#and also some plot points flow different from others

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Non-Linear Storytelling

Non-linear Narrative - a narrative technique in which the storyline is told out of chronological order.

That can take many forms by using:

flashforwards

flashbacks

dream sequences

foreshadowing

Non-linear plotlines can mimic the recall of human memory, or weave in fantastical elements like time travel or clairvoyance.

Advantages of Using a Non-Linear Narrative

Non-linearity as a narrative structure might be a challenge to pull off—the order in which everything is presented must still be logical, if not chronological—but when done well, it allows a more nuanced, masterful story to emerge.

Intrigue. By disorienting the reader, a nonlinear structure creates a puzzle that requires more engagement with the individual pieces of the story. Cause and effect cease to be predictable or immediately visible, allowing the reader to curate their own logic. When a novel opens with a murder, the series of events that follow carry greater weight and add to the anticipation of the final (known) outcome. When the reader knows more about a character’s fate than they do, opportunities also arise for moments of irony, be they tragic or comic.

Worldbuilding. Not only can you use a non-linear structure to incorporate different time periods into your story, taking a momentarily different point of view can give the reader more insight into other aspects of the setting—think subplots unfolding on the other side of the world that will eventually become meaningful, or perhaps historical events that come to bear on the lives of your characters.

Depth of character. The more the reader learns of your main character’s backstory, the better they understand the choices they make throughout the narrative. Instead of simply telling the reader your character is an orphan, send them back to the moment they became one. Those experiences stay with the reader as they continue through the story.

Flow. Nonlinear storytelling moves your narrative form into something closer to art. While humans might be instinctually drawn to the neatness of chronological order, they are enchanted by the complex. Interchanging the main plot with a non-linear plot allows you to capture more of what it means to be human, and then some: giving shape to all the connections that bind a group a people together, though they themselves remain blind to it.

Examples of Non-Linear Narrative

Non-linear storytelling goes as far back as the 5th century, with flashbacks peppering the timeline of the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, which tells of two clashing groups of cousins. Homer’s Iliad used a technique called in medias res, where the story starts at its mid-point.

The non-linear is still going strong in the 21st century: here are a few new and noteworthy examples.

Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse follows a family’s visit to the Isle of Skye over a ten-year period. Featuring no dialogue and almost no action, the novel unfolds in thoughts, observations, and childhood memories reflected against the present moment.

In William Faulkner’s The Sound and The Fury, the narrative is pieced together by separate members of a fractured aristocratic family. Each section jumps forward and back in time, covering the events whose ripples have led to the present fate of the family.

Kurt Vonnegut, whose book Slaughterhouse-Five utilizes flashback and time travel to illustrate the life of American soldier Billy Pilgrim.

Science-fiction writer Ted Chiang’s first-person short story, Story of Your Life (which was later made into the film Arrival) examines the existence of free will in the face of the inevitable. Told from the point of view of a Louise, a linguist who learns an alien language that allows her to view her future and comprehend time in a nonlinear way, the story opens with the birth of her daughter; the reader only learns later that she knew the child would die young and still chose to fulfill that destiny.

In Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler's Wife, protagonist Henry De Tamble lives with a genetic disorder that forces him to sporadically travel through time with no warning. He falls in love with an artist (who lives an ordinary life on a standard linear timeline) and continues to jump in and out of moments in his own life, sometimes with dangerous consequences.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[thepixelelf]

Making myself balance three different storylines in one smau that I'm writing as I go is so heinous and evil

[deception-united]

Let's talk about writing dual POVs.

Writing a novel with a dual point of view where two different characters share the role of narrator can add depth, tension, and complexity to your story, but it also comes with its own set of problems and challenges. Like, how do you ensure clarity between perspectives? How do you keep both characters engaging? And most importantly, how do you make both narratives feel like parts of the same novel instead of two separate stories? Here are some tips and strategies to consider, before and when writing.

1. Ensure both POVs are necessary.

A dual POV should serve the story, not exist just because it seems interesting. Before committing to this structure, ask yourself:

Could the same story be told just as, or more, effectively from just one perspective?

Do both characters bring viewpoints that are unique and essential to the plot? What does this character’s POV add that we wouldn’t get otherwise?

Does each POV contribute to the novel’s themes, conflicts, or emotional depth?

Does it move the plot forward, or is it just there because I like this character?

If the answer isn’t an easy 'yes,' reconsider whether both POVs are truly needed. For example, in a romance novel, it might be better to only include one POV, since knowing there are feelings from both sides can take away tension and make it boring for the reader.

2. Choose a primary protagonist.

Even though you're going to be featuring two points of view, it’s essential to have one central character who anchors the story. This character serves as the thematic and emotional core of your book. Consider:

Which character’s perspective starts the story?

Which character’s perspective ends it?

Who undergoes the most significant transformation?

While both POVs should be compelling, having one clear primary character ensures your narrative remains cohesive.

3. Make each POV distinct.

Readers should be able to identify whose perspective they’re in without needing a chapter heading to tell them (although this is helpful and I do recommend including an indicator like this). You can differentiate this through:

Voice & tone: Their word choices, speech patterns, and internal thoughts should reflect their unique personalities. (See my post on character voices for more tips on this!)

Observations & focus: What each character notices and how they perceive the world will differ based on their backgrounds and biases. What details do they focus on? How do they process emotions? For example, a noble-born strategist will notice different things than a street thief. Sentence structure & style: Ties back to voice & tone—a poetic, introspective character might have longer, flowing sentences, while a blunt, action-driven character may have short, clipped phrasing.

**If you can open to a random page and easily recognise the character’s voice, you’ve done it right.

4. Interweave the two arcs effectively.

Both characters should have distinct yet interconnected arcs—even if they don't meet or interact until later on, or at all, their stories should be able complement or contrast each other in a way meaningful and comprehensible for the reader. Examples:

Parallel arcs: The characters face similar struggles but react differently (shows contrasts).

Intertwining arcs: Their paths cross at key moments & affect each other’s journeys.

Foil dynamics: One character’s success may mean the other’s failure—builds tension and stakes.

5. Smooth transitions

Switching between perspectives should feel natural, not jarring. Consider:

Consistent switching: Like alternating every chapter or at key turning points, or making one character dominant (the main focus) and the other occasional (slipping into it when necessary).

Strategic cliffhangers: Ending one POV on a suspenseful moment can keep readers engaged through the shift (though be careful not to make it so that the reader is skimming through one POV just to get to another).

Mirrored/contrasting scenes: A reveal in one POV can recontextualise a previous scene from the other.

6. Avoid head-hopping.

This is when you suddenly switch between characters’ thoughts in the same scene without a clear break. This can be jarring and pull readers out of the story.

Bad example: Lena glared at him. She was furious. Why didn’t he understand? Jonah sighed. He wished she would just listen.

You can't tell whose head we're in, and even if it was indicated at the start of the chapter, it makes it confusing and frustrating.

7. Build suspense

A well-timed POV switch can escalate tension rather than just pass the baton. Examples:

Character A is walking into a trap; meanwhile, Character B is on the other side of the city, knowing but unable to warn them (creates dread).

One character’s assumptions might contradict reality. (For example, a spy might believe their cover is intact, but another POV reveals they’ve been exposed.)

Character A misinterprets Character B’s actions as betrayal. Switching to B’s POV clarifies their true, but hidden, motives (creates emotional whiplash).

8. Deeper character exploration

Dual POVs can let readers experience both sides of a relationship, rivalry, or power struggle in ways a single POV can't. Examples:

Character A sees themselves as a hero, but Character B’s POV reveals their arrogance (unreliable narration).

Different emotional reactions—the same event might be tragic for one but a relief for another.

Common Pitfalls

Dual POVs might not always be appropriate for your specific narrative, and could:

1. Remove tension.

I briefly mentioned this, but one risk of dual POVs is reducing suspense, especially in genres like romance or mystery. If readers see both sides of a conflict, they might lose the uncertainty that drives engagement. However, you could try:

Using unreliable narrators

Keeping certain information hidden from one POV

Ensuring there’s still conflict and misunderstanding between the characters

Switching between past and present

Keeping one POV until the climax or for a specific plot twist, which can be revealed through a different POV

2. Break story flow.

If one character’s arc lags behind the other’s, readers may get frustrated when switching perspectives. Ensure each POV maintains momentum and contributes to the overarching plot.

3. Make readers favor one character.

If readers strongly prefer one POV, they may skim or disengage during the other. To avoid this, make sure both are equally compelling, both characters have stakes that feel urgent and meaningful, and each has their own distinct emotional arc that readers will be equally invested in.

4. Make it redundant.

If both characters are just retelling the same events with minor differences, the second POV becomes unnecessary. To avoid this, use POV shifts to enhance the story, not just repeat it. You can use the second POV to:

Show what’s happening when the other character isn’t present

Reveal secrets, misunderstandings, or unreliable narration

Build dramatic irony (let the reader know something one character doesn’t)

Happy writing!

Previous | Next

[ukelele-boy]

I was rereading some of my posts from 2021 and was reminded of how much meta I used to write so imma share my crazy headcanon/ theory which i thought up as plot for a revolution fic:

RR verse is on the "Olympus will fall" timeline and Zeus' actions are speeding it up.

In the recent decade there has been several great prophecies back to back. And people have remarked how weird it is that there have been so many. What if the reason is because of Zeus?

Remember, in greek mythology there is a major theme of how Your Fate Cannot Be Defied. And Zeus, king of Olympus, has a major Fate: being overthrown. However he managed to "defy" it by eating Metis.

My idea is that he has been forcefully clawing out a future where he is still king of Olympus. By doing this, he is literally changing the flow of fate. And obviously fate wants to correct itself, so the harder he fights it, the more counterforce he triggers. All prophecies meant to lead to his overthrowing are suddenly sped up. Olympus begins to lose power. Zeus is aware of this. He is also aware how people are becoming suspicious. And he needs a scapegoat. And who better than the god of prophecy who is also a threat to the throne?

Apollo mentions that Zeus blamed him for his oracle revealing a prophecy "too early" and therefore causing it to happen early. However, everyone knows it's not possible to actually cause a prophecy to happen early...so why would Zeus even have this weird line of thought? everyone probably dismissed it as Zeus being irrational, but there a juicier theory this ties into:

Apollo being the one to overthrow Zeus.

The idea of "fall of the sun, the final verse". What if this is the final prophecy that is meant to happen before Zeus is overthrown? And what if the fall this speaks of is actually when Apollo fell close to chaos? When he pulled himself together there?

What if he reformed different from his original godly form. He was literally almost gone, his body was disintegrating. Maybe he pulled himself together using the energies of chaos. Apollo himself isn't aware of this, due to a suspicious memory gap between him clawing up from the cliff and him waking up next to Artemis.

And this adds to another headcanon of mine, the fates choose Apollo to be the god of prophecy on purpose. At first glance, this is a horrible match. If they wanted a good servant, why would they choose someone so closely tied to his heart and so likely to fight fate? Someone who dares get them drunk just to extend a human's lifespan? UNLESS... they WANT him to eventually try and defy fate??

Imagine if fate was a compass and Zeus had forcefully wrenched the needle point at a bleak dark future where Olympus falls with him. And this river direction has been set so deeply in stone and run on for so long, it has worn a grove and become the mostly likely future.

you need someone willing to fight, someone to wrench the needle out. SOMEONE FAMILAR WITH FATE AND Prophecy. Someone who has the power to fight it and win. Someone who has the will. Perhaps a baby god who was willing to fight Python, and who would have likely died there. But if he successfully did take on the powers of prophecy, one day that same godling would fight Python again, would absorb the powers of chaos to recreate himself.

Perhaps not today and maybe not even for the next four thousand years

but one day that godling would stare down at that wretched compass hand and decide to yank the flow out of its place. And maybe, that godling means a chance for Olympus to have a different future.

Anyways that's my crazy theory i hope it wasn't too confusing. It also links up with my other story theme idea about fate, hope and apollo blah blah blah, which i rambled about in a different post.

Edit: just remembered my other crazy thought, what if ZEUS PURPOSEFULLY TRIED TO GET RID OF APOLLO NOT ONLY CAUSE HE IS A THREAT TO THE THRONE BUT ALSO BECAUSE AS THE GOD OF PROPHECY HE IS MOST LIKELY TO REALIZE SOMETHING IS WRONG AND THAT ZEUS IS MESSING WITH FATE?!???? Basically pulling a imma say you're the murderer before u realise im the murderer. (i cant remember the actual saying Lmaoo)

[sglossmin]

Muse | MYG pt. 12

Plot: What happens when the man you practically simp over in high school, is right now, sitting across you after almost 10 years of not seeing him? Worse? You're here for an appointment for therapy and he's your psychologist.

Pairing: SeniorStudent!Yoongi x JuniorStudent!Reader ---> Psychologist! Yoongi x Artist!Reader

Genre: Fluff, slight age gap, slice of life, a bit of angst, schoolmates to lovers(?) Switch POV

A/N 1: Available on WATTPAD (click here) now too!!

Comment your @ if u wanna be added to the taglist^^

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10 part 11 part 11.5

The sun is up and it’s another day. But today is not just any other day—in fact, today is my biggest event. Sounds like a big deal, but it doesn’t feel like it. 

A week has passed since I blurted to Yoongi that I hate him. In the past week, I didn’t even have to try my best to avoid him. He was just… nowhere. Even when I go outside and we coincidentally meet, he’d run back to his house. To the point that I felt like he was avoiding me—when that was supposed to be my job.

It’s about 3 pm now—at least, the last time I checked. I lost track of time as I stared at nothing but the ceiling. I already have the vivid image of the painting that I’ll do at the event later in my head.

