#I'm not even enjoying myself and for what? What do I accomplish if I actually read the entire thing? And yet we beat on boats

[prolibytherium]

This 1,336,866 word The Beatles fanfiction is my white whale

[ask-whitepearl-and-steven]

Do you ever struggle not sharing details of your story / spoiling people? It's one of the hardest parts of writing for me! I always want to just divulge all of my ideas immediately!

The answer, weirdly enough... is no!

And a part of that is definitely due to me being a giant, secret-hoarding dragon in disguise. But another part of that is the fact that I largely suspect that...

Keeping secrets and avoiding spoilers is the reason this comic is still alive and updating.

Now, that may sound odd. Why would keeping secrets help me post? Sharing work is kind of the life-blood of a lot of creative endeavors. Storytelling is an inherently social activity. All humans, even the most introverted ones, thrive on peer recognition and feedback.

But over the years, I've come to realize something about myself. And this realization may be mostly stemming from me, but I suspect it's actually a pretty common factor for other creatives as well. So maybe I should talk about it (again).

Let me introduce you to something I call...

The Emperor's New Accomplishment.

Here's the thing. I'm an extremely introverted, non-social person. I can go for months without talking to friends easily, even if I love them a whole lot. That all being said, I'm still a human being, and my brain derives happy-social-animal chemicals from being recognized as A Person With Traits. Humans are built that way! We can't avoid it.

So what you gotta understand is - at all times, our brain is seeking social/peer recognition like it seeks out high-calorie foods. And it (largely) does not care what we have to do to get it.

Herein lies the problem.

Usually, creating stuff and thinking about stories and then sharing what we wrote with friends is a great way to get that happy chemical.

But it's time consuming. And difficult. And there's a shortcut.

What we seek when we create Scenarios and Characters and Conflicts is not hard work toiling away writing/drawing/constructing stuff. Many artists actively enjoy this process, but it's grueling.

And just telling our friends about our ideas actually accomplishes the end goal, as far as our brain is concerned! We made up ideas! We told people about it! We got the Good Feelings!

So when I tell people about my Plans to Write A Comic or Ideas To Make a Story, what I'm actually doing is tricking my brain into thinking 'wow, this feels great! We have accomplished the task we set out to do! No more effort necessary!'

And that motivation to actually draw/write/create?

It goes directly into the trashcan.

Now I'm not saying this to suggest people who do this/fall prey to this are lazy. They're not!

But our brains are. They're lazy, and they want to save energy. And they don't care if you WANTED to actually make the story. They will gladly rip the Motivation energy out of our grubby little hands when they no longer deem it necessary to the process.

So - why do I keep so many secrets? How do I stop myself from talking about what happens next in the story?

I'm doing it to keep my actual comic alive.

Disclaimer: Not everyone functions like this, obviously. Everyone has a different creative process. But this is how I've realized MY brain works, so I now take steps to trick my brain back into working. Ha! Take that, brain! Two can play at this--waitaminute.

[mysticmellowlove]

Roasted Beans - Daily Routine

warnings; nasty yan, gross yan, yan male, sub yan, gn reader, cum eating, non-con, oblivious reader,

note; i'm building a catalogue of yans now! bowen, lex/noel, seth, my secret project ;) and now cutie-pie oliver!

It's easy to hide what I do during the autumn months. Everyone loves caramel in autumn. It's easy to hide cum in their caramel latte. It was part of the reason why I liked autumn so much.

Working as a barista in a local cafe wasn't the best job but for what I wanted to accomplish it was perfect. No cities, no bustle, predictable customers and old women who like to tell me about their grandchildren. It was a completely straightforward day. It was perfect for someone who wanted to simply float on by, enjoy their life and relax to watch the world pass. Someone like me, exactly like me.

A smile crossed my face as the bell to the family-owned coffee shop and book cafe opened. There they were in all their glory, their overalls fastened with a knot instead of a buckle. They had told me once that some of the horses had gotten a bit wild. This was one of the reasons I loved working here. My favourite farmhand came in around twelve every day to treat themselves to a latte and something to bite.

"Welcome back." I smiled warmly as they made their way up to the counter, making sure to wipe their boots at the door even though I told them I didn't mind mopping up any residual mud. They grinned at me as they leaned against the counter, their muscles bulging from all the farm work. I had to take deep breaths to calm myself.

"And good morning to you too Oliver." They hummed as they fished their wallet out of their pant pockets. I already knew what drink they would order but they often changed their food item for something special. I swallowed as I watched them scan the display case.

"I'll have one of the cupcakes today I think." They grinned as they pointed to the small ball-like carrot cakes I had baked this morning. I beamed, I had made them a very special one actually. I was hoping they would choose the cupcakes.

"Right then, a cupcake and a latte, salted caramel right?" I wondered as I punched in their total, making sure to add a little discount. It wasn't as if I was babying them, I just wanted them to have some extra cash... of course it was a little selfish though. Extra cash in the bank meant the possibility of a little present for me, or at least that's what I hoped. I knew they liked me, they called me 'sweetheart' sometimes. Jokingly albeit but the hind mind was a powerful force.

"Sure thing." They nodded and tapped their beat-up card before sending me a little mock salute as they went to their usual table. I buzzed as I walked over to the coffee machine, they were in the counter's blind spot which wasn't that great for me. I couldn't watch them enjoy the things I had made but... that meant that there was no way they would know about the extra touch I added to their drinks. My face warmed at the thought.

Since it was such a small cafe there weren't any other attendees today, which again was perfect. Usually around lunchtime the owners would dip down to the primary school and take their daughter out for lunch. I was completely alone, just the way I liked it.

The machine steamed as I made their drink, mixing in the sweet caramel syrup as I loaded the coffee and milk over the top. All I had to do now was duck into the kitchen. I looked around the cafe and once I knew the coast was clear I made my way into the back, staff only.

Quickly I pulled my dick out of my pants, already half hard just from looking at them. A shudder rocked through me as I let my fingers dance on the head of my cock for a moment, imagining that it was them touching me. The thought got me hot and bothered and soon enough I was ready to start.

I had gotten into a nasty habit of doing this with their drinks lately. It had been so long since we first met and they hadn't made a move yet, it was only reasonable that I get a little impatient. So I took to mixing my cum into their drinks. At first, I only swiped my finger over my leaking head and put that in but now... nothing less than one release would suffice.

I tugged my cock as I bit down on my lip to keep my moans silent. I had gotten good at quick sessions, especially since I was still on the job. All I had to do was think of them drinking me in like this, something so intimate and wholly mine... inside them. A flush shot down my back.

My moan built up into a strangled cough as I felt my cock twitch and release, thick ropes of cum dripped into the hot coffee. The cup nearly burnt my hand as I looked down at the mixture for a moment before I took a whisk to it. I had to make sure that it was hidden, it was still a secret and if I was being honest it would probably stay a secret.

I hummed as I tucked my cock back in my pants and pulled out one of the 'special' cupcakes I had made. The two were similar in more ways than one. I plated the cupcake and walked out into the main room once more, breathing deeply to try and will away my blushed face.

With one final caramel swirl, I walked over and placed the two dishes in front of them.

"Here we go, a cupcake and a caramel latte." I smiled as they looked up at me.

"Thanks, you're coffee is always the best!" I nodded as I returned to the counter to watch for other customers. I knew my coffee was the best, it was made only for them.

