#boaf extras

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for chapter 10 of Birds of a Feather.

Warning!! This chapter is a bit rough! Includes intrusive thoughts, one mention of throwing up, and disordered eating.

Chapter 10- Mindless Misery

@possum-quesadilla @crawlingcarcass @raineisinkless @katslitterbox

“An’ I’m an impulsive guy, ya know that, but don’tcha think maybe we should just sleep it off?”

You know it’s bad when Beetlejuice is the voice of reason.

“She didn’t stop sprinting until a tree root sent her (and her knife) flying a few feet forwards.”

Just like the beginning scene in chapter 1. Shilo and tree roots do not go together.

“Beetlejuice?” Shilo called out to the air with the little strength she had left. She got no answer but the quiet sway of trees. He was gone.”

Haha she is… not seeing him for a while!

“After a few hours, Shilo picked herself off the ground with great difficulty.”

She laid on the ground for about 2 hours. Her poor back.

“Two weeks passed. Shilo drove for hours. Flipped off more than a few leaf peepers.”

When you’re trying to find your boyfriend but you live in a Vermont forest and it’s peak foliage 😔

“Her house became surrounded by mourning doves and corvids.”

How fitting.

“That night, that cold Halloween night, Shilo considered driving back home to Connecticut. Seeing her parents again. She hadn’t thought about going home since she left all those years ago, but now, she craved company more than anything.”

Shilo does not visit her parents in this one. I’m thinking of writing a part three to this series that’s centered on her going back to Connecticut.

“She couldn’t do it. As lonely as she was, the thought of Beetlejuice coming back to an empty home saddened her more than anything.”

Imagine you fight you fight your way through hell trying to get back home and your girlfriend just. isn’t there.

“The next day, Shilo put on her old ratty lab coat, the same one she used to wear when she was first searching for Beetlejuice.”

Full circle babyyyyy

“She whistled little tunes to the birds and tossed them birdseed.”

She whistles the same tune every time she feeds them. She’s training them to flock to her when she calls.

“Tuscan bean soup”

I had this soup in December of last year when I caught a horrible cold. I had it almost every day for a week. It was so good that I had to pay tribute to it.

“She had a specific whistle that she made every time she went out with food, in hopes they would recognize it and follow her around like some kind of morbid Disney princess.”

It’s a dream I share with her.

“It placed a single packet of Skittles at Shilo’s feet before morphing back into the harpy she knew and loved. He stumbled and winced as he tried taking a step forward. “Howdy, babes. Miss me?”

He’s back!

Sorry that this chapter was more depressing than usual. I wrote this in February when I was incredibly depressed and also getting over a breakup. Gave me great writing inspo though!

[c0zmo-writes-archive]

Hello! I was inspired by the always amazing @possum-quesadilla to write some details, background stuff, and other little notes for my harpy Beetlejuice fanfiction, Birds of a Feather. This is just chapter one for now.

Chapter 1- Feathered Finds

“It had what was either a scraggly beard or lichen on its face. Maybe both?”

Beej has plant life growing on his body! He could be his own little forest if he wanted to.

“My name is Shilo. I study cryptids and monsters. Ever since I found out that a harpy lived in the deepest part of these woods eight years ago, I dedicated my life to finding it! Yes, I moved to the woods and built my own house here, and yes, all my friends and family think I’m crazy, and yes, they tried to get me diagnosed with something, but it’s all been worth it! I knew you were real! Oh, what’s your name by the way?”

Fun fact: Shilo is autistic and has ADHD! She is also a big infodumper. She either talks to herself a bit, doesn’t talk for three days straight, or never stops talking. She’s just like me fr.

“And to answer your other questions, first, because when I get focused on a project, I get focused, and I’ve been interested in cryptids and monsters my whole life.”

Special interest moment !!

“Shilo wanted to fight back, wanted to argue that she didn’t wait this long searching for him just to not be able to publish her findings,”

By “publishing her findings”, Shilo was really planning on screaming about Beej on Reddit. I love this nerdy mad scientist loser girl <3333

“Before she could change her mind, Shilo wrapped her arms as far as she could around the harpy. He smelled of roadkill and pine sap. His soft chest feathers tickled her nose and she held her breath as his body stiffened.”

Is it a good idea to hug a large forest bird monster that you’ve just met? Probably not. Not that Shilo cares. 

“You, my feathered friend, are a whopping seven feet and two inches tall!”

He’s a tall boy!! Even larger than the average male harpy (based on my slightly modified version of the species at least)! I wonder if there’s a reason behind that…

“Yeah? What, is parrot Shilo comin’ back again? If she is, you should dress the part. You’d look good in a bit of color.” He gestured to her current attire, a long sleeved black undershirt, ratty lab coat that looked older than time itself, and some black pants, stained with grass and grime”

All of her clothes are either stained or dirty. This girl is Not Good at keeping up with laundry.

