#however comma pause

[stevie-petey]

hi rosie <3

click on the pic idk why tumblr fucked up the quality

[woundedheartwithin]

Sunday “Six”

(shitty poetry edition)

Tagged by @passthroughtime @overdevelopedglasses and @mike----wazowski

—

So many memories I wish I had.

Things I’ve forgotten,

not much worth remembering, anyway,

One moment blurring into the next,

Sightless and tasteless and dull.

Tintype dreams and wishes

Curled into the edges of film not worth preserving,

Pressed between pages of a notebook bought when I felt alive

Enough to hope for something better. Water damaged.

Blue ink weeping into the grain of the paper.

The image is pressed there,

A negative engraved into the fiber,

Ghosts cast in hazy relief, iron grey.

Forgotten.

Like everything else.

It’s on a shelf somewhere,

Maybe in my mind, maybe somewhere real,

Sea-green spine tucked between paperbacks

Cracked with age and handling,

Just like everything else.

Well loved or well used?

Maybe both, maybe neither.

Maybe weathered by humidity,

Untouched for so long not even the cracks remember.

Dust along the shelf before,

Damp along the wall behind,

Books pressed all the way back,

Denied room to breathe but breathing still,

Expanding— growing— as the pages wrinkle.

Water damaged.

Old and creased and forgotten.

Hazy memories still slipping into cracks,

Ferrous. Lifeless and thoughtless and guileless and less and less and less,

Fading until even the ghosts can’t remember their own names.

God, I wish I knew their names.

But years have passed, and I can’t remember anything,

Let alone the names of faces pressed into pages,

Settled somewhere between old flowers and autumn bruised leaves

And a weak heart beating into the ink and the fiber

Like it was born there.

Born to be forgotten between water damaged pages,

Like everything else.

Just like everything else.

[twisted-wonderland-but-gayer]

Language Barriers

Based off the idea that Yuu doesn't speak the same language or have the same culture norms in their world!! Got inspired for once

Content Info: GN!, 4.6K words-ish, Fluff/Comedy, Platonic except in Kalim's, Aztec refs in Leonas, NSFW jokes in Heartslabyul, Staff being parents, Trey bullying

Characters: Mozus Trein, Divus Crewel, Dire Crowley, Ashton Vargas, Sam, Riddle Rosehearts, Trey Clover, Cater Diamond, Ace Trappola, Deuce Spade, Grim, Leona Kingscholar, Kalim al-Asim, Jamil Viper, Vil Schoenheit

***

***

Since your arrival in Twisted Wonderland, you have begun to grasp the language and culture of this world. For the most part, at least.

You remember as clear as day when you first arrived, the pure confusion of the Headmage and those around you. Words from your lips were pure gibberish to them. They stared at you like you were an anomaly— and they were right. You are one.

‘Glitchy’ is the term they have used to describe your voice. “It is as though the sound around you warps everytime you speak.” The Headmage— Crowley— said.

The man had given you a necklace alongside an old dorm he housed you in. It was a simple looking necklace. A small mirror charm dangles in the center of it. Subtle enough to not draw attention to it.

It wasn't just a necklace however. It was a translator, a universal one.

The ‘glitches’ from your mouth had stopped and became the strange sounds the natives here spoke. Still, the necklace is just a buffer. Just because you can understand them doesn't mean you know what they're saying.

You still do not know the slang, the culture, the phrases, the grammar. Words still slipped your mind. You swear all you can hear is gibberish at times– and honestly you don’t doubt it occasionally is when students want to mess with you. You still had a lot to learn and there have been many miscommunications along the way. All part of the journey you suppose.

The staff here weren't coddling at all but they were accommodating. They made it clear that they favored no student more than the other. (At least that's what they claim.) But they also understood that holding you to the same standard would be unfair.

Mozus Trein

Professor Mozus Trein was a blessing when it came to learning about this world. His history classes made understanding this place easier. Trein would even give you extra context with his lessons to help you understand the everyday things and universal knowledge that you are unaware of.

His standards for your essays were different. He was no less strict on you but he was reasonable. He could tell that you truly understood the concept and put effort into your papers despite the language barrier and he is not going to punish you for learning.

You would get your paper back with a high grade and a page of corrections with explanations for each one. Why this comma here wrong. Why this was the wrong conjugation of that word. How this sentence could be improved.

“Excuse me, Professor?” You test the words as you speak them, accent slipping out. Trein looks to you from his desk. "Yes?”

“This word here is marked as wrong, but I remember you saying ‘I before E except after C.’” You tilt the paper to him and the older man adjusts himself on seat.

“Let me see here…” Trein paused to read the paper, expert eyes scanning for any potential mistakes. “Ah I see, that word there is an exception. ‘Sovereign’ doesn't follow that rule.” He closed his eyes as he explained and you nodded in understanding.

“I see, so I just have to memorize it. Are there any other words like that?” You didn't like how Trein seemed to frown as he thought about it. He hadn't realized how many there were. “Yes there are. A lot more than I anticipated I’m afraid,” a sigh escapes his lips and he shakes his head.

“I will not hold this against your grade since you have been improving with each assignment. Little mistakes like this will be forgiven so long as they are not repeated. Allow me to adjust your grade accordingly.”

You tilted your head as your B+ went to an A-. A small smile decorates your features. Trein nods to you and hands you your paper back. “There you are then. On to you next class.” You turn to leave but are stopped by when he speaks again.

“You should be proud of yourself, Yuu. You are the hardest working student I've have ever had the pleasure of teaching.” You perked up and your smile grew as you were onto your next class.

Divus Crewel

Professor Divus Crewel’s classes were difficult for completely different reasons. Math and numbers were the same for the most part aside from some minor symbol changes. Word problems were the bane of your existence however. Thankfully Divus can see that you understand the math. He'll often pass you or only take half a point off if you use the wrong equation or misunderstand the question and such.

He also gave you a small private lesson about alchemy as well. Teaching you the basic terms and proper protocols that most students would have learned early in their education. He'd show how to differentiate the effects an ingredient would have by the prefixes of their names or symbols on the vial.

But most importantly he would help you socially. What you should dress like for certain events. The correct way to speak so you could sound like a native. Social cues.

And he would refuse to admit it but you were his prized pup over the rest. He may or may not have slipped you a few perfumes or clothing under the guise of “Crowley not providing enough” or “Taking stress off of you to do better in class.” You knew better though.

After all, how could he play off giving a coat similar to his? It was less flashy and more suited to your tastes. It wasn't obvious to anyone else that you matched him unless they really observed. Perfect to wear in his class.

He's always looking out for you. Making sure you are safe and secure. And should you get injured from another adventure, he is there with a potion in hand.

Dire Crowley

Crowley was the one that gave you the necklace and a place to stay. Though eccentric and a bit well… lazy, you couldn’t deny that this was a good display of his generosity. Even if he does make you work for it.

Crowley was a strange one. He'd gift you some magical object one day and then forget you exist the next. He’d help you with your paperwork for accommodations and then forget to approve of them.

One time he dropped off a stack of paperwork on you to do for him but still left you a huge comprehensive guide that teaches you how to do each one. On top of that there was even a translation card meant to help you. If he put this much effort into these papers he'd be done by now. You assume he made this so he can drop more on you in the future. You swear he mentioned he's doing this to you to ‘prepare you for when you become the new headmage— er headmaster.’ Yeah right.

He'd give you dangerous tasks then become overprotective if any boy dare get too close to you. He'd help with anything but only if you stroke his ego. Yet despite it all he was still, as much as you hated to admit it, generous.

Despite everything, he has taken you in instead of abandoning you in this world. You swear sometimes he acts like a dad to you… When its convenient.

He's so annoying but you can’t find it in your heart to truly hate him. He may get you in trouble, but the moment it becomes too dangerous he steps in without hesitation to protect you and gives you a huge lecture after.

You hope you learn enough of the language to properly scold him.

Ashton Vargas

“Is this really necessary?” You ask the coach in front who re-wraps your hands tightly. “Absolutely it is!” The Coach's booming voice resonates in you as he pats you on your back rather roughly. “Give me another punch.”

You swallow and raise your hands again. You hesitate. “Come on kid you aren't gonna leave a dent in me!” You swallow and swing at his stomach. Vargas was right, he doesn't even flinch as your arm practically vibrates.

“That was a good form! I almost felt it.” A great guffaw rumbles in his chest. “Again!” Another punch, he looks down approvingly.

“Not bad, not bad at all. I sense a lot of potential in you, kid. That's enough for today.” You breathe a sigh of relief as you wipe your brow and unwrap your hands.

“Seems my training regiment is working, you're getting stronger by the day. Still— this on its own isn't enough. You need protein, kid! Lots of it. And you know what a good source of protein is?”

You stare at him for a moment. “Those uh…” the word slips your mind. “Chicken… capsules…?”

“Bingo! But they're called Eggs here Yuu.” Ashton puts a hand on his hip and makes a fist. “You should start with a dozen eggs per day and increase from there. I know that headmage can't be relied on to pay you in time, so I personally will deliver some bulking meals myself!”

