#Plot is hard

[short-honey-badger]

Peppermint Tea 11

Alright. So this part is pretty plot heavy, I would think? I hope you enjoy the direction I've got planned, and if you have any suggestions I would gladly hear them!

Warnings! Kissing and some heavy petting? It's not too graphic. Mihawk is sad.

Masterlist

For once, you are the first one awake the next morning. Your eyes crack open to the delightful sight of your lover? Boyfriend? You still don't know which term you prefer. But he looks beautiful while asleep, his usually pinched scowl relaxed and peaceful in his sleep. You take in his handsome features, to his sharp jaw and immaculate facial hair.

This man has become so much to you in what feels like such a small amount of time. It feels more like you have known Dracule for your entire life, not the measly three months that have actually passed. And maybe you have, the more you think about it, and if your dreams have anything to say about it.

After that first time, you've had similar dreams since. Sometimes, they aren't as bad. Sometimes it will be you and that same young man. He would grace you with a smile and promise that everything would be okay. That he wouldn't allow what mother and father agreed to happen. You still don't really know what he means, and the dreams always slip away before you can examine them.

Other times, it would be storming, the wind and sea raging as you and the boy struggled to sail through the crashing waves. Those ones were the worst, for you had eaten a devil fruit, and the ocean hated those who had betrayed her trust. Those dreams made you wake up in a sweat, the name of the young man on your lips, but unsaid, you still couldn't remember it.

But no matter what, you would always see a familiar sword and a wide brimmed hat with its white feather. You know who they belong to now, especially now that the owner in question lay in the bed with you. But why would he be showing up in such odd dreams? Did Dracule know something about you? Something that could connect you to your past that you have long forgotten?

The thought made you uneasy, and you did not like it.

Mihawk moves in his sleep, the arm that he had wrapped around your waist tugging you closer, “Stop thinking so hard, Angel,” he grumbles and his rough voice had your stomach doing flips, “Go back to sleep.”

A quiet sigh leaves your nose, and you close your eyes to do as he says. This lasts all for ten seconds before you open your eyes again, frowning as you shift to get comfortable. You try again, and still, sleep does not come. You squirm a little more and press your cold nose into his chest to block out what little light is streaming through the window.

Despite being much more comfortable, your mind will not calm and thoughts race. You find yourself shifting again, brow scrunching up, and you close to giving up when Dracule suddenly grabs you and rolls so that he lays on top of you.

You shiver when his hot breath ghosts over your neck and ear, “What's got you so restless, Dear one?” Mihawk demands and presses soft kisses to the skin right below Your ear. You gasp and clutch his shoulders, eyes fluttering at how nice it feels to have him press you into the bed.

“I keep having these dreams,” you begin and hiss when Dracule nips you a little harsher than usual, “But they feel like memories. And I see you every time.” You admit and Mihawk chuckles darkly, and you can feel it rumble through his chest.

“Dreaming about me?” Dracule teases and leans up to rest on his elbows, looking at where he has you trapped beneath him, and frowns when he realizes that you look serious. He shifts to his back, taking you with him so that you lay splayed over his chest.

“Do you want to tell me about them?” Mihawk asks, teasing tone from earlier gone and replaced by one of care and gentle encouragement. He rubs circles into the exposed skin of your back where your sleep shirt has risen up and hums in content when he feels your weight settle over him.

You think about his offer. You aren't sure what kind of answer Dracule could give you if you told him about your dreams, but you didn't want to keep anything from him, either. So, quietly, you tell him of your first dream. About running, the cities and fields of your home burning. The young man who carried you through the destruction of the island. It's hard to recall details, but you do your best to describe the symbol that you'd seen many of the attackers wearing. And finally, of seeing his sword with the literal cross guard and his hat.

The moment that you had described Big Mom's jolly Roger, an awful foreboding feeling had begun to creep in. Dracule knows what you are talking about. A time when he had been still young enough to make foolish, quick decisions that he would later on regret. How could this have happened? How did you survive?

Dracule tightens his hold on you, and his angel snuggles into his chest like he wasn't the savage who hadn't helped destroy her home.

