#(like before u click read moar)

[tommyssupercoolblog]

Hi i love tommy innit ur art of him is super cuteee <3 autism legend

THANK YOU BESTIE I LOVE autism I am ALWAYS fighting for autism autism should ALWAYS be WINNING!!!!!!!

((ALSO PLEASE REBLOG MY POSTS /NOT MAD /BUT STILL SRS /LIKE GENTLY REMINDING YOU AND ALSO BEGGING WITH BIG TEARS IN MY SAD WET AUTISTIC EYES))

[caffeineivore]

On Review Etiquette

So, lately, I have been participating in @sailormoonreviewevent and it brings back some of my best and worst memories of fandoms, not just SM but fandoms in general, and the people who populate them. 

Background information: I’ve been around since dinosaurs still roamed the Earth and geocities sites with animated word-art headers and the like were still the norm. In the case of Sailor Moon as well as other fandoms in which I have participated, I seem to always end up in a peculiar sort of capacity-- on the one hand, I’d pretty much stick to a very small corner of the fandom wherein my ship and/or character preferences kept me mostly away from the vast majority of the riff-raff and the fandom politics, but maybe because I have an inherently bossy and super type-A personality, I’d still end up in some sort of organizational capacity. The whip-cracker, as it were, amidst a bunch of creative types. For instance, in Sailor Moon, I pretty much stuck exclusively with senshi/shitennou. I paid very little attention to fanfics not about senshi/shitennou, and don’t really know people outside of that group. However, for all that, I ended up organizing ficathon for a few years, as well as moderating a writing community and planning meet-ups between members. In this role, I get to see a lot of the nuts and bolts which go on behind the scenes, and, unfortunately, also have to play the bad guy in certain sticky situations, which brings me to the point of this post.

Now, as a fanfic writer myself, I can say definitively that reviews make the world go round. Much as we write for fun, and we write to please ourselves, there is nothing quite so uplifting and encouraging as a genuine, sincere, detailed positive review. You know the type-- the ones that tell you exactly what they liked the most about your fic, in such a way that shows that not only did they read it, but it truly had an impact on them-- maybe it made them reconsider a facet of a character they’d never considered before, or maybe it mentions their favourite lines, or maybe it subconsciously reassures the writer on some point or another which they were uncertain about. Obviously, these are like the gold standard of reviews, and somewhat rare and far between. However, you’ll also get a bunch of “omg i <3 this fic MOAR PLZ”, which is okay too. You’ll probably even get a few with constructive criticism, which may sting at the time, but if the reviewer 1. means well and 2. has a point, it’s definitely worth your time to take their words into account. 

However, then you get one of these other types of reviews:

1. “Why did you write about [character] and/or [ship] they suxxxx [other character/ship] IS SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!”

2. this fucking fic is dumb. you suck. die in a fire. flame flame flame flame flame. trollololol I have no life I live in my parents’ basement and wank over how hard I am even though I need to put people down behind a meaningless screen name to feel better about myself. Not in a million years would I have the balls to say this sort of thing to someone’s face, but on the internet I am a Grade A Certified Prime Asshole and proud of it. [guest review anonymous]

3. So yeah this fic is great and I know it’s marked complete but could you add another chapter? Perhaps with [very specific plot and character requirements to cater into my personal whims] plzkthxbai!

4. Ummm... so why are you writing [characters] in [AU setting] or [different version of canon-- manga/anime/pgsm/etc.]?? MY PREFERRED CANON IS BETTER. WHY CAN’T YOU DO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO??

5. Update faster plz!!! I need the next chapter NOW!! Actually I needed it YESTERDAY!! WTF ARE YOU DOING WHY ARE YOU NOT WRITING?!?!!?!!

Annnnnnnnd... you count to ten, resisting the impulse to chuck the phone or computer out the window. Take a deep breath, count to ten again, backward this time, and remind yourself that this is just fanfic. Just fanfic. Fandom’s bound to have a few idiots. You want to reply to the reviewer: “Look can u not” but that would be validating them, making them more important than they should be. You tell yourself it’s just a troll, but nonetheless, it hurts. And when you pick up that fic again, you’ll probably remember that one review in the back of your mind, taunting, more vivid than a dozen “gr8 job hope to see more soon!”’s. 

And it’s sad. So I’m about to give everyone who has experienced this (which, in all likelihood, is everyone who has posted a fanfic in any fandom ever) a voice. A loud, stridently snarky one. 

Reviewers: CAN U NOT?? with the trolling????

Look, I’m so glad that you have the time and the means to sit around and chill and read fanfic. It’s a luxury that requires a lot of first world amenities that not everyone has, so kudos to you. But that means, also, that you have a lot of freedoms not afforded to everyone, such as, y’know, the ability to pick and choose what you decide to read and comment on. There will be fics about every possible permutation of character ships in a fandom. There will be fics in every genre, which run the gamut of writing skill from novice to expert. And pretty much every single fic site, be it something privately owned or some behemoth like ff.n or AO3, will separate their fics into categories by character, genre, length, rating, etc. etc. The internetz is a wonderful thing. You can pretty much find anything with a few clicks. Like you can literally probably search for “I want a fic featuring [character A] and [character B] in a high school AU with angsty undertones and make it a one-shot less than 5000 words because I am on lunch break”, and it will take only the minimal amount of effort to get exactly what you look for to fall into your lap.

We all have our fic preferences. We also all know what we do not like. So, let me ask, why the hell do people insist on not only reading but flaming stuff that they KNOW they’re not going to like?? I am a diehard senshi/shitennou shipper and manga is my preferred canon. I KNOW that I do not ship Rei/Yuuichirou for example, so I won’t go out of my way to read fics featuring them. I’m not crazy about fics which feature tons of violence or porn, or lots of OCs, and I tend to dislike fics which make light of serious issues such as self harm or drug abuse, and I draw a very hard line at rape and sexual assault, especially if it features characters below the age of consent. Like, serious, trigger warning, PTSD, nope nope nope nope at Planet Nope. Now, what do I do if I come across a fic featuring any of these things? 