Then what could I possibly be thinking? 

Him? No… I’m thinking of nothing in particular, really. Just random thoughts that have been running in my mind for so long.

But also, the call that I got earlier from an old regular client of mine back when I was still staying in America. He’s a nice guy and has real good eyes when it comes to spotting great artworks, if I must say. He called and gave me an offer to mentor some young artists that he sees a lot of potential in. It’ll be for a month and the salary is quite good too.

And if I were to accept, it would only mean I have to go back to America.

I really have no reason to accept or refuse—which only made it harder for me to decide.

Staring at the blank ceiling, my alarm started ringing. I knew it’s time to get off the bed and get ready.

But I really wanna rot in bed more…

I lazily got off from my bed—rolling off from it made me groan pathetically as I fell on the floor. Slowly, I went to the shower.  Not even bothering to take off my clothes, I sat in the bathtub and let the water flow. Once the tub was filled, I turned off the faucet. 

Letting out a sigh, I sank deep into the water as I let the coldness of it wrap around me completely. I held my breath and stayed still.

What if I just let myself drown in here? It'd be fun… like the old days…

Still submerged, my eyes were closed then an image of him flickered in my mind. The look of worry, the way he smiles at me—and the few times I caught him flushed. 

But not just him, I remembered Jimin's cries as he held onto me that day…

He's such a crybaby.

I also remembered Jungkook, Tae, Sana, Chaeyoung… my mom… 

All of them have been worried for me ever since the accident. Maybe… I was being too selfish. I have never asked them what they feel. 

Maybe I grieved so much that I turned a blind eye and made it as an excuse… because I'm too ashamed.

I was too deep in my emotions that I forgot I wasn't the only one suffering.

They are too.

Maybe it's time for me to be there for them. Give back the strength they gave—even though they never asked. 

Life might not always be great, but the little moments are. It's up to the person whether to find meaning and happiness—or keep the solemn silence in them.

I raised my head before I could even drown myself. Panting heavily as I chuckled, thinking how reckless I've been with myself for the past years.

“I can't kill myself now,” I muttered as I stood up and got off the bathtub. Taking off my clothes, I threw it in the basket—leaving me bare. I sighed while I looked at the mirror. My skin is glowing, so different from the Y/n back then. 

What changed? Nothing… But what came back? Simple, my will to live.

“I have a billion to get and a man to confess to.” I said while I stared at my reflection. My eyes that used to be dull and lifeless are now filled with passion. It wasn't anxiety anymore—but adrenaline  that fills me when thinking about the possible things that could happen. 

I dolled myself up for the evening, wearing the black, mid-length dress. I purposely chose to wear black since I'm going to paint after all. The dress features a structured sweetheart neckline and wide shoulder straps, giving it a composed yet feminine silhouette. The bodice is fitted, accentuating the waist before flowing into a soft, A-line skirt that ends around the calves. A sheer chiffon overlay adds a delicate, almost ethereal touch, while a subtle side slit offers just enough movement and intrigue. 

But of course, this whole outfit will be a waste if I ever accidentally splash paint on it, so I made sure to pack an apron. 

I paired my dress with a pair of wine red flat shoes. Tonight is not just about fashion, I also have to be comfortable too since I'd have to move a lot. 

I really wanted to do a low bun for my hairstyle, but I guess my hands are not for it. Which explains why I just did my usual soft waves, but this time, it's tucked behind my ear.

While finishing my makeup, my phone rang and I immediately answered it. I put it on speaker mode so that I can continue my makeup.

“I'm outside,” Jimin said through the phone. 

As I put on the eyeliner, I replied. “Just come in. The door's open.”

Soon, the door of my room flew open, revealing a grinning Jimin. 

He's wearing a sharp black tuxedo with satin lapels and a crisp white dress shirt, slightly unbuttoned at the top that adds a relaxed sophistication. His trousers are tailored perfectly too, elongating his silhouette. But honestly, I think the sleek black leather Chelsea boots is the one that completes his whole look.

“Oh my my my… No wonder you're taking so long,” He smirked as he eyed me up and down.

I rolled my eyes at him then sprayed the setting spray on my face to lock my makeup. “Just finishing actually. And you're not bad yourself. Wait—are you trying to match with me?” I teased as I took one more glance at him.

Jimin raised a brow and replied in his sassiest tone, “Excuse me?”

“You're excused.”

He scoffed, crossing his arms as he replied. “It's called a tuxedo and black is a common color of it. Besides, it's not like I own many things like this. Who would've thought that one day, we'd be attending an event like this.”

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, I smiled. “I know right…”

The second I'm done with makeup, I put my jewelry on.

I sighed, staring at the reflection of mine in my mirror. This is a high-end event and I surely look part of the kind of people who attend it. It's the power of makeup and being stylish, I guess.

Jimin stepped closer, enough for me to see his reflection in the mirror too. He grinned, both satisfied with our look. “Ready, Y/n?”  

“Yeah… I am.”

I didn't know it'd be this flashy when we got inside. With Jimin on my left and Mr Lee—the patron—on my right, we smiled through the camera.

The event is being held in Mr Lee's hotel—in the massive ballroom, to be exact. Multiple chandeliers hang from the ceiling, a bar lines on the side, the stage that was custom-built for me—where there was a large canvas and a seat already in place. Soft lighting and a small group of performers playing jazz music on the corner.

A crowd of more than fifty people watching my every move. As people kept murmuring, I was able to catch some of it.

“Oh gosh, she's prettier in person.”

“Modest, huh? Simplicity is beauty, I guess…”

“I'm really looking forward to her painting tonight!”

“I wonder what vibe she'll paint.”

“Wait—is that her boyfriend beside her?”

“No… it's her manager, I think?”

“Regardless, they both look hot. Their attires are matchy too!”

“I just hope she won't be a mess tonight, I heard she's kinda insane or something.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, a friend of a friend of mine has an intel. Seems like L.Y.V. was quite… cray-cray when she was younger.”

Their sudden mentions of weird things about me became louder in my ear. I did my best to shrug it off—not wanting to ruin the night.

After a short greeting, Mr Lee introduced me to everyone. 

“Mic test mic test…” He cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. “Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us for what we promise that'll be a wonderful night. 

For tonight… We invited someone special—someone whose work you’ve likely seen without even knowing their name…until recently. An artist who captured my heart—making me feel that I'm heard through her artworks. 

It is truly a rare opportunity to have her here. And if I must say, it's worth every penny.” He chuckled before glancing at my manager who grinned back at him. “I'm truly honored to be the host of her very first live performance. Please welcome, for the first time ever on live canvas… Ms. L.Y.V!”

Everyone applauded, and I bowed out of courtesy. I'm still not used to such a crowd praising me like this—especially since I haven't even started. 

After half an hour of mingling with the guests, it is my time now to perform. From what I researched, artists who had a live painting performed the way they wanted. Some were too exaggerated with their moves, and some painted just like a normal person would do. 

But anyways, what's even considered “normal”? Art is about how you express yourself—at least, that's what I think. 

Art can mean different things to every person. An artist could paint stars, and people would interpret it in different ways. 

Some would say that the stars are our dead ancestors—that when we die, we'll have a place in the sky, and we'll shine bright, making the people look up at us in awe. Some would say that counting these stars is like the meaning of life—meaningless and a waste of time. Then some would say that we are the stars—we all shine, but in different ways.

And I think that's what's cool with art—it's limitless.

“Your imagination is your limit.” It might be my favorite quote. It's from a snack brand I've always seen on TV when I was a kid. The way it was delivered in the most jolly way but it still hit something deep within me. It's been stuck with me ever since.

The musicians keep playing as I get started. Taking a deep breath, I held the brush and started painting the picture in my head. Starting with long strokes, the brush kissed the canvas. I mainly brought three big cans of paint—the primary colors—from biggest to smallest brush, and a couple of paint palette to mix the paints.

I heard from Jimin that Mr Lee likes cats. In fact, he adores my signature. Which is why I decided to do an abstract painting in a portrait form.

A cupid cat holding a bow, but with the arrow pointing backward—like he accidentally aimed at himself. While the other cat is playing on the soft grass and is already lovestruck. 

The time flies by and I'm nearly done—nothing dramatic happens while I paint. Everyone was either watching in awe or murmuring by the people beside them.

While finishing the painting, I noticed something odd. 

What the…

Anyone who'd ever look at this painting will notice it in an instant. Looking at the time left, I knew I'd have no time to “fix” it.

All I did was paint a grassfield with cats… How the heck did it turn out like this…

Anxiety crept in, and I could barely feel the brush in my hand. I just stared at the canvas in front of me as I felt the heat spread across my cheeks.

Oh gosh… This is just peak obviousness.

As I panic mentally, I felt a hand tapping my shoulder. I turned towards to see Jimin smiling at me.

“Hey, you okay? Are you done? You've been staring at it for the past ten minutes.”

I frowned and slightly pouted. “Jimin-ah…” I tilted my head, motioning towards the painting. Jimin looked over the painting and his eyes widened at the sudden realization.

But me nodding seems like a wrong move. The patron took it as a sign that I'm finished and walked towards us.

“Wow… As expected of LYV!” Mr Lee exclaimed and gestured to the photographers to take a picture. “But wait a minute… Is this a portrait of someone..?” He eyed me suspiciously.

Of course, he'd react like that… Would you want to have some guy's face on your house?

Ironically, the cat got my tongue. 

Sensing my embarrassment, Jimin chimed in. “Not just someone—but, cats!” 

He pointed at the supposed star of the painting, who had become just one of the accessories in the face of the man I tried my best to push away in my thoughts for tonight.

“Oh… I get it now! It's an abstract painting… When you look closely, you see a cat inevitably falling in love—since the cupid cat already struck the other cat. And the cupid cat… It might be accidentally? or he purposely did it? Like a suicide—but for falling in love…” he chuckled, eyeing the almost-dry painting.

“And when you look from afar, you'd see a man? Looking back at you in a oh so lovingly, huh? Perhaps, he was the cupid cat.” He joked, making everyone in the room laugh.

“Am I right, Ms Y/n?” 

When he looked back at me, all I could manage to do was nod and laugh along with them. “Y-yeah!… You really got the vibe I was aiming for.”

“You might as well propose to him.” Jimin snorted as he watched me drown myself with drinks—non-alcoholic, this time.

“Oh, come on. I swear… I've never expected it to turn like that. It's like—like my hand is moving on its own!”

“Well, you did great, regardless. Mr Lee's secretary already sent the full payment. It seems like he really loves it.” He grinned as he greeted the ladies who approached us from time to time.

My eyes narrowed at the obvious flirtations of the women. On the other hand, Jimin is a pro. He knew how to keep his smile and refuse politely.

“Why did you keep on refusing them? They're pretty and moreover—richie rich!” We both laughed at my statement. 

“Wow… Do you really think of me that low?” he said as he exaggeratedly pouted.

I frowned, confused at how it is connected with what I said. “What do you mean?”

“I'm your manager. It is my job to look after you. Not fling with those crazy rich people.”

I nodded, understanding what he meant. But me being me, I couldn't help myself but tease him—or else I'd tweak. “Ah… So you're staying on my side because it's your job, huh?”

He scoffed as he rolled his eyes at me. “Whatever lets you sleep at night, Y/n.”

The rest of the night went on with food and cheers. I noticed a lot of celebrities at the party too.

And thank heaven, because of my job—I was able to meet Choi Seung-hyun! T.O.P of BIGBANG himself! 

My teenage self would squeal her head off if I ever told her that. 

Other than the unexpected turnout of my painting… nothing weird happened. Everything went smoothly and now, I'm ready to sleep—with billions of won in my bank account.

(MYG POV)

“HYUNG HYUNG HYUNGGGGG!!!”

All of us turned our head to the youngest as he screamed while staring at his phone.

“Yah! Kim Namjoon, is the movie that scary?” Jin scolds the youngest who's still gaping as he stares at his phone.

We're in Hoseok's house tonight—doing a bit of planning for the trip. But everyone realized that we're all clueless when it comes to this stuff, so we just turned on the TV and watched a movie instead. 

“No… It's Yoongi hyung…”

I frowned, and before I could scoot over and see what's so intriguing about it, Namjoon shoved his phone right in front of my face.

“Yoongi hyung… She drew you on her FIRST LIVE PAINTING!!!” It seems like he lost his sanity with his last words. 

When he dropped the phone, I took it, and saw… my face. The way it was painted was subtle—like it's blending with the scenery. I also noticed the cute cats on it.

He clutched his head, wide-eyed. “Whoa… Hyung! That event was held by a crazy rich Mr Lee. If he doesn't like the painting… Y/n's career would be dead. But seeing the articles coming up now… She really did great.” he chuckled, leaning back. “Oh, to be someone's muse…”

“Wait—so she had been thinking about you all night? Hyung… She must really like you to paint you from memory.” Hoseok teased as he nudged my side.

I couldn't help but blush at the possibility.

“Or! She still hates you… I mean—look at the article. It is said that the figure of the man was the cupid cat. The cat was literally going to kill himself! See where it points??” Jin points at the cat and the arrow head—proving his point.

My smile dropped fast too. I really don't know what she feels about me. She's been giving me mixed signals. 

“But didn't Yoongi hyung give her enough space to ease her mind? Why would she still be mad?” Namjoon asked.

He's right… I've been doing my best to give her space. 

I mentally high-fived myself—thinking I did a good job.

“Are you sure you gave her enough space?” Jin asked.

“Of course! I practically run back to my house whenever we happen to go out at the same time.”

They all nodded, as if also thinking where I went wrong.