Thankfully, you don't seem to find anything amiss with him, instead turning to look up at Dracule with sleepy eyes full of adoration.

“I know it's a long shot, but you wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?” You say, voice wavering and unsure. You blush and loom away, “I know it's kinda dumb since they are just dreams, but they feel so real.”

Dracule Hawkeye Mihawk decided then and there that this would be the only lie that he would ever tell you, for he leaned in and kissed your brow, “I'm sorry, Darling. I'm afraid I don't know anything about that.”

You nod easily, “I figured so, but I just wanted to make sure,” you place a soft kiss to his chest and Mihawk's heart aches in a way that he has never felt before. He isn't in the habit of feeling guilty, but right now? If you asked the warlord for anything, he would move the world to do it for you. For how could he not, when he was part of the reason you were stuck on this island?

Mihawk hums in response. He needs to distract you from this line of thought you seem to be stuck in, so he changes tactics. His hands press more fully into your plush skin, the innocent touches becoming a bit more forceful. Your hands flex against his chest, and Dracule takes that as permission to continue.

“Don't think about them, sweet thing. You are here, with me, now. And I am not going anywhere.” Mihawk swears quietly and grasps your hips, adjusting you so that you sit on his lap, legs resting on either side of his waist. Your face is scarlet, frost creeping along your arms, and Dracule rubs your exposed thighs in a soothing manner.

You nod quickly, eagerly. You don't want him to ever leave you, and would go with him if you could. But just the thought of leaving your island sends fear striking down your back and a voice shouting at you that you can never ever leave for your safety.

Dracule smirks up at you, “I'm glad we've come to an agreement, then,” he draws and tugs you down by your sleep shirt. You fall forward and catch yourself on the bed, and Mihawk leans in to capture your lips in a kiss that makes you forget about the less than pleasant memories.

The warlord sweeps his hands under your shirt, hands finding your nipples with ease and gently rolling the buds between his thumb and forefinger. You keen into his mouth, and Mihawk slips his tongue inside at the first opportunity.

He plays with you until your hips jerk against his own, and your eyes fly open when you feel the hard length of Dracule, separated by the thin fabric of both of your underwear. His hand finds your hips again, and he pulls you down as he rolls his own hips up, grinding up into your delectable heat.

The friction has you whining, eyes clenching shut as Dracule does it again and again. The man under you licks into your mouth, rhythm unhurried as he gives you a pleasure that you have not experienced before. He doesn't stop, and the heat in your lower stomach coils so tightly that it suddenly snaps, leaving you crying out and burying your face in the crook of his neck. Everything feels over sensitive, and it takes you longer than what it should to catch your breath.

Dracule says nothing, allowing you to come down from your high. His cock twitches from where it's still pressed between your legs, and it takes all of his willpower to not remove the offending layer so that he could feel how soft he knew you would be.

The pirate grits his teeth when you move, sitting up so that you can look down at him. He is flushed, chest a light pink under the thick hair that grows there. He watches as you lick your lips, eyes going half lidded, “What about you?” You murmur softly and meet his heavy gaze.

Just as Dracule was about to suggest something rather lewd, a loud whining came from outside the bedroom. Your expression drops, and Dracule can't help the sigh he lets out as he drops his head into the pillow. This would not be the first time that Hank has ruined the mood, and it definitely would not be the last.

“Go on, sweet thing. I'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast,” Dracule assures you, and you lean down to steal a kiss from his lips before you slide off his lap. You dress quickly in a pair of leggings, but leave your sleep shirt unchanged for now.

He watches you disappear and then slings an arm over his eyes. He needed to think, your admission about your dreams, no memories, had shaken him. Mihawk knew who you were, at least he had a good idea of who anyway, and if Big Mom ever found out if you were still alive, Mihawk isn't sure if even he could save you from her wrath and the rest of her monstrous family.