“I dunno about immortal, ‘cause my mom definitely wasn’t. I guess I just have a long life span? I never really questioned it.”

…

“Wow!” Shilo stretched the word out, speaking a few octaves higher than normal. “That’s… such an interesting answer!” Beetlejuice didn’t seem to see her discomfort.”

Shilo isn’t amazing at picking up social skills, but Beetlejuice is worse.

“It was populated with tables, corkboards, and journals. So. Many. Journals.”

She has around 50-ish journals. She’s written in about 34. She’s actually completed about 10.

“He kept roaming the lab, sniffing at books, tables, and walls. From upstairs, he could hear the quiet clattering of what he assumed were pots and pans. He crawled onto the mattress and inhaled deeply. It smelled like her. Sweat, earth, and something vaguely floral. He liked that. He nuzzled against her pillow a bit,”

Sensory input is incredibly important to him, especially scents and sounds! He’s got a very sensitive nose and ears.

“SALMON!!!” Beetlejuice leapt up from his spot on the floor and lunged for Shilo. In his rush, he bit down on both the salmon and the plate, narrowly avoiding Shilo’s finger.”

Poor guy was starving :(

“He tried to sit down the way Shilo did, but his wings got in the way. After a bit of struggling, he stood up, made a low growling sound in the back of his throat, then kicked the chair over in a rage, sending it flying.”

When you try to fit in with your new friend but you’ve got two heavy duty feather dusters permanently strapped to your back.

“He jerked his head up, face smeared red with raspberry carnage.”

I picture him looking like a baby eating cake for the first time. 

“A soft purring sound emitted from him as he dozed off again. Shilo made a mental note to write about that as she ran her fingers through his crest of hair, eventually joining him in slumberland.”

Despite being half bird, Beetlejuice purrs like a cat!! His feathers and hair are also very soft and fluffy! 

[vampireimiko]

Loki and Bucky (separate) Relationship Headcanons !!

warnings, none at all i promi

note, when i tell y'all i need them BOAF at the same time...

Loki

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Being in a relationship with Loki of all people is NOT for the weak. Especially if you have the same personality as him. Sassy and doesn’t know when to watch his mouth? Oh, you two would be menaces together.

Like, if you ever called him a "drama queen," he will dramatically sigh and say, "Drama king, thank you very much."

If you ever dare to out-sass him, he’ll just squint at you like, "Ah, so this is betrayal." But secretly? He loves it. Someone who can keep up with his wit? Absolutely captivating.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° But I digress! Loki is the king of dramatic declarations for a reason. He'll sweep into a room and declare, "Ah, my beloved! I have longed for you!" even if you just saw him five minutes ago.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ °He constantly tries to fluster you with smooth lines, but the second you turn it around on him, he short-circuits.

"Loki, you’re breathtaking."

"—Wait, what?... I mean! Well, yes, of course I am."

He says barely managing to get his composure back.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° As the God of Mischief, he obviously loves to prank people. But he has a strict rule: You are off-limits. However, if you ever wanted to join in on one of his schemes he'd never deny you 😹

He also likes teaching you magic! Not the dangerous kind, just little illusions so you can mess with people together. A true power couple.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He pretends to be above cuddling, claiming that it's one of the stupid things that mortals do, but yet he clings to you in his sleep like an octopus.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Jealous Loki is hilarious. He won’t get outwardly possessive, but he’ll suddenly be extra touchy or slip in phrases like, "Yes, my darling, the love of my immortal life, my one and only." just to make a point.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He has an unfair advantage in arguments because he’ll just shapeshift into you and mock you in your own voice. "Oh look at me, I’m so adorable when I’m mad—" cue you smacking him with a pillow.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Despite his dramatics, he trusts you more than anyone. He’s not used to being vulnerable, but with you? He can just be—no masks, no tricks, just Loki.

Bucky

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Bucky adores the time he spends with you and is so happy to call you his. He will try to act tuff from time to time, but you see straight through his facade each and every time.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He has a soft spot a mile wide for you. You could ask him to do anything, and he’d grumble about it but do it anyway. "I swear, doll, you’re the only one who could talk me into this."

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° Bucky loves hearing you laugh. If he can make you snort? That’s such a win for him😭. He’ll smirk like it’s the best thing he’s done all day.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° The man has dad jokes and grumpy old man energy for days.

"Bucky, did you just say ‘back in my day’ unironically?"

"��Shut up."

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He gets ridiculously flustered if you compliment his smile. "Shut up—No, I’m not smiling. You’re imagining things."