“... Why are you doing this for me?” Your voice comes out a bit quiet as you speak. Ashton looks at you for a minute. “Why? Because you’re my student and I want to see you succeed. You got some serious strength hidden in you, and it would br a shame to see it wasted. Besides…”

As he speaks he starts taking down those punchy things, sandbags, you think. “The students here are quite rowdy. I want you to be able to defend yourself, especially since you don't have magic. You have to rely on brawn, Yuu! And I will be the one to awaken it.”

Vargas strikes a pose for a moment before relaxing. “Before you go I need to teach you some vocabulary.”

“Vocabulary…?”

“About your muscles of course!” The coach sat you down for a moment as he went into kinesiology. Micros and macros. Bulking. He broke it all down for you while flexing his muscles to emphasize his points.

“Now off you go Yuu, meet me here same time tomorrow, got it?”

Sam

Sam is a cool dude. You interact with him a lot. He never had an issue when you were first learning to speak. In fact he'd help you find the products you described to him. Of course he'd try and convince you to buy the more premium products but that's just business.

He'd even offer you a gig or two. His shelves don't stock themselves and his shadow friends wouldn't mind some extra help. Just know they can be a bit mischievous. While you were working you'd even get a small employee discount.

Even though your language has gotten better, there is still the occasional mix up.

“Ah, prefect! What can I do for you?” Sam queried while leaning on the counter top, delighted to see one of his favorite customers. “I am looking for… um…” You froze. What was that word again??

“The… white liquid?” You watched as Sam racked his brain for what you meant. “An invisibility potion?”

“No no! It's like… a juice?”

“Ah! I got it! Coconut milk!” The man snapped his fingers and winked. He frowned a bit when you shook your head.

“Wait here.” The shadow man watched as you ventured into the small smack aisle in front of him. Soon you took a bag of beef jerky and pointed to the small symbol on it. “What is this animal called again?”

“That's a cow.”

“Yes! I need the juice from it! The cow juice! What is its name? I forgot.” you perked up and beamed at him, hoping he understood. It all clicked for Sam, and he let out a hearty laugh at the realization.

“Do you mean milk, perchance?”

“Yes! I knew it had that sound! I need milk!” Sam chuckled again and waves his hand, sending a small shadow to retrieve some. “By the way would you be down to do some work tonight?”

“Tonight? Yeah, I can always use some extra cash.” The prefect was always so easy going. Guess they had to be in a place like this.

“Good. I'll apply your discount right now then!”

Heartslabyul

Your favorite Heartslabyul members have invited you to join them. Another Unbirthday party was to be hosted and the stars aligned today for the whole deck to help with the baking. It felt nice to be with them. They were like a family in a way, being with them felt like home. Alongside baking, there was some cooking being done too.

“Geez you really do like your eggs, huh?” Cater asked the spade who stirred his chopsticks with precision. He is determined to make the perfect tornado omelet.

“Oh you have no idea.” Ace tsked. “Whenever we go out to a restaurant it's the only thing he orders.”

“Not true!” Deuce's interjection wasn't as strong as it usually is, much to focused on his creation. “Yeah only if they dont offer any.” Ace retorts.

“Grim, it is unsanitary to touch the batter,” Riddle breaks up the impending argument to chide the direbeast ‘helping’ him stir, “Trey how many egg yolks do I add?”

“Three. You sure got it Riddle?” Riddle pouts a bit. He knows he got a shell in the batter last time but he's trying! “I'll get it right this time, you can count on it.”

“Ooh, give the egg whites to Deuce if you aren't using them!” Deuce mutters a thank you to Cater as he finishes up his omelet. “Does anyone else want one?”

No’s resound across the kitchen aside from you and Grim which makes Deuce smile. “Alright, what kind do you want Yuu? I'm still unsure on what kind you prefer.” Deuce looks a little embarrassed at not knowing despite how long you've been friends.

Before anyone could tease Deuce, Trey asks the worst question he possibly could without knowing. “Actually how do you like your eggs in the morning, Yuu? I rarely see you eat breakfast in the cafeteria.”

You pause for a moment, the pan you were greasing slipping slightly. Then you chuckled. “That's very bold of you Trey, I never expected you of all people to say that… But judging by everyone else's reaction, I assume it doesn't mean anything here?”

“Oh? Does it mean something different where you from?” Riddle asks, looking over at you. “It does actually.” Cater looks up from his phone he was reading the recipe from, noticing your amused expression. “What else could possibly it mean though?” You hold in a laugh. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to bring it up but you can't help it.

“Is that so? I sure hope I didn't say anything offensive. What does it mean?” Poor Trey; he chuckles as he decorates one of the finished cakes not knowing the storm that's brewing.

“You essentially just propositioned me in front of everyone.” The whole kitchen is silent as they stare at you. Trey looks flustered and confused out of his mind as an abundance of frosting squirts out of the bag. “I… pardon?”

Ace speaks first “Huh?! How does that make sense?”

“Proposition? What does that mean?”

“Don't worry about it Grim.” says the diamond. “Still that seems far fetched, it's rude of you to mess with Trey like that you know!”

“I'm not lying! It's actually what it means!” Trey is adjusting his glasses now, embarrassment growing. Riddle looks horrified, trying to find his words. He's trying to rack his brain for a response before deciding to ask about it. His voice comes out a little hesitant and unsure. “Are eggs part of some sort of courtship in your world…?”

“Um… sort of..?” At your words Deuce pales. Ace takes this opportunity to be a little shit per usual. “Wow! Seems like you have a chance then, Deucy!”

“Oh shut it Ace! Wait, have I been propositioning you this whole time?!” His face is red and he's hiding in his hands. He has offered so many egg dishes over the years. Oh God he must have made you so uncomfortable— this isn't what an honor student would do!

“I still don't know what that means…” Grim grumbles.

“No no! Offering eggs is fine, it's just that particular phrase has very different connotations in my world.”

Ace is snickering at the whole situation, but especially at Deuce’s panic. He's also just as confused, however. Trey finally has the courage to speak. “Um, how exactly does that mean…” He trails off, defeated. “I'm sorry Yuu, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…”

“You didn't. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you too much…”

“Okay, but how exactly does that mean that?”

“Yeah I'm with Cater on this one…” Ace adds.

“Enlighten me.” Riddle puts his hands on his hips, morbid curiosity getting the better of him.

“So… When someone asks that they essentially mean to say they're gonna invite you to spend the night with them and cook you breakfast in the morning.” Trey looks even more embarrassed but so does Riddle.

“So it's a sleepover? That's it?” Grim asks just to be waived off by Cater again who vibrating with laughter.

“That's a pretty convoluted way of asking…” Deuce looks to the side, also a little flustered. “Yeah it makes no sense for me either, and I'm from that world, but that is what it means…”

“Wow so Trey really is bold!” Cater snickers as Ace joins in with a “I never knew you had it in you.”

“Enough with this vulgar talk!” Riddle commands, clearly demanding the conversation to be over.

“I am never gonna live this down aren't I?”

Leona Kingscholar

I am gonna nerd a lil abt aztec mythology rn and I'm not apologizing

Herbivore is what he called you. It was meant to be an insult but you never took offense. There is no other creature that fights harder than prey that is fighting for their life or backed into a corner. If anything it was a compliment. You've seen how hard they can fight.

Yet today Leona took the title further. “You are honestly like a little rabbit. All this confidence and attitude, yet harmless.” You raised a brow at him. “Thank you.”

Leona's eyes shift ever so slightly. “You're taking it as a compliment?” You tilt your head. “I assume rabbit in this world is synonymous with fragility here…? Odd. They're a symbol of warriors back in my world.”

“Is that so?” Leona speaks boredly, but he doesn't excuse himself or tell you to shut up. “Yeah, rabbits are these mighty warriors that are completely invincible. Children of one of the 5 sin gods too. Nothing can kill them. Centzon Tōtōchtin are no joke. Odd how they're considered weak here.”

You think for a moment. “But they are known to be constantly drunk all the time and play around, so I guess that could be an insult…” Leona just rubs his head. “Take it however you want…”

Kalim al-Asim

“Look at all the stars!” Kalim exclaims, pointing up at the sky. He lands his carpet along the sand dunes, eyes full of wonder. He then looks to you with bated breath, waiting for your reaction.

“It's beautiful…” You whisper, overlooking the patterns of stars decorating the night sky. It was straight out of a painting, vast and whimsical. Kalim was glowing at your happiness. “Aaah, I'm glad you like it! I was hoping you would!”

You lean back against the ground. Shooting stars dart across the sky along the twinkling lights in a beautiful display. Your eyes land on the moon, admiring how different it was from your own.

“The moon looks beautiful tonight, doesn't it?” You freeze for a moment. “Haha, careful saying that to people from my world Kalim, not that you'll be running into anyone else from there anytime soon…”

Kalim looks over to you, brows slightly furrowed. “Eh? What do you mean?” You look back up the moon again. “Saying ‘the moon looks beautiful tonight’ where I’m from means I love you.” There's a moment of silence as Kalim ponders.

“Well then the moon looks beautiful tonight! I love all of my friends!” Kalim grins at you, fist pumped to his chest.

“It's not like that, Kalim. It's for romantic feelings. Funny, since coming here I've had a lot of experiences that would be considered flirtatious in my word…” You laugh a bit before a small frown appears on your features but Kalim snaps you out if it.