I DON’T FUCKING READ IT. Really. That’s all there is to it. I scroll down onto the next thing. And in the event that, say, I accidentally clicked on something that I figure out isn’t my cup of tea, it does not take any sort of effort to click right back out. Why give yourself grief? But even more, why give the writer grief? Even if it’s totally not your thing, they put effort into it-- far more effort than you did, clicking on their work. THEY are into what they wrote. 

Now, once upon a time, when I was organizing one of the senshi/shitennou ficathons, one of the submissions happened to feature something that NOPED with me very hard. And as ficathon mistress, I had to read it. So I did. And then replied to the author that it was very well written but I could not review it for personal reasons. Then I sent it off to another moderator to read it and give them an actual review. And that is an extenuating circumstance. Most people would not ever be in the position to have to read a fic that they would otherwise not read, or say anything to the writer of said fic. Even in that circumstance, it is not hard to deal with it in a respectful manner. So, why the fuck would someone willingly and knowingly inflict something they know they’re not going to like on themselves and then punish someone else for it? That makes NO sense.

As far as harassing authors to follow your own niche or write more on a topic or story that they feel as though they’re done with? Dude, write your own fic. You have total control over only one person in this world: yourself. Sure, validating what a fanfic writer does is very nice and gratifying, but they are not trained monkeys there to do your bidding and perform for your personal amusement. Unless you’re paying them good cashy money (which, since it’s fanfic, you’re not), you don’t get to have a say in what they write, when they write it, where they post it (if anywhere), any of that. They are under no contractual obligation to cater in to you in any way. And furthermore, when you try to dictate to them what to write and how to write it, the message is this: I Know Better Than You. Do As I Say. You Don’t Know Shit. What You Do Is Not Good Enough For Me. What You Do Doesn’t Matter. The Only Thing That Matters Is What I Want. 

That’s nothing but a goddamn put-down. And when you put down someone who probably put in a whole lot of thought and effort into something which brings them no possible reward but personal satisfaction and maybe others’ enjoyment, it’s really kind of a sucker-punch. If, say, this was the type of interaction between a boyfriend and girlfriend-- the put-downs, the belittling, the dictating, the insults-- we’d all recoil and call it a toxic, abusive relationship. We’d tell the person receiving those comments to get out of there, to get help, to leave.

So, when you make those types of comments, that’s the message you’re sending that writer. Leave. Get out of here. Go away, for your own good, for your own sanity and health and happiness. 

Now think about it, as you’re scrolling through ff.n or ao3 or wherever, looking for that next undiscovered gem. Think about it, when someone shyly asks you to review their fic, or signs up for the first time for a fandom event such as a ficathon or a big bang or a secret santa exchange. Is that the message you want to give them? That they should leave and never look back?

Now think about it again, and remember when you first discovered fanfic, or your preferred fandom, and wrote your first fic. Maybe it was campy and featured every trope on the TV tropes page. Maybe it was a shameless Mary Sue. Maybe it was ridiculously OOC and featured eye-gougingly purple prose. Maybe it was riddled with typos. Maybe you, yourself, looking back at it now, shake your head at how you could’ve written such a monstrosity. But would you have stayed, I wonder, if nobody at all encouraged you? Countless writers fade into oblivion after one fic, or disappear forever, deleting their fics off the internet. Countless people get fed up with fandom and throw their hands up and dismiss it as a lost cause. These things are going to happen regardless, sure.

But why the hell would you encourage that?

[bangtaninink]

MOAR WEREWOLF!JUNGKOOK AND VAMP!READER, OMG IT WAS SO CUTE AND SO WELL WRITTEN AND I HAD A LOT OF FUN READING IT ;; v ;; !!!!!

another anon request: MORE OF WEREWOLF!JUNGKOOK AND VAMPIRE!OC😭💖 some fluff would be really nice,,,,,maybe a confession??? and a cute kiss with them accidentally bumping fangs omg😭😭😭😭 thank u so much, i love u and your writing, bless you!!🙏💕

Moonlight In Your Hands

Summary: You and Jungkook have long conquered your fear of talking to each other and becoming friends. Now it’s time to conquer the next one (vampire!au; werewolf!au)

“Senior year.”

“I know. Can you believe it?” Jungkook turns to look at you, grinning. “The vampire princess is part of the fucking upperclassmen.” You’re quick to punch his arm, but he’s hardly phased as he laughs heartily, the straps of his bag almost slipping clean off his shoulders.

“Shut up, you mutt,” you retort, frowning as you fix your sunglasses.

“Ooh. Feeling feisty today?”

“Shut up.” Jungkook all but cackles as he follows behind you, draping his arm over your shoulders when he catches up. “Jerk.”

“I’m kidding,” he says, nuzzling the side of your head with his nose. “C’mon. I’ll buy you a snack before class starts.”

                                                           ▫▫▫

You noisily sip at your smoothie, sitting under the shade of a tree as you watch Jungkook and Taehyung play wrestle on the grass.

“Idiots,” Jimin says, laughing beside you as he steals your drink and takes a sip. “It’s as if they think they’re still a pair of pups.”

“How embarrassing,” you reply. “I can’t believe there was a time I thought Jungkook was too cool to talk to.” Jimin hums in agreement, leaning back against the tree trunk behind you both.

“And look how far you’ve come.”

“_____!” You turn your attention back to the two wolves, hair disheveled and covered in strands of grass. “Keep score,” Jungkook calls out. “The loser’s buying dinner.”

“And exactly how do I keep score?” you ask. “I have no idea how this works.”

Jungkook is about to reply, but a snarl from Taehyung cuts him off, and he’s flipped over onto his back by the elder, hitting the ground with a quiet thud. You and Jimin share a look before rolling your eyes.

                                                          ▫▫▫

“Evening, son. _____.” Jungkook’s father stops in his tracks, stepping back to peer into the living room once more. “_____?” Quickly, you rush to your feet, bowing politely in greeting.

“Good evening, sir,” you greet, smiling a little.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight,” he replies, reaching his hand out to shake yours. “How are your parents? Are they well?”

“Yes, sir. Dad says he’s looking forward to another round of midnight golf with you next week.”

