#absolute markets insights

[dollishmehrayan]

# TAKE EVERYTHING AS IT WAS WRITTEN FOR YOU ── .✦ ( batboys x writer!reader who writes ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ )

dollish note ౨ৎ: hey so I’m back from the dead apparently, anywaysss omgg I missed you guys Hii and I will posting more content from now on and taking this seriously and these past days I was super stressed out over moving but hey my lovess anyways I decided to base this writer s/o over like anyone, like whether you write fan fic like me or write actual books, it matters to this hcs !! Tags: (batboys x writer!s/o)

© dollishmehrayan — ( all rights reserved to me. These works cannot be reposted, translated, or modified. Thank you for understanding dollies! )

# DICK GRAYSON ── .✦

He loves that you're a writer ( listen he just LOVESSS creative women like hello !? God forbid a guy likes creative people 🫠) he's your #1 fan and biggest hype man.

Tries to read your work over your shoulder while you're typing, even if you hate it “Babe, I need to know what happens next!” Like constantly over your shoulder seeing what you’re drafting and etc.

Occasionally offers cheesy plot ideas like “what if the love interest also knows parkour?” (His ideas suck)

Will 100% brag to everyone: “Yeah, my partner’s a genius novelist. Ever heard of them? You will.” OOOOO

Falls asleep listening to you ramble about story arcs and character development. It's his favorite sound.

Writes you little encouraging notes like, “You got this, Hemingway 💪” and sticks them on your laptop / tablet or wtv you have bbg.

# JASON TODD ── .✦

Loves your dark, gritty writing especially if there's violence, angst, or moral grayness involved since a lot of people don’t write angst that casually.

Offers surprisingly insightful edits or plot ideas: “This villain's motivation is weak. Give them a tragic backstory and don’t make them redeemable.”

Low-key wants you to base a character on him but will pretend he doesn’t care.

Has a soft spot for reading your fluff pieces though and will be quietly emotional about them.

Will threaten anyone who leaves bad reviews on your work. "Just say the word. Username 'Booktoklover93'? I got 'em."

He buys you fancy notebooks and pens and acts like it's no big deal, but he's proud of himself.

# TIM DRAKE ── .✦

Absolute king of writing dates you'll both sit in a café typing furiously and sipping terrible coffee.

Helps you fact-check obscure things at 3am without complaint (okay, maybe some complaint).

If you write mystery or thrillers, he treats it like solving a real case. “Wait… that clue in chapter 5…”

He totally has a secret folder on his computer labeled “[Your Name]’s Writing – Favorite Stuff” with all your pieces saved.

You’ve accidentally inspired him to write fanfic once and he WILL take that secret to the grave.

Sends you prompts or memes like “this is so your OC.” (Sorry I just keep cringing at oc 🥲)

# DAMIAN WAYNE ── .✦

At first, he might not get why you write fictional stories… but then he reads them.

He's completely blown away and demands to know what happens next immediately.

Occasionally critiques your logic but ends up emotionally invested in your characters.

“Why did you kill him off?” Because it served the story—” “You’re a monster.”

Will sit next to you while you write, drawing or sketching your characters in his own style.

Has probably told Alfred he thinks you’re a genius at least once when he thought no one was listening.

# BONUS WHICH MR WAYNE! ── .✦

Loves that you're creative and has the patience of a saint when listening to you rant about plot holes.

He doesn’t read everything you write, but when he does, he’ll quote it back to you at random times like a proud husband.

“Chapter 7 really showed growth. I was impressed.”

Offers to fund your writing career or self-publishing venture without blinking. “You’ll need an editor and marketing team.” SIGN ME UP !!

He also gently reminds you to eat and sleep when you’re on a deadline: “You’ve been writing for 16 hours. Come to bed and go to sleep.”

[heartavenue]

₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁Things That I Scripted Into My Better Cr That Just Makes Sense

Hi, my loves! I decided to make a things that I scripted just to give you a little insight of the reality I'm permashifting to! I absolutely adore this reality, so I thought this would be a fun way to introduce you all to it! Also, feel free to add some of these to your scripts!

1. Two dishwashers

I do not like washing dishes, nor do I like having them in my sink, so this is a MUST!

2. Two washers and two dryers

I live in a family of six, so trust me, I am not going to wait 40 days and 40 nights just to wash a load of clothes NO! (I may make this three washers and three dryers)

3. A guest house, pool house, and greenhouse

Okay, remember my "I need a little fabulous—is that so wrong?" post? Well, I mean that I want it all, so trust me, I'm going to have it all. My extended family comes over for the holidays so I just have a guest house so that they can stay over! I also have a pool, and since my house sits on top of ACRES and ACRES of land, the pool is not close to the main house. So the pool house serves as an area to go where you don't want to make that journey back to the house! And last but not least the greenhouse was something that my Dad commissioned for my Mom because she LOVES to garden!

4. My city is WALKABLE!

There is nothing that frustrates me then the lack of walkable cities in America. I just want to leave my house, go to the store, pop by a bookstore, and go back to my house, all within 35 minutes.

5. Farmers' Markets/Farms

Some Love Lore for you: I'm a country girl from Alabama! So, I'm not a stranger to seeing farm animals as I head to school in the morning, and I am not a stranger to visiting a farmers market and picking up some farm-grown tomatoes. However, Alabama has densely populated city areas and, of course, the stereotypical rural/countryside areas, so I would like to be around a farm again! I used to live in the country where I had farmers' markets, and I could see the little cows, and I miss that!

6. In-home movie theater

What did Sharpay say? Bigger is better, and better is bigger, a little bit is NEVER enough! I'm rich there why on earth would I not want to have rich shit in my house? My in-home theater serves as a place where I can make an excuse for my physical media addiction. The movie theater is just a big screen with a DVD player where I can pop in my favorite movie (or TV show) and enjoy myself! And of course I have a popcorn machine in there and those big ass movie theater chairs.

7. Walk-in pantry

I do most of the cooking/baking in the house, I need a walk-in pantry to hold all of my cooking needs.

8. Festivals, Carnivals, Concerts, etc

Think about Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls! I just want my city to come together and hold all kinds of events because it would be fun, right?

9. Childhood best friend whom I fall in love with.

That's some Love Lore for another day!

10. My entire family being shifters

In my better cr my dad was the one who taught me how to shift! My family even group shifts together! Why I scripted this? I just think it would be fun to experience the infinity of the multiverse with my family!

11. My mother grows weed in her garden.

She's a very interesting person, to say the least....that is also some Love Lore for another day!

12. My family have their own webseries on YouTube

We're funny, we're iconic, and there's never a dull moment in our house so why not put it on camera for the whole world to see?

[lizouri]

This is a warning I originally posted in the “Photographer’s Original Gallery”-Community. @boschintegral asked me to repost it. 💗

TL;DR: Beware of scam comments offering to buy your photos

Hey everyone! 🌟  You may have noticed a few days ago a user popping up in the comments on your posts, showering you with compliments and asking to buy your photos. While I totally agree that your work is absolutely stunning, this might be a scam you should steer clear of! With the help of one of our amazing mods, @exuviiae, we’ve removed around 55 of these shady comments, but I felt it was crucial to spread some awareness since these messages have also been sneaking into people's asks. What do those comments look like? Here’s an example: “Your artistic insight is incredible, and I'm impressed by your creativity. I'd like to buy some of your photographs. Please message me to negotiate.” How is this a scam? Well, they’ll send you an overpayment and then ask you to send the excess amount to someone else—only for you to discover weeks later that their original payment never actually went through. Remember, there are billions of pictures out there on the internet. Why would someone choose to buy yours from an unknown photographer? Don't get me wrong, all the photography here is truly remarkable! But let’s be real—the market is REALLLLY oversaturated. Plus, often these users don’t even follow you or engage with your content. If someone genuinely wanted to buy your work and loved your photography, wouldn’t you expect them to at least hit that follow button? Stay alert and keep creating! 💖

[alltimefail]

Hi @netflix and @warnerbrostv! I'd like to talk about the show Supernatural and how its history and legacy can provide some insight on why you should reconsider your decision to end Dead Boy Detectives after one singular season.

Supernatural is undoubtedly one of the most successful television fantasy franchises, but many don't know that it was nearly cancelled after season 2. Thankfully (and luckily) for the network they didn't go through with cancelling the show and by season 4 it was regularly breaking viewership records. A show that was nearly cut short in its prime - much like Dead Boy Detectives - became one of the largest and most recognizable fandoms across social media platforms between the years of 2010 and 2014. The show was so wildly popular that a confession scene between two of its leading characters (Dean and Cas) is STILL used today in a meme format to circulate everything from fandom news to world politics and current events. You can't go to a single comic-con without running into something relating to Supernatural, and ever since its conclusion there has been an opening in the market for a show to take its place.