“So what you're saying is… it's a love confession?” His eyes are glimmering, the moon reflecting on them beautifully.

“You got it.”

“Then the moon looks beautiful tonight.”

Jamil Viper

So in TWST the languages aren't called the same thing in our world but I couldn't figure out the language of the Scalding Sands so I made one up. Can be a psuedo-prequel to my other fic Missing Yuu. It can be read here!

“Your Arabic is so similar yet so different than my world's version” Jamil pauses his mumbling and hums in question. “Arabic?”

“It's a language where I'm from. It sounds very similar to yours. Like I swear it could be some sort of dialect of it.”

“Scaldic, you mean?” You nod looking over at him from where you lay in his bed. “Is that what it's called? It's a pretty language.” Jamil messes with the stereo in his room, taking out an old CD and browsing for another he wanted to show you. “Maybe once you get more comfortable in this language, I can teach you a bit.”

“That would be lovely, thanks Jamil” As the sounds of shuffling continue from his search and you absentmindedly mess with your necklace before sitting up. “Wait! I know!”

Jamil perks and turns to you, watching as you start to take off your necklace. “Here put this on, you've shown me so much music from your world, let me show you some from mine!”

You offer the necklace over, shaking it a little for encouragement. Jamil takes it gently and examines the necklace. He lifts up his hair and slips it on, feeling a warmth on his chest from where the mirror lay.

You speak, and Jamil braces against the weird feeling of the necklace warping your glitched gibberish from your throat into his native language. “Can you hear me?” The words echoed in his head a bit. He took a moment to fully process them as they reverberated in his head.

He almost replies in his native tongue, but the amulet compels him to speak another language. Your language.“Yes, I can.” He replies, slurring a bit as he feels his words echo and warp. Strange… he knows what he's saying but he can't understand it.

“You have an accent, well that makes sense…” You chuckle a bit as he sits beside you, taking a moment to adjust to the sensation. “I never thought about how the enchantments on these worked. I assumed that it would be instant. Is this what it's like for you?”

“Crowley said it would probably be different for me cause I'm not from this world. See why I ask you to repeat things all the time? … thanks for not getting too annoyed with that by the way.”

You tap away on your phone for a moment. “Here we go, I got some songs in Arabic for you, look.” Jamil watches you press play and takes in the music. It was ethereal, so different yet so similar to his worlds. Uncanny yet compelling. Then the lyrics start and he furrows his brows.

“It really is like Scaldic.” he replies, closing his eyes. “Its like if I focus hard enough I can hear it in my own language, but I cant.”

“See what I mean?” Jamil nods. “I think I'm picking up some words though, but there's no guarantee the meaning is the same.”

“Yeah it's how I feel all the time here… its frustrating at times. Oddly enough there are some words that stay the same, mostly food for example. Like mahalabia or horchata for example.”

“Huh, odd how that works…” the music coursing through his body invigorates him. He can imagine all the potential ways to move to this.

“Yeah. And it's the same dish too— well sort of. It tastes so similar yet so different. I miss my world's food, but I'm slowly forgetting the taste of it. Its just vauge memory.” Jamil peers over to the saddened expression on your face. He never even considered that part of being from another world.

“... How about we listen to your music while cooking, then? I'm sure we can make something that tastes like home.” Your face brightens. “That sounds nice.”

Vil Schoenheit

“Thank you for putting up with my accent, it must be annoying to deal with.” You sip on the tea he offered you, trying your best to abide by the manners in this world. Vil merely looked at you.

“It's not annoying at all. Your accent is fine just the way it is.” He almost seemed disappointed by the insinuation.

“Ah… Sorry I just saw that Epel’s usually not allowed to use his accent around you, so I assumed I shouldn't either.�� Vil sighs.

“That's different. You have already proven yourself strong and beautiful enough to be who you are. Epel on the other hand needs to learn to accept himself for who he is first before he can truly be the person he wants to be. He must prove to me he can love himself as he is. If I hated accents, I wouldn't have let Rook speak in his."

“Ah I see… Thank you.” It wasn't everyday that you get praise from the Vil Schoenheit. “Your speech has improved, though I may point out there are some words you may need to work on. Your accent may make it sound like you are talking about something else entirely. Hmm…”

You hold your breath as he thinks. “I want you to grow into the best spudling you can be, so how about you take voice lessons from me?” Vil seems to smirk at your surprised expression. “From you..?”

Vil nods. “Yes. This way you can grow more confident in your speech and vocabulary. That voice of yours is beautiful, it just needs to be tuned.” You look at your tea then to him. “I accept.”

[adhdwannabewriter]

The fuck are you supposed to do with the semicolon ; ?

We’ve discussed the comma and the dash brothers—finally, the time has come for the less sexy relative: the semicolon. But how do we use it?

1. To link two related independent sentences

He didn’t believe in fate; she made him reconsider.

The forest was silent; even the wind held its breath.

Slap a semicolon between two complete sentences that are closely related but not joined by a coordinating conjunction (like and, but, or so). This creates a subtle pause—somewhere between a comma and a period—and it shows the relationship between the two sentences.

2. To separate items in a complex list

She packed her bags with care: a red silk dress, delicate and expensive; an old photograph, creased and faded; and a knife, sharp as her resolve.

As you can see, semicolons help with clarity. If the items in your list already contain commas, use semicolons to avoid confusion.

3.  To balance contrast or comparison

He spoke in riddles; she answered in truths.

The sun warmed their backs; the storm waited ahead.

Here we have a slightly sexier use of semicolons. They can elegantly balance two ideas that contrast or reflect one another.

4. Before a conjunctive adverb when connecting two independent sentences

First, what are conjunctive adverbs? Conjunctive adverbs are transition words used to connect independent clauses or sentences by showing the relationship between them - Grammarly

These are some examples: however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless, meanwhile, for example

Use with a semicolon:

She wanted to continue exploring the ruins; however, the sun was beginning to set.

Notice that you use a semicolon, paired with a comma, here. In this instance, they are a package deal—the lovers that sandwich the third (the conjunctive adverb) in between them in this grammatically correct ménage à trois.

You slip that semicolon before the ‘however’ AND then you slap a comma after it.

[beanietopia]

a sweet valentine's with shiu kong

shiu kong x afab reader. yes it's been a month since valentine's day, leave me alone! do you want the fic or not?! wc: 2k. proofread? nah. reader gets fingered in the backseat of shiu's car and LOVES IT. yuki tsukumo is the best wingwoman ever. thank you to my pookie for being my beta reader ily

sogaeting, a term you were unfamiliar with until about a few weeks ago. it was a korean word, meaning something equivalent to “blind date”, your coworker had told you. it had been a few weeks since you were transferred to the seoul office from tokyo, and your office had made it their mission to set you up with someone the minute they found out you were single. well, it was mainly your one coworker yuki, who also came from your office three months prior. she was just so likeable by the office that everyone seemed to support her antics, much to your displeasure. yuki had known you long enough to know that you were single for a while, she honestly didn’t even know if she’s ever seen you talk about a date in the 3 years you’ve been at the company. for reasons you could absolutely not wrap your head around to understand, yuki had taken it upon herself to fix your quiet love life. however if anyone had asked her what her plan was, she’d keep it simple.

you needed to get laid.

because you were close friends with yuki, and because you worked with her so there was no way to avoid her on lunch, you resigned yourself to listening to her “master plan” to get you a date on valentine’s day. “no but seriously, listen.” she pauses for a moment, some lettuce had gotten in her teeth, before continuing. “i think this could be good for you! i mean, you only go to work and go home. what’s one date going to do?” you roll your eyes. you had thought you were doing a pretty good job at being the single friend. you liked your alone time, you could stay out as long as you wanted without care, and you even made enough to take your friends out for a nice dinner every now and then. yes, your eyes did linger too long when you noticed yuki swipe gochujang paste off choso’s lips with her finger, or when you could hear gojo giggle on the phone to his lover in his cubicle when he thinks he’s being quiet. okay, maybe you didn’t necessarily enjoy being single all the time, and the exasperated look on yuki’s face all but confirmed your suspicion.

“c’mon, at least hear me out. one date, just one! and if you hate it, you don’t have to listen to my yammering about you being an old maid. sorry, wrong word choice. but he’s a workaholic like you! i think you’d like him.” if it weren’t for the exaggerated way yuki was wiggling her brows, you might have been a bit more interested in going on the date. truth be told, you were a little nervous going on a blind date, all too spoiled with the convenience of swiping a finger on your phone. but this was yuki, your longtime coworker, a friend, even. she wouldn’t sabotage you like that. right??  “could i know something about him at least? like, what he does for work, or whatever?”

when the night came, you found yourself staring at your appearance longer than you would have liked. had it really been that long? truth be told, yuki was right, you hadn’t really been focused on dating since accepting a job at this company. three years and a move later, you found yourself on valentine’s day obsessing over your appearance for the nth time before a blind date. the hell was yuki thinking, setting you up for this, you grumbled, fully forgetting you had agreed to meet shiu tonight. oh yes, shiu. yuki had forbid you from looking up any information about him prior to the date, claiming you would have an unfair advantage over him. she had sent you the address to this french place in apgujeong, claiming that the restaurant was his choice. when you checked the menu on the way there, you felt your eye twitch as bile rose in your throat. none of the dishes you could even attempt to pronounce, and the amount of commas in the prices threatened to make your heart stop. you didn’t even have the opportunity to turn back if you wanted, somehow your feet carried you off the train, down the street, and you were now scaring the poor hostess with your shell shocked expression. pull yourself together, yuki’s voice rang in your ears. great, she had now infiltrated your subconscious.