“Ah, yes.” Jungkook’s father chuckles, and you watch as the moonlight pouring in from the windows bounces off his canines. “Tell him to bring his A-game with him. I have no intention of losing twice in one month.”

“Sure thing, sir,” you reply, bowing again as he waves you off, motioning for you to return to the living room with Jungkook.

“Pfft. Golf,” Jungkook mutters as you sit back down next to him, not taking his eyes off of the television screen, thumbs frantically mashing at the buttons on his controller. “What an old man game.” You snort and pick up your textbook again, resting it on your lap.

“Tell me about it.” You flip through pages, blindly reaching out for one of your blood-infused gummy bears. “Are you not gonna study too?”

���Nah,” Jungkook replies, eyeing your hand as you reach out for a snack. He can see that your hand is not moving in the direction of your snacks, but of his – his meat chews. “Human anatomy’s always been a breeze for me, and if anything confuses me… meh. I’ll just borrow your notes.”

“You know what? Normally, that’d annoy me. But that’s how I feel about the blood and plasma mod–”

Jungkook desperately tries to hold back his laughter when you suddenly stop talking, frozen in your spot as the foul taste of raw meat surely starts to sink into your tastebuds.

“What. The. Fuck,” you say, spitting out the meat chew, disgust written all over your face. At your expression, Jungkook just can’t hold back anymore, falling onto his back and laughing, controller clattering against the hardwood floor when he drops it. “What the hell is this?”

His booming howls fill the room as you stare incredulous at the two bags of snacks lying side by side on the floor in front of you. The taste lingers in your mouth, and you search frantically for something to wash your mouth out with.

“You– I can’t believe– oh my god,” Jungkook pants, sitting up as he wipes the corners of his eyes where tears had begun to form, slightly breathless.

“Did you do that?” you ask, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“Woah, hey. You can’t blame me for your own stupidity, _____.”

“That was totally you, wasn’t it? You moved your bag closer to mine so that I’d end up eating one of your nasty-ass meat chews.”

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“Did not!”

“Did too!” 

Annoyed, you lunge forward, tackling Jungkook to the floor, pining his wrists to the ground as he struggles underneath you. He continues to protest, but the way he chuckles in between words lessens his chances of you believing him. You let your eyes flash red in the hopes of frightening him, but he’s long gotten used to you in all forms, barely flinching at the change in your eye colour.

“I didn’t…” All of a sudden, you feel yourself leaning to the side, and before you can even blink, you’ve been flipped over, gasping as your back hits the floor. “Do it.”

Jungkook’s warm breaths fan across your cheeks as he pants above you, holding you down by your shoulders while your chest heaves as you lay exhausted from having to keep him down. 

The air around you both changes immediately, and Jungkook watches the red of your eyes slowly fade back to brown, fangs retracting. The sounds of Jungkook’s video game have turned into background noise and you watch his throat move as he swallows thickly.

This is the first time you’ve looked at Jungkook so closely, and straight away you’re noticing things you’ve never seen before: the small scar on his left cheek that hasn’t fully healed yet, the little mole beneath his bottom lip, and the barest hints of stubble on his chin. 

This is strange. There’s a weird sensation in the pit of your stomach, and you swear he leans forward just a fraction.

“Um. Jungkook?”

“Mmm?” He blinks silently, and then, as if something clicks in his head, Jungkook bolts up, pushing himself off of you before you can say anything else.

His eyes shift around the room, scratching his head and avoiding your gaze as you sit up, smoothing out your hair and fixing your sweater. You both move back to where you’d been sitting, Jungkook picking up his controller again but hesitant to start another game as he watches you drum your fingers against your textbook cover.

“Um.” You’re the first to break the silence. “I… I should go.”

“Yeah,” Jungkook replies, voice soft. You pack up your things in silence, not forgetting your back of blood-infused gummy bears. You smile a little when you both meet each other’s eyes, giving him a small wave goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” you say. “G’night, Kook.”

                                                         ▫▫▫

“Woah, woah, woah. Hold up,” Taehyung says, holding his hands out in front of him as you take a seat at the table beside Jungkook. You watch as he sniffs the air, Jimin turning to look at him confusedly.

“What? What’re you smelling?” he asks, watching Taehyung’s eyebrows furrow as his nose twitches.

“It’s weird. I think… I smell pheromones.” Jimin raises an eyebrow.

“Tae, there are couples swarming in this cafeteria. That’s not really something new.”

“No, no, no. This is different. I haven’t smelled this before. Do you smell it too, Jungkook?”

Jungkook looks up, spoon hanging out of his mouth as he sniffs the air.

“I don’t smell anything,” he says, turning to you. “Do you smell something?” You snort and lean back in your seat, sipping on your lunch.

“Yeah. I smell wet dog and the beautiful aroma of type A blood.”

“How do you always have A with you?” Jimin groans, leaning over the table to grab your drink from your hands. “Gimme a sip. Have mercy on this peasant, vampire princess.” Jungkook looks at you both with disgust, Taehyung still busy sniffing the air. Jimin all but moans as he takes a sip of your drink, sinking in his seat.

“You guys are nasty,” Jungkook says.

“Shut up. I only ever get to drink A on my birthday. Let me enjoy this.”

“Wait. If you drink A all the time, what were you drinking on your birthday last year, _____?”

“AB,” you reply, reaching into your bag for another bag of blood (Jimin makes sure to make an indignant sound at another full bag of A in your hands). “But AB’s kinda gross. I don’t understand how my parents love it so much.”

“Okay, seriously,” Taehyung interrupts, hands flat on the table. “Is no one else smelling that?”

“Calm down and eat your lunch, hyung,” Jungkook replies, rolling his eyes.

(What Jungkook won’t admit is that he does smell the pheromones Taehyung is talking about – and he knows exactly where they’re coming from.)

                                                        ▫▫▫

“Jungkook? Jungkook.”

“Huh?” Jungkook stops staring at the whorl in the wood of the dining table and looks up to find his parents and older brother looking at him expectantly. “Sorry, hyung. What’d you say?”

“I asked if you’re still down to go hunting this weekend with me and dad,” Junghyun replies.

“Oh. Yeah, of course, hyung,” Jungkook replies, smiling a little as he turns his attention back to his food.