After a long silence, deep in thought,  Hoseok finally spoke. “Wait—Hyung… Weren't you just avoiding her?”

My eyes widened at the sudden realization.

“Wha—!”

Taglist:@choijay-07 @sanarin @yooforeaa @this-most-assuredly-counts @minniejim @amarawayne@peacenpigeons @take-u-2-an0ther-w0r1d @rottingbedpost @emirawht@user3948388

[alexanderwales]

An Idiot's Guide to Creating Themes

There's something that Wildbow says about themes, which I'll paraphrase here: themes are something that grow without you even necessarily wanting them to, so long as the characters have strong traits and act consistently.

What this means is that if you have a character who has a real problem with authority, then naturally they're going to frame a lot of things through the lens of authority, and they're naturally going to get in conflicts with people in a position of authority. Suddenly, without even really trying to, you have created a Theme.

I don't really think that this by itself is enough, and think that it helps to bring some intentionality to the process. For one thing, if you have two protagonists who have their own strong traits, you might develop two different competing themes that do not work in harmony with each other, and suddenly people will start asking you "why isn't this two separate stories" and you'll come to the grim realization that they're right.

So if you have a single strong trait, you want to pick your other traits to be in harmony, and you want to do the same when you're thinking up secondary characters, villains, etc. Themes tend to flow a lot easier if all the stuff you're putting into the pot has something that links them together. Ideally you want a funhouse mirror where you get to see a bunch of different sides of your theme, different ways that the characters react to it, their different takes on it, even if you're just doing big shonen battles.

Doing theme construction in this way often involves trying to have the story as a prism, and your job as someone writing the story is to break that beam of light down into its component parts. Find as many pieces as you can, then make those into plot points, characters, side stories, etc.

Let's try an example!

I'm writing a superhero story and want to pick a theme, so first I think about what theme I want to spend a novel exploring, and I decide that the idea that's tickling me is the alienation of globalization and the information age, the way that everything feels overwhelming and Too Big sometimes, like there are a thousand things clawing at me for my attention.

So we start with our protagonist, and he's being pulled in a thousand directions at once, never feeling like he has enough time for anything, but paradoxically, for all that people want his attention and focus, he also feels alone. I haven't yet said that he's a superhero, but sure, it's easy to see how we can fit that in: people want him to solve their problems, to settle their disputes, to use his talents, to help them rise through the ranks, and that's not necessarily what he wants, but he feels trapped by it, like there's no other way to live.

If he's a superhero, he needs a superpower, and writing a story like this I would be extremely careful with what I picked since it needs to help carry many many fight scenes and plot points, but teleportation is my first thought: there's disorientation as he enters a new place, a feeling that he's never really anywhere because he could be everywhere, and maybe some secondary sensory powers on top of that, an ability to see and hear that can help evoke an internet connection (I have not at this point decided whether the setting has smartphones or internet, but I think maybe it works better if it doesn't, because one of the things about themes is that sometimes it's best to come at them from an angle).

So I kind of have a sense of the main character at this point, if not an overall plot. If the guiding star is "information age alienation and how it overwhelms us, offering infinite connection that leaves us lonely", then maybe the plot can be something about that. We can go toward the theme by having some plot about alienation, a society that's drifting apart, and probably a significant figure pushing that, or we can go toward the theme from a different direction, having someone who promises an answer. I like the promise of an answer better, something that our hero has tension against, so we whip up a villain whose whole thing is that the world has gotten too varied, too complicated, and promises a return to simpler times. Maybe they're a cult leader, promising family, promising that through their high-control group everything can be reduced down to something understandable.

(There are at this point many many options for our main villain and his/her powers. Maybe it's a woman who makes the world go still and silent in her wake. Maybe it's a time-traveler acting as a specter of the past. Maybe it's someone with mind control powers seeking to expand their reach until they can put the whole city under their thumb. Maybe they're a former superhero who couldn't take the constant desires and demands of the public and have twisted into a dirty form of self-induldgence. There are many "villain" answers to the question of alienation.)

So we add in some side characters. They should also approach our theme in some way. Here's a quick and dirty brainstorming list:

A friend who is terminally cape-brained, always keeping track of their specific domain of expertise, retreating hard into a niche where they know everything, which takes monumental effort and a sort of nervous anxiety approach to information. Probably a superhero with an info power, name of Dispatch or something.

A father who is blissfully unaware, but shows the flaws of that approach, always ignorant, knowing little about the goings on of the greater world, alienated in his own way by that, unable to connect to people because of it.

A government handler/contact who is a friend, but always pushing our hero, always ready with another thing that needs doing, another cause that needs nudging, a criminal manhunt to help with. A symbol of pressure, anxiety, and overload, but friendly in a way that makes it tough to say no. (A stand-in for the kind of friend who always wants to tell you about the latest atrocity, who doesn't quite demand that you know the name of every person brutalized by the police, or the latest list of people whose shittery has come to light, but does seem mildly disappointed that you're not as tuned in.)

A mentor figure who burned out, maybe a speedster who ran too fast, did too much, let themselves get run into the ground both figuratively and literally.

I think that this is a good enough starting point that if I wanted to writing this story, I probably could, and maybe the core of it would evolve as I wrote, but I have a guiding star to look toward, and one of the great things about setting out to write a theme is that if you ever hit a bump, you can look over at the post-it note that describes the theme in a few words and hopefully, get back on track.

[garciaasfluffypen]

take care of me (like i take care of you) pt.1

pairing: jemily x adhd!reader word count: 2.4k warnings: emily smokes in this one (SMOKING IS DANGEROUS LADIES, GAYS AND THEYS pls dont ruin ur lungs), reader is mentioned to vape but it is not shown, female terms of endearment - "little miss", y/n has a minor flashback to a previous relationship where they got belittled that leads to an rsd breakdown a/n: THIS PART GOT TOO LONG AND I DIDNT EVEN GET TO THE MAIN PLOT POINT UNTIL 2.4k WORDS IN so its being split into two parts teehee :) also... i should have put this in the first part, but the house they live in is jj's house from cm evolution bc i'm quite literally obsessed with it anyway pls ignore the fact that it's clearly not three femme presenting humans holding hands i couldn't find a gif like that anywhere

you all had been blessed with a whole week off. a whole week that you got to spend with your favorite people in the entire world and not have to worry about being called in.

it had been ages since you had a whole week where you didn’t have to worry about a single work thing bothering you. the last time you had done this, you had convinced your then best friends to take you to their favorite park and have a picnic, go to the movies and even take you to the trader joes to get your favorite snacks. but this week, this week was different. firstly, you were now dating your best friends, and had been told to stay at theirs as long as you wanted to. you hadn’t left except to go to your apartment and grab a suitcase full of clothes. secondly, the case you had just finished drained the hell out of the three of you. a majority of the time was spent curled up on the couch cycling through shows on netflix and amazon prime, everyone taking turns picking a show to watch while eating leftover chinese food and cuddling. but today you were determined to get out of the house.

the local zoo was holding a sale to celebrate the birth of a new baby giraffe, which happened to be some of your favorite animals ever. so naturally, you got three tickets for the three of you last night and made sure you were up before both of your girlfriends to ensure you got your hands on tickets to feed the giraffes. it had been on your bucket list for a long time. ever since you were little, giraffes had intrigued you. they just looked so soft and cuddly. and you wanted to touch one. so, so bad. 

which is how you found yourself up at seven in the morning, squeezing yourself out from between the two older women and seaking downstairs, curling up in the armchair that you had claimed to yourself and grabbing your ipad. well, technically it was emily’s but she barely used it so therefore it was yours. you had all your favorite games on it anyway, so it was only fair that you used it more since you liked to play games on the jet. making sure you got to the website bright and early, you went to the page where you needed to buy the giraffe experience tickets and waited patiently until 7:30am hit and the first wave of tickets were sent out into the interwebs. within minutes, you had the three tickets you needed in your email. the next step to buttering up your girlfriends for a day at the zoo was to make breakfast. 

you knew exactly what breakfast each of them liked, and had memorized it a few weeks prior for moments like this. emily loved her bacon crispy, her eggs over easy and a marlboro gold by the bay window. jj, on the other hand, loved when you made the pillsbury biscuits with honey and butter, some sort of potato and getting kisses from both you and emily. considering emily usually woke up a little bit before you and jj on a typical day, you decided to start on hers first. you grabbed the box of cigarettes from her purse and put it over by the seat next to the kitchen table, opening the window so the cool dc air would flow through the kitchen as you cooked. sometimes you were tempted to light up a cigarette and see what they were like, but you couldn’t let go of your favorite fruity little flavors. that was another thing you added to your mental list of things to never let emily find out, since you knew she’d give you the look that she gives you whenever you’ve somehow disappointed her. 

jj had found out by a total accident a while ago, clocking your antsiness before you even did. you had stepped out for a breath of fresh air, not realizing that jj had followed you until you were mid hit and felt a presence behind you. while she had been disappointed, she knew that the oral fixation couldn’t be stopped if you weren’t chewing on your chewy necklace. you did your best to wear it, but sometimes the need for the nicotine buzz was stronger than your little necklace and you wanted to feel the dopamine. she sat with you outside while you tried to explain the way it made you feel, and she sat there the whole time and listened to you. she made you promise to lower the nicotine level, which you agreed to, but kept forgetting to go down whenever you stopped by the shop. 

despite the fear looming over you of disappointing emily, you couldn’t help but realize everything had been so easy with them. from communicating your needs to even just asking for them to sit with you. they made sure you were their number one priority. to this day, you were still scared of waking up in your dingy one bedroom all alone and still single. but now, here you were, slowly moving your stuff into their apartment and preparing to leave most of your old appliances at the local goodwill. it was a pleasant change, knowing you were moving somewhere nice and calm and where people supported your every move. where they wouldn’t yell at you when you forgot to refill the soap, or restock the cheese drawer after a grocery trip. 

shaking yourself out of your thoughts, you heard the bedroom door creak open and the padding of emily’s sock feet grew louder as you started smiling. 

“you’re up early,” emily beamed at you. “what’re you doing?”

“taking care of my girlfriends.” you shrugged. “cigs are on the table for you next to your window.” 

emily narrowed her eyes playfully at you. “you have a plan for today, don’t you?” 

“maybe i do, maybe i don’t.” you playfully smiled back at her. “you gotta wait for jayje to wake up.” 

“you know, you can be bad at hiding things sometimes.” emily came over to you and wrapped her arms around your waist. “you have the cheesiest grin on your face right now.” 

“can i not just make breakfast for my girlfriends when i want to?” 

emily placed a peck on your cheek, then captured your lips in a kiss. “you’re a devious little thing, lovey.” 

“and you adore me for it.”

“that i do.” 

you placed another kiss on emily’s lips before ushering her over to her window, grabbing the sheet pan of biscuits and slipping them into the oven. you relished these small moments with emily, where it was the two of you. you got these moments with jj at night, since emily typically stayed at the office later than you guys did. taking the mornings with just the two of you was something you tried to do more often than not, since you craved quality time with both of them. you loved having time with both of them together, but alone time with each of your girlfriends was something you cherished. you made sure to get emily’s coffee mug filled just the right amount and bought it over to the table, wrapping your arms around her from behind as the smoke flowed from between her lips. you had at least five more minutes before you had to start cooking the bacon and eggs, which meant you could sit with emily and bask in the moment. 

before you knew it, jj made her way into the kitchen, smiling widely as she came and wrapped her arms around you as you stood over the pan. your eyes momentarily closed as you leaned back into the blonde, letting her place a few kisses on your neck before turning around and capturing her in a kiss. you smiled at her before turning back to the bacon, making sure that side was crispy as you could get it before flipping it around. 

“what’s all this?”

“well… i uh, i had a plan for us today.”

you saw emily struggle to hold back a chuckle out of the corner of your eye.

“can you guys both be ready by nine thirty? no wait, be ready by nine fifteen and in the car by nine thirty because we need to be at the place by nine fifty in order to beat the crowds and get to where we need to be on time for our tickets because our tickets are for eleven.” you paused, looking at your girlfriends. “can you be ready by nine fifteen?” 

“i mean, yeah.” jj looked over to emily. “do you know the plan?”

“just that little miss over here woke up before us and i woke up with no blankets on me because in the midst of everything you stole all of them.” emily joked, poking her tongue out at jj. 

you started rocking up to the balls of your feet. “so um… there might be a new baby giraffe at the zoo and i might have gotten us tickets because i really really wanted to see the giraffes and they’re my favorites and they were running a sale because of the new baby and--” 

jj chuckled. “you are adorable, did you know that?” 

“is that a yes?”

“of course it's a yes, bubs.” jj placed a kiss on your cheek. “i’d love to go to the zoo with you.” 

“emmy?” you looked over to emily, the new nickname slipping out of your lips with ease. “can you come to the zoo with us? you’ll probably say no which is okay because i can always invite penelope or tara but-”

“why would you think i’d say no?” 

negative feelings overflowed your system as you remembered vividly the face that had been pulled when you asked to go to the zoo or do anything you considered fun. you felt yourself slipping into a dissociative state, fingers looking for something to stim on as you worked through your feelings. the harsh words of “why the fuck would you want to go to the zoo?” reverberated through as memories of one of your previous flings flew to the front of your mind. the shame you felt for wanting to enjoy your time together became unbearable and overwhelming, making you realize that your girlfriends could become annoyed with you like that and change their minds. what if they thought you were childish? what if they figured out you were too much for them?

emily looked over to jj. “did i say something?” 