@writingmysanity @kenkenmaaa @foggyturtleknightangel @browneyedhufflepuff @djbumblebee @goth-mami-writer @myradiaz

[albireon]

Signalling I'm alive via shitty sketches of some guys designs that I liked

[denimaww]

Soo if you're a reader and awaiting my next Contractum ad Solis et Carnis chapter, I am sorry it's taking so long. University has been a lot and a lot of things have happened unexpectedly in my life the last two weeks. If I write, it's on my other series, Desire flowers wherever it finds purchase, with Halsin and Astarion, and that's because it's way less demanding of plot and research. Know however that I am scheming and plotting for Contractum. Fear not, there will be more debauched depictions of Astarion and Raphael in time.

[raccoonfallsharder]

Chapter 3/20 - Window Across the Galaxy

girl falls first; raccoon falls harder.

Neither of them sleep for the remainder of the night. When the Gemma Lynn begins brightening to signal the onset of the artificial waking-half of the rotation, Rocket can see that the broad has smudges of exhaustion under her eyes. For a moment, he wonders if she ever even went to bed in the first place, but when she finally stands up to get ready for the day, he can see she’s not wearing any pants. He looks away. So that big white shirt is supposed to be for sleeping, then.

Chapter III. A Kindness. in which Rocket gets in his own damn way: not for the first time, and certainly not for the last

This chapter is angsty, friends. Please see behind the cut for a more thorough summary/notes/links to preceding chapters/a brief preview to Chapter IV. Got There First. Some day I'll figure out a good way to format these posts.

General Summary~

Rocket is captured by a Ravager crew hoping to get rich off the excessively large bounty on his head. Throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans is the Terran girl they hired to do some freelance assessing on a recent haul of goods they’ve seized from a Xandaran luxury liner. Oops.

slight AU starting pre-GOTG volume 1 (but will hit most of the same major plot points). slooowww burn + eventual smut with a lot of pining in the middle. kinda enemies-to-lovers? (but only one of these idiots thinks they're enemies). elements of hurt/comfort because rocket is the saddest-angriest boy. rating will go up and tags will be added to as needed.

i just want someone to be nice to my best raccoon boy

Chapter I. A Delicacy. in which our reluctant heroes meet atop a crate of Sovereign porn in the bowels of a Ravager ship.

Chapter II. Monster For A Pet. in which one hero wrestles with his inner Groot, and the other is quite possibly a moron.

Chapter III. A Kindness. in which Rocket gets in his own damn way: not for the first time, and certainly not for the last.

Coming Soon: Chapter IV. Got There First. in which our heroes obtain an arsenal and street food.

[isnt-itstrange]

Me when I read a book that is the most godsent, superior plot having, downright incomparable to the rest, piece of literature ever written, but it is on Wattpad so I cannot come to my dear tumblr to express and share the love I have for it because it is unheard of on here 🙂

(Don’t mind this just tweaking till the next update)

[notaspectator]

are there any specific dynamics/topics that people look for in ghostwire ships? like, I love the “cypher finds omen’s past”, but theres already people who have done it better than i can

i kind of want cypher to be unable to find anything about omen. Just, theres.. nothing. Omen gets increasingly frantic and frustrated as he doesn’t get answers, and Cypher is the one to break it to Omen; but that Viper is the only one with information, and that Viper wont say anything more to Cypher than she’ll say to Omen. It sounds like a good place to start ngl, but besides that, idk.

(yes i have given in and decided i must write more omen/cypher because i crave any amount of content on them. Also talked a friend into writing something about Viper too lmao.)

[saints-who-never-existed]

The fic is progressing slowly but surely.

The whole point is one event ultimately changing things for the better but my main struggle at the minute is deciding how far to go with that.

Does Carnivale still need to burn?

Does Irving still need to die?

Like, I want things to be better but it's not enough to say "A few things changed and as if by magic, nobody wanted to mutiny and Hickey suddenly wasn't a criminally insane rat-bastard little monster anymore! It's a miracle!"

I dunno, I'm just very new to this whole 'writing with the express intention of other people actually reading it' malarky and it's difficult...

[theprissythumbelina]

Who here has any advice on making plot points make sense because to be completely honest I can do a start and I can do an end but getting from one to the other is a mess

[nondelphic]

"just write a little every day" ok but what if i write nothing for 3 weeks and then suddenly type like i’m being hunted by god

[cranberry-queen]

Tips from a Beta Reading Writer

This one's for the scenes with multiple characters, and you're not sure how to keep everyone involved.