“i–i have a 9 o’clock reservation? for two.” your voice squeaked out, and the hostess seemed relieved that you could actually speak. with a tight-lipped smile and a slight nod of her head to follow her, you trailed behind her into the dimly lit restaurant. the soft murmurs of conversation mixed with the clinks of forks and classical music as she led you to your table. you felt your breath catch in your throat as your date was already sitting down. with a sly grin, he stood up to shake your hand. his grip was firm, but not tight, and his hands were surprisingly smooth. he smelled slightly of cologne and cigars, and yet you didn’t seem to mind. his short hair was styled neatly on top of his head, a slight side part with a few pieces spiked upwards. his sharp eyes held your attention for long you almost didn't notice his mustache that let your eyes stray downwards to his lips. jesus, he hasn’t even spoken yet and you’re already ogling.

“you must be yuki’s friend, it’s nice to meet you. the name’s shiu kong. thank you for coming tonight. i hope this isn’t too forward but,” he pauses to hand you a bag he had hidden under the table. “happy valentine’s day. i hope i can make tonight worth your time.” looking into the bag, you had to pinch yourself to keep your eyes from giving away your reaction. inside of the bag rest an arrangement of red roses with hints of baby’s breath, absolutely stunning. you lift your gaze to meet shiu’s again and smiled, maybe yuki was right after all. the conversation wasn’t difficult to get going after that, you found out that shiu had also worked in japan for a number of years and only recently came back to korea to work and live. he had also revealed to you that he was in his early thirties—about six years your senior. when you asked him why he was interested in dating at this stage of his life, he said he had spent his twenties doing nothing but work and had no time for relationships. you thought back to yuki’s words and shook your head, he was truly your counterpart. you had explained to him that it had been pretty much the same for you, after university you threw yourself into work. sure some dates happened here and there, but nothing stuck. you figured it would be easier to just focus on your career instead. shiu nods his head in understanding, taking a moment to sip from his wine glass. you didn’t realize how easy it was to talk to him until this moment.

the rest of the dinner went smoothly, much to your delight. shiu had taught you a couple of french words off the menu, and you found yourself becoming well acquainted with the waiter that kept refilling your wine glass. you had forgotten how fun dates could be, especially with the right person. shiu was charming, you gave him that. he broke you out of your shyness with no difficulty, and he even had you laugh a couple of times. you were having so much fun, in fact, when he asked you if you would like to continue the date you didn’t say no. the gentleman he was, he didn’t even let you spare a glance at the bill. he handed the booklet with his black card inside before turning his attention to you again, a soft smile on his features. “i’m glad you came out tonight, doll. from how yuki talked about you, i was starting to think that you weren’t going to show up.” your muscles tightened as you forced yourself to keep smiling, while you silently cursed out yuki in your mind. “well, i usually don’t go on blind dates.” you actually didn’t go on dates at all, but shiu didn’t need to know that. who were you kidding, he could probably smell the anxiety radiating off you once you sat down. nevertheless, he still gave you a slight chuckle and you even got to see how pretty his teeth were. 

time seemed to have passed so quickly when you were with him. somewhere after leaving the restaurant and before getting to shiu’s apartment, you were being pulled into his lap and felt his mouth pressing kisses into your neck. now if you were just a bit sober, you’d feel some shame for doing this in the back of a cab. but in between the kisses and the shushes shiu gave you, he reassured you that this was his car and he’d be having a driver bring you to his place. maybe you’d actually end up apologizing to yuki. “look at you,” shiu rasped into your ear, his fingers already traveling up the slit of your dress to play with the strings of your thong. “you’re stunning, how did i get so lucky?” your lungs couldn’t get enough air fast enough to keep up with shiu’s fingers, as his middle and index brushed themselves against your wet entrance. he shushed you in between kisses as he pumped his fingers inside of you, until you were pathetically riding them with shameless fervor. 

shiu had you so strung out you didn’t realise that your moans were a lot louder than you originally thought, but you’d find the shame to worry about that later. his eyes looked so hungry for you, you would’ve assumed he was undressing you with his eyes. as the sound of your arousal echoed through the car, he practically moaned as he watched you ride his fingers. “listen to that, doll. she’s so needy for me.. do you think you can last until we get to my place?” if you weren’t so focused on getting yourself off you would probably smack him, fuck no you wouldn’t last! you felt as if you were going to cum at any moment! the man seemed like he knew what you were thinking, as his lips curled into a smirk before he went to speak again. “do you think you can cum for me, beautiful? make a mess on my fingers for me baby, please…” you could never say no to a man with manners. your body shook as your orgasm ripped through you, your walls pulsing around his fingers like a heartbeat. shiu gave you a moment to calm down before gently removing his fingers from inside you, making you watch as he sucked off the creamy fluids you left behind for him. 

“looks like someone couldn’t wait until we got home… can you go for another round later?”

you made a mental note to send yuki a thank you text in the morning.

can you fucking BELIEVE this took me a month to write. no but seriously work and life have been beating my ass like so bad but i really wanted to post this so i hope you enjoy :3 better late than never right AHAHA also there isn't gonna be a part 2 so pls do not ask me i will cry. choso pt 3 might be in the works IDK IDKKKKKK but thank you love you beanie out mwah

@webism @gojoscinnamonroll @yemmuis @xixflower @xxsapphirescrollsxx

[lazylattedgleam]

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LOST AMONG THE PAGES

(A Zayne x NONMC!Reader fic)

(Word count: 928)

(Credits: All images from the net. Except for the color editing and brush strokes and writing are made by me.)

(Credits: Pinterest)

*TW: Angst, maybe not well written, NON!MC Reader, Reader has Anemia, heavy blood loss during periods, fights, shouting, feeling of betrayal and heartbreak, shaking, crying, unrequited love.

*Index: Reader speeches are white, bold and italicised.

Zayne speeches are blue, bold and italicised.

MC speeches are pink, bold and italicised.

Others are white and just italicised.

Thoughts are written inside single inverted commas and italicised, sometimes struck through.

Texts and chats have ‘Indented’ font.

Calls have double inverted commas, white and italicised. They are differentiated from other speeches. (Except for main characters like MC and Zayne, they will follow their color code as mentioned earlier and italicised.)

Actions are written inside asterisks, white and bold.

Diary entries have ‘Chat’ font.

If you’re uncomfortable with the following genre or any of the trigger warnings, then please don’t read ahead.

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“Loving you was the most exquisite form of self destruction”

Memoir: Three-point-five.

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❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

You keep count of the nights that have passed by since that fateful night of your love’s demise…you don’t write in your diary anymore, you can’t, because whenever you open the pages the memories flash back, as if they were recorded with the help of a camcorder, plus you’ve lost the control over the narrative of your own life, left it dangling for Fate to snatch it up and weave it however she wants. Unlike you I don’t pause to use ellipsis after every statement, but I do once in a while, I’m nice so consider yourself lucky, it fell upon my hands, even Fate herself was too busy for you. Isn’t that pathetic?

Anyways I’m not here to judge nor advice in any way, I will just do my work assigned to me and continue…

Neither do you speak much to Raya or Yvonne much, except for the usual ‘Hi’ ‘Hellos’, that’s it, they know what had happened, they tried to comfort you but you’d just wave it off and leave, you don’t need pity…not anymore; and of course while attending to customers. As for Zayne and MC? You cut off ties with them. You’re silly, did he even give you the confirmation of closure that you decided to stop talking with him completely? I’ll never understand heartbreaks, why do you punish yourself for a cause that relies entirely upon the ways of the Universe? Did he try to talk to you? Maybe, you wouldn’t know cuz you never gave him a chance.

Often times you do forget to take your meds and supplies, you’ve become a ghost in your own life, drained entirely from your once cheery past, always drowsy, sleepy, exhausted, tired and fatigued. People are worried about you, but they don’t initiate since you never cooperate anymore. Periods are a bitch like always, although they’d become and felt tolerable when you were with him…look at your pathetic life, it’s even bringing tears to my eyes as I write…Nowadays all you feel like is as if you’re watching a movie, every action performed by you involuntary, your physical form is present yet your soul and presence of mind have long disappeared. All you are now is a spectator of your own narrative, you cannot rewrite it anymore, you don’t even want to.

Foolish you feeling like it’s the end when you have barely come halfway through life.

Everyday you’d buy a bouquet of Jasmines and cry into them at home for hours, you don’t ever throw them away even if they start to get bad. You have a picture of him locked up in your diary, often you think about it as you excuse yourself to the bathroom at work just to sob over and over again. Being a florist you know symbolisms of many flowers, it’s a part of your job too, so you always stay near the daffodils section during lunch, after all daffodils describe unrequited love, they are so yellow and delicate…yet you can see they’re broken from inside…You can’t help but weep at every other. The world has turned entirely monochromatic for you, you’ve lost the color from your life. Hey I’m only the narrator of your life, I can’t give them back, I can only write and write.