“i don’t know. i don’t think so?” jj looked over to you, your eyes glazed over. “um.. shit wait, okay, i think they’re having an rsd episode, i’ll get their work bag. the marble fidget they use to calm down is in there.” 

emily scooted out from behind the table as she put her cigarette out, sneaking behind you to grab the pan off the stove before the bacon burned. she put her arms around you and pulled you close, running her hand up and down your back lightly as she waited for you to come out of your funk. she locked eyes with jj as she came back into the room, digging through the bag for the fidget toy in question, sticking it in your hands before you could start scratching at the side of your nails. a few minutes passed before you came back, the feeling of both emily and jj’s arms around you grounding you in the present, pushing the negative feelings to the back of your mind.

“‘m sorry.” 

“it's okay, lovey. do you want to talk about it?” 

“um… can you just… i’m not too much, right?” 

emily pulled back. “what makes you think that?” 

“whenever i asked about doing things that i liked, nobody really wanted to do them.” you looked down shamefully. “i shouldn’t have presumed you’d want to go with me.” 

“y/n y/l/n” blue eyes looked into your own. “you don't need to hide yourself with us. never hide yourself with us. you’re allowed to have your likes and act on them.” 

“but-”

“ah ah,” jj tilted your chin up, making you look at her. “don’t you dare.” 

it was almost as if a switch had been flipped in jj, her eyes darkening slightly as she stared at you. it caused your legs to turn to jelly, rendering you practically useless in your girlfriend's arms. you weren’t entirely sure what was happening, but it sent a wave of excitement through your veins. 

“we’re going to the zoo with you, we’re going to have fun, and we’re going to have a good day.” jj shot emily a ‘we need to talk about this’ glance before continuing. “go get dressed and ready for the day, we’ll finish our breakfasts and go enjoy the zoo.” she gave you a pointed look. “capeesh?”

all you could do was nod, your eyes widening in… whatever this feeling was that you were feeling. 

“words, y/n.”

“y-yes.” you swallowed. “okay.” 

jj smiled, switching back to her normal self and placing a kiss on your lips. “thank you for breakfast, by the way. it smells delicious.” 

you shyly smiled back. “i wanted you to be in a good mood before i asked you to go to the zoo.” 

emily pulled you in for a hug. “you never have to do anything for us to be in a good mood around you. we-” she paused. “there’s nothing you could do to put us in a foul mood.” 

“are you sure?”

“we’re sure. now go get ready, lovey, we’ll be up in a little bit when we finish our breakfast.” it was emily’s turn to kiss you. “don’t forget your meds.”

“oh shit, my meds!” 

emily and jj watched you run out of the room, both of the older women chuckling. emily wrapped her arms around jj, placing her head on her shoulder. 

“we’re going to need to work on talking about feelings, huh?” 

jj nodded. “it seems like it.” 

“would it be too much to castrate the exes who hurt them?” 

“uh… yes? we’re not castrating anyone.” jj lightly slapped emily’s arm. “go finish your bacon, we have places to be.” 

“we do need to have a serious talk with them about it, at some point.”

“yeah,” jj agreed. “lets just… they need to know we’re here for them. let’s focus on them the rest of the week and go from there.” 

emily nodded. “we’ll go from there.”

taglist: @jayden-prentiss

[heirloomgem]

No one else But you {Nanami Kento x Reader September One-Shot}

Summary: You have always loved Nanami since childhood however you learned that he has someone he loves. Would you confess or not?

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything except for my characters and plot.

Warning/Genre: OOC, Romance, Fluff, Angst, Comedy, Depression AU (Sorry for the miss grammar)

Sorry for the long wait! HERE IT IS! I hope you enjoyed it!

CEO Nanami Kento x Reader (slight mention of Geto x Gojo)

You have experienced unrequited crushes since you were a teenager; however, a painful unrequited love is a first for you.

Back when you were in high school, you had a crush on your senior, Gojo Satoru.

You had long forgotten what made you fall for such an idiotic man.

It might have been his charisma, his handsome face, his beautiful eyes, or his skills in being good at anything he took interest in.

However, that only lasted in your second year of high school. Satoru, on the other hand, was in his last year, preparing for graduation and entering college life.

You didn’t know how your group had formed with the famous 3rd-year trio.

But Kento and Yu have been your childhood friends since your family moved into their neighbourhood. So being admitted into the same school was no surprise.

Yet at some point in time, your group somehow merged with the 3rd year trio who were popular in their year.

One is Gojo Satoru for his loud and charismatic personality combined with his handsome face, eccentric hair and blue eyes.

Second is Geto Suguru for his mysterious and calm persona. He's also handsome with his long black hair, which seems to tantalize girls and adds to his charm.

And lastly, one of the school beauties is Ieri Shoko, a brown-haired beauty. She was one of the top students in your school, admitted to a prestigious medical university.

Of course, the two were the same, they were guaranteed a spot in the top college of their own choice.

It was quite comical really. A group of juniors being grouped together with some 3rd years.

Even up to this day, it astonished you how your group had formed, but you could still recall it. It was because of your crush on Gojo that these unlikely people had met and formed.

As the years passed, the two completely different groups of friends remained in touch and grew even closer, especially as you all entered college and made new friends. Your group seems to grow bigger.

In one of your favourite restaurant bars, some of your friends were already there and had started drinking by the time you arrived.

Gojo seems to have taken on the role of a host as Geto and some of your friends have yet to come.

The same could be said about your two childhood friends.

Yu was on his way to pick up his girlfriend from work. They would arrive together later, while Kento was still busy at work with Geto, working on a collaboration project.

Both of them had become the CEO of their own company. Each works really hard to create their own.

You couldn't be more proud of Kento for achieving his dream.

Sitting down in one of the booths, you ordered a drink. Watching as your white-haired friend drank and tried to liven up the party. At the same time, teasing and making fun of your friends and catching up.

You couldn’t help the smile on your lips.

Even though you were in a bar, it was a quiet one. One where you could have a drink and relax with soft music playing in the background.

The bar is illuminated with a cozy ambient from the lights. It was one of your favourites because of the atmosphere and the delicious cocktails and foods they make.

The bartender owner greeted you with a smile and served your drink. Taking a sip, you savour the sweet flavour and alcohol on your tongue, feeling the fatigue slowly ease from your body.

Your shoulders, tense from all the work, relaxed unknowingly.

Turning around, you started chatting with your friends, laughing and catching up, and ordering foods to fill your stomach.

As the alcohol flowed and the atmosphere warmed up, some people's tongues loosened and gossip started flowing.

Flicking the ash from her cigarette, Shoko asked, "So, how's it going with Nanami? I've noticed something more between the two of you lately."

You looked up at your friend, your eyebrow furrowing in confusion.

"What do you mean?" You asked. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Your friend rolled her eyes, her voice lazy as she teased you.

"You and Nanami. What? Don't tell me you haven't confessed even though he has already returned from abroad. You should take the chance. Don't wait for him to confess first, or you might miss your chance."

Hearing this, you panicked and tried to cover her mouth. However, it was in vain as your other friends turned their heads in your direction, curiosity in their eyes, ready to hear more about this juicy gossip.

Shoko just laughed and gave you a smirk.

"It's not like others don't know… more like they already know your painstaking love for your childhood friend for a long time"

She exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke and watched it drift lazily into the air.

"My dear, you wear your heart on your sleeve too easily. The only one who doesn't know is your beloved Nanami."

“Shoko, please! Will you be quiet!” You pleaded as you leaned over and tapped her on the arm, feeling your face flush.

Groaning, you buried your face in your hand.

"Hmm? What's this? I heard something about Y/n and Nanami. Is there something going on?" Gojo asked in a sing-along tone as he came over.

It seems the commotion between you and Shoko caught his attention and now he's ready to milk you dry for gossip, even though you have none.

“Nothing is going on,” You stated as you gave Gojo a slight glare, warning him to drop the topic. But the man seemed to not get the hint or if he did, he ignored it, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, come on now. Don't be stingy."

You groaned again as you shook your head, feeling an incoming headache already.

Taking a sip of your new cocktail, you tried to ignore the man and hoped he would drop the topic. However, Shoko and Gojo didn't seem keen on stopping as they continued to tease you.

“I was just asking about her and Nanami,” Shoko said as she gave a knowing look at Gojo.

Gojo smirked as he glanced at you, taking the hint. A mischievous glint in his eyes.

“And here I thought you were still crushing on me. How could you cheat on me, Y/n?” He pouted, his smooth lips jutting out and the corners of his eyes pointing down as he looked aggrieved at you.

“I didn’t know that you and Nanami were in that kind of relationship.”

“We’re not.” You snapped, starting to get annoyed at the man-child in front of you.

Both of your friends gave you a look, not believing you in the slightest.

"Just admit it, Y/n. We've seen how sad you were when Nanami went abroad to study. You were so wrecked that you lost so much weight and almost failed your first year of University. You were so miserable without him."

Shoko raised a brow at you as if proving a point, continuing.

"We've also known that you have always loved Nanami all this time, even though you had a little bit of 'scandal' with this idiot here."

She pointed at Gojo, who placed a hand over his heart and appeared offended.

"What scandal? Miss, for your information, I have always been a clean man." He stated, his chin pointing up, being dramatic.

You rolled your eyes at him for his exaggeration and turned your head to avoid your friends' inquisitive looks.

You admit that you had a crush on Gojo when you were in high school. You were attracted to his confident personality and handsome face, but that only lasted until graduation.

However, when Kento went abroad to further his education, that's when you realized that your feelings for him were more than just being a childhood friend.

You were in love with him.

You just never realized it. Since growing up, you have been so used to having him by your side that you have unconsciously taken his presence for granted

But when he left, you felt a massive hole open in your heart. An empty feeling inside you as if another part of you has gone missing.

Because of it, you slowly spiralled down from the sudden realization, leaving you a mess.

You have been in contact with Kento through text, but as time passed, it became harder to maintain. With the time difference between where Kento is and how busy you have been with your University life, your contacts slowly dwindled.

And now it has been almost a year before he contacted you again.

Picking up your phone without checking the caller ID, your eyes instantly reddened when you heard his voice, calm and composed as ever.

"How have you been, Y/n?"

It was Kento.

You choked back a sob as tears slowly gathered in your eyes. A deep ache echoed inside you. How much you have missed his voice.

Taking a deep breath, you tried to steady your voice, not wanting to give anything away, as you know that even a little he would be able to pick up on it.

"I'm doing well. Just busy with school. I didn't anticipate our professor assigning such a huge project right at the start and it seems to keep piling up no matter what."

You scold yourself. Of all the things you have to say, you just have to complain to him even though he finally contacted you after such a long time.

"How have you been, Kento? I hope you're doing well. I've heard that winter there was harsher than here," You awkwardly chuckled, trying to play it off.

"It's not too bad, but I do miss the weather there." Kento's short answer tugged at your heartstrings. Slowly, a tear escaped and rolled down your cheek. You blinked hard, trying to stop the others from falling.

There was a moment of silence between the two of you before Kento spoke again.

"....I heard from Yu. It seems you haven't been doing well."

You froze.

You didn't expect Yu to tell Kento about your condition, though with the anxious looks he's been giving you lately, you guess it was a given.

Looking at yourself in the window, your reflection stared back at you. You noticed the dark, hollowed cheeks, dark circles under your eyes, and dry lips.

Your body had obviously lost so much weight that you could feel your bones protruding. Your arms and legs were nothing but nearly skin and bones. Your face is gaunt and haggard.

It appears that no matter how much you hide your circumstances from your friends, it was pointless, especially from Yu.

You realize what a mess you really were in. How much of an asshole you have been for making your friends worry to the point that they have to contact Kento about you.

You gave a strained laugh, "They're worrying too much. It's just...university has been a little tough. I'm still in my first year so it's a given-"

"Don't lie, Y/n." Kento interrupted, his stern voice making it impossible for you to utter another lie.

He's always been like this. He always knew when you were lying.

The tears you had been holding back came crashing down, and all the pent-up emotions you had been suppressing came pouring out like a tidal wave. You couldn't stop the tears from flowing, and your shoulders shook with sobs.

You pulled the phone away from your ear, trying to muffle your sobs and you couldn't help but whisper, "...I miss you so much, Kento."

And just like that, with a few words, Kento was able to break the dam in your heart.

Your cries came out softly, but you were sure Kento heard you. He didn't end the call, but stayed silent, giving you a moment to let it all out and calm down.

Even though Kento was thousands of miles away, you felt his presence beside you, listening and never leaving you. You knew that he would always be there for you, no matter what.

After a few minutes had passed, you wiped your tears and tried to compose yourself but the soft hiccups still escaped your mouth.

"Y/n" Kento whispered, his voice incredibly soft and tender, soothing your turbulent heart.

"...hmm"

"I'll come back. Wait for me, okay?"

The tears, you thought you had finally stopped from earlier, flowed down your face again.

You swear Kento has a knack for making you cry so easily lately you couldn't help but ponder just where he learned such a thing.

Sniffling, you nodded however you remembered that he couldn't see you.

"Mmm..." You gave a soft reply as you sobbed and cried again.

What he said wasn't a promise but a statement.

You know that Kento doesn't make promises because he finds them nonsense and fragile. But you also know that he is a man of his word, and when he says something, he means it.

So when he says he'll come back, you know he will.

It was one of the reasons why you have loved this man.

You made a resolve to start getting back on your feet and working towards a goal.

You were determined to face Kento when he returned with the best version of yourself. Not wanting to show such a miserable wreck that you once were.

If he ever rejects you, at least you can say that you did everything you could and gave it your best. That way, you won't have any regrets.

"Ah~ but I've heard that Nanami has someone he has been in love though."