[xiaq]

if you don't mind me asking, how do you balance work and writing? i work two part time jobs and struggle to find the energy/time to focus on writing even when i really want to. any advice?

I honestly don't do a great job of balancing work, writing, social things, home things, fitness stuff, and then just...relaxation. I'm always on the edge of burnout. Every 2-3 months, I get to a place where I feel overwhelmed, I have a good cry, I let myself off the hook for everything except work for a day or two, and then when I've rallied a bit I start the whole process over again.

And the only reason this is somewhat sustainable is that my partner does all the cooking, laundry, and most of the daily home maintenance stuff like taking out trash, checking mail, shoveling the walk, etc. We split cleaning duties on weekends and dog-walking duties through the week.

Even with that help, I typically work from 7am-4pm, take a break to walk Deacon/listen to music/shift into writing mode, and then write from 5 till dinner, sometimes through dinner if I'm on a roll. The one day a week that I climb/work out I don't write. I also don't typically write on Saturdays since those are housework/errands/social time days. Sunday is usually devoted to writing and relaxing (hockey, reading, hiking). It's a lot, even with Sunday as a "recovery" day.

I will say that just setting aside time every day with no word-count expectation made a huge difference for me. Before, I was trying to hit a certain number of words a week and then feeling like a massive failure when I couldn't achieve that. Now, I just say I have to write for at least one hour every day (other than climbing day). It doesn't matter what I accomplish during that hour, I just have to sit with the document open. On bad brain days, sometimes that means I edit what I've already got. And sometimes, even on bad brain days, I tell myself, "hey, you don't really have to write, you just have to clean up the last chapter for the next hour, no biggie" but then I have an idea and I jot down a bit of dialogue and then, well I might as well write the connecting bits, and the next thing I know it's dinner time and I have, actually, written something new. Having that freedom from a daily word count expectation greatly increased my productivity. So shoutout to my therapist for suggesting it.

Ok this is getting long, but also please just remember that writing is work. Even if you enjoy it. Even if you want to do it. It's still requires emotional and intellectual labor. And if you're already working two other jobs, that's a whole lot of work. Of course you struggle to find the energy and time to write. Because there simply are not enough hours in the day and that's not your fault. You can't budget time you don't have. So be kind to yourself. Please.

[zzzzzestforlife]

practical daily habits and affirmations for high-energy productivity 💫

tips from a busy part-time psychology student / full-time software engineer🏃‍♀️

i was inspired by HBR's "energy crisis" checklist but i wanted something more positive and affirming 🥰 so i ripped the thing apart and put it back together with (self) love 💕

bonus tip: don't try to incorporate too many new habits at once! start with just one or two and once you find yourself doing those easily, you can add more!

Show Your Body Some Love 🤗

🛌 I regularly get at least seven to eight hours of sleep, and I often wake up feeling well rested.

I have a strict bedtime, even on the weekends, and start my night routine at least thirty minutes to an hour before.

I follow Best Zesty's night routine. 😉

🍴 I eat a healthy breakfast.

I wake up thirty minutes to an hour before my day actually needs to start so that I have time to prepare food and eat at the table/bar.

I eat fruits/veggies, carbs, protein, and take my supplements.

🏋️‍♀️ I work out enough (at least four sessions a week that are a mix of strength and cardio training).

I follow workout routines that are safe and body-positive.

I consult with a doctor or trainer if necessary.

😌 I take regular breaks during the day to truly renew and recharge, including a relaxing lunch.

I listen to my favorite music.

I go for walks in nature.

Show Your Emotions They're Valid

🧘‍♀️ I am able to let go of feeling irritable, impatient, or anxious at work, especially when work is demanding.

I take time to meditate, practice mindfulness, and/or breathwork.

I recognize that I have a distinct identity that is independent of what I create/produce.

💕 I am fully present with my family and loved ones.

I enjoy deep and frivolous conversations with my people.

I put away my devices when sharing physical space with others.

🥰 I have enough time for the activities that I most deeply enjoy.

I schedule and protect my focus time for both my work and my hobbies.

I run my life like a well-organized engineering sprint. 😉

🙏 I stop frequently enough to express my appreciation to others or to savor my accomplishments and blessings.

I write thank you notes (or text messages) for the people in my life.

I keep a gratitude journal.

Show Your Mind It Is Powerful

🌲 I am able to focus on one thing at a time, and I am not easily distracted during the day.

I use technology to my advantage with apps that help me focus.

I start every day with a to-do list I made the night or week before so that my transition between tasks (a.k.a. the black hole 🕳️) is seamless and distraction-free.

👀 I spend much of my day focusing on activities with longer-term value and high leverage, rather than reacting to immediate crises and demands.

I regularly say "no" to optional activities/tasks that I know do not serve my long-term goals.

I plan for the future to prevent crises from arising in the first place.

🤔 I take enough time for reflection, strategizing, and creative thinking.

I keep a morning pages journal.

I regularly engage in a creative hobby/collect inspiration.

🚪 I don't work overtime, even if it's just answering/reading messages.

I have a strict clock-out time and snooze my notifications on a schedule.

I schedule activities after work that help me unwind and/or think about something else.

Show Your Spirit What It's Capable Of

✨ I spend enough time at work doing what I do best and enjoy most.

I am honest with my manager/mentor about my career goals so that they can help me align my daily tasks with them.

I keep a daily log of my activities at work so that I am aware of how I'm spending my time.

💖 There are no gaps between what I say is most important to me in my life and how I actually allocate my time and energy.

I have a vision board to remind myself of what is most important.

I keep a mood tracker so I can find patterns in what makes me happy and what doesn't.

😤 My decisions are influenced by a strong, clear sense of my own purpose rather than external demands.

When making a decision, I take time to articulate my own opinion to myself before soliciting the opinions of others, which I then consider from multiple angles.

I know that we don't just "find" our purpose in life, we create it by the little things we do every day.

💝 I invest enough time and energy in making a positive difference to others.

I regularly volunteer to help others and/or set aside time to help others when they ask.

I share quality time, physical affection, helpful information, etc. with others.

feel free to add your own suggestions/thoughts in the reblogs/comments~ you got this! 💪

[ixiot-ghostrebel]

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝.

The oneshot I promised based off of one of my previous post! Sorry if this is not up to your liking—I have bad writing lol. This oneshot is also, btw, in the Imposter's POV! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Bad Grammar, Spelling Mistakes, Not Beta Read, OOC Characters, Implications of Violence, & Mind Control/Mind Manipulation.

Read if you're okay with these terms. Please also let me know if I missed a warning!

— — —

3 weeks. It's been 3 stupid weeks since that darn creator landed into Teyvat. Gah, why?! Why now, when I have everything and anything that I wanted right under my feet? When I had this whole world fooled and all under my control, my grasp?! This was surely going to start a riot if people realize that stupid creator is the real thing.

I smile. No. No, they won't find out. I can make sure of that. I have mind controlled guards stationed everywhere in all seven nations! I have eyes everywhere! This creator will be nothing once I have them in my grasp. I'll torture them for ever thinking they had the right to demolish my work! I suffered too much for this—I am not letting my dirty work go to waste!

I slam my fist on my throne again, catching the Geo Archon's attention. Bah, stupid old dragon. Too keen for his own good. Good thing he's on my side right now.

"Your Grace," his deep voice rings through the room, "is something troubling you?"