I can say with absolute certainty that, given the proper time to flourish, Dead Boy Detectives would be the show to fill the spot Supernatural has left behind. It has loads of charm alongside a sensational balance of action, whimsy, heartwrenching character development, and horror. Furthermore it is objectively better with representation than Supernatural was, which is always something embraced in fandom spaces (which are diverse and filled to the brim with queer, neurodivergent, and/or a wide range of people of color).

I also think it's fair to remind you that one of your most popular "Nerd" shows, Stranger Things, is coming to an end after a 10-year-run, leaving behind yet another gap to fill, but this time on your very own platform.

It isn't too late to reconsider the cancellation of Dead Boy Detectives. The fanbase is dedicated and hungry for more, and we know you are currently sitting on finished season 2 scripts, making it impossible for the writers to take this story anywhere else for quite some time. The scripts are there, the cast, crew, and writers love what they do and want to make more... there's simply no reason to not give Dead Boy Detectives the chance it deserves - this time with an entire fandom that wants nothing more than to consume this show, market the hell out of it, and buy merch relating to it (another win for you).

(Source x)

Oh and did I mention that Steve Yockey was a co-producer on Supernatural as well? You know, that wildly popular show I just told you about that lasted 15 seasons. You are sitting on a golden goose; Steve Yockey and Beth Schwartz, among the other talented writers, cast, and crew, know what they're doing.

Give this show its time and market it well and you will have a hit on your hands. Frankly just based on the steady, continual fandom growth since Dead Boy Detectives' release in April and the vocal outrage over its cancellation just in the last 24 hours, I'd argue you already have a hit on your hands that rivals several shows you currently have on your platform.

Dead Boy Detectives has one of the most active fandoms of the year - do the right thing by them and bring Dead Boy Detectives back. It isn't too late!

[e-hibiscus]

I really love Feixiao 😔

Feixiao , although 100% on top in bed, lets you lead in nearly everything else. She’s always seeking out your opinions on matters, finding your insights valuable. Your view on things are, in ways, vastly different than her own. You, after all, are a regular civilian. Not a Cloud Knight or a warrior, but a regular individual on the Yaoqing. She lives for the simplest of moments with you; loving the way you pick mundane topics to discuss with her. It doesn’t matter what the topic of discussion is, she’ll listen with the most attention and respect. You very much have the General wrapped around your finger.

She lets you lead her by the hand as you two walk through the busy markets. Feixiao lets you set the pace of your walks. She adores the moment you turn around and face her. The way your eyes search for her own before they crease into a smile has her heart stopping momentarily every single time. That sight alone is one she’ll never get tired of because she loves you so much 🥺

Also, you know the trend? The one where you put your hand out and the dog comes up and rests their snoot on top ? Feixiao would totally do that when you call her name. She’s jogging over, resting her chin on your hand and just looks at you curiously. Woman is so smitten for you that she’s just a lil soggy puppy. She’s only doing this with her darling little lover and no one else. Professionalism is usually out the door unless its absolutely required.

[foldingfittedsheets]

hi!! i'm in school for product design and love hearing from experts about what they wish was different about things. so:

if you had absolute control over how mattresses were made, how would you change them? or, what feature would you want to see more/less of?

no pressure, i appreciate your insight!

I feel like I’d probably cherry pick the best of the proprietary technologies and bash them together into a glorious Frankenstein’s monster bed

The Beautyrest Black line has the sturdiest coils on the market bar none, so it’s an incredible support system, I’d put that at the base. Tempur material which isn’t memory foam for patent reasons is the most pressure relieving thing out there and I’d want to slap that on top.

I’d be curious to see about a layer of the Purple gel grid below the foam because in hospital testing it had incredible results for letting burn patients heal without bedsores but the actual Purple beds are rolled up and don’t have great support and it’s kinda wobbly so that may or may not stay in this hypothetical dream bed.

And at the end of that I’d have an incredible bed that no one would want because it would weigh a million pounds and cost a fortune.

[dragonslaved]

All right, besties. I had my days of depression and (bad) ideations, I had my flare of anger. It's easy to fall into despair, but let's focus that energy to thinking further ahead. Firstly: by focusing on our health and eating.

You've probably noticed in the last few months, a lot of food recalls from the FDA. The majority of these, particularly the most recent ones around heavily processed chicken in ready-meals and beef in fast food restaurants, are a direct result of the 45th president cutting back health regulations in industrialized food production four to six years ago that we're just now seeing the results of as it's gone through the process and finally hit shelves.

Now would be a good time to start looking into your local farmer's markets and sourcing your meats and produce from locally owned farms you trust. Start developing a good relationship with your local farmers and butchers. When you go to see them, just get to know them and ask some general questions.

A lot of these places are family run, particularly if you're not close to a large metropolitan area. So when you go to see these folks and they make small talk (because they will, they want to know what brought you out, how'd you find their farm, what kinds of meats and cuts and whatever you're looking for, just genuine small talk), do not bring up politics or USDA regulations. Literally just tell them that you're interested in sourcing and supporting local agriculture and farming (which is true, you are wanting to get away from big corporate industrialized meat production).

If your area has a good farmer's market during the spring/summer/fall, absolutely hit that up. The one close by me not only has good meats and produce, but also honey, different kinds of cheeses, all sorts of things. Farmer's markets closer to a city or metropolitan area will usually only be on weekends during the warmer seasons so keep an eye out and check out any options you have.

I'll give a starting resource for you: https://www.localharvest.org/locations/

Any local farms or farmer's markets that are registered there in the mainland US will have some listings there with hours of operation, location and what they produce, as well as if they're a farm, a farmer's market, a grocery, or a local restaurant, as well as reviews. Use that and source further and find other farms that aren't registered on that site that may have more of what you're looking for. The farming community talk to each other and they know what's up with the other farms.

If you want to go out and pick your own produce (berries, fruits, etc), there's https://upickfarmlocator.com/ that will show you any "u-pick" farms and orchards in your area. It's a pretty in depth resource that I'd recommend using if you're able to go out and do that.

There are a few urban harvesting resources like fallingfruit, but I'm not as familiar with that so I can't in good faith recommend it until I've done some research into it myself.

I'm mostly familiar with chicken farms and fish ponds so I can't provide much insight to cattle or game meat, unfortunately. If anyone who sees this post is familiar, please feel free to add on. I'm also not a source for how to skin your meat or pluck your birds, so again, if anyone seeing this has any insight, please please add on to this.

Let's keep each other healthy and strong so we can fight the good fight ahead of us. The biggest advice I can give to anyone starting this journey is to research. Research anything you're interested in and don't give up.

I'll update this post with any other resources I find, or that others add on. This post is recent as of 2024-11-08.

(And yes, I know, before anyone comes rushing in, I understand this is not as easy for larger metropolitan areas or food deserts. Yes I know not everyone has the ability to go out and do this, and not everyone has easy transportation to haul goods back. This is where the "community" part comes if you can coordinate a group renting a car or someone who does drive to get everyone out there and back. And yes, before other folks come in, I understand sometimes it's better to grow your own produce and raise your own livestock, this is for the folks who don't have the ability to whether that's because of physical disabilities, lack of space [Hi, I live in a condo and have no space to grow my own in fact], or any other reason why they can't.)

[rudyking]

Manly Man:

JJ's son, Auggie gets his first chest hair and declares himself to officially be a man- much to JJ's slight dismay.

JJ prided himself on many things: his ability to navigate the Outer Banks’ backwaters like a dolphin on loan, his uncanny knack for finding the ripest mangoes at the local farmer’s market, and, most importantly, his unwavering coolness as a father. He was JJ, after all, the dad who let Auggie stay up late for meteor showers, who taught him to surf before he could properly tie his shoes, and who always had a stash of pirate treasure (chocolate coins, mostly) hidden somewhere around their little beach cottage.

But lately, a creeping sense of unease, thick and sticky like humidity before a summer storm, had settled over JJ. It started subtly – Auggie’s voice deepening, his limbs stretching out like he was auditioning for a contortionist act, and then… the chest hair.

It wasn’t much, just a few wispy, pale blonde strands, barely visible without squinting. But to Auggie, it was the equivalent of Excalibur rising from the lake. He’d burst into the kitchen that morning, chest puffed out, a goofy grin splitting his face, declaring, “Dad! Look! I’m a man now!”

JJ, mid-scramble of eggs, almost dropped the pan. He’d blinked, stared, and then forced a laugh that sounded more like a strangled seagull. “A man, huh? Well, you still need to clear your plate, Man-gusta.”