Gojo's voice snapped you out of your reverie, and a pang of realization washed over you.

It made you remember why you had been so distant from Kento lately.

When Kento finally returned from his studies abroad, you were the first one to greet him at the airport.

You were shocked by how much he had changed. The boy you knew from years ago was now a man.

Mature and calm. Taller with broad shoulders and a lean waist, handsome with a slender brow and sharp eyes, the naivete that was once there is gone.

Instead of a high school uniform, Kento now wears a suit, and his hair is slicked back with an undercut.

No more of the side bangs that you once always played with.

He was so different yet still the same.

He still has that same stern and reserved personality but cares for those close to him, especially to you.

Once you two reunited, you were so happy. You made sure to always try to meet him despite your busy schedule, trying to make up for all those years that you were apart.

At the same time, you also wanted to show your interest but you also know to show some restraint. You didn't want to scare him.

For now, you were content that he was back.

However, one afternoon, just as you were about to meet with Kento to ask him out to dinner, you overheard a conversation between Geto and Gojo.

The conversation was about Kento, and you couldn't help but eavesdrop.

Geto and Kento had recently started a joint project for their two companies.

So it was no coincidence that you found him in Kento's company's rest areas while Gojo was one of the biggest shareholders in Geto's company. It was a given he was also a part of the project.

You took a step back so as not to be spotted and heard your white-haired friend ask if Kento had a girlfriend as one of his female coworkers seems to be interested in your childhood friend.

Hearing this you couldn't help but frown, your hand clenching and a sour feeling rose in your chest.

Geto chuckled and shook his head.

"Really?" Gojo asked in surprise.

"I thought for sure he had a girlfriend since he seems to be the type to settle down first. Or maybe even a fiance."

"No, he doesn't have one but he does have a girl he really loves," Geto said as he exhaled a puff of smoke, tapping his cigarette.

"He was planning to ask her to be his girlfriend, but something happened and it didn't work out. However, I heard from him that he's planning to ask her again."

Gojo perked up.

"Really! Who is it? Who is Nanami in love with? Do I know her?" He asked excitedly, leaning forward as curiosity got the better of him.

Geto only chuckled at the man's antics before patting him on the head, telling him it wasn't appropriate to tell too much as it was not his place to share such a secret.

Gojo could only whine at his friend and dropped the subject, understanding that no matter how much he pestered Geto, his friend would not budge and reveal the identity of the woman Nanami was in love with.

He instead brought up a new topic to discuss, leaving you wondering who was the girl Kento was in love with.

You were stunned. A myriad of emotions surged through your mind in an instant but eventually, they all melted into a strong feeling of bitterness.

No wonder Kento never had a girlfriend for so many years. It turned out he had someone in his heart all along and now he seems intent on getting back with that girl.

You couldn't help but wonder.

What kind of girl does he like? What does the girl Kento love, look like? If that girl came back to him, would he surrender immediately and reconcile with her?

You even absurdly imagine them together.

Feeling a sob escape your mouth, you hurriedly went home that day, cancelling on Kento through a short message. You didn't call him as you didn't trust your voice not to tremble once you heard his voice.

That day, you drank until you couldn't stand.

You were glad you were home and never went out, otherwise you would have called Kento and made a mess of things, which you would have regretted later.

However, ever since then, you have distanced yourself from him.

Avoiding every gathering with your friends to try to minimize the chances of running into him.

You respect Kento too much to burden him with your feelings and ruin everything. You might resent the fact that the girl he loves might not be you but you still wanted to be friends with him no matter what.

Besides, you also have your own principles that you abide by, not wanting to put yourself in a complicated situation if the girl returns.

But by avoiding him so suddenly, he quickly noticed.

He tried to call you, wanting to confront you about such a sudden change.

You could only make an excuse that you were busy with work, but he knew that wasn't the whole truth.

And since knowing Kento for so long, you already know he wasn't the type to let this matter pester for so long and would eventually resort to seeing you in person.

However, you didn't want to see him, not until you could sort out your feelings for him or else you risk breaking down in front of him.

Without any other choice, you quickly set up to go on a business trip.

Successfully stopping him from seeing you as he wouldn't be able to chase after you because his company was in a crucial situation with the current project he was working on.

Thanks to it, you have been able to avoid him completely however, this time you couldn't turn down the invitation as one of your friends is getting engaged.

You knew you couldn't hide forever, and you didn't want to miss your friend's special day so, in the end, you concede.

Meeting him became inevitable.

Anxious and nervous, you have been drinking a lot since the moment you sat down, trying to calm your nerves and distract yourself.

But once they started talking about Kento and you, the bitter feelings you had been able to push back slowly rose in your chest and your mood turned sour.

You unconsciously started drinking heavily and because of it, your temper became fickle.

Eyeing the man in front of you, childishly making fun of your previous crush on him and on Kento, you couldn't help but realize that the man-child in front of you was the reason why this all started.

Suddenly, the urge to wipe that grin off his face with a slap was so dangerously tempting that your hand twitched.

However, you have been a person to never resort to such action and unnecessary violence. So you tried to think of something, attempting to divert your attention or else you might just do it.

You sigh to calm down but a dark expression still shows on your face.

Seeing this, Gojo eye's gleam with mischievous, unaware that he had stepped a foot on his grave, pushing you over the edge.

"What? Someone's jealous? Maybe I should try being your cupid and set you up with Nanami? Hmm? Maybe by then, I could give your pretty little ass a boost and not be a coward anymore."

Your lip twitched.

Maybe wiping that smug look on his face isn't so bad after all, you thought.

Lifting a hand and caressing his cheeks, you caught him off guard.

You gave a dark smile and a shiver involuntary went down his spine, his back sweating bullets.

SMACK!

Walking out of their own car and heading to the restaurant bar, Nanami and Geto let out a sigh of relief, taking off their jacket and loosened their tie.

They have just finished a meeting that has gone on for hours than necessary.

And now having finally finished, all they wanted was to drink, eat and relax throughout the night before being plunged to work the next day.

However, when they entered the bar, what awaited them was not what they had expected as they witnessed you and Gojo in the middle of the bar, engaged in a brawl.

Clearly, both of you were drunk as your faces were red not only from anger but from the alcohol as well. Your words slurring as the two of you yelled at each other.

What started as a harmless teasing quickly escalated into a messy, comedic fight for your friends to witness.

Holding onto Gojo's shirt and the other on his hair, the tall man has no other choice but to bend down as he did the same to you.

Some scratches and light bruises scattered throughout your body and face. Your clothes and hair a mess.

Gojo shouted, "I'm a liar?! What I said is the truth! You're a goddamn coward!"

"You say I'm a coward, what makes you then?!" You shouted as well, breathing heavily and glared at him.

You tug at his hair earning a yelp.

"Don't think I'm clueless you goddamn man-child. I saw it when you two graduated and Geto-senpai confessed! All these years and your relationship hasn't progressed at all! You two have been together and never left each other side and yet you haven't admitted that you love him. You've done nothing but play him all along."

A vein bulged at his forehead, irritated, Gojo pulled at your hair making you groan.

"Shut up you goddamn woman!"

"Fuck you! You white hair old bastard! Just fucking go and splayed your goddamn legs in front of Geto-senpai and finally get laid! You horny bastard!"

You yelled while your friends who have been calmly watching the whole time, even the owner, laughed at your nonsense screaming match.

That right.

When you secretly witness Geto's confession to Gojo on their graduation day that's when you realize.

Your crush for Gojo was nothing more than an admiration because of his confidence. Confidence in being himself while he unknowingly becomes a love-struck fool for Geto.

You envy and wanted that.

You wanted to be a love-struck fool for Kento but your insecurity and low self-esteem prevented you from confessing your love for the handsome man.

However, seeing that this goddamn idiot had done nothing when he had all the chance in the world while you, on the other hand, were a mess, missing Kento, who was abroad and had no face to confess since the memories of you crushing on such an idiotic guy were still fresh in everyone's mind, made you angry to no end.

You slump as your knees got weak not just from the alcohol but from all the feelings you have been holding back, your previous energy leaving you as the bitter feelings spread inside you.

Tears started flowing and falling on your cheeks without your permission. Seeing this Gojo froze, his grip loosening and the once lively bar slowly quieted as you softly cried.

"No...I'm the goddamn idiot here... I've also had the chance... the chance to confess and love Kento but because I'm a coward I didn't take it..."

You admitted.

That's right. You were angry not only because of this bastard but mostly at yourself for being the biggest idiot ever.

And now, learning that Kento has someone he loves and is thinking of being engaged with her.

Regret filled you to the point of suffocation.

"I only had myself to blame..."

You whimper, now completely drunk as you lose coherence and kneel on the floor.

You felt as though everything was crumbling. Slowly losing your mind as you sink further in your sorrow.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed your waist, lifting you from the floor and pulling you away from Gojo's grasp.

You were brought into a warm embrace, your head resting on a broad chest.

It was then that you heard Kento's voice.

Deep, calm and mature, a voice that always makes your heart flutter and the voice that you have come to love.

"I'll be taking her home as she's too drunk," Kento said, carrying you in his arms as he talked to your friends while Geto dealt with Gojo.

You couldn't help but nuzzle further in his arms, burying your head in his neck and hugging him tightly. Unknowingly, Kento's breath hitched and his heart quivered from your actions.

Geto nodded, saying he'd be taking Gojo as well who was completely drunk, his head was swaying from all directions. His legs no longer had any strength to hold him, already unconscious.

Adjusting you in his arms, Nanami looked at you and found that you were completely unconscious.

He sighs but an undeniable faint blush on the corner of his cheeks and ears can be seen if you look closely.

Ieri who had been enjoying the show and her drinks, saw it and she smiled knowingly as she watched Nanami take your things.

"Nanami" Ierie called and Nanami looked at her.

"Be nice to her, okay?"

Nanami's expression didn't change, but he replied softly, "I will."

Nodding at your friends and the bar owner, Nanami carried you out and into his car that was parked outside.

He opened the car door and put you down, taking a moment to look at you and saw your tear-streaked face.

When he reached out to wipe away your tears, your lashes brushed against his fingers. He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm down then got into the driver's seat, intent to take you home.

This time, he was determined to talk to you, even if you didn't want to. He wasn't going to let you go anytime soon.

Waking up, you groggily sat up as you looked around.

Clearly, it wasn't your room as the bedsheets were different. They were grey coloured and quite soft made of a different material from the ones you use.

The pieces of furniture were simple but obviously high-end and looked strangely familiar.

You didn't know how you got here nor did you remember what happened after you slapped Gojo but the feeling of being carried lingered in the back of your mind.

"Your awake." A deep husky voice said as the door opened.

It was Kento, holding a glass of water.

It finally dawned on you that you were in his place. You have been into his apartment a few times in the past however this was your first time staying over.

A nervous feeling settled in your stomach and felt your cheeks flushing. Whether from the lingering alcohol on your body or because of your feelings and the situation you are in, you don't know.

Still drunk and dazed, you obediently accepted the glass of water and took a few sips before setting it down on the nightstand.

An awkward silence envelops the two of you as Kento sat at the edge of the bed. His arms rested on his thigh and looking at you from the corner of his eyes, deep in thought.

You fidgeted. Your head lowered as you played with the bedsheet in your hand, feeling the soft fabric. You didn't know whether you should talk or not.

From the corner of your eyes, you stare at the man that you have been avoiding these past couple of weeks.

Two of his dress shirt buttons were undone, revealing his slender neck and chest, showing a hint of his muscular physique.

His sleeves were rolled up and you couldn't help but gaze at his forearms. The veins stood out along his arms, and his hands were large with defined knuckles and slender fingers.

His hair was slick back however few strands were sticking out, clearly messed up after a long day.

You might have been drunk nevertheless you still remember bit and pieces how he has carefully brought you from his car to his room.

Gently carrying you, laying you down and assisting you change from your work clothes to one of his.

Helplessly you thought, how could a man be so handsome and so caring at the same time.

Your eyes reddened.

The sour feeling from before sprang up again and tears gathered in your eyes.

Lifting a trembling hand, you covered your mouth as a sob escaped, trying to hide it, not wanting to make the situation worse.

You felt the bed shift then two rough and large hands cup your cheeks, raising your face.

Completely opposite from his usual reserve and stern expression, Kento looks at you with concern in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Y/n?" He asked, voice gentle and soft trying to calm you however hearing such tenderness, your cries seemed to grow even louder.

You stayed quiet. Pondering whether to confess everything or not, however, your heart got the best of you and you blurted.

"I love you. I love you, Kento. I have been ever since. I have always loved you... Please don't leave me." You cried as you confessed, your words became disjointed and frantic as you went on.

You didn't know what was Kento's reaction as large tears rolled down from your eyes, obscuring your vision.

You were sure you looked pathetic at that moment as you cried but that didn't matter anymore as you let it all out.

Long years of repressed emotions have completely overwhelmed you.

Your regret when Kento left, your joy when the two of you reunited. The searing pain of learning the truth that Kento has someone in his heart.

The jealousy and sorrow you drowned in as you distance yourself and finally the overwhelming love you hold for the man in front of you.

As you continued crying and repeating your confession like a broken record, warm lips suddenly sealed your lips, stopping your words.

Kento kissed you.

A strong, fierce and almost devouring one with a mix of revenge, and seeking reparation.

It only seemed to deepen as you felt his hand grab the back of your neck while the other drew you closer and tightened his embrace, as if afraid you would disappear.

You couldn't resist and kiss him back with just as much passion as you could.

Lifting your arms, you hugged his neck and pulled him closer while Kento lifted you in his lap, straddling him.