"Why of course there's something troubling me, you fool!" I spat back. Normally, I wouldn't raise my voice at one of of most loyal followers, but right now, I'm not having it. "I have this—this dumb imposter renegading around, trying to tarnish my upbringing of reclaiming my own throne!" Zhongli's eyes darken.

"Do not fret, Your Grace. The Imposter will be hunted down soon enough." I scoff, not at all convinced.

Yeah right. That damned creator has survived for 3 weeks. No way in hell would my stupid puppets be able to kill one person in the span of this month. They were all just that stupid. It was frustrating at times, this time beyond boiling point!

"Get out there and help them!" I order Zhongli. "Make sure your nation is actually doing its job and not just lounging around, selling their goods like any other day, counting their stupid mora!"

"Of course, Your Grace." He walks out, leaving me in my throne room of my palace with my own thoughts. Tch, frail, old fool. For someone who's won a seat of Celestia from the Archon War, he acts like a pitiful yet loyal servant.

No wonder Celestia took a liking to him. I sigh, waiting yet again for my puppets to actually find that creator. It was midday, and they still haven't found them.

That was...until I felt something strange. It was faint, but I definitely sensed it. I close my eyes immediately, running through all of the puppets I've selected for this hunt.

Ah. Perfect.

Two of my most prized puppets have found them. Venti and Nahida, cornering a meek, little creator. For someone of such power, they act like a cowardly child. Ha. This will be fun.

Good job, Venti, Nahida~ I tell them in their heads. Bring them to me...I want to personally kill them myself. I grin. I can finally live out my long lasted fantasy! I can finally have that creator grovel in front of me, begging for mercy as I cut them to pieces! Perhaps I might even award these two for their accomplishment—

No... My eyes flew open for a second, shocked. What did that stupid, childish archon just say? And here, I thought of being generous to them! This is wrong! This is all wrong! I...I can feel a warm presence... I hiss at that thought. This stupid God of Wisdom dares to go against me, just because she can feel some sort of warm connection to a pathetic person who can't even fight for themself? Please!

No, no, Nahida. They are tricking you so that they can escape! I boldly tell the Dendro Archon, before slipping into Venti's mind again. Bring this imposter to me, now!

They feel so familiar...Like I've interacted with them before. Came the Anemo Archon. What?! Ugh, can this stupid God of Freedom do anything right for once?! Free...calm and warm...

Gosh, these two idiots. Making me do more work than I need just to kill one person in my way! You would think having puppets would be amazing, especially with two powerful archons at your disposal, but no! Of course not!

No. They are lying to you.

Like a comfy blanket in the coldest of winters...

Stop. They are not the creator.

Like the finest breeze in the wind, a melody as pure as the sun.

They are playing tricks. Get them.

Like a sudden lift of the cage, a strong breeze to lift the bird away...

I...I know them. I do, I swear I do.

No, you do not. They are lying to your sub-consciousness. Take revenge and kill them!

No...No, I can't. They're...They're the creator! the archons say, in sync, at the same time. I gasped, shocked. They dare betray me, after everything I did for them and their precious nations?!

THEY ARE NOT THE CREATOR. BRING THEM TO ME NOW! I shout in their heads. Their bodies moved, albeit sluggishly. Their weapons were raised, even though their consciousness was fighting against my every command, I will make sure I have my revenge for all this ruckus.

Just another step closer...Yes, raise that bow of yours...Make sure that vermin doesn't escape...Yes, good...

The moron tries to break for a run, but dendro quickly stops them. Yes, good...another step closer...good...

"P-please. I don't mean trouble! Please!" The person begins to cower. Hah, pathetic. I wonder how they'll be like when they see me face to face. It will be fun...the utmost fun I'll ever have, in fact...

No!

Stop!

A surge of both anemo and dendro combined nearly knocks my control over them, but I still held on. I gasp from the sudden burst of elemental power, before banging my fist onto my throne. These half-wits dare to go against me?!

"Y...Your Grace...Run, please..." I hear that voice of a bard say. Oh, how I want to rip out his throat...

"N-no! I can't leave you—leave you both like this!" No. No. No. I refuse to be painted the villain! My hardwork, my dirtied hands weren't for nothing! I REFUSE THIS!

YOU DARE TO DISOBEY ME?!

"Please...Your Grace, RUN!" And that was the last straw.

I forced myself into both of their bodies, flinging the archon's consciousness into the darkness again. But it was too late. That wretched vermin escaped. I shout in frustration, before signaling my other, more reliable puppets, to follow that dirty pig.

AT THE CHASM OUTSKIRTS. FIND THAT IMPOSTER, NOW!

I could feel a rush of feet running towards it. Good, at least these puppets were functioning properly.

Now...these two...traitors. Glaring down at these idiots wouldn't do anything, so I begin to shout at them.

You dare to defy me, after everything I've done for you?!

Did you forget I was the one who blessed your nations with security, with safety?!

You dare GO AGAINST ME FOR THE IMPOSTER?!

HOW STUPID CAN YOU BOTH GET?!

JUST HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO LISTEN?!

I could feel their cowering as I forced their bodies under my full control.

"Return to the palace, you wretched traitors," I said, speaking through their voices. I feel them trembling, but I don't care. I will make them fear me, if they refuse to adore me. I will change their minds, make them mindless puppets if I had to.

I will make sure to be their everything, to the point they're so loyal, no one will be able to recognize them. I will be all they have praise about. I will be all they care about. They would be so gone, they would even destroy their own precious nations if I commanded them to.

"I will teach you why no one defies me. EVER."

The entering steps of my two traitorous puppets echoes through the halls of my palace. I open my eyes, and glare down at the two once-loyal followers with pure loathing and disdain.

"You have both disappointed me, and to this, I will make sure your punishment is seen to the very end." I feel them quiver under my gaze, and I smiled. How lovely...Their fear is too tempting.

Oh, but I never said their punishment was short, did I?

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒅.

Ghost Rebel Side Notes: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me how I did- the criticism would be greatly appreciated! Please let me know if I need to change the warnings as well, just in case I didn't do it right!

Check the Ghost Rebel's Blog Description to See if Their Mailbox is Open!

[talkintrashcann]

Hello! Can I request a Wednesday x gn!reader? The reader is also working on a novel in the genre of their choice, and when Wednesday finds their notebook, she demands how they were able to complete it so quickly, in which they explain their method: read a chapter per day, write for 15 mins, etc.

They bond over their writing and the investigation? Thanks!

Partners in crime - Wednesday x gn!reader

Summary: Wednesday finds your notebook and is intrigued by your writing style, curious on how you managed to write all this in such little time. You end up bonding over your stories and even go out on little murder investigations together, not yet knowing how your story together will go.

Warnings: some spoilers for the show maybe, doesn't have a big impact if you haven't finished the show yet but maybe go do that first if you want to, because of that there are mentions blood and murder

Word count: 1k

A/N: im really unsure if this is how you wanted the story to go so i hope you still like it, any feedback is always welcome and im happy to adjust some things if you like

Requests = open: i had so much fun writing this request and would love to write some more so please send me some, can be for any other characters too!

———————

Ever since the new student Wednesday Addams arrived at Nevermore, life in Jericho hasn't been the same. Exploding statues, blood rain at the RaveN, and a student murdered. You knew Nevermore would be a crazy place to live, but you never expected any of this to happen. In contrary to miss Addams, you didn't intervene in the murder cases, you would rather stick with fictional murders. Or did you?