Auggie, oblivious or perhaps choosing to ignore the underlying tremor in his father's voice, preened. He’d spent the rest of the day strutting around like a miniature John Wayne, flexing his non-existent biceps, and referring to himself in the third person as “The Man.”

Yn, JJ’s incredibly patient and insightful partner, just smiled knowingly. “He’s growing up, JJ,” she’d said, her voice gentle as the ocean breeze.

“I know, I know,” JJ mumbled, but inside, a tiny, petulant child was stamping his foot. Growing up? Auggie? His Auggie, who still sometimes slept with his battered stuffed dolphin, Finny? No way. Absolutely not.

Later that evening, armed with lukewarm beer and a bag of stale chips, JJ found Pope and John B perched on the porch swing. The salty air hummed with cicadas, and the sky was turning a bruised purple.

“Boys,” JJ began, his voice low and conspiratorial, “we have a situation.”

Pope, ever the voice of reason, raised an eyebrow. “Did you finally max out your credit card on fishing lures again?”

“Worse,” JJ groaned, dramatically. “Auggie thinks he’s a man.”

John B choked on his chip, spraying crumbs across Pope’s meticulously clean shoes. “What? What are you talking about? He’s like, what, eleven?”

“Eleven and a half!” JJ corrected, then elaborated, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and panic. “He’s got chest hair. Tiny, practically invisible chest hair, but chest hair nonetheless! He’s calling himself ‘The Man’. It’s a crisis!”

Pope sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “JJ, kids grow up. It’s kinda their thing.”

“But not my kid!” JJ protested, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “Not yet! He’s still my little dude, my sidekick, my… my baby!” The last word slipped out, a vulnerable whisper that even surprised JJ himself.

John B, surprisingly insightful for someone who once tried to pay for groceries with seashells, leaned forward. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

JJ scoffed, but his eyes betrayed him. “Scared? Please. I laugh in the face of fear. I wrestle alligators for fun. I… I just don’t want him to grow up without me. You know?” He struggled to articulate the swirling mess of emotions inside him. It wasn’t about stopping Auggie from growing, it was about the fear that growing up would mean growing away from him. That the shared pirate adventures and late-night talks under the stars would fade, replaced by… whatever teenagers did these days. Probably brooding and listening to angsty music, JJ imagined with a shudder.

Pope, ever the practical one, patted JJ’s shoulder. “Look, we get it. But trying to convince Auggie he’s still a baby? That’s going to backfire spectacularly.”

“Exactly!” John B chimed in, his eyes gleaming with mischievous excitement. “That’s what makes it fun! Operation: De-Man Auggie! We’re in!”

JJ grinned, his rebellious spirit momentarily overriding his parental anxiety. “Alright, boys, let’s show ‘The Man’ what being a boy is really all about.”

Their first attempt was during their regular Saturday morning surf session. JJ, Pope, and John B, feigning exaggerated gasps and wide-eyed admiration, kept referring to Auggie as “Little Guy,” “Tiny Tot,” and “Our Precious Cargo.”

“Wow, Little Guy, you almost caught that wave!” JJ exclaimed, ruffling Auggie’s shaggy blonde hair a little too forcefully. “Just like a tiny, adorable… guppy!”

Auggie, initially confused, soon caught on. He glared at JJ, blue eyes narrowing. “Dad, I’m not a guppy! I’m a… a wave rider!” He puffed out his chest again, unknowingly emphasizing those phantom chest hairs.

John B, never one for subtlety, added, “Yeah, a wave rider… of kiddie pools!”

Auggie’s face flushed crimson. He paddled away furiously, catching a wave and actually riding it quite impressively. He shot JJ a triumphant look as he returned to shore. Point: Auggie.

Next, they tried appealing to Auggie’s playful side. That afternoon, they “accidentally” stumbled upon a mud puddle of epic proportions in the woods behind their house. The plan was to tempt Auggie into a good old-fashioned mud fight, hoping it would remind him of simpler, messier, boyish times.

“Look at this, Auggie!” JJ yelled, already knee-deep in the mud, throwing handfuls at Pope and John B, who were gamely retaliating. “Mud wrestling! Manliest sport ever!” he added with forced bravado.

Auggie watched them, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. “You guys look like pigs,” he said dryly. “And that’s not manly, that’s just… dirty.” He then proceeded to pull out his phone and start recording them, snickering as Pope slipped and landed face-first in the mud.

“Come on, Auggie, lighten up!” JJ pleaded, covered head-to-toe in muck. “It’s fun! Remember when we used to do this all the time?”

“Yeah, when I was five,” Auggie retorted, still filming their muddy escapades. Point: Auggie, again.

The final, and arguably most ill-conceived, attempt was at dinner. JJ decided to baby-talk Auggie, complete with exaggerated cooing and silly faces. Yn, who had been quietly observing the escalating chaos all day, nearly choked on her water.

“Who’s my wittle munchkin?” JJ gurgled, pinching Auggie’s cheek. “Yes you are! Yes you are! Does wittle munchkin want some peasies?”

Auggie stared at him, his dimples deepening not with laughter, but with a mixture of embarrassment and something JJ couldn’t quite decipher. He pushed his plate away. “Dad, stop it. You’re being weird.”

“Weirdly loving!” JJ insisted, winking at John B and Pope, who were desperately trying to stifle their laughter.

“No, just weird,” Auggie said firmly, getting up from the table. “I’m going to my room.”

JJ watched him go, the playful energy draining out of him. He looked at Yn, his usual smart-alecky grin replaced with a genuine pang of hurt.

Yn sighed, getting up to clear the table. “You know, JJ, sometimes the best way to keep them close is to let them go.”

He frowned, confused. “But… but I don’t want him to go!”

Yn sat down beside him, taking his hand. “He’s not going anywhere, JJ. He’s just growing. And you know what? That’s amazing. Remember when you got your first chest hair?” she teased, a playful glint in her eye.

JJ actually blushed. He did remember. The awkward pride, the secret glances in the mirror, the feeling of… change. He’d been so focused on his fear, he’d completely forgotten about Auggie’s excitement.

He went to Auggie’s room, knocking softly. “Hey, buddy? Can I come in?”

Auggie mumbled a yes. JJ found him sitting on his bed, Finny the dolphin clutched in his arms. He sat down beside him.

“Look, Auggie,” JJ began, his voice sincere, “I’m sorry. I was being… a goofball.”

Auggie looked up, his blue eyes still holding a hint of hurt. “You were being really embarrassing.”

“Yeah, I know. I just… I guess I got a little freaked out when you said you were a man.”

“But I am!” Auggie protested, pointing to his barely-there chest hair.

JJ chuckled, putting his arm around his son. “Well, maybe not quite a man yet. But you’re definitely growing up. And you know what? That’s pretty cool.”

Auggie looked at him, his expression softening. “Really?”

“Really,” JJ confirmed. “And you know what else is cool? Getting to watch you grow. It might be a little scary for your old man,” he admitted with a rueful smile, “but it’s also the best thing in the world.”

Auggie leaned into his father’s side. “I still like hanging out with you, Dad.”

“I still like hanging out with you too, buddy,” JJ said, squeezing him tight. “Even if you are becoming a ‘Man’.” He winked.

Auggie grinned, dimples flashing. “Maybe not a ‘Man’ yet,” he conceded, “but definitely… a super cool dude.”

JJ laughed, relieved. “Definitely a super cool dude.” He knew he couldn’t stop time. He couldn’t keep Auggie a little boy forever. But he could cherish every moment, every milestone, even the ones that made his own heart ache a little. And maybe, just maybe, growing up wouldn’t mean growing apart after all. Maybe it just meant their adventures would get a little… bigger. And who knew, maybe “Man-gusta” would still let his old man tag along.

[whore4abby]

christmas headcannons; abby anderson

+ some bonus insta posts

warnings; tiny mentions of smut - strap-on mention, mdni

౨ৎ takes you to the local christmas markets every year - holding hands as you pass by the christmas stalls which are all aglow with twinkling fairy lights, breath visible in the cold air but you’re both cosy and bundled up in thick jackets to keep warm in the icy weather.

౨ৎ would notice you staring at a snow globe or something and immediately have her hand in her pocket to fetch her wallet and buy it for you without even thinking twice about it.

౨ৎ buys you the BEST gifts. spends months slyly asking you questions trying to get an insight into what you’ll be wanting as gifts.

౨ৎ not the best gift wrapper her big hands make it hard :( but she tries her absolute best. ends up using absurd amounts of tape to keep the paper in place, ultimately making it look like it was wrapped up by a small child.