You kissed as if the both of you couldn't bear to separate. Your tongues danced and lips melted with each other.

You couldn't help but let out a moan, calling his name in desperation. A sweet tingling sensation runs through your body, making your toes curl.

It wasn't until the need to breathe that you pulled back.

Resting your forehead against his, you closed your eyes and felt your breaths intertwining.

Kento cups your face, caressing it and look into your eyes as you open them.

Longing, tenderness and adoration.

Emotions you never saw before now lingered in his eyes

"I love you too, Y/n." He said, his voice so tender and full of affection, it left you breathless.

"But what about the girl you like?"

Kento frowns, confusion in his eyes.

"I heard from Geto that you have someone you have loved for a long time." You quietly said.

Your voice trembling, just asking that question tormented you like no other but you had to.

You have to know who it is even if you are afraid of what Kento's answer might be.

Thinking this, your tears seemed like they would never dry as droplets fell on your cheeks.

Finally understanding what you mean and where you're coming from, Kento chuckled, wiping your cheeks and kissing you on the lips again before moving on to your neck where he felt your pulse.

"The person I love is you. I have loved you ever since and have always been. No one else but you."

You sat stunned for a moment as his confession slowly sank.

You sniffled and a fresh wave of tears fell however compared from before it was out of happiness.

Pulling Kento, you hugged him and fell onto the bed and this time, without reserve, you kissed him first.

Extra:

As morning came and illuminated the room in a soft light, Geto was just finishing his talk with Nanami on the phone when he heard the white-haired man in his bed groan in pain, holding his head.

Putting his phone away, Geto went to the kitchen to boil some water.

A few minutes later, he came back with a cup of honey lemon tea, handing it to Gojo.

Gojo who was in pain from a massive hang-over, didn't notice his friend staring at him in silence and quietly sip the hot tea.

"...So, is it true that you love me too?"

"PSHHH!"

Gojo spat out the tea, blushing, "..."

Let's just say another engagement party was arranged later on.

A/n: I had a hard time finishing writing this one shot.

It became longer and longer as I wrote when I was only planning to make a shorter one but then the plot just kept coming up and didn't know how to finish it. In the end, I had to torture myself to stick with it and finish it after more than 3 weeks of non-stop writing.

God, I'm such a masochist.😭

However, as I was writing the confession part, I couldn't help but start crying and I had to stop midway laughing at myself like a maniac. Oh my god.😭

I swear I won't be doing another long one-shot anytime soon. My brain was mush after this.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this fic! Please leave a comment on what you think!🥹

{All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author}

Credit: To the artist for the divider(though I don't know who, I couldn't find them) and pictures

[speed-world]

Hello may I request a one-shot of stormbringer cookie meet a Kratos or Kratos like reader.

Plot: it's basically just the story of Kratos like reader deleting a entire Pantheon and home, leaving it, finding a new one to live in, finding love again, having a BOI, etc but instead of meeting Thor or Odin they meet the sky god that somehow knows about them.

A/N: I figured it would be nice to incorporate another continent of Earthbread into this story, instead of only Crispia or Beast-Yeast, for the background of this Y/N

Your life never really had been acquainted with peace or happiness, it was the complete opposite. Pain, suffering, destruction, death, just a few to list of the horrible features your life has brought memories of. It is also all that you left behind in your former home, which had been completely changed because of you.

The way you destroyed the former Pantheon over Wholegrania reformed the continent, giving birth to its locations like the Bloody Jam Mountains or the Death Swap; points of interest that went under different names until you arrived. “God killer,” “Ghost of Wholegrania,” the “God of War,” just a few monikers given to you by the legends of your tale. Yet despite it all, you found a way to change.

You left Wholegronia for a new home in Crispia, slowly started a new family from the one you lost, and retired from your vengeful god-murdering days. However, leaving the ruined continent for Crispia, starting a new - somewhat domestic - life, and even other cookies to care about, can never truly erase your past. And some cookies wanted to make sure you knew that…

Sound asleep in your bed, in a home isolated in mountains, you were suddenly rocked awake by the crackling of thunder and lightning outside. Your son was concerned as well, and you knew this wasn’t some ordinary thunderstorm. Someone was here, for you or for your son - you didn’t know which - but you weren’t going to lie around to find out.

The storm only raged more furiously, cracking a hole through the roof as you stepped out to see what force was beckoning you. Bold and vibrant yellow strikes of lightning violently flowed around a figure a few feet from your door, wielding what appeared to be a large spear.

Y/N: “WHO ARE YOU?!”

Your shout towards the cookie didn’t phase her in the slightest, only making her brandish the fullness of her weapon at you.

“Can I come in? …….. I have berry juice.”

Y/N: “You would not find me good company.”

“Oh…I’m sure we’ll find lots to talk about.”

The entire time you stood protectively in front of your son. This cookie was obviously a deity, how dangerous you couldn’t tell yet. Reluctantly, you decided to entertain her, motioning for her to come inside after whispering a few words to your son.

As she approached you, you started to mentally note her appearance. She nearly towered over you, hair flowing and sparking occasionally, and her clothes seemed relaxed; entirely in contrast to the commanding presence she was bringing. You stared down each other for what felt like eons without speaking, until she finally walked inside.

“Nice place…”

You didn’t respond aside from motioning to where she can sit. After you both took a seat at the table, you placed your weapons down as a sign of peace. Your son came and placed cups on the table, which the “guest” would fill with her berry juice. She tried offering a cup to your son, which you silently, yet firmly, denied by forcing her hand back down.

“….You could’ve told me before I poured.”

Y/N: “Why are you here?

*sigh* “Just uh, being polite.”

The tension between you two was immensely thick. In spite of the somewhat civil conversation so far, it couldn’t be helped to think that something was going to happen.

“You seem like a calm and reasonable cookie…….are you, a calm and reasonable cookie?”

Y/N: “If the moment calls for calm.”

“I’d say the moment calls for calm, yeah?”

Y/N: “……No.”

She only raised a brow and shrugged, huffing in disappointment to your response. Standing up and looking to the wall, she tapped her feet impatiently.

“Heh, you’re direct, straight to the point. That’s what I still like about ya, what’s left of ya, at least...”

Y/N: “….You know of my past?”

“That ‘Ghost of Wholegrania’ thing? Yeah. So much for a retired ‘God of War,’ when you barge into a place you’re not from with different rules than your own. You think you can come here, become a parent, get a clean slate? That ain’t how it works.”

Her back was still turned away from you, no doubt disrespectfully. You didn’t even respond to what she had to say, her words had made it very clear of her intentions. Without a word, you pulled your axe into your hand, and she chuckled as she heard you summon it.

“Haah….”

“‘Bout time.”

In a flash too quick for you to react to, she struck you into the skies with her spear nearly piercing your head. You were about to be in for quite a revealing fight, for her and for yourself. If she knows your past like she claims, then she should know what you are capable of. However, the same can’t be said for you, and you’re about to find out in the worst way…

[thequeensjester]

I know Patrick McKay disappointed some fans with his "it's just a cool shot" comment. I actually disagree about that specific scene but it's entirely possible for shots to not have a hidden story meaning.

Some shots are composed purely to look good for the audience or looks cool to the director (1:45:00-1:46:27). That doesn't necessarily mean it's bad film-making.

The Numenor tavern scene is blocked to look good for the viewers and in turn, supports the story-telling. It uses a mix of wide shots and close-ups. I will only focus on the wide shots because the close-ups are standard reaction shots.

The scene begins with Valandil drinking at the tavern. When he looks over, the camera focuses on Earien, Pharazon and Kemen under the lamps—highlighting the source of conflict. The frame is almost split perfectly in half with a real line from the set cornerpiece—showing a divided Numenor.

Valandil also covers Belzagar, who serves more as plot device. @arcadianambivalence pointed out that Pharazon talks less in public and Belzagar fills that silence. His role here is more of the Mr. Exposition trope.

The follow-up shot to Valandil is the other perspective. There is a lot shown here but the blocking makes it so that it's not cluttered to watch. We have the 5 core actors visible and background extras, balanced in a tight set with hanging props and decorated set walls.

The most important characters are in the middle of the frame. Valandil is further back but centered to maintain continuity from the previous shot. Pharazon is visibly lit since he's the most powerful of the group. Earien is also in the middle because she has the means to push Pharazon to the top.

Both Kemen and Belzagar are seated at edge, with the least to contribute to narrative but there's another reason for their positions.

When Valandil confronts them, he stands closer to Belzager, leaving a gap between him and Pharazon. It looks awkward at first but this creates an even larger gap between Valandil and Kemen—showing their divide on Miriel's actions.

It reinforces Valandil's annoyance with Kemen's shit talk at the start of the scene. This moment establishes their personal conflict from here on out.

This gap between Valandil and Pharazon is also deliberate to allow room for Leon Wadham to take center stage with Alex Tarrant when their characters square up. If there is no gap, Leon would be standing behind Trystan, reducing the visual effect for the audience and look worse.

The background extras react and move with the flow of conflict. Leon also is standing at the edge of a set column which is a hard line, near-center, between Kemen and Valandil.

The camera angle also changes from the first referenced wide shot to focus on the standing characters.

This blocking isn't showing a hidden meaning but reinforces the conflict to the audience. The scene could have been blocked differently and less effectively but we'd still know there's conflict because the acting and the script tells us. However, the directing choices used here shows us the story better.

— credit: cap-that.com

[witcheshollow]

Finishing the golden raven knocked me the fuck out so my Coherent and Eloquent thoughts are gonna have to wait so enjoy this very spoilery mash up of whatever is coming to mind now before I do a proper deep dive

-I was really expecting more in terms of jerejean development, but Im not surprised that nora is waiting until the last book. I would assume there is also a bit to do with them having originally not been intended for one another... and on that front I dont remember nora ever confirming them officially just her deleting the ec and saying she isnt letting it define these three books. Which does point to jerejean endgame but ((and correct me NICELY if im wrong)) she never officially said the two of them are to get together.

-tagging off that point: something about the pacing of this book felt very similar to the pacing of tkm. There were quite a few scenes that felt very similar to tkm, the general flow was also very similar. Just instead of jerejeans relationship forming we got jean forming relationships in general

-again tagging onto that, the scene where he braided lailas hair was the scene that made me cry hardest.

-what we saw of the foxes made me so violently ill in the best way possible. The fear in jean at seeing neil laying on the court floor after a raven check AGAIN was so brutal, even through jeremys pov. I dont think we would have survived the raven/fox game through jeans eyes tbh. Jean had too much on the line. He would never admit it but he loves neil, Neil is essentially family to him. We see that in his blind and unending trust in him

-again, sue me, speaking of that. Why the fuck did neil not tell AT LEAST Andrew abt his doings in california??? Was it to avoid bringing up andrews trauma?? Bc anything else goes so violently against everything that andriel is i will not stand for it. If this fandom is good at one thing its saying to hell with canon and making up what we want to believe and I will blind myself into whatever fanon I need to if we get a reason for neils omission as anything other than misguided protection of Andrew. Bc yes, it would be misguided. Letting his bf know he put a fucking hit out on someone is smt he should have done despite the state and circumstances. Though I digress

-back to jean and the fox/raven game. He was so fucking worried abt neil and andrew that I all out refuse to believe we wont get more updates. I know that this series is jeans, and Im not saying give either of them a pov or anything, but it would be nice if we got to see the two of them have a conversation with Jean together in the next book. Maybe andrews arm slung across neils shoulders as they watch him graduate??

-im pretty sure what we are leading up to championship wise is a fox/trojan showdown. Despite what Jean said abt not knowing if the foxes can pull off a miracle two years in a row and the whole freshman fox situation, Im betting that is going to be where we end. And as far as who wins, I have no guesses. The foxes beat the ravens at full strength with nine players and a prayer. Despite how badly the last of the ravens fucked them up, I am willing to put good money that nora will plot armor their asses to championships.

-speaking of plot armor, how the fuck did andrew manage to take neils weight, even if it wasnt all of it, to help him off the field with a broken clavicle that required surgery???? Ik wymack and abby got there in a couple seconds but Andrew still managed to do it

-okay Ill, begrudgingly, put the foxes aside bc i have more thoughts

-I love jeremy, Jean, cat and lailas casual intimacy with one another. The four of them move as a singular unit half the time and it holds a special place in my heart

-I do kind of think that this next book is going to end with Jeremy forsaking his family. We are seeing the cracks in whatever resolve he had up and to this point. And to back that up, while their different in so many ways, the series is taking some hints from the structure of the original trilogy and with that I dont think its an unreasonable stretch to assume that there is going to be another "who is he going to choose" moment. And how beautiful would that be to have the choice be between soulmate and family yet again? This time tho I think we will get a clearer answer if this happens again bc it genuinely took me like two full rereads of the og trilogy to piece together that andrew actually chose neil and I know from friends that Im not alone in this.