One thing you really enjoyed was sitting in the nightshade's library late at night, writing stories while listening to some music. Your roommate didn't really appreciate the lights being on in your room and the soft piano music playing in the middle of the night, so that's why you always came down here to write instead. No one to complain about anything, just you and your novel.

One night you were getting ready for bed when you noticed your notebook not being in the spot where you usually left it, realizing you must have forgotten it down in the library when you went there to write earlier. Not wanting anyone else to find it, let alone read it, you made your way to the library to quickly take it back to your dorm. But once you arrived, you saw a mysterious figure wandering through the library with a flashlight in their hands. You thought it would be one of the other nightshade members, but to your surprise it was no one other than Wednesday.

"What are you doing here?", you asked making the girl in all black turn around and shining the flashlight directly into your eyes.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Yeah, well I happen to be part of the nightshades so I'm allowed to be here." You try to cover your eyes a bit due to the bright light in your face, noticing your notebook in Wednesday's hand. "Is that my notebook?", you say pointing to the book.

"So you're the one that wrote this, I was wondering which other student spends their time on writing murder mysteries. Looks like I'm not the only one being inspired by the unsolved problems this town has. If I wasn't too occupied with solving the murder cases all by myself, maybe I would enjoy reading into this more."

Wednesday says while moving the flashlight away from your face, walking over and handig you your notebook. As much as you hated her reading your notebook without permission, you couldn't help but smile at her compliment about your novel. The Wednesday Addams would like to read more of your stories, everyone at school knew she was an author herself so this was a huge accomplishment to you. But of course she wouldn't actually read it with her busy schedule of snooping around town and hunting monsters night and day.

"How did you do it though? I couldn't help but notice the dates of your chapters, seeing how fast you write all your chapters."

The monotone girl asked, she was intrigued by your method and writing style. Some could say she even sounded a bit impressed, but she would never admit that to anyone.

"I basically try to read a chapter every day and then write for 15 minutes, and then I just repeat that. Listing to music that match the vibe of what I'm writing also helps me. If you want I could show you how I do it some other time? Or maybe we could have a writing session together and help one another with writing their novel. I kind of have to get going now but I'm happy to show you another day though." You propose, unsure of how she would respond to the invitation. You didn't think she would ever say yes to that, but as usual, Wednesday is full of surprises.

———————

So there you were, sitting in Wednesday's room while talking about your novels. This was now the seventh time you met up with her to write together, the previous writing sessions were a great success and Wednesday kind of enjoyed your company. After spending loads of time together, you became quite close and you even consider her to be one of your closest friends. Your shared interests being one of the reasons you've bonded really well over the past couple of weeks. But writing wasn't your only activity with her these days, she's invited you to accompany her on multiple murder investigations, you became her partner in crime. Quite literally since you've broken into houses together, tamper with police evidence and dug up graves from the cemetery in Jericho.

You weren't sure about joining her on her investigations at first, but you didn't protest at the thought of solving mysteries together. Although you never imagined you would end up in a police cell with her for one night, getting scolded by Ms. Weems or actually figuring out who the hyde and it's master were, you wouldn't want to trade your adventures with Wednesday for anything in the world. If you could do it all again, you wouldn't think twice to say yes.

———————

"Do you think people will like this? I mean it's a little gruesome don't you think? And what if no one ends up buying it?", you basically bombarded her with questions. Being very uncertain of your novel.

"I couldn't care less about what people think of our novel, and a novel can never be too gruesome. I would even read this to little children if I wasn't highly allergic to them. You need to stop worrying about the novel and how many people will end up reading it. Besides, the amount of people reading this doesn't define the quality of the story. It's a great success in my eyes, that's all that matters.", Wednesday said in her usual emotionless tone.

She was definitely right about the great success part. Once your novel was published, thriller fans from all over the world showed their love for the story. After the great success of your novel, a sequel was quick to follow which didn't let the readers down at all. The only thing the readers weren't aware of, was that it was based on your personal investigations and adventures with Wednesday that happened during your time at Nevermore. Hence the title, partners in crime.

The end?

[yuurivoice]

How have you been? Are you taking care of yourself and is the kitties doing okay and Haru how is the sweetie after the surgery?

Throughout the month of October while doubling my content output and going from being creatively idle to full speed ahead, I was going through the onboarding process of my ADHD medication. Half of the month was spent getting horribly tired in the afternoons. The other half was spent feeling gross as I tried to figure out how much I needed to eat with my food and adjusting to the final dosage.

Last week, for what may be the first time in my adult life, I was operating at what I can only assume was somewhere near 100% of what a neurotypical person feels like. I've cried about it, had to learn how to slow down because I'm used to the vehicle that is my brain not actually GOING when I put my foot on the gas, and have felt downright incredible.

I wrote my psychiatrist a message thanking her for being such a professional and helping me on this path, because I am approaching what I had assumed "best case scenario" would look like for me. I don't even know what's possible for me as I settle into my new normal. It's overwhelming in a positive way.

I feel like I have super powers. I'm able to just...do stuff. I begin my day and I just go. I'm fed, medicated, and ready to start being productive at 9am and I begin. I'm able to accomplish far more than the bare minimum and even have to tell myself to take time to do things that aren't strictly work.

I love writing again, and I was robbed of that nearly a decade ago. My beloved hobby became work, and while I've written things that I adore, I only rarely feel the magic I used to feel when I could write ~10k words in a day. INDEFINITELY!!!! I have written hundreds of thousands of words in my lifetime and I lost the ability to do what I loved. At a time in my life when I was desperate to find something that was meant for me, something I was good at, I lost it.

I thought I had simply fallen out of love. I thought my childish ambitions of being a writer were bled from me on the path to being a "real adult" and life had escorted me along the way, away from that passion.

I didn't know I was fighting against myself so much for so long. Being able to become YuuriVoice and create and find that outlet again was amazing for me and reminded me of what it used to feel like, but this whole time I've had to brute force my way through mental hurdles. I am proud of what I've accomplished to this point, knowing what challenges I've faced and battled along the way.

How do I feel? I feel like the me from a decade ago and the me of today bridged a rift so vast that I thought I'd never say hello to that part of me again, and now I'm whole. I feel whole. I'm no longer masquerading around as a cheap imitation of who I could have been.

So yeah, I'd say I'm doing well! So are the cats. Haru handled his neutering perfectly and is a happy, healthy boy. Aside from that, I've been consistently in the gym, trying to stick to my diet goals, and am the happiest, healthiest version of myself I've been in a long time!

If you've enjoyed the recent entries in Lost & Found, they've all be made while I've been feeling this good. So if that's a sign of things to come, I think we're about to remind people just how fuckin' hard we can go around these parts.

[csuitebitches]

Hi! You're amazing and your page is amazing. I'm a girl who's really interested in growing and building my life. My mental illness has taken so much from me, so I feel I am starting life over this year like a little baby while everyone else is an adult. I often feel VERY insecure around friends who are normal and have achieved so much and have not made the many mistakes that I have.

I now have been isolating myself because I usually feel so ashamed of myself when I'm with them. I barely have any cooking skills as a female, I've never held a real job, I never network or connect with anyone, I have felt so miserable with a scowl on my face everyday, and I barely know what I'm doing with my life now in college.