౨ৎ insists that she hates the matching thermal pjs you buy for the both of you, sulking in protest when you suggest the idea but after much persuasion, she finally caves, willing to do anything to make you happy.

౨ৎ loves to decorate the christmas tree with you but she takes it soooo seriously, she never half-asses it and is always groaning at you that you’ve hung everything in the wrong place. always lets you put the star on the top of the tree though, hoisting you up into the air effortlessly, smiling as she watches you gently place the glittering star onto the tree.

౨ৎ so good at snowball fights but she sometimes forgets her own strength. pummelling the icy snow at you a little too hard which results in knocking you off your feet and back into a pile of freshly fallen snow. she attempts to stifle her laugh as she scoops you up, pressing warm kisses against your frozen cheeks apoligetically.

౨ৎ abby loves to wake up before you on christmas morning in the the early hours to enjoy a cup of coffee, watching as the snow falls outside of your bedroom window, caressing your back softly as you sleep. finishing her drink just as you start to wake up which leads to groping each other through your thermal pjs, sleepily grinding against eachother.

౨ৎ abby adores ending the night by watching endless christmas movies, wrapped up in blankets and surrounded by your favourite snacks and drinking hot chocolate whilst using you as her personal heater. the two of you sharing sticky marshmallow coated kisses as you giggle and press yourself closer to her.

౨ৎ the night ends with the hot chocolate and christmas movies long forgotten as abby has you ride her strap, her big hands gripping at your hips and bouncing you up and down on top of her.

[ot3]

would love to hear u talk abt severance! you always have insightful things to say about other media and i'd love to know what you've garnered so far.

oh man ive totally been having a blast with this season of severance. its a show i feel like i engage with pretty differently than a lot of people who are watching it but that just may be because im not really used to keeping up with popular stuff as it airs im normally several years late on any kind of bandwagon and get to sift through the dregs of public opinion, not so much In The Sauce. i feel like a lot of people get kind of tunnel visioned on the plot mysteries but although im really interested to see how all of that will resolve i have zero interest in trying to puzzle any of it out myself

one thing about me is that my first time through a given piece of media im an incredibly passive audience. this is part of why my liveblogs for stuff are not particularly engaging, im mostly just pointing to whatever happened in a thing and going OH SHIT DID YOU GUYS JUST SEE THAT!! Ive got a bit of a philosophy regarding media which is that you have as much time in the world to revisit, dissect, and critically engage with a work as you want, but you get exactly one opportunity in your entire life to see something for the first time. during those first times i like to just try and completely but whatever im being sold. and im absolutely buying what severance is selling me

i think as a tone piece its great. a lot of people seem to be a bit miffed at how slowly the plot is progressing and i absolutely cant bring myself to be bothered by it at all because i dont consider marching through plot beats to be this show's payoff at all. it's got such a distinct voice and aesthetics that i think are really refreshing to see because so much of television has become so homogeneously marketable. always a pleasure just to look at an episode of severance.

[furiousgoldfish]

To all of you who are feeling behind on survival skills, worried you won't be able to succeed in life because you're not allowed to learn/not able to learn, I want you to know that some basics are extremely easy to get once you're able to try it on your own, or even just have one person explain it to you.

When I ran away from home, I didn't know how to cook, I wasn't allowed to learn, and first month or so, I was preoccupied with just learning how to cook. What I learned was that it was far more easy than my parents ever made it seem. If you're trying to cook just for proper nutrition and not make some fancy meals, most of what you have to do is heat the groceries, and salt them. If you cut up some vegetables and put them in water an add salt, you will have a soup. If you lay them on a tray and put them in the oven, you've made food. You can put stuff in a pan with some oil and stir it on heat and you have a meal. For basic eating, it can be really that simple. I also was able to pick stuff up just from my roommates, who would happily answer my questions, and a lot of people out there will happily explain to you how they make a certain food, and of course, there's video tutorials for specific meals, if you want to make something more complex. Once you have absolute freedom in the kitchen, you will pick this up rapidly.

I have never used a washing machine prior to running away, and then one person showed me once how to use one, and that was that. I was washing-machine certified after that. I gained extra knowledge about cleaning it on the internet, and some people randomly had tips for me about it. I learned to handwash later as well, and that works good too.

I've struggled at the beginning, to find easy and cheap ways to get stuff; the most common way to get things is to go to the store, but I didn't have a lot of money, and buying things was too expensive for me. I've since discovered just where to find the second-hand markets, how to get people to give me their old clothing so I never have to buy any, how to temper with stuff I have so I wouldn't have to buy anything, at this point I even know how to fix shoes and sew my own stuff. I've fixed blinds on almost every window in here, without even knowing how, I just dismantled everything and figured it out. I've put together closets and lamps. I've learned to open up my own laptop and change the parts inside, I've even changed the screen on my own, by watching a video on how it's done. I've learned how to repaint walls, how to tend to plants, how to maintain a living space. Often I'd see someone else who is able to do these things, and just ask. People who are not parents have no reason to gatekeep this information, and they proudly told me how they do it.

I've learned to organize my stuff to the point where I'm able to easily clean a big mess, and I don't get overwhelmed with things anymore. I've had to do some reading on the internet to figure out the situation with finances and economy, and I also asked some people, got wildly different answers from every person. When I have the opportunity to chat with someone who has a specific job, I ask them about what they do, and have them describe to me how that field of work functions. It gave me insight into a lot of inner workings of society that were previously a mystery to me.

I was able to figure this all out while having zero faith in myself; I believed I was stupid, incapable of survival, honestly thought I would be dead within few months. I was reading army survival guides so I could survive in the wild if I ever got homeless. I was learning even without believing that all of this would help me, it's only now looking back at everything that I understand how much knowledge I gained just from trying it and doing it in every possible way until it clicked.

The most complex for me, were the social skills, since I'm still easily scared of people. But I am slowly making progress on that and finding better ways to deal with people's behaviours. Being curious works well because people love when someone is curious about them and shows interest in what they do. It's been a revelation that outside of my home, I really can just ask any question I am interested about, and will usually get some kind of an answer, and not 'how do you not know this already'. Outside of abusive homes, you're not expected to know everything, without ever being told.

While survival skills and independence are deeply forbidden in an abusive situation, being out of one will practically guarantee you that you'll get them. Sometimes you'll be forced to learn some stuff like cleaning and cooking and you'll have no choice but to learn, and it will become easier the more you do it. But nobody will make you feel bad for not doing it right the first time, there will be no punishment, no berating, you're free mess it up any amount of times, without any consequences. I would say that maybe you wasted some time and effort, but no time or effort is truly wasted when you're learning something; rather it takes that time and effort to learn. But it's not painful, it's not shameful, it's not forbidden anymore. You can learn a lot of things at your own ease and convenience, without worrying about someone's opinion on what you're doing. You can also learn dumb things and never be criticized or called out on it, you can do absolutely ridiculous stuff that brings you joy and no harm is done.

I know feeling behind sucks, and it feels shameful and horrible, but the good news is that you can catch up very quickly, and not only that. If you really want to have a lot of survival skills under your belt, and you keep learning, you will soon know more than most people do. You can out-do any person out there if you have a passion for it. I had people who were telling me how to do basic stuff, surprised at me knowing more than they knew, just months later. It's a great feeling!

[artsarasp]

You said in a post that iron widow made you really mad and you finished it with spite in your heart (or smth to that effect) and if you don't mind answering I'd like to know what you disliked?

*I haven't read it although I don't mind spoilers, and I have zero horse in this race. but I've seen so much of the marketing for it (which is obviously all extremely positive and weirdly like. political?) that the drama gremlin in me is just nosy to hear the other side.

I was mostly disappointed because I really wanted to like that book! I liked Xiran Jay Zhao's videos, and I was excited about the book even tho mecha is not really my thing. I rarely have such strong opinions on books, mostly because I tend to not finish stuff I don't enjoy, with that one I HAD to finish it because a friend gave me her copy and asked me to annotate it. (She treasures that copy now so we have a win there, my pain was worth it ahah) I may not remember ALL the things that made me very angry bc its been a while since I've had to rant about it.

First of all, it's poorly written. All Tell and no show. It gets very tedious and boring, especially by the second half of the book.

The protagonist is like "My beloved sister! I care for her so much and I must avenge her!" Okay, fine. What was she like? What was your relationship like when she was alive? I could not remember the sister's name, even tho she was the reason the entire plot began. You can't even tell me that maybe she wasn't that important bc Zetien was basically going on a suicide mission for her! she saw her ghost at some point! That poor lady was fridged and the marketing for this brick keeps calling it "a feminist book", there's nothing feminist about this! Zetian is not a feminist icon, and she shouldn't be considered the historical figure she's based on, but they keep trying to say she is. At some point during the story, she is betrayed by a woman who had to betray her because the government was threatening her children. She could have understood that the lady who betrayed her was not the real enemy but the system that could exploit her was! But no, she kills her. Couldn't she have thought of her sister in that moment? Couldn't she have thought, oh wait, I would have done the same if they had my sister. Nope! She needs to be cool and kill the poor woman who just wanted to keep her children safe.