“You seemed to be awfully distracted lately, sweetheart,” his mother says, head tilted slightly. “Is there something on your mind?”

“I’m fine,” he answers back, a little too quickly for his liking. “I’m fine. Just… you know… school and stuff. Assignments and whatever.”

“Ah.” He listens to his mother sigh wistfully. “I can’t believe my little pup’s already a college senior.”

“Mom, don’t be gross.”

“I feel like it was just yesterday that I had to feed Jungkook with my own b–”

“Mom, please.”

“Honey, not at the table,” his father says, laughing heartily around a mouthful of veal.

“Yeah, mom. I’m eating,” Junghyun adds, scrunching up his nose in distaste.

“I just can’t believe my boys have grown up, that’s all.” Jungkook looks over at his brother, and together, they share a knowing look between them.

“O…kay. Well, can I be excused? I have a paper due on Monday that I still need to work on,” Jungkook says, already standing and picking up his empty plate.

“Sure, son,” his father says. “Call out if you need a hand with anything.”

                                                        ▫▫▫

At his desk, Jungkook sits at his chair on the verge of falling asleep, his pen already slipping from his fingers’ grasp. But when the piercing ringing of his phone cuts through the silence, he bolts upright, answering the call and bringing it up to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Were you asleep?” you ask, chuckling quietly. “Sorry.” Jungkook is now properly awake.

“Nah, I wasn’t sleeping,” he replies. “What’s up?”

“Page forty-two. The question about chemical compositions in humans.” Jungkook laughs, reaching for his textbook and flipping through the pages.

“It’s been three years and you still can’t get the hang of ‘em?”

“Hey, shut up. Their blood is my only concern, okay? I don’t care about the calcium in their bones.” He can’t help but smile when you sigh. “I don’t even know why I decided to take this stupid class.”

“Why did you decide to take up Advanced Human Studies?”

(You know exactly why you’d taken up the class, but you don’t have the guts to admit it to him.)

“Who knows…”

                                                        ▫▫▫

It’s Saturday night, and you have absolutely no desire to study.

For some reason, everyone has decided to congregate in your home while all your parents have left to play their weekly rounds of golf. During the earlier half of the evening, Taehyung had still been insisting he was smelling something strange, his protests only encouraged when Yoongi and Hoseok seemed to share the same thought.

“Yeah. I mean, I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I agree with Taehyung. There’s a different smell in the air,” Yoongi says, eyebrows furrowed. “Did you guys redecorate in here or something?”

“No,” you reply. “Well, I mean, I’m just assuming my mom hasn’t gone decorating crazy again. Me and dad just kind of let her do it whenever, you know?”

“I’m surprised Jungkook’s the only one who can’t smell it though,” Hoseok says. “You have the most sensitive nose out of all of us.”

“I can smell it,” Jungkook says. “I’m just mature enough to ignore it.”

“Ooh. Mature.”

“Wait.” With narrowed eyes, Taehyung crawls over to where Jungkook is sitting, sniffing the air around him. He yelps with surprise and leans back, nose scrunched up. “It’s you!”

“What?” Jungkook asks.

“It’s you! You’re the one who stinks! Smell him, hyung.”

Hoseok leans forward, nosing at Jungkook’s hair, even as the younger tries to push him away, nearly bumping into you in the process. Hoseok’s eyebrows rise with surprise.

“Woah.”

“See?” Taehyung cries out. “That’s probably why I could smell something in the cafeteria the other day too.”

Curious, Yoongi leans forward too, immediately drawing back not long after getting a sniff of Jungkook.

“Woah. Jesus,” he mutters.

“I haven’t smelled something like that since…” Hoseok’s words trail off as he transitions from thoughtfulness to realisation.

“Since when, hyung?” Jimin asks.

“Since Yoongi hyung started dating Namjoon.”

Everyone freezes, all eyes turning towards Jungkook.

                                                        ▫▫▫

Taehyung is the first to break the silence.

“You dog!” he cries, tackling Jungkook to the ground with a laugh, the younger’s head only narrowly missing your knee. “Who is it?”

“What the f– hyung, get off me!” Jungkook cries, growling beneath Taehyung as he tries to push the elder off. The room is filled with laughter as the rest of the guys watch the two wolves wrestle.

“I will, right after you tell me who you’re dating.”

“No one!”

“Your scent says otherwise, brat.”

“I’m not dating anyone, I swear!”

“So you have a crush on someone then,” Yoongi says with a chuckle as Taehyung relents and sits back, letting Jungkook sit up again. Jungkook sends a snarl in Taehyung’s direction when the elder gives him one last playful shove before returning to his place beside Jimin. “Who is it?”

“Who’s what?” Jungkook mutters, grumbling as he settles himself next to you.

“Who do you have a crush on?”

Jungkook scans the room, meeting everyone’s eyes with a strong gaze. When he reaches you, however, he doesn’t seem to linger as long, and you raise an eyebrow, confused by the way he quickly turns away from you to look at Yoongi.

“No one,” Jungkook says, voice stern.

The shrill ringing of your phone cuts through the tension in the air, but hardly anyone flinches.

“Uh… be right back,” you mumble, grabbing your phone off the coffee table and disappearing into the kitchen.

                                                       ▫▫▫

“Hello?”

“Hey, sweetheart,” your father says. “Just checking to see that you, your friends and the house are still a hundred percent intact.” You roll your eyes and chuckle.

“We’re fine, dad. Nothing’s broken, and no one’s missing any limbs. Yet.”

“Yet,” he repeats with laughter. “Let’s try and keep things the way they are, shall we?”

“How’s the golf going?”

“We’re up three-to-one. Jeon’s is getting annoyed, I think. But the night is still young. I don’t wanna jinx anything and speak too soon.” You hum in reply. “Oh. Speaking of the Jeons… everything okay with Jungkook?” You furrow your eyebrows.

“Yeah? What do you mean, dad? Jungkook’s fine.”

“It’s just your mother was talking to his mother, and it seems as if he hasn’t been himself at home for the last week or so. Just thought I’d ask you and see if you know of anything that’s happened.”

“Nothing’s coming to mind right now. What’s Mrs. Jeon been saying?”