As I am now working on my character flaws, how do I still feel I am loveable to my friends, stop pushing everyone away, and stop feeling like hiding when I'm with them?

everyone was once in your shoes. Were your friends born with their job? Were they born accomplished? Was Gordon Ramsey born with a knife in his hands? Have you seen the video of him crying because of his mentor Marco Pierre White?

Ive lightly burned my fingers, my food, set off the university dorm fire alarm because of my initial cooking skills. I’ve melted a spatula. I’ve burned countless toasts, broken glass bottles, had a whole bug infestation because I forgot to close the fridge tightly when I left uni for summer. Then I learned. I watched more YouTube videos. I practiced cooking. I can objectively say I cook better than my mom today because I made the effort to learn.

A master was also an amateur once.

“I never network with anyone” it’s good that you can admit the things you need to work on. The way you address problems like this is:

a) are there networking opportunities near you?

b) can you look up conferences and opportunities near you?

you assume that your friends have not made as many mistakes as you have. Do you go on a radio show and tell the whole world about every mistake you’ve made in your life? Even with close friends, one does not always reveal every single thing or sometimes, doesn’t feel the need to.

your journey is your own. The exam paper of your life does not have the same answers that your friends have written.

you’re not going to magically wake up accomplished, you’re going have to work towards it. And the best part is, you’re in college! That’s such a great stepping stone because you’re in an environment that’s programmed to help you grow if you can use your cards right.

can you join any extra curricular clubs or activities? Or ask your professors or the counsellor for internship opportunities? Can you organise an event like a bake sale or something for the local charity? Can you take up volunteering opportunities?

your insecurities are holding you back. You’re not any less lovable than the friends and family in your life. You have control over your own life. When you choose to actively put yourself out there, start socialising, engaging with people - which can be difficult for some people but always rewarding - you’ll start seeing change.

unfortunately the world doesn’t revolve around us. If you’re unhappy with how things are, the remote control of your life is in your hands.

you’re already working on yourself which is great. That means you have the intrinsic motivation to do something. It’s time to stop moaning and whining and start creating a plan of action.

tackle things one thing at a time. Don’t start with 10 things.

From your message it seems like:

You need help with adulting - cooking.

job - ask your college counsellor/ professor of your favourite subject for internship opportunity, on campus or off campus.

purpose -find a hobby, sport, volunteering cause, something that you like that you actually enjoy.

look at these three problems in the best positive light. It means you get to learn all these things you didn’t know! It means you’ll be able to meet new people who could become really good connections!

make your life simple. Progress doesn’t mean going from burning the kitchen down to cooking a three course meal. It means taking one week to learn how to fry an egg. It makes taking a week to learn how to make a decent pancake or some rice. It means screwing up 10 times and then finally getting it right on the 11th.

allow yourself to make mistakes. Acknowledge to yourself about them and move on.

Do not let your shame hold you back from living your life. We torture ourselves in imagination more than we actually suffer in real life.

I’ve felt embarrassed countless times in my life. I’ve slipped up, messed up, forgotten things, done what I wasn’t supposed to, held my tears back, been scolded, full blown cried, scribbled aggressively in my diary, ranted to my mom, had dramatic fights with my imaginary boss in the shower, woken up late, screwed up royally in important meetings. These are not original experiences. These are universal experiences. Anyone who is telling you that they have never felt this is a dirty liar.

I wouldn’t exchange those mistakes for the world.

How do you think I’m able to give you advice on this if I didn’t go through those similar experiences?

If you want to make changes in your life that badly, start today. Set three simple goals that are achievable. Set deadlines. Be your own parent. Get your life together.

[catgirlbussy]

holy shit i just realised im autistic

i know this seems like a shitpost, and tbf i am laughing at myself pretty hard rn. it's dawning on me at 6 AM after being awake all night, but (if you care, and if you don't feel free to ignore too, have a nice day!) hear me out, cause this genuinely feels meaningful and insightful for me with how my life has gone so far. I spent an hour writing this post in hopes someone might find it helpful too :3c

If you don't wanna read my post pls enjoy this picture of our famous friend autism baby stackin those cans before you go~♪

(source: wikipedia)

l

like i already /knew/ I was before this moment, but i was thinkin about what i used to do as a kid and wow i am so autistic how the fuck did i not realise sooner. It straight up wasn't until I was already well into my 20's that I started to meet other autistic people online and learned about their experiences and difficulties from talking with them that I realised a lot of things they described matched for me too.

I live in assfuck nowhere so most of my life the only few times that I had met autistic people were like, folks who were nonverbal or whatever, just generally needing direct assistive care, and I never bothered to look things up on my own because I was already inundated with the pressures of growing up, school, mental health, etc. I remember one of the first times I had built up the courage to ask anyone about it, I was in the hospital because of mental health issues. This was in my second year uni, and when one of the doctors assessing me was asking me questions, I said I thought maybe I was autistic. He promptly and with a fair amount of snark told me that if I was autistic I wouldn't have gotten into university.

Thinking back, he was probably just an exhausted, fresh outta school resident with no special interest in psychiatric care (and also just seemed to suck in general), but it was enough that I shelved the idea for another 5 years.

Lo and behold, now I am lying here in bed, just absolutely gobsmacked by the VERY REAL idea that im autistic and like holy shit I feel so vindicated.

I've been on tumblr for just a bit, but I see a lot of folks talking in various neurodivergent circles about their experiences and that's been so wonderful for me. I also have a few good friend groups w/ a lot of neurodivergent folks, and that's been really exciting too.

Like, I'm still processing this cognitively as I'm writing, so please pardon this ill patterned post, but this feels like such a beneficial thing for me. Over time I've adapted a few strategies here and there to help myself accomplish various tasks, but now I feel so empowered to, like... actually figure stuff out.

Even after feeling confident I was autistic, it was this nebulous, floating concept in my head for so long of, "oh yeah im autistic or something idk," that I never really dedicated much effort to finding healthier ways to do things that didn't irk me or whatever. I don't feel like the label /itself/ is what is important to me here, but rather the awareness around why I do so many things in the ways that I do and that it's /okay/ that I do.

I don't want this post to go on too much longer, but I feel it's worth noting that I've fought for years with my family because they didn't understand why I was going about things the way I did. Again, remember, they all grew up in this cloistered hellhole too. But, surprise surprise, the times in my life that I have been doing better than any other are when I felt confident enough to ignore what everyone was trying to get me to go along with and instead just fashioned my own best methods (which also sometimes included informing said overbearing individual(s) to go fuck themselves cause I'm busy doing shit. It's hard for them to argue with me telling them as much when I would be completing X objective well, which is what they wanted in the first place).

I don't want to make this sound like I'm trying to be overconfident, but I mention as much instead as a sign of support for other neurodivergent folks to feel similarly empowered to drum to their own beat. Thinking back, I went from almost failing high school and ultimately retaking a grade to excelling in all my classes. Every single one. I know that's a relative assessment, you got variable difficulty levels, etc., and the grade score isn't important in and of itself, least of all because the school systems here (Canada) are a mess it seems, but just that alone as an idea, within the parameters of a particular system, I went from initial abject failure to thorough and lauded success.

Just think of what so many people could do if they weren't being pigeonholed into formats that absolutely aren't working for them.

I already have a boatload of (genuinely helpful by way of enabling access to proper education and treatment) diagnoses from my history of working with my (very wonderful and genuinely caring and helpful) psychiatrist that match with what I know about the neurodivergence term umbrella like ADHD, OCD, and bipolar, so it seems |autism| will feel quite at home in the group ^w^. I'll ask her about it at my next appointment to see if an official diagnosis has any value versus me just continuing to figure things out on my own.