She also feels absolutely abnormal for the society and culture she was raised in, she feels like a 21st-century woman who was yeeted into this setting and is simply against it because she knows this is fucked up. I would have liked to see more insight in why she became the way she is, because we are not given enough to understand her as it is. ( Also, Xiran's voice is very evident during Zetian's inner monologues, maybe its because I was very familiar with her videos, but I should not be able to pinpoint the paragraph where Zetian ends and Xiran begins. )

Also, for some reason the book desperately tries to be Hunger Games at some point, and I'm not the only one who noticed that in my friend group. The scenes of Zetian getting ready to become a concubine are reminiscent of Katniss getting cleaned up at the capital, and in the second half of the book is basically the equivalent of getting the sponsors with all the photoshoots and acting. It was extremely boring and slow to read. Another thing that gets often brought up about this book is "there's a poly relationship that's actually poly! All the characters like each other," which is BULLSHIT. Li Shimin deserves BETTER than these TWO ASSHOLES. He was treated like a piece of SHIT by Zetian for the entire book while clearly acting as gently as he could considered the circumstances they were in, and then after Zetian and Yizhi get it on they are like "emmm we could allow Li Shimin into our thing, he IS kinda cute" YOU DON'T DESERVE HIM. HE'S THE ONLY MOTHERFUCKER I RESPECT IN THIS BOOK.

That aside, the entire relationship is kinda underdeveloped in general, its really annoying to see "there's a polyyy" being a selling point to this thing.

There was more, but I honestly can't remember right now.

The only fun thing about this book is how much I enjoyed being a hater while I was reading. My friends and I are considering reading the sequel because from what we've seen, it seems to be a shitshow. I just hope it's a fun shitshow.

[songoftrillium]

Project Update 09/01/24

Hello, Kinfolks. We're a little under 60 days from releasing Book 1: Cliath, and I wanted to give you all a quick update, provide a few book facts, and hope this lets you share the excitement the rest of us have been feeling!

Book Layout

As you might've seen from our previews, writing is transitioning from writing to copy editing and book layout! If you haven't yet, check it out! The first two chapters are done, and chapter 3 is well underway. Outside of my work on Hearthbound, this is my first major book project, the largest book I've written, and the insights I've gained are ones I think might help future community content partners publishing work on Storyteller's Vault.

On Bluesky, a few months ago, I commented that you should "plan to take as much time doing layout as you do for writing." Even if one writes the book inline right in the desktop publishing program, annotation will still add time. With a WtE book we want to not just provide an adventure and a crash course on the Tellurian, but to also be a roadmap for Storytellers, new and old alike. This has happened on three fronts. The first and most important is we're taking the time to properly index everything in a way that'll let you look up specific book information quickly. The second is how we streamline information through the liberal use of cross-referencing in footnotes. In early chapters, you read truncated summarization, and in the footnotes, you can find book sections that expand on the information you're looking for and let you tune out the things that may not be so important for you to know at the moment. The third and most important feature, however, is where able, we cite our sources for our information. Should a Storyteller wish to learn expanded information on topics, they have a direct book and page citation where they can find deep lore to help construct their chronicles.

Cracking the Bone: now in coloring flats stage

For those that haven't been following, we are returning to old form. The moment you open Book 1, you'll be greeted with a fully illustrated and colored 22-page comic book showcasing life in the Age of Heroes. This story is centered around Dante (he/they,) our protagonist, and his first steps towards his First Change as a Bitten Homid Philodox. Throughout the book, we'll follow his journey towards becoming a Cliath, forming his pack under Earwig and his first mission as a Zedakh in a pack of other Queer Garou. In successive books, you'll see him transition from a scared baby gay Cub to a respected Elder in the Eastern Concordat! We're all absolutely thrilled to follow them on their journey. Illustrating this comic is the highly talented @mekanikaltrifle, who has partnered with us to bring Dante's story to life. I have a single pane I'd like to show you, bearing in mind these are just a first pass!

Book Pricing Information

We've also finalized some of our possible pricing on this book. On Storyteller's Vault, Community Content is priced on a per-page basis. The average is considered to be 12 cents per page. I did some early market work by releasing Hearthbound on a pay-what-you-want model with a recommended pricing of $2.99, totaling roughly 8 cents per page. I advertised exclusively here and on other social media platforms to queer audiences to help gauge a fair price for materials explicitly marketed to that audience. Of those that decided to pay for copies of the book, readers paid an average of 5$ per copy for an average of 14 cents per page. Given the voluntary nature of the release, we on the team have agreed that we'll be charging a rate of 14 cents per page for this release, which puts us on par with pricing for similar releases with a matching pagecount. With layout underway, we're currently looking at a book length of around 200-250 pages. 50% of proceeds go to the publisher, and the remainder will be split equally among all contributors, myself included. I and another artist have pledged to donate the entirety of our shares toward preserving the Kalapuyan language.

Book 1: Cliath releases on Halloween day!

I'd like to give a shout out to @a-boros-named-seamus, @madamebadger, The Bohemian, @peltofash, @ar2456, and Durodragon for supporting me on ko-fi, through yours and the donations of other ko-fi sponsors, we've managed to hire cultural consultants to review about half of what's been written. Because we weren't able to review all of our written words, we've narrowed our focus onto some of our most sensitive subject-matter, and believe that what we have coming out will be the inclusive Werewolf: the Apocalypse Quickstart you've all been waiting for. Thank you! It means so much to us that we have our own sept of Kinfolk out there who believe in this project!

If you'd like to help sponsor this project, subscribe on ko-fi to help us pay Cultural Consultants to work with us! We have some cool perks for subscribing, including access to book and setting previews, the ability to give feedback on game content we're producing, personalized advice for your own tables, and can even get a shoutout right in the book.

[ultimate-chickennougat]

| Your Salaryman Husband | (Vol 9)

Vol 1 Vol 2 Vol 3 Vol 4 Vol 5 Vol 6 Vol 7 Vol 8 (Not Required)

Salaryman!Kento x Housewife!Reader

When Nanami accidentally rolls onto you in your sleep...

Word Count: 1.1k

CW: SFW, domestic fluff, fem!Reader, reader wears a nightgown, Nanami is worried, very slightly suggestive.

A/n: This started as Nanami bringing you flowers and ended up as whatever this is?... (I'll do that next volume instead!)

Nanami sat at the dining room table, staring down at the few hours worth of paperwork before him. As per usual he was already burnt out from his work at the office, but of course it didn’t stop there. One of the joys of getting married was making quite a few large purchases, especially since the two of you didn’t live together beforehand. It had you very grateful he already had a car in good condition, as to not add another thing to the list. 

Unfortunately for Nanami, this wasn’t the kind of work he could get done with prior to coming home to you. Instead, he had to piece every budgeting document and report from various companies at home, and you had offered to join him in doing so. It went a lot faster thanks to your help, but seeing you all tired was not something he wanted to come from such menial tasks in his opinion. But the work was almost done, and most of the documents would finalize the purchases and regular payments that the two of you would need to make.

You were well accustomed to handling the household finances, keeping track of how much you spent each week at the grocery store, and trying to cut back on costs through growing vegetables and eating at home as much as possible. The two of you tried to run everything by each other whenever something was purchased, so your insight was very much appreciated by him. 

In between your yawns, Nanami let out a soft chuckle as he flipped through some pages and sat them to the side. After a few hours of jotting down figures, it was quite satisfying to watch them get slid into an envelope, placed into a box, and sealed away to not be touched for (hopefully) the next decade at least, assuming everything was done correctly.

You laid your head gently down onto the table, as Nanami moved his hand to cup your cheek and act as a pillow. Dinner was already cooking in the oven, a simple one-pan dish of vegetables and protein to be paired with fresh fruit you had purchased from the market earlier that day and ice cream as dessert. The scent flowed throughout the house, making you especially hungry, but it mostly lulled you closer to sleep.

Watching his cute little wife so tired and sweet, Nanami wouldn’t have been able to stop a smile from overcoming his face if he tried. In fact it was another thing that he loved about you, how despite being ready sleep in until noon the next day, you still got up and served the two of you dinner, making sure that everything was in place to make the next day go as smoothly as possible. 