-as far as jerejean, I do think that the progression of their relationship is going to be similar tho different from andriels. Also I use their ship names to refere to them bc im too exhausted to type out their names, sue me. Anyways, I think that as far as similarities, there is a good chance it is going to start out sexual. Jeremy doesnt have enough belief in himself to have an actual relationship and Jean still has a lot of internalized homophobia from the nest ((riko)) to sort through. If I had to make an educated guess I would say something abt Jean reclaiming his body and Jeremy slowly realizing that he is allowed to give this part of himself to someone who actually cares for him. Though as far as how I think their gonna be different from andriel... well I mean it doesnt take a genius to figure that their probably going to be a bit more openly affectionate/quite a bit less derranged. I do also assume that if we get a canonical endgame jerejean that Jeremy is going to have to cut ties with his family. They are violently homophobic and will probably not have any interest in entertaining the idea of jeremy being associated with them any further

-stepping away from their relationship bc i just remembered something. Jeremy calls his father sir, which i know is a thing a lot of military kids do but it is also obviously indicative that Jeremy has respect for this man regardless of his continued absence in his life. It might just be that he is the parent who wasnt there to be abusive towards him... or it might be that jeremys father, in some way, deserves the respect?? We know Jeremy has a complicated relationship with his family and how he sees them we see that in his "shes my mom cat" towards the end and ofc throughout the rest of the book. But Jeremy was the one who kept reaching out, and kept his fathers calls logged in a journal, and still refers to him with honorifics- i want more Jeremy lore

-back to jerejean, im willing to bet that we are going to get an "i cant pick him over my family" breakdown from Jeremy and Im guessing that it is going to be William who helps him make the decision. "If you cant tell whos side im on your not as smart as I thought" or whatever it was that he said. He wants Jeremy to be happy, he knows Jeremy is not happy in that damn house, and he has shown that he is willing to buck the rules to ensure that Jeremy can scrounge up whatever joy he can.

-I think jeans moment of panic is going to be more of an internal thing, like "am I even good enough to ask Jeremy to forsake his family for me" and despite all the logic I think it is going to be Neil who he calls. Bc Neil did that. As far as Jean knows Neil could have deadass looked at Andrew and went "me or Aaron" he wasnt there for it like we were. And I think Neil is going to be his usual criptic self but give enough reassurance that he gets an affectionate "your a vile wretch" from Jean or smt of the sort.

-wymack still considering Jean one of his kids even if he isnt a fox warms my heart. He called Jean. He let kevin send Jean to California. He was willing to do whatever Jean asked. Wymack my love

-speaking of coaches who kill me every chance they get: rhemann. Fucking hell i love that man. He had my heart before jeans breakdown but afterwards? He earned himself a nice shiny spot next to wymack. With the way Jean described the preceeding events Im assuming rhemann had to carry him out of the gold court or at the very least shoulder most of his weight to get him out bc Jean seemed fairly out of it, and rhemann definetly had to carry him into the house once they got there bc if jeans recollection is right Im pretty sure he was unconscious and if not then so heavily disassociated I dont think he would have been coherent enough.

-also small shout out to rhemann and adi, love them

-the end scene of the book has me conflicted. And this is probably going to be my last bullet point bc I am dead tired rn. While I do, obviously, understand that Jean wasnt sure what Jeremy was doing when he leaned over to kiss rex/jaberwackys head, I dont really understand what Jeans gut reaction there was. He doesnt explain in his internal monologue, he is far more worried abt making Jeremy less terrified and keeping the dog safe. But the reaction was instinctual, almost seemingly second nature. Which I dont 100% understand. Jeremy and Jean are often very close to one another, in each others orbit more than their not to quote Jean ((yes I know he said this abt andriel that isnt what I meant)) and Jean has stated repeatedly that he whole heartedly trusts Jeremy. Also the gut reaction in context doesnt necessarily make sense to me, it might be a me thing Im not discrediting that, and also traumatized people sometimes have instincts that only make sense to them if that bc their brain is in survival mode, so it might have been an attempt by nora to show that, but having it as the last scene in the book feels odd to me. The only thing I can assume is that Jean wasnt processing what was happening just saw jeremy coming at him quickly and reacted but also we see him not reacting to other similar situations often. You could argue that its bc Jean has feelings for Jeremy but we see Jean not reacting to Jeremy making fast movements, getting in his space and touching him throughout the series so far so I just dont get it. Now there could be a less meta reason for it, being that nora needed smt to trigger Jean thinking abt how the rules he has held to arent in place anymore but they are for him but maybe he could let them go but trauma. But he thinks pretty similar thoughts in other parts of the series too so I just dont understand. And it might be me, Im not saying it vouldnt be. Idk, I feel like the last scene in thebbook was an odd place to have such a vaugely explained and not previously seen trauma response from Jean towards Jeremy.

Okay thats all. Im gonna reread the series with tgr and give more well rounded and coherent thoughts some time in the next week. If you read all of this consider yourself a saint

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Two Kinds of Writers

When planning novels, writers generally fall into 2 categories: “plotters” and “pantsers.”

A plotter - is someone who meticulously plans and outlines their story before they begin writing.

If you’re a painstaking outliner who spends a large amount of time in the prewriting stage charting out plotlines, devising characters, and worldbuilding, you fall into the plotter category.

Most successful writers do plotting to some extent.

If you take any bestselling published author, chances are they’d fall into the plotter category.

If you’re new to writing, trying out writing as a plotter can give you a good sense of how pre-writing can prepare you before you dive into the writing process.

If you’re the type of writer who likes to fly by the seat of your pants and write without a roadmap, chances are you would identify as a “pantser.”

A pantser - doesn’t spend a lot of time evaluating writing methods or planning out story structure, nor do they follow a paint-by-numbers approach to novel writing.

It is the preferred method for Stephen King and many other successful writers.

Pantsing can be a great way to quickly get into the writing process and beat writer’s block.

Whether you are working on your first novel or a followup to your most recent bestseller pantsing can be a great method for jumpstarting your process and getting your creative juices flowing.

How to Approach the Writing Process as a Plotter

There are many ways to approach plotting, and you will probably experiment with many different techniques over the course of your writing life. If you’re just getting started trying out writing as a plotter here are some steps to get you on your way:

Generate ideas. The first step in writing a novel is generating story ideas. Some writers like to freewrite and brainstorm, others prefer working with writing prompts. Whichever approach you take, it’s important to spend time coming up with a variety of ideas and choosing a strong premise that lends itself to an effective plot.

Start with a simple, compelling premise. Once you have a basic idea, it’s time to develop a story premise. One way to develop a small idea into a basic story is called the snowflake method. The snowflake method involves starting with a core premise or theme upon which you build every other aspect of narrative and character as you flesh out the big picture.

Trace out general story arcs. Start to lay out a storyline. You don’t have to worry about building the whole thing at once. Rather you can focus on each act within your story arc—or even simple scene descriptions—and piece these together as you build out a full-length narrative.

Don’t neglect character development. Character is an incredibly important part of a story and helps to balance out plot-based narratives. Before you start writing you should make sure that you have detailed character arcs and a main character with a clear motivation and backstory. Part of building a good character is choosing a strong and nuanced point of view. Balance out the plot portion of your writing process by taking some time to analyze your characters and make sure they are strong, realistic, and nuanced.

Build subplots. Once you have a good sense for your main plot it’s time to layer in subplots. Subplots can often be character-specific, so this is a good time to think a bit about the characters you’ve populated your world with and how each individual backstory might come into play. Good subplots will weave seamlessly through your main arc and help advance your action rather than distract from it.

Write a detailed outline. Before you start writing, you should have a detailed plot outline. This should catalog the main story and individual plot points. It should be comprehensive enough that someone who has no knowledge of your story could look at the outline and piece together the narrative of events, identifying your inciting incident, rising action, and climax. It can also be useful to write individual smaller outlines such as a chapter outline or act outline that you can piece together to create a macro story outline.

Tie up loose ends. Once you have a detailed outline, it’s time to tie up loose ends and fill any plot holes. One common misconception about writing is that editing comes at the end of the process. Editing is something you should return to throughout your writing process, and it’s important to edit your plot and outline before you start writing in earnest.

How to Approach the Writing Process as a Pantser

There are many different ways to approach pantsing. The most basic principle of pantsing is to just start writing. Pantsers fly by the seats of their pants, whether they’re writing a full-length novel or a short nonfiction piece. That being said, there are some basic steps you can follow as you launch into writing a novel as a pantser:

Start with a concept. When you approach the blank page, it’s good to have at least a vague idea of what you want to write about. Part of pantsing is allowing your impulses and feelings to guide you, but having a basic sense of what inspires you can help focus your writing.

Follow your impulses. Once you get into your project, feel free to follow impulse and get lost in your project. One of the joys of writing fiction as a pantser, whether you’re working on short stories or a full-length novel, is to immerse yourself in the work and discover where your mind takes you.

Take pauses to evaluate your work. It’s important to take stock of your work as you go. This way you won’t leave any plot holes or loose ends that you forget to tie up in the second half.

Don’t be afraid to edit. Just because you are essentially freewriting doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t edit your work. Editing and revising can help you work out of dead ends and structure your story around a cohesive arc with a clear turning point.

Come to a resolution. Part of being a successful pantser is sensing when your work is approaching its endpoint. Pay attention to how your story is progressing and find a natural place to resolve your plot and tie up loose ends.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[downablueriver]

I just watched Thunderbolts* (2025) and here’s my rambling thoughts about what I felt about the movie.

Misfits and antiheroes were always up my alley, so suffice to say I definitely enjoyed this, overall maybe around a 7/10. Feels like it was a diamond in the rough, and could have benefited from a bit more stewing to become a very good movie.

Spoilers under the cut

- Love the beginning of the film, love the opening monologue by Yelena, love how everyone got together and the introduction of Bob

- Loved the different personalities clashing, I don’t know why some people previously said it’ll be boring to have a team with very similar power sets when their personalities and backgrounds are so different. I feel that their similarities make their differences stand out so much more.

- That said, I feel like Ghost needed a bit more fleshing out. Yelena is basically the main protagonist, Bob is a half antagonist, Alexi always steals the show with his humour and his relationship to Yelena, John Walker is a very fun asshole, and although Bucky didn’t really have anything to do, he’s a well established character and already loved so no complaints from me. Compared to all that, Ghost feels rather underwhelming

- I felt the flow was rather jagged and the pacing rather rushed from around the 60% point, and the ending was rather abrupt. Nothing that harms the movie actively, but I would have liked more bonding scenes after Bucky and Alexi joined, the scene of Bucky convincing the rest to help was a bit of a jump, and while Alexi and Yelena’s heart to heart was pretty nice, I don’t know if it’s the pacing or the background at that moment or the flow, but it felt a bit awkward and rushed to have it basically settled just like that. Sentry suddenly going against Val after the Thunderbolts scampered away also felt a bit sudden, I would like to have a bit more yelling from everyone to try to talk Sentry down during the fight, and/or for Sentry to start fighting Val during the fight which allowed the Thunderbolts to run away. I probably have a few more but I can’t remember them right now

- I mentioned it above but it’s a pity Bucky wasn’t really given much to do within the plot. I know he saved the team, and then got them rallied to fight Val, but those could probably have been written to be filled by other characters or plot points? He feels a little shoe-horned. I would hope for the movie to have stressed a bit more of his character arc, I maybe would like to see Bucky be conflicted about his role as a congressman at the start of the movie. He struggles to do things by the book and be tied up with bureaucracy. It comes to a head when he meets the thunderbolts, and he gets a call from his congress friend (sorry I don’t remember his name) about Val going off grid and they desperately need the thunderbolts to testify against her so they can mobilise to find and arrest her. Right after, Bucky gets the call from Mel. And this is when Bucky has to make a decision, does he stay a congressman, bringing the thunderbolts in for the government to handle Val, or due to the urgency of the situation, he goes off script to lead the team to directly stop Val. This is when he realises he doesn’t belong in congress, that he wants to help people directly as a ‘superhero’

- Same thing for Ghost, it felt like she didn’t have much to do either. But I can’t think of any storyline for her right now

- Side note, loved Bucky crashing the van into a building. Loved how everyone scampered into the elevator after losing the fight with sentry

- The ending felt rather rushed. I love the idea of talking it out to solve the fight, rather than another “big cgi battle”. But I felt it could have been tidied a bit better in terms of execution. I would have liked Bob to have made some connections to the other team members too, and a bigger emphasis on Bob’s own epiphany that he doesn’t have to be alone anymore, that if he reaches out, others are willing to take his hand and help him if he needs it. Right now I felt like it was more of a Yelena and Bob relationship that helped him.

- I’m still confused if Val intentionally orchestrated everything in order for them to create a New Avengers team, or if she had this as a backup plan to avoid incarceration?

- Not really a review, but I definitely way prefer “Thunderbolts”🔥 to “New Avengers” 😒

- I also watched this in a non-IMAX theatre, and it felt that the screen was a bit too dark at certain points, not sure if it was a theatre issue or the movie is more optimised for IMAX

[tomomiisasleep]

notes on Harryanthe which I am crazy about, in HtN

this dumb little interaction just stuck with me. I mean they're almost always high-strung in the detailed plot, like in almost every one of the Ianthe-centered scenes one of them is in some kind of pain

but I know they have chill moments. mundane moments. petty arguments, like the one in the post scrips of the letter. And I so badly want to read those!!

anyways. I'm gonna start collecting scraps here.

you might have given Ianthe Tridentarius the pleasure of opening the note labelled Upon the death of Harrowhark Nonagesimus. Your only hope for that note was that it contained a single sentence along the lines of, Get what joy you can from my corpse, you devious bitch, but it was written by a previous self and you could not risk a guess.

Harrow: what if I didnt hate her and that makes me wanna have a lobotomy yeah that makes sense

Once, vilely, from Ianthe; she had ensconced you in fat and rolled you down the hallway out of danger, and still laughed whenever she thought about it.

ok this is just Ianthe being a little pest, but it also means that she talks about this and laughs in Harrow's face, which makes her a little bitch, but also like it means they often chat and Ianthe would be like: Yeah today I tried the theorem on apples again, but I tweaked it by directing the flow of thalergy from- hey Harry do u remember the time I saved your life hahahahahaha

The mockery you endured for needing her proximity was exquisitely painful, but humiliation was steadily becoming your existence whole and entire.

