out your dress as the cool, evening breeze engulfed you once more, you turned to head back to the house, before he called out behind you. “You’re welcome, by the way. For the information.”

“Thanks!” You shout back, not turning your head as you continue back to the house. Tom’s laugh carries across the driveway, followed by the sound of his car door closing. Reaching the front door, you look back as you step back inside, watching as his engine purred to life before gliding back towards the gates. Quietly closing the door, you begin making your way to your room, noticing that most of your family had already made their way to bed. Stopping at the door before yours, you knock softly before hearing a muffled come in, cracking open the door to smile at your sister. “Just wanted to know if I’m being killed or not?”

“I’ll let you off.” Isabelle rolled her eyes from where she was laying in her bed but grinned back as you leant against the door frame. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, all good.”

“You’d tell me if there was something, right?”

“Absolutely.” You lied, pushing off the wall to cross the room and press a kiss to her cheek. “Now get some beauty sleep, or Adam won’t want to marry you.”

“Like you’d let him back out.” Belle joked, referring to how her husband-to-be worked for the family business. “Love you.”

“Love you.” You hummed back, before leaving the room and entering your own. Flipping on the light, you sighed before preparing for bed, thinking of what was to come in the next twenty-four hours.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“After you darling.”

Your eyes returned to the intruder cornered by the door, thinking over how you’d ended up here. The wedding itself had gone without a hitch; your sister and her now husband had exchanged rings and vows in front of everyone without any noticeable hiccups. You’d spotted Tom as you’d led the bridesmaids down the aisle and had determinedly kept your gaze away from him throughout the ceremony, only exchanging a curt nod as you’d left to take part in the official photo’s, trusting him to keep an eye. It was the only contact you’d had with him until you spotted what you’d been waiting all day to see, Freddie, one of your men, signalling you from across the reception party. Politely excusing yourself from the conversation you were in, you had wordlessly tapped Tom’s arm on your way back to your family house, hearing him do the same before following with Harrison and Tuwaine behind him. With the advanced knowledge you had gained from Paddy’s hacking abilities, the two of you, each flanked by two of your men, had found and cornered the intruder before he’d made it farther than the entry hall.

“I know Boule sent you, and why he sent you, and given the occasion, I don’t have time or patience to waste on your excuses.” You sighed, stopping in front as Freddie and Ralph moved to stand either side of him. Toying with the gun you now held, you watched as his eyes darted between the weapon and your face. “So you’re going to swiftly leave, and run and tell him nice try, but maybe next time. Because if you try anything else, the next knife I throw won’t miss.”

He hadn’t got a chance to respond before Freddie and Ralph had taken him by both arms, nodding at you before escorting him out of the building. You watched them go, as Tom followed suit. For a second, you thought he was leaving too, before he stopped to retrieve the knife you had thrown earlier, still lodged in the door. Wordlessly returning to you, he held the blade out for you to take, and you offered him a tight smile as you swapped it for the gun he had offered you earlier.

“Not that you need it,” Tom joked as you returned the knife to the strap on your inner thigh. Your eyes found his in surprise, watching as he replaced both of the guns he now held in his waistband. “What with you having two and all.”

“Thanks.” You muttered, before spinning on your heel to face his two friends. “We should get back.”

“She can’t possibly have two knives on her?” Harrison hissed to Tom, the three men a few paces behind you as you made your way back to the garden.

“Oh, trust me, she can.”

“Where?”

Smiling to yourself as the fresh air engulfed you once more, you re-entered the marquee to see no change to the scene from when you had left it: some people dancing, some milling around speaking and laughing, others still finishing their food at various tables. Eyes scanning the guests around you, they landed on the bride herself striding across the room determinedly in your direction.

“You lied to me.” She accused, grabbing you by the arm and pulling you to the dancefloor. Isabelle released her grip on you as the music changed to a slower song, wrapping instead wrapping them around you to sway slowly to the music. “You said that everything was fine, and then you sneak off to stop one of Boule’s men breaking into Dad’s study.”