“Something about Jungkook being a little more distant and distracted than usual. He says it’s just school and whatnot, but she’s not so convinced anymore. If you have a moment, maybe pull him aside and talk to him, sweetheart. Maybe he’ll be more willing to talk to you than his parents.” 

“Sure, dad. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Thank you. Alright. I better go before Jeon drives another golf cart into the sand pits again. Your mother restocked the fridge with some more blood bags and some venison if you kids get hungry. Call if anything happens.”

“I will. Knock ‘em dead, dad.”

“You betcha.”

As you hang up, you linger for a little while, your tongue rubbing against the tip of your fang as you think about everything that’s happened in the living room. There’s a weird sensation in the pit of your stomach as you recall the way Jungkook had looked you in the eye, or rather, almost refused to look you in the eye earlier.

It’s strange to think of Jungkook dating anyone, much less having a crush on someone, but the more you dwell on the thought, the more that feeling in your stomach seems to intensify. As you start to make your way back to the living room, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the refrigerator door, surprised to find your eyes a bright red. You blink and blink, rubbing your eyes with a clenched fist until you watch them fade back to their original colour.

                                                      ▫▫▫

All eyes are on Jungkook, no one moving even when you leave the room. It’s a good half minute, with your voice muffled by the walls, before anyone speaks.

“It’s _____,” Yoongi says.

“What?” Jimin asks.

“It’s _____. The smell isn’t as strong anymore now that she’s left the room.”

Jungkook doesn’t flinch, even as Taehyung leans forward again to sniff the air around the younger, but his jaw clenches as he tries to hold his tongue, watching as Yoongi seems to relax, leaning back into the sofa and turning his attention back to the television, as if nothing had happened.

“Interesting,” Hoseok croons, settling back against Seokjin’s legs with a quiet chuckle.

“How long have you liked her, Kook?” Namjoon asks, reaching out to ruffle Jungkook’s hair with a smile; Jungkook is quick to push his hand away.

“Who says I like her?” he mutters, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Please,” Taehyung laughs. 

“Fine.” Jungkook huffs. “I like _____. So what?” Everyone shrugs, replying with unassuming hums. “Whatever. I need some air. It smells like mutts and blood in here.”

                                                      ▫▫▫

Tucking your phone into the pockets of your sweatpants, you return to the living room, only to find one person missing.

“Everything okay?” Seokjin asks.

“Yeah,” you reply. “Dad said there’re blood bags and some venison in the fridge if you guys want any.” Everyone gasps and turns to look at you.

“A?” Jimin asks excitedly; you roll your eyes.

“Probably. I told mom about your weird obsession with A.”

“It’s a healthy obsession, thank you very much,” he replies, already standing to run into the kitchen. Taehyung follows right behind him.

“Hey, hey! Bring some to me too,” Yoongi calls out.

“Where’s Jungkook?” you ask.

“Uh,” Namjoon replies. “He said he needed some air. He might’ve gone out the back to the pool.”

“_____,” Jimin says, sticking his head out of the kitchen door, a blood bag held between his teeth. “Do we need to save you some?”

“I already ate before you guys got here,” you reply, shaking your head.

“Hey. You better save some for us though,” Seokjin says.

You’re making your way to the doors leading to the backyard when Taehyung and Jimin jog past you, Jimin clutching armfuls of blood bags, and Taehyung with the entire platter of venison in his grasp.

                                                      ▫▫▫

You shove your hands into the pockets of your hoodie while you walk over to where Jungkook is sitting at the edge of the pool, drawing circles with his feet under the water.

“Hey,” you say, sitting down next to him with your legs crossed.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.” He sniffles leaning back on his hands. “The hyungs were just being dicks. I needed to get out of there before I ended up destroying your living room.” You chuckle quietly. “Assholes.”

“You sure you’re okay though?”

“Yeah, why?”

“My dad called and he said that your ‘rents are a little worried about you. Something about you being out of it all the time.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” You sense his hesitation, watching his feet still completely, eyes glued to the water. “If it’s nothing though, forget I asked.”

“It’s… kind of related to what the hyungs were going on about in there.” Jungkook reaches up to scratch his head, and that weird feeling in your stomach comes back.

“Oh. So… you’re dating someone.” Jungkook shakes his head. “Like someone?”

“Yeah,” he sighs, tilting his head back to look up at the stars. “And I don’t really know what to do about it.” He sighs again, before lowering his head to look at you. “Got any advice? I don’t really wanna ask anyone in there because they’re just gonna tease the shit out of me instead of telling me something I could actually use.” You drag your tongue across the tip of your fang.

“You could tell them,” you suggest, looking out at the pool lights and avoiding Jungkook’s eyes, desperately trying to ignore the feeling in your stomach. “It’s probably the last thing you wanna hear, but… you won’t know what to do next until you tell them. Try and keep yourself sane, Kook.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then…

“Alright.” Jungkook takes a deep breath before nodding his head once, turning slightly to face you better. “_____. I… like you.”

With furrowed eyebrows, you turn to look at Jungkook.

“What?”

“I like you.”

“Jungkook, what’re you doing?” you ask, chuckling nervously.

“I’m taking your advice. I’m telling the person I like that I like them and finding out what I need to do next.”

You gape, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water when you’re at a loss for words. “Huh?” is all you manage to say. How eloquent.

“_____. I like you.” Jungkook lets out a sigh of relief, falling back to lie on the grass, chuckling softly. “That feels really good to say out loud.”

You feel as if all the wind has been punched out of your lungs while you stay completely still, staring at the tiles that line the edge of the swimming pool. The weird sensation in your stomach has started to change into something warmer, and you can feel your insides flutter as you replay Jungkook’s words in your head over and over again.

“You, um… it’s fine if you don’t like me back. I’ve imagined this happening a million times, and most times I’ve imagined you rejecting me, so I think I’m ready. But still. Go easy on me if you can.”

In the distance, you can hear chatter from inside the house, something rowdy surely happening in the living room. It all becomes background noise quickly, however, and all you can concentrate on is the quiet chirping of crickets and the deafening thump of your heartbeat in your ears.