I want to know what exactly this mockery entails

It had been very nicely matched to the original until she had ceased using it altogether, and the difference was more pronounced each day. Unconscious of your critical eye, she scratched fretfully at the line until red hives appeared.

Ianthe squirming under Harrow's gaze for once

She was in a filthy mood, if she was wearing that thing, with her arm exposed.

Harrow has been keeping tabs on the state of her arm problem ever since she first woke up on the Erobos. Same as how Ianthe has been keeping tabs on the results of her lobotomy.

she said, blue eyed, those oily little freckles glittering almost pinkly above the dress. They reflected the red rims of her eyelids. You thought that she had been crying.

yeah stare at her eyelids Harrow, and sniff her discreetly all the time, sweat musk vetiver am I right (also have I expressed how crazy it drives me that she wears masculine perfume??????????? no well IT'S SO *faints*

You got better autopsies of her encounters with Beasts than you did from your own, as Augustine was wont to explain significantly more to her than either he or Mercy did to you.

Ugh why why why in this whole book I have not seen them talk shop with each other even once??? Except Harrow showing off after making the arm. Harrow has discussions with Pal all the time in GtN. clearly she trades notes on necromancy with Ianthe frequently. but no, gloss over Ianthe's intellect and just write her freak(fond) moments

You had once been fool enough to recommend that Ianthe take them down, at which point she had rustled up another from the bathroom and hung it in pride of place above an overpainted dresser.

love her

“Oh, heaps,” said Ianthe, who appeared not to have taken offence at your rejection. It was so impossible to tell, with Ianthe. “I made it. It’s vile.”

Maybe she really doesn't care about the rejection or even likes it, but "so impossible to tell" kinda hints that, well she might be hurt,maybe, there just isn't any proof

It was not a connection formed of any mutual admiration; if anything, the more you saw of Ianthe the less likely you were to mistake her for likeable. She made herself like an overdecorated cake: covered so thickly in icing and fondants and gums that it would take serious excavation to find any bread. As a necromancer she was a genius, though you thought she relied too much on shortcuts and circumventions. She had an exceptionally fine mind. She was not afraid of rigour.

If Harrow doesn't have the hots for her at least I do.

Honestly on my first read I took stuff like "not likeable" and "“Tell me to stop breathing,” she said. (“I have, on multiple occasions,” you said.)" at face value and actually thought Harrow genuinely hates her and is forced to interact with her because there's no one else. Which is true. But she's also very attracted to her and I kinda overlooked it at because I thought those feelings were mutually exclusive. And they're not. which I'm obsessed with.

Or she won't think Ianthe's beautiful and note details about how she dresses all the time.

Seriously Harrow's special fixation on "how Ianthe's clothes make her look" is hard to ignore.

for example:

The mother-of-pearl made Ianthe’s hair a lurid yellow and threw up all the mustard tints of her skin; her face was blotchy, and her eyes were sleepless pits. She looked like shit.

The skirts and waists were all beautifully cut for someone of a different height and body type than Ianthe possessed. They were tight where they should have been loose and loose where they should have been tight. They looked like her burial clothes, and she looked as though she had emerged fifty years after that burial.

she answered after a long, scuffling minute, with sleep in her eyes and her hair in dilute whey tangles over her neck and shoulders, wearing a bewildering short garment of violet chiffon.

The back was open, and you could see the fine dents of her spine—her bleached skin bluer and sweeter against the pallid gossamer—and the twin blades of her shoulder blades looked strangely nude and vulnerable to you.

Ianthe was training in her nightgown—a grisly floor-length concoction of pale golden lace that made her long, limber body look like a green-veined mummy

a lone wax figure in pale purple chiffon, tall and colourless—except in the greasy metal of her bone arm, which the lights rendered all the colours of the rainbow.

Ianthe rose soundlessly to her feet, and the long skirts of her nightgown—a brilliant ruffled canary-yellow silk that made her look like a formal lemon—rustled restively around her calves.

Note that Harrow focuses on Ianthe's clothes for how they shape Ianthe's appearance. in contrast:

she ignored your sister, whose pallid eyebrows had shot up so fast and so far that they were in danger of breaking the atmosphere. Mercymorn wore a long slip of peach-coloured silk, and her white Canaanite robe was tucked over her forearms and had slipped entirely off her slender, aggrieved shoulders. She had scraped her hair into a merciless and shining coil at the back of her head, and she had no eyes for either of you.

Obviously Mercy is SUPER HOT here, if Ianthe's reaction means anything. But Harrow only describes her clothing and not how she looks. Same with Augustine's party outfit.

With Ianthe, it's always: she's wearing ..., which makes her look gross. And I did not understand at first but now I know and feel stongly that Harrow is totally into her gross-hotness. well at least I am. the grosser she's described the hotter she is.

[wordworldsaway]

Journalism in Worldbuilding

I'm currently reading Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros and it has really got me thinking about journalism and information, especially as it relates to worldbuilding. I'm working on my own space opera fantasy where there's a corrupt government structure, so information and knowledge are important considerations. But they seem to tie into so many different areas that I haven't really separated them out and thought about them separately yet.

Yarros' book inspired me to do so and I came up with this long list of questions that I hope someone else can find helpful as well. Journalism and information are integral parts of our culture and history and, in addition to weaving closely with lots of elements of worldbuilding, they can also help you think about your plot and your characters.

Here's my list (in very messy order):

What comprises the "official" media (newspapers, official notices, reports, briefs)? How many people are in control of it/have the ability to tamper with it every day? How often is it circulated? How does it pass from person to person?

How do people on the far edges of your world get their news? How do people living in cities get their news? Rural areas? What about people in the slums and pits of the cities? What about middle class people? Elite/rich people? To what degree are each of these groups able to receive information? Is it first-hand? Second-hand? Third-hand? Spoofing on this: how does rank affect what information is known or unknown (this can also relate to cultural or historical knowledge, not just current events)? Do lower members of society know more or less than the higher members of society?

Which overarching body controls the news (e.g. government, syndicate, company, conglomerate, non-profit, etc.)? Is it a combination of different bodies? If so, how do they interact with each other? Is there a ringleader? Internal corruption? Is everything done by machine or by hand?

How does language impact what gets printed and what doesn't? Are there dead languages? Is there a common language? Are there multiple common languages? Can something happen without anyone being able to understand exactly what happened? How does that impact public perception of different places/peoples?

Is the news truthful? Is it only partially truthful? Is it a total lie? Are some things omitted and, if so, what parts?

What other sources are available for giving and receiving news? Does social media exist? Do people send letters? Are letters tightly controlled? Is there any privacy to these things? Are there trading posts where information is shared or traded?

Is information generally compartmentalized or generally open? Is there a difference in the perception versus the reality? (This can be part of your world's culture or history, too.)

Are there societies in your world that have knowledge keepers? How do those knowlege keepers learn and share information with the rest of the society? How do societies with these structures interact with each other and with societies with different structures?

Is knowledge prized or considered insignificant? Do different levels of society think differently on this point? Do different societies within your world think differently on this point?

Can knowledge be weaponized? Can it be used against others, for good or for bad? How? (Think about this by thinking about the channels through which information currently flows and how those channels can be affected/changed.)

[keyofjetwolf]

Now that it's been a couple of days, do you have any structured commentary about the Sailor Moon Live, or is it still just (excited screaming)?

CAN SCREAMING FOREVER WORK AS A RESPONSE

That doesn't pass for structure, huh? Fair. Okay well let's spew some word-based vomit all over things. That's The Jet Wolf Way.

Spoilers for the Sailor Moon Super Live 2025 North American (read: JUST U.S. SORRY CANADA YOU'RE A PENGUIN TO US NOW) under the cut.

By which I mean specific production details, because it's the fucking Dark Kingdom plot AGAIN so like how realistically spoiled can you possibly be on that by this point.

So first and foremost let me say that I am so out of the loop that I had no idea there was a new Sailor Moon musical production AT ALL, let alone that it was coming to the States. States to which I could reasonably have access! When Doc dropped this on me, approximately three hours I think before I was going to be sitting there in a seat all of my very own, I was absolutely 100% without a single word for I think a good minute.

Life necessitated a massive shift in my day-to-day focus of course, but matters of the heart give far fewer shits. My girls are still my motherfucking girls, and while the last few years have left me with far less time and energy to scream, the desire to do so remains strong and vibrant. Midge knows each of the Inners by name, because she sees them constantly on my computer wallpapers, art on my refrigerator, the blanket that's now functionally hers. "Who's the best character in Sailor Moon?" is met, with about 95% unprompted success, with a resounding "REI HINO!!", because she's my medically perfect genius baby (and also perhaps coached on this not infrequently).

My heart is and continues to be a kaleidoscope, is what I'm trying to say. And this was something I've wanted to do, to see a production live and in person, and NEVER thought I'd have the opportunity to do. Then suddenly, not only did I learn it was happening, right here, right now, but I WOULD BE THERE. I'm not sure I can properly articulate the sudden unexpected magnitude of feelings. I have no idea what my fucking face looked like, but I hope for Doc's sake, it was pretty great.

I actually continued in a weird place of disbelief up until the very moment it began. Despite the ticket, despite the marquee, despite the incredibly thoughtful and gorgeous and wonderful Mars sweater Doc fucking MADE ME. Despite the flow of other nerds around us, despite the photo op, despite the literally unbelievable merchandise line (the shit was up with that my GOD), despite the set, despite the light, despite the literal stage with the literal signage that literally said "Sailor Moon".

LOOK AT THAT FAKE FUCKING NEWS, I apparently thought to myself.

It wasn't until the house lights went down and the Usagi body double popped her giant moon did it slam into me. It's happening, AND I AM HERE TO SEE IT.

I absolutely 100000% did not tear up a little when Rei came out, and that non-existent moistening in no way increased as she proceeded to give Usagi shit for the entire duration of her intro. No sir no ma'am, I'm both a rock and an island, you know.

The story itself, I mean -- like I said, it's the Dark Kingdom. AGAIN. But it's amazing how actually being there, being part of the whole thing? It didn't matter. It was almost ... Like, I will always always always be team "Give me something new jesus fucking wept I am begging you" for this franchise. But the fact that I knew every single beat of this tired out overplayed thing and so too did 2500 of my closest friends ... It freed me from demands. It wasn't going to be different, so it also wouldn't let me down in new and exciting ways GLARING AT YOU FOREVER CRYSTAL.

I think if this were a regular thing, this going to watch the musical LIVE and IN PERSON, then yeah, moving exactly nowhere in 30+ years would feel pale and stagnant. But we're not there, nowhere near, and so it wasn't that at all. It wasn't dull. It was home.

Because I'm me, and because I don't have the at-home freedom to pause and rewind and spend hours studying a single scene and repeatedly rewatching to catch every single detail of every single character, I of course played the "WHERE'S REI WHAT'S REI DOING" game every single second the opportunity presented itself. Consequently, I enjoyed no small amount of consistent badassery and flagrant Usagi-based protective shenanigans, including bodily shoving her this way and that and turning to snap at her when she was stupid and I was in pure heaven, kids.

I could absolutely have done with more Inners-based individual character stuff, but let's be honest, I'm basically an insatiable bottomless void there. When is enough enough? A: NEVER. But trying to be (relatively) fair and (grudgingly) concede it's not necessarily all about ME, I thought it did a good job with its balancing acts. Usagi kind of sucked in places, Mamoru's dick wasn't perpetually shoved in my mouth, the Shitennou weren't even IN the bloody thing so we didn't have to waste precious minutes there, AND MINAKO GOT TO STAB BERYL FUCK YEAH SHE DID. It even, for a couple seconds there, flirted with the idea of Beryl ALSO being stuck in a resurrection cycle, which I can't lie is intriguing as FUCK.

So yeah, I'd say I felt the production felt to me like a celebration, and for that, did its job SPECTACULARLY.

MY GIRLS

Special Bonus Awesome Notes:

Cabaret Beryl huh???? Talk about a thing I didn't know I needed but SO DID. What a magnificent way to have fun with something that might otherwise be either too slow or too dull. I legitimately didn't even realize the Shitennou weren't there until much later in the production; Beryl just FILLED the stage when she was there, and the delightfully ridiculous seasoning on the whole thing was all I needed to make the dish satisfying.

I know Holligay is a raging lesbian, but this bitch and whasserface playing Mamoru, fuck me.

I NEED NAY DESERVE THOSE TWIRLY SENSHI LIGHT THINGIES. The light peripheral game in this thing was strong as hell, and peaked exquisitely with those. From elements to symbols and back again. LOVED THEM. WANT THEM. MUST HAVE THEM. (blah blah blah Jetty you wouldn't know how to use them you'd kill yourself Jetty no blah blah)

In summation, what a glorious fucking time. I've actually been struggling a little bit with feeling I've not done anything to deserve what a wonderful, thoughtful, FUCKING UNDERHANDED AND UNTOPPABLE, gift was this experience. But I sure did get it, and I sure did love it, and it's mine now, so OH WELL I GUESS.

Allow me to leave you with this, the only tiny bit of video I took of the whole thing. Please enjoy: a) Holligay VERY CLEARLY joining in on the "Oshioki yo!" like a fucking weeb, b) how the video jumps dramatically at the opening strains of Moonlight Densetsu because the aforementioned Holligay jabbed not just her elbow but HER ENTIRE BODY into me, and c) that weeby cunt bellowing the opening syllable in "Sorry" as in "Sorry that I'm not honest" as she begins and will continue to sing the entire song in the correct tune but with the translated English lyrics. Longtime Yuri Hell's Kitchen fans, you might recognize this travesty.

IN CONCLUSION: REI HINO