A few weeks back you saw them at the park bench sitting and talking…well MC mostly spoke, he was just listening to her intently. You stare from a distance, biting your tongue hard, as you see the look in his eyes for her, it was nothing you’d ever seen, it was as if he had his entire universe sitting beside him, smiling and talking to him, the reflection of that falling upon his eyes…did he ever miss you? He looked so bright, elated, happy, and holistic as if moulded in perfection with his true love…you’ve never witnessed this side of Zayne…how easy it was for her to completely infiltrating the garden you thought you’d once planted inside of his heart, on his soul for yourself, catering and watering it every day, taking care of it ever so gently and delicately, as if it was fragile glass, and build her own…oh who are you kidding? You never had a garden in there, all your flora had already on the day that you sowed the seeds…and her? She never had to build it, it was there from the start, it was natural, yours was artificial…

You still stare at them…they looked cosmic, as if the universe was meant for them. They were like hues and shades painted upon the canvas of life, blending and amalgamating perfectly with one another…too perfect that they had no fault, not even a tender scratch. You were a fool to have ever thought that you could’ve come in between this celestial pair. Oh how foolish you were to make him your temple, your mural, your sky.

In this world of Love and Deepspace…She was a Yellow Rose shining ever so brightly, her radiance charming anyone and everyone within her vicinity and beyond. She was the epitome of a kind, nice, beautiful and talented soul…He was a Jasmine, his love for her knew no bounds, it was pure…Their love was Lavender filled with devotion…You? You were his Yellow Tulip, hopelessly in love with someone who you could never attain even in a million lifetimes, for they were meant to be, in every lifetime that has ever been or is to come forth.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

(Credits: Pinterest)

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A/N: And that was that…Zayne x NON!MC Reader who has Anemia, thank you so much again and much love to @angelichiaro who had made this wonderful request! I had really so much fun writing it so thank you very much!!! <333

As for always, thank you everyone for checking out my posts…this is the first long chapter story I am doing, so Ik I’ve made mistakes, buuuut I hope you guys like it! Thank you everyone :D!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Punctuation Marks

In speaking, we use pauses and the pitch of the voice to make what we say clear. Punctuation plays a similar role in writing, making it easier to read.

Punctuation consists of both rules and conventions. There are rules of punctuation that have to be followed; but there are also punctuation conventions that give writers greater choice.

The standard English punctuation is as follows: period/full stop, comma, apostrophe, quotation, question, exclamation, brackets, braces, parenthesis, dash, hyphen, ellipsis, colon, semicolon.

. PERIOD/FULL STOP

Use a period/full stop to mark the end of a sentence:

We went to France last summer.

We were really surprised that it was so easy to travel on the motorways.

In addition to closing sentences, we also use full stops in initials for personal names:

G. W. Dwyer

David A. Johnston, Accountant

Full stops are also used after abbreviations, although this practice is becoming less common:

Arr. (arrival)

etc. (etcetera)

Dr. (doctor)

, COMMA

We use commas to separate a list of similar words or phrases:

It’s important to write in clear, simple, accurate words.

We do not normally use a comma before and at the end of a list of single words:

They travelled through Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland.

American English does use a comma in lists before and:

We took bread, cheese, and fruit with us.

Note: the Oxford comma, also known as a serial comma, is placed immediately before the conjunction—usually “and,”. “or,” or “nor”—in a series of three or more terms.

We use commas to separate words or phrases that mark where the voice would pause slightly:

I can’t tell you now. However, all will be revealed tomorrow at midday.

We had, in fact, lost all of our money.

James, our guide, will accompany you on the boat across to the island.

' APOSTROPHE

Apostrophes are used to mark possession and to mark contractions. They are also used to denote a quotation mark in material that is already being quoted.

It was James’ car that the drunk driver hit.

“James said, ‘If you come any closer I’ll call the police.’”

'...' or "..." QUOTATION MARKS

Quotation marks in English are ‘…’ or “…”. In direct speech, we enclose what is said within a pair of single or double quotation marks, although single quotation marks are becoming more common.

Lydia said, “Is this my prom dress?”

Quotation marks are used to inform a reader either of something that was spoken or something that is being directly copied from another work. Quotes should also be placed around a word if it is used in a specific context or otherwise bears special attention. In informal applications, quotations can also be used to denote something that is ironic.

? QUESTION MARK

Use question marks to make clear that what is said is a question. When we use a question mark, we do not use a period/full stop:

Why do they make so many mistakes?

! EXCLAMATION POINT/MARK

Use an exclamation point/mark after a command or other expression that expresses strong feeling or deserves special emphasis:

For the last time, stop distracting me!

Fire! Fire!

We use exclamation points/marks to indicate an exclamative clause or expression in informal writing. When we want to emphasise something in informal writing, we sometimes use more than one exclamation point/mark:

Listen!!

Use exclamation points sparingly. Overuse dilutes their impact.

( ) [ ] { } PARENTHESIS, BRACKET, BRACES

Parentheses note non-essential information that could be skipped without altering the meaning of a sentence. Brackets are most commonly employed in academic writing within a quotation where the writer is omitting or explaining something. In either case, the writer places a bracket within the quote [explains or places an ellipsis and] closes the bracket to continue the quote. Braces are used quite rarely and are employed to essentially make a list within a list.

Cora (the woman who lives down the street from Jane) works as a paralegal.

Professor Brown claims, “She [the novel’s central character] is an example of a strong African-American woman.”

Before I go on vacation I need to pack my bags {clothes, toiletries and shoes}, unplug the TV, and close all of the windows.

more on: ( ) PARENTHESES

Use parentheses to enclose information that is helpful or informative but not essential:

When you get to that big farmhouse (three miles from I-270), turn left.

If parentheses enclose a question or exclamation, keep the question mark or exclamation point inside the parentheses:

Shema received Omar’s text (when did he get an iPhone 6s?) and replied yesterday.

However, capitalize or include periods only if the parenthetical sentence is not enclosed within another complete sentence:

I told my partner (we had been married only five days) that I missed her desperately.

I told my partner that I missed her desperately. (We had been married only five days.)

more on: [ ] BRACKETS

Use brackets to add an explanation or comment to a direct quote:

Berta wondered aloud, “Why did it [Joker] end that way?”

“This poem [“We Real Cool”] made Brooks famous,” explained Professor Choi.

Use brackets to enclose text that is already in parentheses:

According to this chart (Temperature Extremes [Fig. 4]), we've had a record-setting winter.

Put the Latin word “sic” in brackets to indicate that a mistake in a word or phrase appeared in the original source:

Their fundraising letter began, “Dear Fiends [sic].”

— DASH

Dashes are generally not in common use but denote a tangent within a thought. There are two kinds of dashes, an “en” dash and an “em” dash.

En dashes essentially are the same glyph as hyphens but fill a different purpose. Em dashes are longer, an easy way to remember is that an en dash is the length of an “n” and an Em dash is the length of an “m”.

I think that my dog is a genius — but doesn’t everybody think their pet is?

Dashes are able to substitute for commas and semicolons in the right situation. They can replace commas to note non-essential information or semicolon to note an example. Despite, and because of this versatility dashes should not be frequently employed in your writing.

The multitude of applications make dashes easy to overuse taking away from, rather than adding to clarity in your writing.

Note: Dashes can either connect to the surrounding words or be separated by a space, it is an issue of style, be sure to ask your professors if they have a preference.

more on: — EM DASH

Formed by two hyphens, dashes mark an abrupt break in a sentence. Less formal than either parentheses or commas, a dash—highlighting whatever is set apart—also creates a dramatic pause.

Use a dash (instead of parentheses) when a parenthetic expression is lengthy, contains commas, or deserves special emphasis:

My grandmother's house—the apartment in the city, not the clapboard cottage on the beach—has been sold.

Daynel told me—and don’t breathe a word of this to anyone—that he was fired Wednesday.

Use a dash to emphasize or to set off a single word, an appositive, or a summary:

There’s one way in which to succeed—hard work.

I cannot believe what she puts on her hamburger—sauerkraut.

They graduated, married, and divorced—all this change in just six months.

Use a dash to show an abrupt change in thought:

You are NOT dragging me to that movie—oh, what the heck, start the car.

Use a dash to mark an interruption or pause in dialogue:

“Would—would you mind terribly?”

- HYPHEN

Hyphenate multiple words acting as a single adjective before a noun:

state-of-the-art design

greenish-blue eyes

Hyphenate compound numbers:

twenty-eight

ninety-three

Hyphenate certain prefixes and suffixes:

all-school assembly

self-esteem

Hyphenate words to avoid ambiguity:

Since Sylvia auctioned all my records, I’ll have to re-collect them.

Hyphenate some compound words to avoid awkward double or triple letters:

anti-inflammatory

cross-stitch

Use a dictionary to check standard usage of hyphenated words, e.g., whistle blower, whistleblower, or whistle-blower.

Never use a hyphen between an adverb ending in “ly” and the adjective it modifies.

. . . ELLIPSIS

Use three spaced periods (ellipsis) to indicate the omission of one or more words in a direct quote. Beginning a quotation with an ellipsis is unnecessary. End a quotation with an ellipsis only if words have been omitted from the end of the final quoted sentence:

“Now, as a nation . . . we were founded on the idea that everybody should have an equal opportunity to succeed.”