With your fangs digging into your bottom lip, you slowly fall back too, until you’re lying beside Jungkook with your hands still buried in the pockets of your hoodie.

“I.” You pause to clear your throat, not liking how nervous and shaky your voice sounds. “I, um… might… like… you too?”

There’s barely a sound from either of you for what feels like an eternity.

And then, there’s a gentle rustling as Jungkook turns onto his side, propping his elbow up and holding his head in his palm.

“Gross. The vampire princess likes me.”

You turn your head immediately, coming face to face with his cheeky grin.

“Fuck off,” you reply, but you can feel the laughter bubbling to the surface. “You confessed first.”

“Yeah, but you reciprocated. That’s worse.”

“You mutt.” Jungkook laughs and falls back onto his back. “So. What’re gonna do next, werewolf prince?” He lets out a thoughtful hum.

“Can I kiss you?” If it’s possible, the fluttering inside you seems to intensify just that little bit more.

“Sure.”

The rustling returns as Jungkook rolls over until his torso hovers above you, his knee pressed up against your thigh. A million thoughts seem to fill your head as he starts to lean in, suddenly all too aware that your lips are a little chapped, that you have no idea how to angle your head, or purse your lips, or how long the kiss should even la–

“Ah!”

The both of you flinch, and you scrunch up your nose at the weird feeling caused by your fangs colliding with Jungkook’s canines.

“Sorry,” Jungkook says, chuckling nervously. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

“It’s okay,” you reply, smiling. “Neither have I.”

“Um, take two?”

You nod back, and this time, you’re a little more ready for when Jungkook leans in, retracting your fangs as much as possible. He tilts his head before pursing his lips and pressing them to yours gently, careful to avoid another collision. Jungkook’s eyebrows furrow while your eyes flutter shut, one hand reaching up to slide into his hair.

For a few moments after you both break the kiss, you can’t seem to open your eyes, too lost in the feeling that’s clouded your head all of a sudden. It isn’t until Jungkook starts to nuzzle the side of your head with his nose that you seem to ground yourself again.

“We should go back inside,” he mutters, sighing quietly against your jaw.

“I guess, yeah. Better go and check on the damage those guys have done to my house.”

“I bet they didn’t even leave me any venison.”

[cheapcookiez]

HOW DID YOU FOUND YOUR ART STYLE I'M STRUGGLING HELP SENPAI

ah hm..okay it’s a recurrent question . i will tell u exactly how i did and from now, everytime i will get this question, i will give them this huge honest answer °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

i found it while assembling a lot of things i saw during my life.my art style is like a mr potato. waitin’ to see their holes filled out with new ideas.  

i think i can show you some of my researchs.my sketchbooks and even tell u how works mah mind .

 If u want to find an art style, please learn how to understand yourself  before. your art represents yourself. if you’re not clear in your mind. you won’t be clear on the paper.

(⌒▽⌒)☆ So let’s begin

…wait..

∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ 

It’s very a big  answer so be ready to click on “keep reading”: 

( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ when i’ve started to draw 4 or well almost 5 years ago. everything was confused in mah mind. The most difficult was to begin. so i started with drawing in a manga style…i drew a lot AND a lot.i was copying entire pages of Tales of symphonia. (my favorite manga and video game).that’s where the passion for fan art started. a good beginning full of passion!

Since that i’ve been moar receptive to some kind of manga. chibi round style was my favorite. magical doremi took a big place in mah kokoro.

The next drawing you’ll see was the beginning of my new art style. and i deeply knew it in mah bones. i was not expecting to draw this.i think it was only luck.

that was …a strange feel. like i was enjoyin’ it so much that i could draw it every.single.day. 

That was not exceptionnal. but i felt like nobody could draw like that. except me.(there is the over confidence part of a art newbie. follow this feel like it was your last chance.u need to not give up.u did the most difficult part so far! follow your intuition ! this little rainbow in your mind ! )

i kept drawing. again. and again. for months and  freakin’ months. 

i was certainly inspired of tim burton for the chibis and the headshots, if my memory doesn’t say shit,the artist is reapersun.

I was at a point i knew i had to take risks. It’s when, i accepted requests from ppl on deviantart . I couldn’t work alone. so i accepted everything. 

everything.

 Even miku hatsune dancing the gangnam style. 」(￣▽￣」)

i was also on a french forum, and ppl were giving meh a lot of reviews. that was helpful and that’s when i understood i needed a community for progressin’. compliments,opinions,reviews. YOU NEED THAT. accept them and shut your mouth. they’re right. put your pride somewhere else. and accept to see ppl better than you at something.〔´∇｀〕

At some points, i was also giving reviews. that was huge. like 3 or 4 open office pages for a small drawing.it took me hours but it’s important to kno’ how to give a review to somewahn bc that makes u think about their art and yours as well. training ur eyes to spot the mistakes.

i was drawing a lot of fan arts of their characters. They were only potato/egg-characters. that helped me to find a digital color style when i bought my first tablet.

btw,i waited 1 year and half before buying mah smol wacom. I prefered to keep practicing on paper. if you can’t draw properly on paper. digital won’t help u. it’s not a magic trick that makes ppl talented. ≡(*′▽`)っ

i have way moar respect for traditionnal artists. sooo much respect.u don’t even kno’.

(then…at this point, i was drawing for almost 2 years i thiiink.)

that’s when i started to extrapolate EVERYTHING. Colors, anatomy,expressions .( Everythin’ i ‘m drawing during this kind of practice period is wrong. extremely wrong and full of mistakes. But i have to do this bc i put so much energy into mah artworks that i can’t think properly until i’m mentally exhausted. (it’s completely personal,but i need to be broken af for understanding how pitiful i am and finaaally letting myself learning something new. ) )

so,when i’m completely exhausted(it’s a very heartful moment,like a huge art block),i leave my artworks in a corner,i don’t touch it for hours,days,weeks or sometimes months.nobody can touch it .except me and i analyze and re analyze them until i completely hate what i do bc i found all the mistakes. 

At this moment, i’m ready for experimenting again, learn from my mistakes and move on.