Either way, I am thrilled right now thinking about the next time I get to shout

"FUCK YOU IM DOING AUTISTIC SHIT"

while an electric guitar squeals and lightning strikes all around me and I make cool stuff happen :3c.

[dreambunnynotes]

daily check-in: dec. 11th

hi lovely friends! i missed my check-in on sunday and i was going to skip monday's because i had the mentality that i could just 'start again tomorrow,' but better habits are built today, not later! i'm trying to find ways to encourage myself to be disciplined and this is one of the ways i'm showing up for myself. monday felt like a huge success in terms of discipline and hard work without pushing myself, and i feel really proud!

please note: in this post i celebrate my lack of rest on monday because i often default to rest without discipline, so personally this was a success in developing a healthier work/play balance, focused on the 'work' part of things. however, everyone is in their own journey with self improvement and i absolutely do not advocate for overworking oneself generally - i believe that a good work/play balance is essential, i am just personally working on the work side of things so that is why i am proud of my lack of rest today!

accomplishments:

i followed through on my work obligations even though i felt super tired and wanted to reschedule; i have so few work obligations these days and i need the money so it felt really good to not cancel even though i wanted to. i only had to cancel one appointment at the very end of the day because i was starting to feel sick (everyone i know is getting a cold or flu these days) but i pushed through earlier in the day for every other appointment and still listened to what my body needed at the end of the day, which feels like a huge success for someone who often cancels her obligations!

i found a new way to enjoy tasks that normally stress me out, which is to listen to a podcast my sister recommended while completing mindless tasks. it made the tasks fly by and made doing them actually fun!

i put in a few hours of work on a project that has a deadline, even though i wanted to spend time doing leisurely things. i feel really proud of myself for accomplishing what i did!

room for improvement:

this is less about today specifically and more about the past week, but i should have gotten started on the project that has a deadline much earlier; i need way more time than i thought i would, which is of course chalked up to time-blindness. i need to find a way to give myself earlier deadlines; last night i researched how to create a sense of urgency for adhd brains and i think i've figured out a way to do this for myself. so, despite my flub in starting the project late, i am proud of myself because i was the one who sought out a deadline for the project in the first place and it has helped me lots!

still need to get to bed earlier; typing this at 12:30am is no good 😭

hohkaaaaay, i am SLEEPY (edit: posting this during the day after i slept lol). i seriously need to get my sleep schedule figured out, but i'm taking one step at a time. i'm calling this day a success, being compassionate to myself for where i made mistakes, and looking forward to another beautiful day today! have a wonderful evening and take care of your lovely self 🥰

[through-frost-and-flames]

you know, as someone who has been following this comic for a long long time (almost from the start. and is likely one of the worst offenders when it came to spam liking since i used likes to keep track of where i was. for that i apologize, but i digress.) and as someone who is very interested in psychology, the inner workings of the mind, what compels people to behave the way they do, etc., you have truly gone above and beyond here.

you are clearly so passionate about your characters, all of them (even if sootsky is somewhat of an exception, i still feel as though he means something to you as a character because you wrote for him and he developed at your hand) no matter how misguided, stubborn/uncooperative, and/or fueled by unsettled conflicts, unprocessed trauma mental turmoil they are; because you understand them.

they aren't just characters to you; they're like your "children" for lack of a better comparison. they're entirely three-dimensional to you and, although I'm not implying by any means that you don't see them as fictional, you breathed so much life into them that i truly do think that they have become something so special and alive. their world truly is that: a whole other World, with every individual living their own lives with their own thoughts, feelings, and motives, and while you obviously control what happens and make changes/add lore as you see fit, i truly do believe that these characters are telling their own stories through you.

i'm not sure if i'm being coherent/clear here as i am a highly abstract thinker and oftentimes overexplain things in an attempt to make it more understandable when it actually has the opposite effect and makes my thoughts more confusing/hard to understand. if i said anything that is incorrect, inaccurate, or pushing any of your boundaries, i deeply apologize. i just wanted to take the time and write out my thoughts to you in an attempt to say that i am so very impressed with the depth of this comic about cats with an origin from a game with randomly-generated events. again, it is so clear that you have put immense thought into each and every character, and your passion for this project is both admirable and very clear to any of your audience who are taking the time to analyze and read unbiased. and, even if some people aren't exactly doing that, there is no one who can deny the amount of effort you have put into this comic and how much you have accomplished in so little time.

you don't have to answer this ask or anything, so please don't feel obligated to. i don't require a response; it just feels nice to finally express my thoughts about this comic to you and it feels like the appropriate time to do so with the finale finally here and a new start coming soon.

i hope you have a wonderful day/night and that however long or short this next arc of the comic may be (and any other potential arcs/spinoffs), it brings you so much joy and pride. it certainly has given me a very complex and interesting story that i both enjoy and find incredibly thought-provoking/very relevant to my interests and studies. keep on doing what you're doing so long as it makes you feel good!

-crookedanchors / warriorwhiskers 💛

THIS IS SUCH A NICE ASK ur so right btw

I tend to put myself in my characters shoes and feel what they feel and I write how they're thinking and feeling from the heart

Some characters are inspired in places by real people I've known / their mindset and even me myself (but most characters arent)

Its crazy to me that I've managed to do all this tbh I've never created complex characters like this before this comic

This has all been very experimental for me

[zerozerozio]

Check-up

A sfw fluffy tf2 fanfic in which Heavy discovers that Medic is ticklish.

word count: 1,786 (estimated read time of 12 minutes)

I'm not much of an author, but I had fun writing this very self-indulgent story. I hope you enjoy it! I needed more content of these two so I resorted to making it myself lol

Heavy sat comfortably on a swivel chair in Medic's office. The sun had nearly set by now, and things were (for once) pretty calm. He was absentmindedly rubbing the feathers on Archimedes' head, who appreciated the attention very much. Medic sat a few feet away, quietly finishing up some paperwork. The two had sat in comfortable silence for a while, but Heavy decided to break it now and discuss his thoughts.

"Doktor, how do you give medical care to yourself?" Heavy spoke softly without looking up from the dove.

The sudden noise slightly startled the other man, taking him out of his focused state. He considered the question for a moment before responding.

"Well, I just examine my own body in a similar way I do to you and the rest of our team. I also have the benefit of feeling firsthand any pain or symptoms that may not be measurable on another person."

Heavy nodded, now turning to look over at the doctor.

"I see, this makes sense." He paused briefly. "But isn't Doktor supposed to see other doctors as well?"

Medic turned his chair towards Heavy. He had one leg crossed over the other in his lap and was tapping a pen on his knee absentmindedly.

"Yes, this is true. However, I do not have the resources in our particular situation to accomplish that, so I make do." Medic responded, waving his hands about as he spoke and occasionally shifting his gaze between Heavy and the ceiling.

Heavy thoughtfully nodded again, but then his face morphed into a playful grin.

"Perhaps one of your colleagues here could be of assistance. I would be happy to help you, Doktor." he replied, flashing a coltish smirk and dramatically placing his hand on his chest.

Medic smiled and raised an eyebrow, proceeding to turn his chair back towards his work.

"Well, thank you, mein Freund, but you aren't exactly qualified to do such a task."