“brilliant . . . an amazingly insightful film”

If the ellipsis represents the omission of a complete sentence or more, use four periods instead of three:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person. . . . We are the change that we seek.”

: COLON

Use a colon to introduce ideas or a series of details that explain the preceding independent clause. A colon may call attention to an appositive, example, list, or a quotation:

Only one thing was important to her: the truth.

The reasons for divorce are many: money, infidelity, children, or boredom.

The sense of unity with nature is vividly shown in Zen Buddhist poetry: “An old pine tree preaches wisdom.”

Use a colon when required by convention:

Biblical references: Genesis 1:1

Business letter salutations: Dear Professor Devall:

Certain titles and subtitles: Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

Periodical Volume and Number: Harper’s 203:16

Periodical Volume and Page Number: Harper’s 203:98–101

Time: 12:15 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

; SEMI-COLON

We use semi-colons instead of full stops to separate two main clauses. In such cases, the clauses are related in meaning but are separated grammatically:

Spanish is spoken throughout South America; in Brazil the main language is Portuguese.

/ SLASH

The slash indicates contrasting terms or paired items:

Durand took Advanced Astrophysics on a pass/fail basis.

Although the player/manager committed eight errors in three innings, he still wouldn't take himself out of the game.

When quoting a poem, use a slash to indicate the end of a line, adding a space before and after the slash:

“The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.”

Sources and other related articles: 1 2 3 4 5

[justafewberries]

No one cheated the prophecy of the seven

I've seen the theory that Jason died because Leo cheated the Prophecy of Seven, but I don't think it's true. Rather, I don’t think anyone cheated the Prophecy of the Seven. The origin of the theory likely stems from lines two and three of the prophecy as written below:

1. Seven half-bloods shall answer the call.

2. To storm or fire, the world must fall.

3. An oath to keep with a final breath,

4. And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

For the sake of this argument, let's assume Leo is fire and Jason is storm. Yes, there can be arguments that Percy is storm (hurricanes) or Frank is fire (burning stick), but let's keep it simple.

The key line in this theory is the second one. It states either Leo (fire) or Jason (storm) must cause the fall of Gaea (the world), but nowhere does it strictly state that they must die too.

When a prophecy wants someone gone, it makes it clear. The prophecy in Titan's Curse states: "One shall be lost in the land without rain," where Bianca is then lost. In The Burning Maze, we see something similar. The prophecy is never strictly stated, but Jason says it was verbatim that he would die. In both instances, the foretold deaths have been blatant with the words "lost" and "die" being crucial to the unfolding of the prophecy.

Notably, however, the Prophecy of Seven's only mentions of death belong to two lines: line three being "final breath", and line four being "doors of death". Nowhere does it strictly say storm or fire must die. The proximity of the lines to each other makes it seem like they could be related- but I don't think that's the case.

When studying poetry, there's a major difference between a comma and a period. A period is a full stop (as seen in lines one, two, and four). A comma, on the other hand, is a pause before a continuation of an idea. Therefore, lines three and four are attached to one another, and line two is a separate event.

Therefore, Leo was never prophesied to die. In fact, no one was foretold to die. The oath was never Leo's oath to Calypso, and the final breath was not his either.

Whose final breath was it, then?

Bob's.

It's the final breath of the foes at the doors of death. Lines three and four are related, as they're separated only by a comma, not a period.

When the doors are closing, Bob uses his final breath of his time with Percy to ask him to keep an oath that he'll say hello to the stars for him. The oath was Percy's, the oath was Bob's.

Therefore, Leo didn't cheat the prophecy. Sure, he could have died outside of the prophecy, but it wasn't foretold as is often theorized.

[erotic-meloncholy]

5x4: Birthmarks

Arguably the penultimate Hison episode.

But can we pause to talk about the set design here?

In the same room they're having this emotional exchange about the true meaning of Wilson's feelings for House, there is what appears to be a woman's body casually laying about in a casket.

What is she there for? Is she a display model? Is there another funeral later that day?

And look at all that alcohol behind House.

While it's not totally abnormal to have alcohol at a funeral service, however comma-- that's several bottles of very heavy liquor. Just hanging out in this room with this dead woman.

But let's say there's more to it. That the woman in the casket represents the loss haunting Wilson from Amber's death and the fear of losing House. "You're scared to death of losing anyone that matters so you dump the person that matters that most to you." Death and loss always lurks in the back of Wilson's mind as a doctor and someone who cares too much.

Meanwhile addiction is a theme in House's character, so they place a a substance behind him that's known for abuse and dependency.

The symbolisim is brilliant. Is it intentional? I feel like it's a stretch. But if looked through that scope makes the room less strange and way more fascinating to the already amazing scene.

[deception-united]

Hello! Hope this ask finds you well 😄

Do you have a guide on how to incorporate dialogue into a story? I'm quite confused in this aspect, like, do I end every dialogue in a comma? (excluding questions and exclamations)

Also just writing things like, "he said, she cried, they snickered, John retorted, Jane whined" becomes tiring after a little while.

I've seen some authors just write dialogue without specifying who said it and the reader relies on context clues to decipher it.

All the rules on writing dialogue is perplexing and any guidance you have on this is much appreciated 🙏

Thank you!

Hi, thanks for asking and so sorry for the late reply! Seamlessly incorporating dialogue into your story is an essential aspect of storytelling that can really bring your characters to life.

Let's start with punctuation. Generally, you would use a comma to separate the dialogue tag from the spoken words; however, this isn't a strict rule. You can also use periods or other punctuation marks depending on the structure of your sentence. For example:

"Hello," he said. "Hello." He smiled. "But," he insisted, "I never actually saw her." "But—" He paused. "Never mind."

Regarding your concern about repetitive dialogue tags, you're absolutely right. Using "he said," "she cried," etc., repeatedly can become tiresome. It's good to mix it up and use a variety of dialogue tags, or even omit them altogether when it's clear who is speaking.

Using context clues to identify the speaker is a great technique. It adds a layer of engagement for the reader and can make the dialogue feel more natural. Here's an example:

"I can't believe you did that." The anger in her voice was palpable.

In this case, we don't need a dialogue tag because the context clues ("the anger in her voice") indicate who is speaking.

Here are a few more tips to help you navigate writing dialogue:

Use action beats. Instead of using dialogue tags, you can describe the actions of the characters to indicate who is speaking. For example:

John slammed his fist on the table. "I won't stand for this!" Sarah wiped away a tear. "Please don't leave me."

Vary your dialogue tags. Instead of always using "said," try using different verbs that convey how the character is speaking, such as whispered, shouted, muttered, etc.

Omit dialogue tags when possible. If it's clear who is speaking based on the context—for instance, when two characters are talking back and forth—you can omit dialogue tags altogether.

Read dialogue aloud. This can help you identify any awkward phrasing or unnatural-sounding dialogue.

Remember: writing dialogue, like any skill, will undoubtedly improve with practice and research. Don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your story. Happy writing!

Previous | Next

[strljaem]

“look at me, baby.”

💿: love on the brain, rihanna.

The afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the window, illuminating my study desk as I tapped away at my MacBook keyboard. My black-framed glasses perched on my nose, my eyebrows furrowed in concentration as I flipped through the pages of my assignment book. As a PhD student with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, my work was demanding and relentless. I was deep in the zone, completely absorbed in my research, swinging my legs absentmindedly on the chair, my hair tied back in a ponytail.

Hours had slipped by without my noticing. It was nearing 3 PM, and I had been glued to my desk for at least four hours. Na Jaemin, my fiancé, always found it endearing how seriously I took my studies. He would often peek in from the door, watching me with a fond smile without wanting to disturb my workflow. Today was no different; however, he seemed more determined to ensure I took a break.

Just as I decided to take a short break, closing my laptop and grabbing my phone to chat with friends about our assignment, I heard the familiar creak of the door opening. My eyes were still fixated on my phone screen, my fingers typing aggressively against the clock with the due date looming. Then, a deep, gentle voice called my name, making my heart skip a beat. Jaemin’s voice was like honey, sweet and soothing.

I turned to look at him. Jaemin stood at the door, his silver comma hair perfectly framing his smooth, baby-soft face. His plump red lips curled into a smile that was both gorgeous and cute. He wore a black sweatshirt and grey sweatpants, looking effortlessly attractive. "Can I come in?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief and warmth.

“Yes, come in,” I replied, trying to maintain my composure. He entered, carrying a tray of mangoes, my favorite fruit. My heart melted a little more. He knew exactly how to brighten my day. “Here, you should stop working and eat these,” he said, dragging a chair beside my study desk and sitting next to me. He began his familiar nagging, gentle yet serious, showing how much he cared about my well-being.

I put my phone down and began eating the mangoes, listening to his words of concern. My eyes stayed glued to the plate, feeling guilty for neglecting my health. His voice, although serious, was a testament to his love and care for me. When he finally asked, “Do you understand?” in that sweetest, gentle tone, I nodded without looking at him.