The dishes were washed and set out to dry, and both of you changed into your clothes for the night. A pair of simple pajama pants and a loose fitting shirt for Nanami, and a cream colored nightgown for you. After brushing your teeth, you slid into bed with your husband following behind. 

If you weren’t so tired, Nanami would have acted on his urge to smother you with kisses. Instead he settled for just one, right on the lips held there for a couple seconds. To that you protested, “Kento I’m not that tired, you don’t have to go to sleep-,” but he cut you off. “I’m serious you need rest, goodnight my love,” he slipped under the covers, gently spooning you close as you drifted off to sleep. 

However, those urges didn’t seem to subside. Though usually still throughout the night, acting as a cage as you squirmed around, while deep into his own dreams he managed to turn onto his stomach… with you underneath him. Absolutely smooshed into your pillow, you woke up quickly and turned your head to the side to keep your ability to breath well. 

Your husband was large, that you knew, but for that to become a problem was quite rare when it was usually appreciated. It was that and the fact that he was gripping you so tightly, arms crossed over your torso like you would to a stuffed animal, an inescapable hold that still wasn’t yet uncomfortable. You thought about waking Nanami up for a bit, trying to wriggle out of his arms or push him off of you. Breathing wasn’t a problem and you didn’t exactly mind the closeness, though he was a bit heavy… so it took a good half hour for you to finally build up the will to ask him as you started to overheat. 

Ignoring your lack of sleep, by that time you were giggling at the look on his face when he finally woke up and moved. Nanami sat up on the bed, a slight flush to his cheeks and his lips had curled into a frown. “My love, don’t feel bad to wake me up,” he stated sternly, checking to make sure you were okay in a slightly frantic manner. “I’m sorry, Kento, but I’m okay, I promise,” you reasoned with him, to which he shook his head. “Either way I apologize, I’ll try to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” you snuggled back into the blankets, pulling Nanami by the hand so he laid down as well. 

“Are you sure you don’t want water or something? It must have been uncomfortable,” Nanami tried to get up to go grab some, but you remained clinging onto his arm. “I’m okay, it wasn’t bad,” you yawned with a smile, “In fact… I rather liked being so close.” In all your nights of sleeping in the same bed together, now nearing your fourth month of doing so, you never had encountered him doing such a thing. Something to note about what happens when you, his wife, the love of his life, looks a bit too irresistible and he cannot indulge as usual. 

Nanami hummed, letting out a yawn himself. He turned you around to face him, as you closed your eyes. “Like this?” he asked, admiring your face that was tucked into his chest. He breathing slowed down, worry leaving his mind as he relaxed with you. “It’s perfect,” you smiled, “Goodnight, darling.”

[lqveharrington]

Dust Storm | W.H.B.

summary: You and Billy get caught up in a dust storm while on a horse ride.

pairing: William H. Bonney x fem!reader

includes: slight angst, fluff, you and billy are engaged, not a lot of warnings 🤷‍♀️ let me know if i missed any !!

a/n: i had this sitting in my drafts for a billion years 😭 my bad bookies

It had been days since that last dust storm blew in and the spirits in the small county of Talihina, Oklahoma were high. However, there was no rain insight. And with no rain, it left many farmers with empty fields, covered in dried-out dirt and sand. It especially hit the Ashford farm and ranch the hardest.

The Ashfords were the wealthiest family in Talihina. They were well known for being able to run a horse ranch and a healthy farm. The father, James Ashford, was in charge of both the ranch and farm, making sure everything ran smoothly. His wife, Josephina Ashford, better known as Jo, was known for helping around the town and giving to those in need. Luckily for the couple, they had two children who helped them with their work. They had a daughter and a son. You were the eldest Ashford child, and you had a bright future. You resemble your mother in all ways. You were the kind of woman to make young men turn their heads just by walking by. Unfortunately for them, you were happily engaged to one William H. Bonney. On the other hand, your younger brother looked like a replica of your father. Adam Ashford was eight years old with the same determination as his father, hoping to take over the farm and ranch when he got older.

But because of the dust storms starting up two years ago, it was harder to tend to the crops that would grow and bring the horses out of their stables. Before, you would help your father to tend to the horses when you weren't doing volunteer work, but with the constant dust blowing around the whole country, he banned you from leaving the house unless it was absolutely clear from dust. And for the first time in two years, James let his daughter out of the house. Only to run her mother’s errands, of course.

“In case of emergencies,” James tied a red bandana around your wrist as you took your mother’s list and woven basket from the kitchen table. “Wrap this around your head and cover your mouth and nose. I don’t want you to get hurt. And remember to come straight back from the markets—”

“Pa, I’ll be fine.” You squeezed her father’s forearm, kissing his cheek. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

He sighed and shook his head, “Okay.”

You squeezed his arm again before leaving, silently reassuring her safety. You took quick strides to the town center and watched the dust kick up with every step you took. The walk going to town wasn’t bad. The only downside was that there was no shelter for any incoming dust storms. Fortunately, the blazing sun was beating down on the earth and the wind was seemingly absent.

Upon reaching the town center you smiled at the sight in front of you. You found children running around with wooden toys their fathers made and their mothers gossiping about the recent family who left for California. It felt normal. For the first time in years, it felt normal to see mothers scolding their children for messing with drunkards sitting outside of the bars.

You shook your head before entering the town’s only grocery, the bell above the door ringing to alert the storekeeper. “Mr. Taylor?”

“Miss Ashford!” The storekeeper beamed at the young woman. “What brings you into town? I haven’t seen you and your folks for a while.”

You gave him a tight-lipped smile, “With all this dust, I would hardly expect anyone to be hustlin’ ‘round town.”

“What can I do for you?” He dismissed the comment.

“I’m in need of some of your delicious Fuji apples. My ma s'been craving them ever since Adam read a book about them to her.” You looked around the empty store. “Other than that, I can grab the res’ of the things myself.”

“I’ll be right back.” He knocked the wood on the counter, heading toward the back of the store. You watched him leave before heading into the different aisles, glancing at the brands and prices of the different items. In fact, you were so immersed in deciding which brand of vegetable oil would be best that you hadn’t realized someone new had entered the store until a pair of strong arms wrapped around you and spun you off the ground.

“Oh my god!” You clung onto the stranger’s arm, not wanting to fall face-first onto the ground. You glanced back at the stranger before gasping, eyes lighting up at the male. “Billy!”

“Afternoon, gorgeous.” He put you down and kissed your cheek.

You felt your face warm at the name and action, tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear. “What are you doing here?”

“My ma sent me into town to get money from the bank.” Billy followed you around the store, his gaze flickering across your face. “Then I saw my favorite woman walk into town. I decided I could spare some time to talk to her.”

“Uh-huh.” You spun on your heel and peered into his eyes. “Did you get the money for your folks? Or did you forget?”

“You think so low of me, sweetheart.” He tilted your head up with his finger. “Of course I got the money.”

You hummed, giving him a proper look now. William H. Bonney was once a lanky boy in grade school. But he had definitely grown into himself. He got stronger and taller over the course of two years. The loose clothes he once wore now perfectly fit him, making you flush red each time you saw him. Your eyes then traveled from his fit shirt to his tattered, dust-covered boots. You frowned at the state they were in, but no one could do any better from the current weather the states were currently facing. Finally, you shifted your gaze to meet his eyes once more. His crystal blue eyes were such a beautiful contrast to the dust coating his dark jeans and his wavy brown hair. You swore you could get lost in them if it weren’t for him pulling you back to reality each time.

“You’re staring, gorgeous.” Billy grinned, earning a small scoff from his beloved.

“You’re impossible.” You shoved two bars of soap into your basket, heading toward the counter where the apples were waiting.

Mr. Taylor suppressed a laugh at the young couple, taking the basket from your arms. “That all for today, Miss Ashford?”

You hummed as you took your wallet out of your dress pocket, “How much?”

“$3.42 is the total.” He read off the cash register as you handed him the exact amount, trading it for the baskets of groceries and apples.

“Thank you, Mr. Taylor.” You smiled at him and moved to grab Billy’s hand as you left the store, intertwining them. “What’ve you been up to since I’ve last seen you?”

“Since last week?” Billy pulled you closer to him, squeezing your hand. “ Not much has happened since I visited your place. Just helping my ma in the fields like always.”

You nodded and looked toward the ground, watching the dust cling onto your leather boots and the bottom of your maroon dress. “The dust storm affecting your folks’ farm badly?”

“It’s affecting everyone, sweetheart.” He pulled you away from a stampede of running children. “No one can get any crops.”

“I know…” You muttered, rubbing small circles into his palm. You peered up at the bright sun, squinting at the beam. “You know what I wish for?”

“What?”