Heavy stood up from his chair, allowing Archimedes to fly off, and walked towards the smaller man, playful smile still present.

"Ah, but technically, you are not either, Doktor."

Medic barked a short laugh at that; he got him there. He shook his head, starting at his work again.

"You know what I mean, Heavy."

However, Heavy wasn't finished pestering him. Besides, his Doktor had been working for far too long now anyway, he aught to take a break. Heavy placed a hand on Medic's shoulder and spoke again.

"I could try at the very least, Doktor. Your health is important to me!"

"Ja, ja..."

Medic shook his head light-heartedly once more as he continued writing something on the paper in front of him.

"I mean it, Doktor!" No, he didn't. Well, he did care about Medic's wellbeing, but he wasn't actually worried. Heavy was confident in his lover's ability to take care of himself, at least in a medical sense. Heavy was happy to occasionally remind him to eat and sleep, though, due to how much time the man spent working.

"Heavy should help you, wouldn't want you to miss a broken rib or something!" Heavy joked, poking Medic's ribs for emphasis. Medic tensed up and jerked away from the touch, and even dropped his pen.

Heavy pulled his hand away quickly, his eyes full of concern and a bit of curiosity. Was the doctor actually hurt? Had Heavy not been gentle enough?

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you? I am sorry, I didn't mean to -"

He was cut off.

"No, no, Heavy. I'm fine, really. I just..."

Medic trailed off, searching hopelessly for words. He wouldn't dare turn and face the man beside him.

Heavy was still rather worried.

"If you are not hurt, then why did you react this way?"

He cautiously reached down to gently prod the doctor's ribs once more. Immediately, Medic pulled away, and surprisingly, he even let out a quiet yelp.

Heavy stood with his eyebrows knit in confusion for a moment before he suddenly understood. His smile returned. This time, however, it was infinitely more mischievous.

"Doktor." Heavy spoke in a calm and sweet tone.

Scheiße, Medic swore internally. He quickly looked for a way out of the situation before Heavy spoke again, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"You are ticklish, aren't you, Doktor?" Heavy's grin could be heard through every word.

Medic's face flushed and his eyes widened. He had somewhat known about this sensitivity of his from past experiences, but no one had ever triggered the reaction on purpose. Medic was close to very few people in his life, so the idea of Heavy or the other mercenaries founding out hadn't really occurred to him.

Heavy leaned over to look at him, bringing him back to reality, and Medic turned away, frozen in place. This reaction had likely given Heavy his answer, but Medic spoke up, still very much avoiding eye contact. A simple "No." was all he could manage through his bashful expression.

Heavy found this situation to be very endearing and decided to have some fun. "Hmm, I see." Heavy feigned a serious tone.

"Well, I should continue with your check-up then, дa?"

"Wh- what?" Medic sputtered.

Just a second later, he stood up abruptly and began to run across the room, giggling nervously. Heavy followed just behind him and chuckled as well.

Medic ducked and hid behind several cabinets and pieces of equipment, being as careful as he could not to crash into anything. Once Heavy had caught up to him, he picked up the smaller man and raised him into the air with ease. Medic squealed and kicked his legs a bit.

"Wait, wait, Heavy, please!" his voice was higher in pitch as he laughed in anticipation.

"What is wrong, Doktor?" Heavy said happily. "I just need to make sure that you are in good health."

Heavy began curling his fingers into the other's sides, careful as not to hurt him. Medic fought weakly, covering his mouth with one hand.

He attempted to speak, "This- this is ridiculous! Let-" he fell into a fit of laughter. "Let me go!"

Heavy laughed with him and began to tease him in a mock-serious tone once more.

"You seem to have many abnormalities, Doktor. Heavy thinks full examination is required!"

Medic's face was entirely red, down his neck and ears as well. He wasn't used to this kind of playful treatment. He certainly didn't mind it, though, to be honest.

Heavy sat down onto the nearby couch and laid Medic across his lap, continuing to tickle him. Heavy held Medic's hands out of the way easily with one arm, and began to scratch lightly around his ribs with the other. Medic howled with laughter and wiggled in place. Heavy thought he looked absolutely adorable and was thoroughly enjoying the unfiltered joy on his beloved Doktor's face.

Medic's hair was a mess, and his glasses were foggy and out of place. He was beautiful. Heavy paused his onslaught for a moment to remove the other man's glasses and place them safely on a table across from them. Then he pressed a tender kiss to his forehead. Medic just laid still, panting with residual laughter. However, the break was short-lived.

"Hmm, what does this button do?" Heavy jested as he began prodding his finger into the other's belly button.

Medic practically screamed with laughter, "HEAVY, BITTE! HEAVY!" Although, he wasn't really sure what he was asking for. This whole experience was foreign to him, and while he would never admit it, he was honestly enjoying it.

Heavy just giggled along with him and continued scribbling his large hands all across his torso, rapidly alternating between spots. Heavy was an experienced tickle monster, what with being the older brother of three younger sisters.

When Medic began kicking his legs out, Heavy simply moved his hand down to squeeze his thighs and knees. This proved to be rather effective as Medic started to yell some gibberish through his laughter; it may have been German, but it was incomprehensible regardless.

Now it was time for a big finish.

Heavy adjusted his position a bit and pulled up Medic's shirt to reveal his stomach. The helpless, giggling Medic noticed this and began to push harder at Heavy's arm, still holding his own in place. But the tickling had weakened him, and he wasn't as strong as Heavy in normal circumstances, so naturally, he didn't move much.

Heavy looked Medic in the eyes with a wide smile before he leaned over to blow a long raspberry right in the middle of his belly. Medic practically melted in Heavy's lap. His laughter was nearly silent and there were tears streaming down his face. He looked so happy and carefree that the larger man almost wished he had a camera.

Heavy pulled his shirt back down and rubbed affectionately on the area. Medic's breathing began to slow down, a few giggles still slipping out occasionally. Heavy moved his arms and sat the doctor up on his lap. He held the other's back comfortingly and rubbed his hands soothingly as he calmed down.

Heavy worried he had gone a bit overboard; he knew Medic was a strong man, but Heavy would never want to make him uncomfortable.

"Did I go too far?" he asked meekly.

Medic opened his eyes to look at the other man, the smile never leaving his face.

"No, it's okay, mein Schatz," he reassured, "I think I needed that. Although now I am rather worn out."

He looked over at his desk thoughtfully, though it was rather blurry without his glasses.

"Perhaps we can lay here for a while then?"

Medic looked back at him and sighed. As usual, Medic felt he should be working, but his current exhaustion and the utter cosiness of the Russian bear before him convinced him otherwise. So he nodded at Heavy and adjusted his position on top of him. Heavy was pleased as he lay back across the couch, extending his arms as an offer to hold the other. Medic complied, laying his head down against Heavy's chest. He could hear the sound of his augmented heart beating softly; Medic found it to be comforting.

Heavy chuckled softly, and Medic could feel the vibrations underneath him.

"I had no idea you were so ticklish." he taunted.

Medic furrowed his eyebrows, attempting (and failing) to look stern.

"Oh, please. It's a very common defence mechanism rooted in protection against vulnerable areas of the body."

"Is cute." Heavy stated simply.

Medic just huffed at that, but his peaceful state was unwavering. They felt warm and safe cuddled up in eachothers arms like this, and within minutes, they had fallen asleep.