“Look at me, baby,” he said in a deeper tone, sending shivers down my spine. I paused, my cheeks heating up. Slowly, I turned to face him, my mouth full of mangoes, resembling a hamster with stuffed cheeks. He chuckled at my appearance, finding it irresistibly cute.

“I understood everything,” I mumbled, swallowing the mangoes quickly. “I’m sorry for neglecting my health sometimes.”

He just stared at me, his eyes soft. “It’s fine. My responsibility as your fiancé is to always take care of you,” he said, making my heart swell with love. I smiled and replied, “You also, don’t forget to take care of yourself, especially as an idol.” His chuckle in response was the most handsome sound I’d ever heard.

After finishing the mangoes, I thanked him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Jaemin blushed, smiling shyly. “I’ll get going; I have to pack for tomorrow,” he said, reminding me of his impending departure for another concert. We had discussed this before our engagement, and although I missed him when he was away, I supported his dreams wholeheartedly.

As he stood up, picking up the tray, our eyes locked. The air between us was thick with unspoken emotions. I felt flustered, unable to hold his gaze. Jaemin, noticing my discomfort, reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. His touch was electrifying, making my cheeks burn even more. He chuckled, knowing he had successfully made me blush, and then he said, “Bye-bye,” in the cutest tone, making me smile.

“Bye,” I replied, watching as he left the room, closing the door behind him. I took a deep breath, my heart still racing from our interaction. I covered my face with my hands, feeling a mix of shyness and joy. After a moment, I grabbed my water bottle, took a sip, and opened my MacBook again, a smile lingering on my lips. With renewed energy, I resumed my work, grateful for the love and support of my wonderful fiancé.

[herotome]

Devlog #183

Hi-ho, Wudge here.

I wrote some transition lines, and coded in a good amount of expressions for Nurse Jordan:

Their scene is flowing a bit more naturally now.

And speaking of natural dialogue flow...

I'm sure a lot of you know that I've manually been putting in Phoenix Wright style pauses into my dialogue.

What?!{w=0.3} No,{w=0.1} that's not what I meant—{w=0.3} I promise!

... Like so.

These pauses have some definitely added a lot of charm to the game and has been praised in the past, but it... is... ¡¡¡time-consuming!!! to do them all by hand.

About a month or two ago, I discovered KingyoDev's Speech Pauses plug-in tool for ren'py. After some consideration and experimentation, I think I've reached a happy compromise.

This plugin will automatically scan for every period, ellipsis, and dash in Herotome and add the necessary pauses. However, I'll still be manually putting in pauses for commas when necessary. This is because I don't feel that every comma needs a pause.

Lions, and tigers, and bears.

Pausing between commas works fantastically a list like this!

They don’t have metaphysical links to their letters, do they?

Whereas a comma used in a line like this... eh, I don't think a pause is strictly necessary - especially when the line is spoken by a fast talker like Griffin. It sounds pretty natural without a pause, doesn't it?

This will be a big adjustment to the back-end of the game, but I doubt it'll be noticeable on the player side.

Lastly, I don't know if anybody remembers this graphic, but I tried using it for the part in the game where MC officially gets hired :')

I'll probably update the text to like, "Got a Job!" or something. I'm not sure if the graphic will be here to stay; I gotta find other instances in the game worth celebrating in equal measure.

I'll also have to replace the hemihead font shown here...

That’s about it, I think.

Stay safe and keep warm,

Wudge.

[isshonihongo]

4.2) Adjective Endings and Adapters

In the last post we talked about Japanese adjectives. They will always have a stem (which may or may not be in Kanji). This stem carries the central meaning of the adjective. We also talked about the base ending い. In this post, let’s look at the rest of the possible endings and how they alter the central meaning of the adjective.

Here is your vocabulary:

【Adjective Endings】

In English if we want to put a word into past tense then (1) it means that the word must be a verb and (2) if it is a regular verb, we add the suffix “-ed”. In English it doesn’t make sense to talk about the past tense of an adjective.

However, this does make sense in Japanese! In order to put an adjective into past tense we need to attach something to the stem. For English verbs we call it a suffix but for Japanese adjectives we call it an ending.

In all, there are 11 possible adjective endings*. We will separate these endings into two categories.

【The First Category (4)】

The first category of endings are the ones that you can directly attach to the stem. There are 4 of these endings*:

い - This is the base ending / dictionary ending.

かった - This ending marks for the past tense. The meaning will change to “was / were” + the meaning of the adjective.

ければ - This ending marks for a conditional meaning. It is the “if” ending.

く - This ending is a connective ending meaning “and…”. It also has another use that we will talk about in the next post.

Now let’s look at 2 adjectives and how their meanings change when you attach these endings:

And here are some example sentences:

① 楽しかったですか？ = Was it fun?

② 酸素がなければ、生きられない。 = oxygen if not exist, can’t live = You can’t live if there is no oxygen.

③ 天気が良ければ行きます。 = the weather if good, will go = If the weather is good I’ll go.

【The Second Category (6)】

There are 6 other possible endings. The reason they are in a separate category is because it is not possible to directly attach them to the adjective stem.

One of these endings is ない. Let’s take the adjective 甘い, which means sweet. The ない ending is used when we want to say that something or someone is NOT the adjective. But, if we wanted to say “not sweet” it’s grammatically incorrect to say 甘ない. ない doesn’t belong to the first category of endings.

In order to attach endings from the second category, we need an adapter. This is a character that CAN attach to the stem, and then allow us to attach the ending. The adapter for adjectives is く.

It may seem confusing that く can be an adapter AND an ending, but this won’t end up being a problem. If your adjective ends in く there are only 2 possible usages. Other than that there will always be something attached to the く.

【て】

て is called “the connective ending”. It needs the く adapter, and you will end up hearing/reading the adjective stem + くて.

て is very very important because it can be used as a way to connect an adjective with another adjective or phrase.

Here is an example:

④ 地下室は汚くて、暗くて、臭い。 = as for the basement, is dirty (and) is dark (and) is smelly = The basement is dirty, dark and smelly.

Technically, we could separate example 4 into three separate sentences. However, just like in English, it’s more natural and also smoother to combine the three clauses into one. Here is what is actually happening:

Remember that once the topic is set (地下室は), any and all sentences that follow will be about that topic until a new topic is set. Also remember that an adjective by itself can function as a sentence.

The て ending acts as a “soft stop” for Japanese clauses. Because of this, you can connect multiple clauses into one sentence. Sometimes, this soft stop is emphasized in writing by placing a comma after the て. In spoken Japanese, the soft stop is indicated by a brief pause after the て.

⑤ １つは新しくて、もう１つは古いものです。 = as for one thing, is new (and) as for the other one, is an old thing = One is new, and the other is old.

In example 5, the て ending simply adds the nuance of “and” to the connection of the two clauses.

⑥ このふたは固くて取れないよ。 = as for this lid, is tight (and so) it won’t come off = This lid is (too) tight and won’t come off.

In example 6, the nuance of the て ending is that the lid being too tight is the reason for it not coming off. This shows that sometimes て can add the nuance of causality to the connection. You can understand why て is such an important and useful ending. Keep in mind that the only difference between [stem] + く and [stem] + くて is that the former is usually used in writing, while the latter is used in both spoken and written Japanese.

【The ない Family of Endings 】

Let’s look at the ない ending again. We’ve already talked about how it needs the く adapter. We’ve also talked about how it means “not” plus the meaning of the adjective. But there is something very special about ない.

Notice that ない ends with the character い. What kind of Japanese words do we know that end in い？？Adjectives in the Base/Dictionary Form! Yes, ない itself is actually an adjective that can function as an ending (once you attach the く adapter)!

Well if ない is an adjective, does that mean that it has endings of its own!? The answer is yes! We can attach our category 1 endings and end up with:

ない - We have talked about this ending before; it’s the negative ending that lets you say “not” + adjective.

なかった - This is the negative version of the かった ending. Use this to say “was / were not” + adjective.

なければ - This is the negative version of the ければ ending. Use this to say “if is / am / are / was / were not…” + adjective

For our category 2 endings, it would be a bit repetitive and just strange to add くand ない. We would get 〜くなくない. That’s a bit too negative, even for Japanese (!) so we’ll only take the て ending. We end up with:

なくて - This is the negative version of the て ending. Use this to say “not” + adjective and…

Finally, we have an unexpected one:

なく - This ending is basically the same as なくて. The main difference is that this version is mostly used in writing. It comes off as a bit more formal than なくて.

These 5 endings are all related because of that な stem. They all have a negative aspect to their meanings. For this reason, I call them the ない Family of Endings.

Again, let’s take our 2 adjectives from before, and see how their meanings change with these endings:

【Describing Nouns】

Before we wrap up, there is one last thing I need to point out. In English, adjectives can be predicative or attributive. Predicative adjectives describe a noun from “the other side” of a linking verb.

【He】 is 【tall】. 【My car】 was 【fast】. 【She】 sounds 【kind】.

On the other hand, attributive verbs can be placed directly in front of the noun you want to describe.

a 【tall】 【guy】 a 【fast】 【car】 a 【kind】 【girl】

Only 4 of the endings we’ve talked about so far allow an adjective to be used attributively (placed directly in front of a noun in order to describe it). Here are examples with 甘い and ケーキ.