“I wish for everything to go back to normal.” You adjusted your hat, the Ashford ranch coming into view. “The dust storms have ruined everyone’s crops. I can barely step foot out of my own house. There hasn’t been any rain since god knows when. My pa won’t let me tend to the horses. It’s madness, Billy.”

“M’sorry, sweetheart.” He kissed the side of your head. “I can’t promise everything will go back to normal, but in the meantime, I can find a way to ride horses with you. ”

“William, what’s that supposed to mean?” You squinted at him, his piercing gaze meeting yours. “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably not a good idea—!”

“Come on. We can ride the horses and be back before your folks worry.” He pulled you into the Ashford stables, taking the baskets from your arms and tucking them safely in a corner.

You bit your lip, looking at the groceries and then back at the brunette, cursing him for being so convincing. “Fine.”

Laughter filled the air as you raced Billy through the back trails of Talihina, the generated wind blowing through your hair. It felt like you were both young teenagers who had no idea they were in love with one another, doing reckless activities until they were caught by one’s parents.

“Pick up the pace, Bonney!” You shouted as you saw Billy catching up, urging your horse to move faster.

A huge amount of dust kicked up with every stride the horses took, and if you looked back, you wouldn’t be able to see anything. Billy shook his head with a smile and copied you, finally riding beside the pair.

“Sweetheart, you know I can beat you in any horse race.” He chuckles as he brings his horse to a stop, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “You feel any better?”

You nodded and glanced to your left as you tugged on your horse’s reins, meeting his blue eyes. “I do feel better. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He tipped his hat in your direction. “Ready to go back?”

Your smile slowly faded but nodded, “Yeah.”

“Hey, we don’t need to rush. We can take as long as we want to go back if you want.”

“I’d like that.” You guided your horse to head back toward the ranch. “In the meantime, you can tell me all about what you’re gonna do when your ma finds out where you’ve been all day.”

“I can tell her I’ve been with my girl all day.” He bit back a smirk when he saw your cheeks tint pink. “I think my folks love you more than me.”

You shoved his shoulder, your engagement ring glistening in the sun. “They should love me more than you. I think my Pa loves you more than me.”

“Impossible.” Billy took your hand and kissed the back of it.

The young couple took short strides on their horses as the sun slowly faded away. One could argue that the sun was setting, but it was still much too early for the sun to set.

“What time do you have on your watch?” You looked back at the darkening sky, picking up the pace.

“3 PM,” Billy muttered, looking into your panicked eyes. “We gotta go.”

The both of you started to rush your horses back as the wind picked up, dust blowing around them which impaired your vision. You hastily removed the bandana from your wrist and tied it around your head, keeping your balance. Billy kept one hand on the reins and shoved his own bandana up, covering his nose and mouth. The sky was now covered with dust clouds and the wind blew harshly against your backs, the mix of dry dirt and sand hitting their exposed skin.

“Are you okay over there?” Billy shouted over the blowing wind. “Y/N?”

“I’m fine!” You blinked away tears from the dirt that stung your eyes, squeezing your legs to make your horse move faster. You could just barely make out your family’s farm, but with each passing second it became more and more obscure.

“Sweetheart, we have to go to the stables! It’s closer to us than your house!” He veered his horse over to the left.

“I can’t! My folks will worry and—”

“Y/N!” He snaps you out of your spiraling thoughts. “Please!”

You quickly followed him and turned toward the stables. Billy slammed the front doors open, causing chaos to erupt inside. The other horses stood on their hind legs, thrashing as the harsh wind blew the dust inside. You raced inside as Billy jumped off his horse and slammed the stable doors shut, grabbing bales of wheat and shoving them by the front. You took deep breaths as you tried calming your own horse, resting your forehead against the head of your horse.

“This dust storm ain’t gonna go away anytime soon.” Billy rubbed dust off his face, removing his mask. “We’ll be fine in here.”

You nodded weakly, combing your fingers through your horse’s dusty hair. “We shouldn’t have gone out— I-I promised my pa that I’d be back—”

“Hey, look at me.” He went over and took your fidgeting hand. “They’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. When the storm eventually calms down, we'll head over to your place.” He slowly helped you off the horse and held your dirtied face in his hands, slipping your bandana off and wiping your muddy tears. “Okay?”

“Okay.” You took a breath, holding onto his wrists, following his breathing pattern. You rested your forehead on his, shutting your eyes. “Okay.”

The dust storm only accumulated as time progressed. The field and crops were covered in piles of dust once more and the automobiles were suddenly buried underneath the dried dirt. Those who were inside any buildings had dust seeping through the smallest slivers, despite the taped downed windows and towels blocking the doors. It was as if the storm would never stop, deeply worrying the Ashford family for their daughter’s safety.

“James, you can’t leave!” Jo whispered toward her husband, arms crossed over her chest in disbelief. “It’s late and you wouldn’t be able to see anything with all of that dust blowin’. Adam worries for his sister, but imagine the grief if he lost his pa and his sister?”

“I can’t sleep without knowin’ if my little girl is fine, Jo,” James argued, tightly tying a handkerchief around his head. “If Adam wakes, don’t tell him where his pa went—”

“James!” She held his arm in desperation, holding eye contact. “The storm might end soon, don’t risk it.” She looked between his eyes as he glanced toward the backdoor. “Please.”

His gaze softened at his wife’s demeanor and pulled her into a hug. “I’ll wait.”

“Thank you.” She murmured, wrapping her arms around him. “When the storm dies down, you can go. I won’t stop you then… I worry about our little girl too.”

The storm kept blowing until early morning. The crops were now either torn out of the ground or buried deep within dry dirt and families had given up on keeping the dust out of their homes. James and Josephina Ashford fell asleep at their kitchen table waiting for the storm to pipe down while you fell asleep in the stables in the security of your lover’s arms. William H. Bonney, on the other hand, stayed awake. He was constantly listening for the winds to quiet to let you know you could head home. In the early hours of the new day, Billy gently shook the woman beside him awake.

“Sweetheart, wake up.” He brushed the dust off that had fallen on you overnight, watching you shift closer to him. “Gorgeous.”

“Give me a minute, William.” You groaned, using his government name as a threat.

He chuckled and sat up straight, bringing you along with him. “The storm stopped, you can go home now.”

Your eyes shot open and you looked over at the male incredulously. “You should’ve said that first, idiot. Let’s go.”

Billy smiled as he stood, helping you up. He shook the final bits of dust off as best as he could and moved the hay bales away from the doors. Billy tilted his head toward you, silently signaling you to head home. You grinned and picked up your dress, racing over to the house without stumbling. You burst into the house and discarded the dust entering as well, finding your parents standing by the kitchen’s backdoor. James had his handkerchief tied across his face, triggering your tears.

“Y/N.” Her father let out a breath of relief and engulfed you in a tight hug. “You’re safe. You’re okay.”

“I’m sorry.” You sobbed into your father’s shirt, clinging onto him. “I’m so sorry, pa.”

“Why are you crying, sweet girl?” He rubbed your face. “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t go straight home. I wanted to be out more, so I-I rode on the horses with Billy an-and then the storm started up. I shouldn’t have gone. I should’ve gone home right away. I should’ve stayed home. I shouldn’t have—”

“Hey, you’re alright.” James sat you down in one of the wooden chairs, removing his handkerchief from his face. “You’re safe. You’re home.”

You sniffled, looking up at your mother who had tears in her eyes too. “I’m sorry, mama. I didn’t wanna worry you…”

“My baby,” She knelt on the ground, taking your hands in her own. “I’m just glad you’re safe. The worst didn’t happen. You’re here. You aren’t hurt.”

Billy knocked on the side of the wall, making his presence known. In return, all heads whipped over to him. “I brought the groceries your daughter bought the other day.”

“William, come over here.” Your father beckoned him over.

“Yes, sir?” Billy stood by your side, removing his hat.

James sighed, putting his hand out. “Thank you for watching over my daughter.”

“Anytime.” Billy shook his hand, bringing him in for a hug. “I would risk my life for your daughter every single time.”

You lightly sock his arm at the mention, lacing your hands together. “Thank you.”

“I mean, now that you’re here, why don’t you help clear the dust out of our house? I’m sure my daughter has brought in heaps of it from runnin’ in here.” Jo patted her future son-in-law’s shoulder.

You flushed red as Billy chuckled, feeling him squeeze your hand at the comment. “Of course, Mrs. Ashford.”

The young couple got to work clearing out the dust while Jo and James started preparing breakfast for the day. It would be a while until all the dust would clear out of the house completely, but it wasn’t the worst problem they had. The dust storm that day might have ended, but little did the Ashford family know that it would only be the true beginning of their hardships.