“How the hell did you find out?” The smile was still on your face as the two of you spun in a small circle, mainly because despite her tone, she was still beaming herself. “I didn’t even tell Dad.”

“Roddy told me.” Her tone was smug as her eyes wandered from your face to look around the tent. “After I watched you leave that is. You didn’t really think I wouldn’t notice my own sister leave my wedding?”

“Well, I hoped the wedding thing might cause some distraction.”

“Fat chance.” She snorted, eyes returning to yours. “I’ve got a particular skill set that comes in handy. Don’t think I didn’t see Tom follow.”

“He was the one who found out about it originally.” Your tone changed as you thought over what had transpired between you. “You know he brought an extra gun because he knew I wouldn’t be able to have on today?”

“The fact that it surprises you is hilarious.” She laughs, stepping back from you and unwrapping her arms, only to link her fingers through yours instead. “You know that he’s-“

“Don’t say it.”

“Fine. I’ll let him tell you.”

“What-“

“Mind if I cut in?” You whipped your head to find Tom behind you, watching as he sent a winning smile to your sister. “Congratulations by the way.”

“Thanks Tom, she’s all yours.” Belle grinned back, pulling you in to kiss your cheek, before muttering in your ear, “You’ll thank me eventually.”

Releasing you completely, you watched as she passed Tom with another smile, walking straight into her new husband’s outstretched arms. Your gaze returned to the man in front of you, watching cautiously as he held out his hand.

“Oh, come on.” He laughed, seeing your hesitation. “Think about how happy our father’s will be to see their peace treaty working.”

Rolling your eyes, you placed your hand in his and allow him to pull you closer, your other hand rising up to rest on his shoulder.

“You stormed away last night before I could explain myself.” His voice was low in your ear as he began to move the two of you in time with the music. “Never have been a fan of letting me have the last word.”

“If this is an apology it sucks so far.” You reply, your tone light as you try not to focus on the warmth of his hand on your waist.

“I’m not going to apologise, it wasn’t the right moment.”

“You said that like you’ve been planning it.”

“Only every day since you stole my car keys.”

“Now I know you’re taking the piss.”

Pulling back to meet his gaze, you found nothing but sincerity as he took a breath to explain.

“You got the money we went there for whilst simultaneously holding three men twice your size at gunpoint, and then got us both out of there despite the fact I’d been shot. Then you took my keys and yelled at me whilst taking me home until I passed out.” The look on his face now was nothing like you had ever seen, his eyes searching yours as he continued. “Darling, as much as I really do enjoy the way you look when you’re mad at me, the main reason I’ve been antagonising you more and more the past few years was so I actually have a chance to spend time with you. Now if I’m making a complete twat of myself, say the word and we can continue the way we are and forget I ever said a word of this.”

“Tom-“

“You know you only ever call me that when I’ve been shot.” He mutters, a hint of his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Should I be worried?”

“You know I was already reluctant to admit that I might feel the same way, and now I’m going to take it back...”

Your words died on your lips as he silenced you with his own, dropping your hand to cradle your face as he kissed you softly. You could feel him grinning against you before he pulled back, thumb dragging softly against the skin of your cheek.

“This doesn’t mean I’m going easy on you now, you know.” You mutter, unable to stop your own smile taking over. “I mean, if you think that just because we’re together I’d start letting you-”

“Letting me?” Tom’s bark of laughter inspired your smile to grow even more, the incredulous look in his eyes quickly morphing into his trademark smirk. “I’m sorry, who was it who discovered Boule’s plans for today?”

“Only because you got into a fight over me. Admit it Holland, I’m your weakness. It’s not my fault you’re so in awe of my talents.”

“If I kiss you again, will you stop being so competitive?”

“Depends, maybe you should it try and find out.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

did you like it? did you hate it? let me know either way as well as anything else you want to see me write!

tagging some lovely people: @gonzalezyon @nowayhomeparker @sinisterspidey​