Sometimes we need to take risks and get out of our comfort zone !!! just.fuckin. DO IT. it’s toxic to stay in our comfort zone for too long . 8;A;8

An exemple of extrapolated drawing: Too much colors, too big arms / legs, too shiny,too weird and unlogical.We can’t understand. but whatever. it’s the beginning of something new! 

as smol addition to what i’ve said before, this is at this moment i can figure out my real problems .it’s only when i’m emotionallynot attached to mah art anymoar that i can finally produce something new .

However, i don’t personally give a fuck to tutorials,i’m too lazy for that. i have to discover everythin’ by mahself. (but this. it’s misplaced pride. so don’t do that .plz.learn from the others ,you won’t lose time like meh.)

Also.if u want to find ur art style , u need to not forget ur art references.  ໒( ͡ᵔ ▾ ͡ᵔ )७

 create your own influence map !

i worship mainly  two gorgeous artists :

Ephyse and C2ndyAc1d:

NEVER FORGET WHERE U COME FROM. NEVER DENY IT .it’s your past. it’s as important as your future.it’s a part of your artistic identity. OAO

no joke, it’s absolutely essential. thanks them for their hard work. it’s thanks to them if you’ve discovered your own art as well.

Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ and now ,if i show u mah art, can u spot the references? : 

anatomy ,candy’ :

colors,ephyse  :

After that. if u think you’re done…. u r eeextremely wrong. It’s where ppl usually stop.don’t do that. i kno’ so many artists who stopped right there. It’s bad bc they have SO MUCH potential.

“ What ppl see is not what i really do”.it’s a very personal phrase i keep in my heart. when i show somethin’ ‘’new’’ on internet or to my friends,in fact, it’s old for me. i’m already workin’ on something else in my corner. Bc do u remember waht i said before? that takes sometimes months to let ppl see my real art.

the practice NEVER ends. like neveh.  ヾ(´▽｀;)ゝ

put your pride somewhere else,it’s time to get back on the practice train.

here is asumiko nakamiro,one of my favorite artists as well. i love the anatomy of her characters. such lovely art style.

well, it’s awful,but it’s time to get inspired again.

//cries// Now u see how shitty u can be HmmMMm. a new challenge accepted.

And i have A TON of sketchbooks full of awful sketches that i will never show to anyone.

__________

Not everythin’ is on my table,i have waaaay more sketchbooks and it’s only traditional but there is certainly 2 years of practice in front of you. Don’t need to tell u but everythin’ is full ofc .i also finished a new wahn this week. plz remind meh to buy another one.

I also have THE HUGE CHANCE to have comic student artists as friends and they sometimes lend to me comic books(O3O ~LAST MAN. MAH LIL FAVORITE URG. ). I wish i had more place,but i read a lot of books ! i love goin’ to the library and read everythin’ i can ‘til my head hurts haha. (and LOOK ,”astemio”the book on the right ! i participated to this fanzine. oh boi.i’m so proud even if mah art in there is so shitty )

In short.

i’m constantly drawing and experimenting. that’s how i found mah art style. （=´∇｀=）

and actually, for ppl who still read. i’m about to take a break from tumblr and the youtube community bc i can’t experiment as i would like . i want to draw my ocs, create stuff and i’m stuck with youtubers fan art. i need a creative break.

If you need moar informations on mah art style or anythin’ else, feel free to ask meh. i tried mah best to explain even if it’s really personal.

Never give up,find ur own way of thinking and practicin’. goddamit plz, trust ur intuition.trust your art taste and don’t draw what ppl would like to see. 

If i was doing that, i would draw some semi realistic post apo’ stuff. And even if i rly appreciate that drawn by mah friends. it’s clearly not my thing. 

also.MY BIGGEST ADVICE FOR ALL OF YOU . LEARN THAT BEFORE CRYING :

(￣▽￣)ノHAVING UR OWN ART STYLE  MEANS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT GENUINELY NOT LIKE IT. COMPLETELY HATE IT OR FALL IN LOVE WITH. IT S SO RANDOM AND YOU CAN T BLAME ANYONE FOR THAT.

U CAN T SATISFY EVERYWAHN. PLZ. MAKE SURE TO KEEP THIS IN MIND.HANG UP. IT S NOT YOUR FAULT. WE ALL HAVE OUR PREFERENCES. (ノ*゜▽゜*)

That’s it.  hope that was helpful !cool cool ! g-good luck!

[sempiternalsandpitturtle]

4 brand tone of voice examples to use when building your own

“Don’t use that tone of voice with me!”

It’s possible — if not overly likely — you heard that one once or twice while growing up. Take the wrong tone and you wouldn’t need a second warning that it wasn’t the most suitable way of talking to your parent.

However, marketers are not afforded the “luxury” of such a stern-yet-insightful speaking-to. Readers aren’t quick to give the benefit of the doubt. Speak to them the wrong way and you might not get soap in the mouth, but you will surely feel the sting when customers reject your blog posts and social media pages, or even products.

More than ever, readers want to make an emotional connection with the brands they follow or give business to. They want to read content that speaks to them — not at them, and not past them. As a marketer, you should know your target audience and how to make that content click. But the task, as ever, is a bit harder than it sounds.

Developing a tone of voice

Writing in a way that appeals to your readers entails a lot of things. At the top of the list of considerations is tone of voice.

The phrase “tone of voice” refers to the persona your content takes on. The manner in which you speak to your online readership decides how engaged they are, how educated they become or how motivated to take action they feel. Your tone of voice should encapsulate all that your brand and your customers value. It should also reflect the manner of speaking those readers are most familiar with and be appropriate for the intended audience.

So, if you were a cosmetics brand trying to reach millennials on social media, you might use a fun, lighthearted tone that is peppered with emojis and lingo designed to connect with a younger audience. Like, u totes get it, right? The moar your customer digs the writing, the shibbier. Want a ride-or-die readership? You best get that writing on fleek.

However, say you’re trying to grab the attention of the C-suite audience. Your tactics would likely shift 180 degrees. The suits would probably respond best to a tone that is highly professional, is condensed into short, quick-hit sentences and is authoritative. You want to appear knowledgeable. You want to inspire. You want to provide thought leadership and cultivate an executive following that looks to you for solutions and ideas.