So you cannot say 甘ければケーキ. You also cannot say 甘くてケーキ. In a later post, we can look at what those 4 endings have in common and why the others are different. For now, it’s not anything you need to think too deeply about 😉.

【Conclusion】

And there you have it! In summary, there are 4* endings that you can directly attach to adjective stems. Then there is a second category of endings that require the く adapter. In this second category you have て and the ない Family of Endings.

With that, you should be ready to look / listen for all these endings out in the wild. I recommend reading first, because you can go at your own pace. Afterwards, try listening to native speakers talk and see how many adjective forms you can identify. It will take time, but now you have the basic knowledge. Good luck!

Rice & Peace,

– AL (アル)

👋🏾

*I didn’t talk about the 11th ending, かろう, but it belongs in the first category because you can directly attach it to the adjective stem. It is only ever used in older, set expressions with the adjective ない (ない ➡️ なかろう).

[anonymous-pregnant-boy]

sooo like you ever think about how like, in a month you’re gonna hear your name called, and heave yourself up from your chair, and lumber the steps and waddle across that stage, with a giant head lodged right between your hips, rubbing against your inner core with every step, with every student and teacher and their families watching, every single one of them picturing the moment your cork pops and you get to bear down and push that surprise son out of your teenage womb?

or is that just me 😏

sdjfhdjfghdkgjgk anon you're a delight and i appreciate you also i need to send this to my mate, who will get a huge kick out of it and has been teasing me absolutely RELENTLESSLY lately lol

god i'm so fuckin flustered now xD

THAT SAID i am gonna be graduating the fuck EARLYYYY haha, the plan is to have me all done with exams by the end of the month / possibly first week of may? the timing is still slightly up in the air lmao i'm just playing it by ear. and then i am going to be Staying The Fuck Home with my parents and mate trying not to hover until the pup gets here, haha.

however comma meaningful pause djhsdhdkjsdhfkgfjgk

[bluelolblue]

Lustrous Heartglow

Summary: It's Santino's and John's first Christmas together as husbands in their private home. With no one to interrupt them, they enjoy their time under the firelight, trying out some gifts, lost in each other and turning this night into something a lot more deeper, filled with endless pleasure.

Rating: Explicit

Relationship: Santino D'Antonio/John Wick

Note: This fic is a gift to @mrssimply for our 1 year anniversary of becoming friends! January 25th, I'm a little late with this gift since it took me longer than I thought (and the fic got long ehehe) but I also wanted it to be good and I really worked hard on it ;).

Thank you for being such a good friend, support, comfort and a beta reader to me, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate it more than I can express it. It's been a whole year already, I still can't believe that time passed so quickly and now we're here! I'm very glad I got to meet you and become friends with you :). You've helped me a lot, even before we knew each other when I was reading your fics, got me through rough times, really helped me a lot. Thank you again, I'll forever be thankful and I can't wait to share more with you! As another way to thank you, this is 11k words of lovely moments with our favorite dolls heheh, I hope you'll like it! >:] ❤️

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Snippet

The snow seemed to not slow down, heavy snowflakes coloring the outside of the private Wick D'Antonio mansion. While it looked beautiful, and it finally felt festive, the Camorra prince preferred staying inside with his husband by his side to stay warm with him.

The living room was nice and cozy with an added fireplace, making the room look more nostalgic and unique. It served a perfect purpose now, not only to keep the room heated, but to heat some other things up.

Not only that, but a special, hand picked by Santino, soft, fuzzy and white rug highlighted the area. It was in the middle of the room, near the fireplace and it was purposely placed there.

Their living room, aside from the bedroom, was one of their favorite places to spend time together. On the couch with warm coffee, tea or wine… or on the rug.

The blanket served no purpose at the moment, tossed messily on the side for later, and the sound of wet and slow kisses, followed by occasional praises and sighs of pleasure from the D'Antonio filled the room.

“Good, you're doing so well,” Santino praised, smirking down at John who was kneeling in front of his lover’s parted legs, glancing up at him as he pressed worshipful kisses over his thighs and hips. However, it wasn't that simple.

“Can I touch you now?” He asked quietly and looked up innocently at the Camorra prince who was sprawled on the couch as if he was sitting on a throne. John gave one more testing kiss on his inner thigh, too close to Santino's balls and his lover had to correct him.

Santino tugged on the leash, making the other man gasp and lean back to look at him. “No. Not yet. You said you'll be good and patient for me, remember?” He purred and caressed John's face, brushing his thumb near his lips.

“Yeah,” the other man sighed and nodded, adjusting on his knees as his dick, trapped in the cockcage, twitched as it desperately tried to grow more and the butt plug that shifted against his prostate made everything feel more intense. But John loved it. Loved that it was also pleasing his husband.

The Camorra prince smirked and hummed in satisfaction when John sucked a bruise on his inner thigh, claiming him and it was something Santino wanted.

“How do you feel? Think you can handle it?” He teased and pulled on the leash again.

John groaned, his fingers just inches away from Santino's balls and cock. “I'm okay. I think I can…” He paused to breathe out a soft moan when he instinctively moved his hips to feel the plug. “J-just… want to feel you.”

His partner chuckled softly at that, ruffling through his hair as if he were a dog, and he was his dog now. Leashed and waiting for commands. “Oh, John,” Santino murmured and patted his head, “You will, but don't rush me. You won't get anything like that. I gave you permission to mark me all you want, that should satisfy you, no?” He tilted his head playfully.

“Yes… right,” John agreed, even if he was very tempted to take his cock in his mouth and suck him even if he was half hard.

It seemed like Santino read his mind when he reached for his dick, slowly stroking himself, just an inch away from John’s cheek.

“Go on. I'm waiting.”

Read the rest on ao3

[jesperweidemann]

Master the Comma

The comma, a seemingly simple punctuation mark, holds significant power in shaping the clarity and flow of written language. Its correct usage can transform a piece of writing from confusing to coherent, making it an essential tool for any writer. Understanding the various roles of the comma and how to apply them effectively is crucial for enhancing readability and ensuring your message is conveyed with precision.

The Role of the Comma in Lists

One of the primary functions of the comma is to separate items in a list. When you enumerate three or more items, commas help to distinguish each element clearly. For instance, consider the sentence: “For breakfast, I had eggs, toast, and orange juice.” Here, the commas separate the items, making the list easy to read. The comma before the conjunction “and” is known as the Oxford comma. While its use is optional, it often helps to prevent ambiguity. For example, “I dedicate this book to my parents, Oprah Winfrey, and God” is clearer than “I dedicate this book to my parents, Oprah Winfrey and God,” which could imply that Oprah Winfrey and God are the parents.

Setting Off Introductory Elements

Commas are also used to set off introductory elements in a sentence. These elements can be words, phrases, or clauses that precede the main clause. For example, “After the meeting, we went out for lunch.” The comma after “After the meeting” signals a pause, helping the reader to understand that the introductory phrase is separate from the main action of the sentence. This use of the comma enhances readability by clarifying the sentence structure.

Joining Independent Clauses

When two independent clauses are joined by a coordinating conjunction (such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), a comma is placed before the conjunction. For instance, “I wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining.” This rule helps to avoid run-on sentences and maintains the flow of ideas. Without the comma, the sentence might feel rushed or jumbled, making it harder for the reader to follow the writer’s train of thought.

Nonessential Information

Commas are also used to set off nonessential information—details that add extra context but are not crucial to the meaning of the sentence. For example, “My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting us next week.” The clause “who lives in New York” provides additional information about the brother but is not essential to the main point of the sentence. Removing it still leaves a complete thought: “My brother is visiting us next week.”

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Despite their importance, commas are often misused. One common mistake is the comma splice, which occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. For example, “I love reading, it’s my favorite hobby.” This can be corrected by adding a conjunction or changing the comma to a semicolon: “I love reading, and it’s my favorite hobby” or “I love reading; it’s my favorite hobby.”

Another frequent error is the overuse of commas, which can disrupt the flow of writing. For instance, “The cake, was delicious” includes an unnecessary comma that interrupts the sentence. Conversely, omitting necessary commas can lead to confusion. Consider the difference between “Let’s eat Grandma” and “Let’s eat, Grandma.” The first suggests cannibalism, while the second is an invitation to dine.

Advanced Comma Usage

Beyond the basics, commas can be used in more sophisticated ways to enhance writing. When two or more adjectives equally modify a noun, commas are used to separate them. For example, “She wore a bright, colorful dress.” If the adjectives are not equal, no comma is needed: “She wore a bright summer dress.”

Transitional phrases such as “however,” “therefore,” and “for example” should also be set off with commas. For instance, “I wanted to join the team; however, I was too late.” This helps to clarify the relationship between ideas. Additionally, when addressing someone directly, commas are used to set off their name or title, as in “Thank you, Dr. Smith, for your assistance.”

Conclusion

Mastering the comma is essential for effective writing. By understanding the basic rules and avoiding common mistakes, you can use commas to enhance the clarity and flow of your writing. Whether you are listing items, joining clauses, or setting off nonessential information, the comma is a powerful tool that, when used wisely, can significantly improve readability. Remember, the key to mastering the comma is practice and attention to detail. With time and effort, you can become proficient in using this versatile punctuation mark to enhance your writing.