©lqveharrington - all rights reserved. do not copy, translate or share my work on other media platforms

[ryin-silverfish]

The Ming annotations of Nezha's story in FSYY

-Something we modern readers don't often realize is how important annotations are to the reading experience of old Chinese vernacular novels (and most classics) back then.

-The most famous Ming novel annotation is arguably Jin Shengtan's Water Margin one (though he deleted the last 30-50 chapters because he didn't like them), but JTTW and FSYY get theirs too: the Li Zhuowu annotation for the former, and the Zhong Bojing annotation for the latter.

-Both of them are also definitely not written by Li Zhi or Zhong Xing, and merely used their names as a marketing ploy because they were famous late Ming scholars.

-In the case of the FSYY annotation, it's pretty likely that Li Yunxiang, who wrote the Shu edition (earliest surviving Ming edition) foreword and was a major editor of the book, also annotated the novel.

-Still, for the sake of clarity, I'll be referring to the commentary as the "Zhong annotation", and the commentator as the "Ming annotator" in the subsequent passage.

-Having read through more Zhong annotations than the Li annotations of JTTW, my personal impression is...

-You read the Li annotations to get more insight into how Ming readers view JTTW's allegories + chuckle at the more cheeky comments, while the Zhong annotations' main appeal is realizing that 17th century people are just as frustrated by certain parts of FSYY as you and me.

-Make no mistake, the Ming annotator still absolutely buys into the period-typical misogyny and the Neo-Confucian ideals of loyalty and filial piety.

-He also spends multiple comments roasting King Zhou's officials for being useless cowards, and lots of his sentiment can be summed up as "Dude, if only you'd make up your mind and kill the MF, none of this would have happened."

(Specifically, he disses Yunzhong Zi for not killing Daji like his acolyte initially suggested, and for just, packing up and leaving after King Zhou burns his wooden sword…but not before writing a poem on the wall that indirectly led to the execution of Du Yuanxian and Mei Bo.)

(Wall poetry really are the sources of a lot of woes in FSYY.)

-The way the annotation is organized, there are "Margin Commentaries", short comments written at the top of the page (often quite hard to read because of the smudging) and "Chapter Commentaries", an overarching review at the end of each chapter.

-In this post, I'll be offering a very loose partial translation and "annotations to the annotations" in Chapter 12-14, so to speak. It's not meant to be accurate in the literal sense, just getting the vibes across.

-I'll also be skipping the 3-4 word commentaries that are basically Captain Obvious statements, as well as the repetitive/not very relevant ones.

-For reference purpose, here's a link to my amateur simplified Chinese transcription of every annotations in Chapter 12-14.

Chapter 12

Nezha sasses the Yaksha:

"He's just a little kid who's never seen a monstrous creature like this before, no wonder things go south."

Ao Bing reacts to Nezha's admission of killing Li Gen:

"The Third Prince [of the East Sea] is quite foolhardy. He basically signed his own death warrant."

Ao Guang reacts to the news of Ao Bing's death:

"Good and evil are of no concern in this current age, only that it can be done (?)"

Nezha telling Li Jing and Ao Guang he killed Ao Bing:

"At least he's upfront about it."

End of Chapter 12:

"Nezha bathing in the river is just him being a kid, and the Yaksha is quite rude and nasty-looking. Naturally, their encounter goes poorly and [the Yaksha] is killed. Still, the Third Prince [of the East Sea] could've asked about the matter properly, and the incident could have been nicely resolved. How come he also jump to violence so quickly? A classic case of taking matters into his own hands (/neg)."

"Nezha is quite the candid guy. Not bothering to hide anything, he just owns up to [his deeds] immediately after meeting Ao Guang. People in this day and age would've come up with all sorts of excuses and denials like petty old ladies."

Thoughts: -I love how the Ming annotator is also like "He's just a little guy!" -Okay, on a more serious note, the annotator does put equal blame on Li Gen and Ao Bing for their poor communication skills and eagerness to throw hands. -He also admires Nezha's straightforward personality and his willingness to just own up to things. It's kinda a running theme in his annotations, and in this case, I can really get behind the Ming annotator. -Like, not many modern readings pay attention to that aspect of Nezha. Even the ones that are like "OMG he's soooo violent in the original novel" don't seem to realize that FSYY Nezha is both unabashedly violent AND willing to take full responsibilities for what he did.

Chapter 13

Nezha beating the crap out of Ao Guang:

"What a scoundrel!" x3

Nezha reassures Li Jing that things would turn out fine because he was Fated to become the Zhou army Vanguard:

"Yeah, but that's no reason to be a jackass."

Nezha bonking the Colored Cloud Boy with his ring:

"Reckless scoundrel behavior."

Taiyi and Lady Shiji battle each other:

"Neither are acting like proper [monastic] Daoists."

Nezha begs Taiyi for a way to save his parents:

"He's a filial son after all."

Nezha kills himself:

"Truly a spitfire of a man."

End of Chapter 13:

"Nezha's unruliness rivals the Handsome Monkey King, and his moments of loyalty and filial piety, as well as his bold, impassioned forthrightness, is reminiscent of Lu Zhishen and Li Kui. Truly, this tale shall be passed on alongside Journey to the West and Water Margin."

[An entire comment that's just the annotator being condescending to rock yaoguais and going "some ppl nowadays are as obstinate as rocks"]

Thoughts: -Oh, Ming annotator, you have no idea how right you are about the enduring popularity of the Nezha story in the popular consciousness. -Also, if the Ming annotator can disapprove of Nezha's jackass behaviors while also recognizing his positive qualities, so can you. -FSYY Nezha is neither just a violent, spoiled brat, nor the misunderstood heroic youth he is in modern adaptations. -Which is why I both dislike sensationalist comments on Chinese internet that reduce FSYY Nezha to "Psychopathic Brat", as well as attempts to justify Nezha's killings with excuses that just don't hold up to scrutiny. -Yep, I'm talking about the "Nezha killing Ao Bing and beating the crap out of Ao Guang is a power fantasy for Ming readers, because dragon kings represent the capricious nature of the weather phenomena folks depend on for their livelihood" take. -I mean, maybe that could be a reading of the Nezha folk legend before it is incorporated into the FSYY novel, if you subscribe to the "Nezha's story is an independent tale inserted into the novel" theory. -But we can neither prove or disprove whether this hypothetical "folk version" would have been interpreted by its Ming audiences as a "take that" towards the dragon kings. -And the tale is likely not incorporated into the novel word-for-word either——some degree of literati rewriting and extension is inevitable. -We do know how a low-level literati would have read Nezha's violence towards Ao Guang ad Colored Cloud Boy in the novel, based on the Zhong annotations: asshole behavior, plain and simple.

Chapter 14

Li Jing destroys Nezha's temple:

"Li Jing is just being meddlesome here."

Nezha swears vegeneance against Li Jing after the Lotus Resurrection:

"Speaking of the human heart being the most poisonous of the Six Paths, [one] needs only to look at this to find the origin."

Taiyi gives him weapons and teaches Nezha spear arts:

"First he teaches people to do ill——today's schools and sects are even worse in that regard."

(My own reading of this annotation is "Seriously Taiyi, Nezha just tells you he's gonna go after Li Jing, and your response is giving him lethal weapons and teaching him how to use them?")

Nezha encounters Muzha:

"Having acknowledged his brother, he still wishes to commit patricide; Nezha truly is ridiculous."

Nezha is seething at Li Jing after being whipped:

"How very unfilial of Nezha."

Sage Randeng shows up:

"This Daoist is another one of Taiyi's sort."

End of Chapter 14:

"Since reviving people is one of the miraculous arts of immortals, Taiyi should've just used it on Nezha from the very beginning. Why tell him to go to Mt. Cuiping to receive incense and cause all that bad blood between family members later? If it's all part of an intentional plot to suppress his murderous urges, [the plan] is as convoluted as an old lady's ramblings."

"Taiyi, Wenshu, and Randeng——these Bodhisattvas are all so wishy-washy. If Nezha is impetuous, [they] should have convinced him with clear reasoning and taught him the proper relations between Father-Son and Brothers. Why be so vague and evasive, putting Li Jing in dire straits and damaging his dignity as a father? Typical Buddhist monk and Daoist priest behavior, hehe."

Thoughts: -The Ming annotator is absolutely cooking in the Chapter Commentaries. -Of course, as you can see from the rest of the comments, he still believes firmly in filial piety, but this is a clear case of "A reader from 400+ years ago also think this part doesn't make sense." -If the annotator comes off across as really hating old ladies for some reason, it's probably the difficulty of translating the term 婆子气 at play. Basically, it describes fussy, indecisive, naggy behaviors, kinda like a stereotypical old auntie.