What goes into tone of voice?

While tone of voice can be largely understood in theory, it can be a bit more challenging to pull off in reality. You will have to marry brand personality with grammar, customer engagement with rhetorical devices. Translating the ideas in your head to the words on the page can make for a tricky process, but not impossible. All it takes is looking at the recipe for tone of voice. A dash of diction here and some active voice there, some alliteration to taste, and presto you’ve got your tone of voice.

While the exact ingredients may change — blog posts focused on upper management may want to trade those hashtags for hard stats — there are some common elements of any tone of voice that you will want to address when formulating your own brand persona. These include, but aren’t limited to:

Etymology: You don’t have to be an English scholar to understand the importance of historical context and meaning of words. Applied to tone of voice, etymology simply means understanding which words are best suited for particular uses.

Sound: The sonic qualities of words — how they sound when pronounced — can play a big role in developing a tone of voice. Using devices like assonance or consonance can create fluid, easy-to-read writing that’s almost lyrical when read by customers.

Syntax: This is basically the arrangement of words, the structure of language. It may come into play when you want short, staccato sentences. There’s no fluff. The point is underscored. The audience’s time is respected. Or, you may want to convey a headier type of thought with denser phrasing that weaves in and out and maintains an artistic quality that endeavors with soaring brand language to engage the reader and inspire in them a thought, an idea, a meaning. See how easy that is?

Examples of brand tone of voice

Now for the main attraction: some examples of brand tone of voice that can help demonstrate the varying degrees of personas and how they might inform your own tone of voice. Each business will have its own needs, but there’s plenty to take away from brands active in shaping a distinct tone of voice:

Empowering and uplifting – Dove

It would make sense for a company that sells beauty and self-care products to craft a tone that is encouraging. Dove is a premier example of a brand that has cultivated a persona that emphasizes responsibility, having linked its name with the greater movement to empower consumers (especially women) and raise awareness of body positivity. You’ve likely seen the billboard and ad campaigns Dove launched with models of all colors and sizes, but supporting it all is a tone of voice that is soothing, inspirational and friendly.

These qualities are easily recognisable in posts the company makes on social media, as well as its website. The way Dove glowingly describes its mission is reinforced by the affirmative language it uses to resonate with readers: “beauty is a source of confidence,” “self-esteem education,” “realise full potential.” The brand promise is made clear with these words.

Friendly yet informative – LaCroix Sparkling Water

The beverage du jour of hipsters and moms alike, LaCroix has skyrocketed to the forefront of online-savvy brands. LaCroix’s tone of voice is a lot like its product — bubbly; and that goes a long way in building personality and connecting with readers or social media followers.

There’s only so much you can say about carbonated water, but that fact doesn’t box in LaCroix, which offers readers valuable content on everything from keeping flowers fresh with LaCroix to creating cocktails with a favorite flavour. Images are a big theme with LaCroix — those colourful cans need to be advertised somehow! — but the captions or blogs that accompany them are carefully written to speak to a customer on a personal, informal level, which helps LaCroix foster relationships with its audience.

There’s a lot going on beneath the surface of the actual words. While the phrases may be short and concise, they relay a brand personality that’s fun, approachable and interested in having a good time with friends! The more the tone of voice emphasizes these qualities, the more customers associate LaCroix with social settings, friends and recreation.

Professional and ambitious – CloudSmartz

CloudSmartz, one of our clients, embodies the brand tone of voice you want in speaking to decision-makers, management or executives. Writing about tech can be pretty difficult, even with a knowledgeable audience. There are a lot of abbreviations and jargon for readers to cut through before reaching the heart of the message; and even if they know what SDN-WAN is, the clunkiness of phrasing can make reading awkward.

However, CloudSmartz breezes by those obstacles with a brand tone of voice that is at once both aspirational and grounded. The possibilities of the cloud make such forward-thinking writing a fit, but it needs to be tempered in a way to still resonate with business leaders. Check out this example from for a clinic in how to nail down such a persona:

The title “Virtualized Service Providers: The Next Stage of Telcom Evolution” sets the blog up to be in the vein of thought leadership, which CloudSmartz pulls off by making the writing accessible and not unwieldy, like most tech content can get.

So far out there it’s in another galaxy – Skittles

You’ve seen the Skittles commercials, you’ve cringed at the ads, you’ve wondered what the hell is going on — but you’ve also likely tasted the rainbow, as Skittles’ marketing implores you to. While being in the candy business might afford Skittles some lee-way in getting weird, you certainly don’t see Almond Joy or Nerds pushing the outer boundaries of strangeness quite like Skittles.

But the thing is, the Skittles tone of voice works! All the talk about Skittlespox and being the rainbow should be enough for any consumer to think twice, but Skittles has built a brand persona that is adored for its wackiness. Some social media highlights of recent include:

Tips to develop your brand tone of voice

While it helps to take your cue from these brands, in the end, your tone of voice has to be unique to your business. It may take some time to reach that point, but here are some basic tips to ensure your tone of voice fits your brand, your needs, your message and your customers’ expectations:

Create a tone and voice style guide: Tone can seem a bit like a nebulous concept, making it harder for businesses to grasp. However, they can take control by creating a set of standards or brand guidelines to define brand voice and govern how its used. Each organisation should have a working set of standards for what the tone sounds like and how brand values are communicated.

Be consistent across channels: Building a reputable brand tone of voice means keeping it consistent across channels. Skittles is as weird on Twitter as it is on the air or in blog posts. This consistency helps foster familiarity: A customer reading your articles and then transitioning to a social media account should have the same experience in interacting with your brand, and tone of voice is central in creating that continuity.

Take a page from industry peers: What industry you operate in will have a lot of say in how your tone of voice is formulated. After all, nonprofits will maintain a very different way of communicating than a corporation would. Mapping out your tone of voice could be improved by looking at what peers and competitors in your space have done. This might either help you develop a tone along the same lines to connect with readers, or tell you a totally different approach to tone that could help you win over new customers.

It will take some time to perfect your brand’s tone of voice, but using these strategies will help you take the first steps in building that recognisable brand identity.

from http://bit.ly/2G1eDhW