Writing group scenes is chaos. Someone’s talking, someone’s interrupting, someone’s zoning out thinking about breadsticks. And if you’re not careful, half your cast fades into the background like NPCs in a video game. I used to struggle with this so much—my characters would just exist in the scene without actually affecting it. But here’s what I've learned and have started implementing:

✨ Give everyone a job in the scene ✨

Not their literal job—like, not everyone needs to be solving a crime or casting spells. I mean: Why are they in this moment? What’s their role in the conversation?

My favourite examples are:

The Driver: Moves the convo forward. They have an agenda, they’re pushing the action.

The Instigator: Pokes the bear. Asks the messy questions. Stirring the pot like a chef on a mission.

The Voice of Reason: "Guys, maybe we don’t commit arson today?"

The Distracted One: Completely in their own world. Tuning out, doodling on a napkin, thinking about their ex.

The Observer: Not saying much, but noticing everything. (Quiet characters still have presence!)

The Wild Card: Who knows what they’ll do? Certainly not them. Probably about to make things worse.

If a character has no function, they’ll disappear. Give them something—even if it’s just a side comment, a reaction, or stealing fries off someone’s plate. Keep them interesting, and your readers will stay interested too.

[shrews-art]

I'm a serious artist with serious art projects

[somewhereincairparavel]

percy had an 'im a big three son' moment when he choked a goddess with her own saliva (controlling a fluid that was INSIDE her body) annabeth was terrified.

nico had an 'im a big three son' moment when he disembodied bryce lawrence (quite literally dissipating and shrinking his LIVING soul into a spirit) and threw him to the underworld, smashing his zombie warriors. reyna was terrified.

yet we were robbed of jason's 'im a big three son' moment where he sucks the air out of someone's lungs and makes them stop breathing, or damaging a person's nervous system with his lightning control, and literally cause internal bleeding, or a damaged/fried skull if he electrocuted hard enough (look up the effects of lightning damage on body y'all will get a whole list, tbh he doesn't even need lightning to do any of this, air control is more than enough since air takes charge of everything going inside the body, but this is just an added effect.) he could give people STROKES if he wanted to. he's the literal definition of burnt out kid who was suppressed from discovering the magnitude of his abilities, because one, his dad's ego wouldn't be able to handle it, two, because he, for some reason, can't be allowed to do anything other than get knocked out :/

also adding on, hardcore pjo fans know that after the ending page of boo, there's this fan story that rick chose to publish in the last few pages of the book where a fan reimagines the ending of hoo, in that work, annabeth collapses from an attack and percy sobs clutching her body. jason calmly asks him to step aside, and kneels before annabeth, jason regulates her breathing using his wind/lightning powers and brings annabeth back fully from her cardiac arrest, causing percy to be relieved. (I wanted to link the pics of the pages here so bad but I didn't have the hard copy of the book with me, and this isn't available anywhere online either, only in the original covers of boo uk and us version, so I edited this post and asked people to reblog this post w the pics if they have the hardcopy, and a kind blogger found the story I'm talking about and reblogged the pictures of the pages, you can check my reblogs of this post for the pictures of the almost all the pages after this scene) considering rick approved and even liked the fan's work well enough to publish it in the official boo book, I'd say rick was aware and never completely ruled out expanding jason's abilities and had them in mind, he simply didn't incorporate it into the books. (also W fan for giving jason the rep he deserves, I will always remember you, you saw the VISION before any of us did, the story was very well written, with great dialogue.)

[echo146]

How it feels working a 9 to 5 and having too many WIPs of varying forms and genres alongside unrealistic expectations for myself as a writer yayyy xox

[seekerknight557]

i think it is a very powerful thing when the story inside you is so loud that you are forced to relearn how to draw, write, and talk to people to get it made into a real thing

[raccoonfallsharder]

transition chapters are the worst.

plot is hard. just let me write random melodramatic dialogue, tragic backstories, and fluffy domestic scenes

[flappy-dragon53]

You’ve heard of “justice league doesn’t know Batman has kids”

Now prepare for “the Team doesn’t know Batman is Robins dad”