[ink-splotch]

Hi!!! I just wanted to tell you that seeing your new game reminded me that Stay? exists and that it's soooo good. It's been a while since I played it, so I don't remember the details, but I do remember being amazed at how much variation there was, how every detail was perfectly woven into the story, and how human the characters felt despite us not getting that much time to know them. Plus, I personally love war plots, and yours DID NOT disappoint. I also really loved how the different "career paths" impacted your story, and just how many different details and paths you could get depending on what you did at every step of the way. I don't know, I just remember liking it a lot and feeling really accomplished once I managed to beat it.

Also, out of curiosity, who are all the LIs? In my lifetimes, I remained pretty faithful to Myka (love of my life, she was so great!!!), but I imagine Esteban, Jo, Suzette and Gemma to be romanceable. Did I miss someone else?

Another question I have is: how did you get the idea for the game? And by that I mean, what was the inspiration for the plot and all the different characters + why did you even decide to make a CYOA in the first place?

Because, again, it was incredibly good and I'd like to know which stars do I have to thank for it existing.

Anyways, once I'm really excited to play More a Haunting than a History, and I just know it's gonna be as great as Stay? was!

Thank you so much and have a nice day! ~ 🍪

Hello there! Thanks for writing me. There are five major romanceable characters in Stay?: Myka, Esteban, Jo, Gemma, and Suzette. Technically, there are some minor romanceable NPCs (ex. the different folks you can live your life with in the "fuck off into the hills" ending), but those five are the main gist of it. The main five can also also each be platonic life partners for you, rather than traditional romantic partners, if that's more your style.

Myka is my wife's favorite love interest in Stay? by far, so great taste.

Stay? actually has a very clear origin story for me. My friends and I played Outer Wilds, which I highly highly recommend, and I was so delighted by its balance and structure that I wanted to see if I could make something built on the same bones. I drafted up my @sortinghatchats quiz to get used to the ink system, and then dove into Stay?. It was the most fast/obsessed I've ever put a story on paper (so to speak) and I admit I may still be chasing that high.

I built the basic structure first, and then added on the setting, characters, plot macguffins, details, etc. on top, trying to interweave and connect them. I like how it turned out. The plotline with the southern lands, to be vague for spoilers reasons, was actually a very late addition and I think it, in many ways, is what made the game work for me.

I hope you enjoyed MAHTAH! It's a very different game than Stay?, in some ways; and I'm proud of myself in different ways in terms of what I tried to build there.

[chaos-monkeyy]

To any of my fic-writer friends & followers who also struggle with writing slumps and dry spells and writing anxiety (so, all of us I would guess) - I just wanted to share something that was not my idea but has been working so incredibly well for me recently.

End of last year I hit a massive writing block. (...Again.) Partly fatigue, but also just... the ideas were there in my head, some of them were half-there in docs, but I couldn't manage to write or continue any of it. It was all too much, and I couldn't do it, and then I felt miserable about not doing the thing I love. Then a very good friend (who I'm not sure if they would want to be named in the post or not so I will err on the side of caution) shared their writing goal with me at the start of January.

The goal: write one sentence every day.

Just one sentence. It doesn't have to be for anything in particular, it doesn't necessarily have to be for a WIP or even for fic. It doesn't have to be good, or serve any purpose, or be shown to anyone right away or ever.

I've written something every day since. Every. Single. Day, for 27 days straight. Twenty-seven! I don't feel burnt out. I've stopped stressing about what I "have" to write or what I "have" to finish. I am enjoying writing again. Most days, I end up writing more than one sentence because even though I'm tired and brainfried, once I start it keeps flowing; sometimes it's a little more than one sentence, sometimes it's a lot more. I've started new WIPs, which may or may not continue, and that's fine. I've continued old WIPs because I actually want to, and even finished + posted a few things as well. I've written a dumb two line rhyme about having sore feet on the day I could not bring myself to write fic at all.

I guess if I'm trying to say anything specific here, it's: find yourself a goal that helps, don't set one that will just make you feel daunted or even worse for not being able to meet it after all. It might look very different for you, and that's okay!

But for me, it's the difference between feeling good after throwing down a simple sentence or two, because I accomplished my daily writing goal, vs. being constantly down on myself for not doing a nebulous "more", and then just not writing at all.

[qawcamiz]

yn with flirty/cold/slippery attitude, hellos, and "about [character]" voicelines? (chongyun diluc childe kazuha)

Y/N Voicelines

warnings ; offensive words, etc.

characters ; Kazuha, Diluc, Childe & Chongyun

notes ; i added some voicelines too LMQO i got too carried away, im cringing

Hello

Oh?... you're curious about who I am? A bit strange... to be certain you had called upon odd metier in your lifetime, so it wasn't all too unpredictable that you would seek to know more about myself and what my intention in this world was. So I've chosen to deliver the response myself. I am a Traveler from another world, like you. but! you aspire to the truth of teyvat while I, L/N, Y/N aim to understand it. So tell me, what have I come here to inquire of from you?

—

Chat: Delays

just how absurd are you? standin' here and accomplishing nothing. I am not going to be responsible for you for falling behind.

—

When Thunder Strikes

Oh my... Pleasant climate it is, I always like to think that if I have to listen to one additional thunderclap, I might get hit by its lightning! Haha, ridiculous. you think I'm that childish? quit it.

—

After The Rain

I'll concede, I am fairly enjoying this ambiance, I enjoy walking alone, and it’s always been uncomplicated going off someplace with no gazes on me.

—

When it Snows

it’s only a few tiny fragments, yet the chill is intense. Ugh, I've always despised it whenever it snows, not to speak of that winter brings the most ominous weather ever.

—

Good Morning

Get up and take hold of the day with all your strength or I might as well end up taking care of you today too.

—

Good Afternoon

Why don't we halt by the inn? You and that small thing flowing beside you are probably drowsy.

—

Good Evening

Another evening has eventually dropped anchor. The only thing that could make this duller is that I got to witness it.

—

Good Night

Haha, you're anxious that I might take the opportunity to kill you while you're napping? that's actually an excellent idea, though I'm quite surprised you're not dead yet, perhaps I should get more rest if I have a strategy at slaughtering you, so don't concern too much about it. I'm not going to do anything harmful tonight, and I guarantee you won't remember it in the dawn. just rest up.

—

About Kaedehara Kazuha

You're talking about the Young Samurai? Seriously? Why would that be something to gloat about, huh? I'm not even really surprised you'd let out this variety of stuff. you've always been quite the gossipy person. all I know is that he's remarkable at making ballads, hm? you wish to know more about him? why don't you ask him yourself? You're so pesky.

—

About Childe

That man is a menace. No, he's the absolute connotation of agony. I loathe his demeanor. Imagine not being competent to use chopsticks. what are you, a juvenile? his name suits him. That man provides me headaches every period we interact. though his combat ability is something that I should be proud of, he is one of a fighter and it's difficult to find someone with that vast skill.

—

About Diluc

did I hear that right? you're asking me about that grumpy man, the one who always looks like he's on the verge of massacring his mates? the grumpy one with the scarred knuckles and that bloody piercing eyes who has never ceased looking ready to kill ever since the day I met him, but hey, he has captivating features if you know what I mean.

—

About Chongyun

That young man who loves to exorcist his nonexistent ghosts? I don't know why but he always seems nervous around me, is there something intimidating about me? What a silly thought, whatever he's adorable enough to calm me down.