"Yeah okay, James!" You teased poking his side.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° If he’s in a bad mood, you’re one of the only people who can pull him out of it. Everyone else gets grunts and glares, but the second you walk in? He melts.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He pretends he doesn’t get jealous, but his hand will suddenly find your waist if someone flirts with you. Or he’ll just stare at the poor fool until they get the hint.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He likes holding your hand, but he always lets you take his metal one first. He doesn’t even realize it until you lace your fingers together, and then his grip tightens just a little—like he never wants to let go.

He still feels a bit insecure about his robotic limb here and there, but in moments like these, it doesn't even matter. Being near you is all he needs.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° When he wakes up from nightmares, you’re the only thing that grounds him :((. Just your voice or the feeling of your hand on his is enough to bring him back.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° He’s absolutely wrapped around your finger, and honestly? He wouldn't have it any other way 🫶🏾

additional note ! AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN

𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

[caxasy]

i love that i envision relationship dynamics with caleb to be him being the more compliant type to follows orders you give him and will easily get on his knees to beg if you ask him to. at your beck and call with that handsome smile on his face, happy to basically be a commanded puppy if it means youre happy. meanwhile for sylus, hehehehehe i jus thinks hes so much if the doting type, always there ti remind you he will take care of you and thats hes someone you can rely on aka you can literally just exist and he will take care ofyou without question or complaint. calebs the type to kind of want to be babied by you more have that extra attention focused on him and only him meanwhile sylus the type to baby you, spoil u so much you dont know what to do with it.

two drastically different relationship dynamics and theyre both sooooo appealing to me GUYS I WANT BOAF SO BADBABDBDBBADV (inspo for sylus x reader x caleb) maybe idk

[m1stm3]

♥︎: fluff ♡: angst ☆: suggestive ★: smut

★ “u up?” no!!! (ex bf! satoru)

★ boaf?? boaf!!! (poly!stsg x reader)

☆♥︎ multi-purpose!! (satoru x chubby! reader)

♡ i don’t want to… but…

♥︎ confess i loved you…

extras: ☆ ♥︎ ☆

[theforgottenmcrmy]

question about what to update next because I’m indecisive

Alright, so here’s the gist of it: I have two stories I want to update in the near future. I have the next part (technically it’s a part 1 and a part 2) of Growing Strong 90% ready, I just need to read through it again and start the edits. But I also really want to update Birds of a Feather, since I’m overdo for that. I’ve got the details for the next chapter plotted/tentatively planned out, but I need to sit down and write it out.

SO, my question, by means of providing options, are:

Go ahead and post the next Growing Strong chapters this week, BUT I will hold myself accountable and not allow myself to update it again until after the next BOAF chapter has been posted, in order to motivate myself, OR

Go ahead and try to crank out the next BOAF chapter, and use the fact that I’ve got the next chapter of Growing Strong already ready to go as extra motivation.

If anyone has any opinions on those, I’d love to hear it. I know it’s not realistic to think that everyone’s gonna have the same vote, but I’m trying to minimize the amount of people being disappointed in the decision.🥲

And if you really don’t care what I update, you just want more content, feel free to let me know that as well. I appreciate any confirmation that I’m literally just getting in my own head and creating problems for myself where they simply do not exist.😅 

[e-mell-y]

feeling completely overwhelmed with love for my friends in this chillis tonight

[writing-for-me-at-this-point]

Ok but Imagine:

Due to some “unforeseen” circumstances CAU mc somehow ends in the Afterdark timeline/dimension. How would everyone react?

The yanderes would flip out for sure! The buns are gone! They'd probably do their best to get into contact with someone who can find them, maybe the BOAF kids, to come and snatch the buns back. The baby birbs will be especially fast considering they've been to that world before.

The buns would be horrified to see that MC is in the same situation they used to be in, but in the end, they can't bring them back to their world... and it breaks their little hearts.

Theu know the AD boys aren't their Connection boys, but it still hurts, and they make sure to keep an eye on their MC whenever they're around. They'd probably ask to move into Ramshackle, to stay with MC, because while they haven't had the chance to interact much with them- they are still nice and cared for the buns!

This can also expose how being raised by yanderes can... twist a person. They won't take no for an answer, and will demand to stay with MC, not hesitating to manipulate the yanderes in their favor.

"You must not love us then... MC was scared! Hurt! Just like we were... we don't want that to happen. MC can't be hurt like us, and if you don't let us stay with them... then you don't care... right?"

The buns act innocent, and the yanderes give them what they want, but more observant ones notice the rather new behavior whenever it comes to the buns going against them.

Omg I read this wrong and though you meant the bunnies going missing

It would be a bit of a similar reaction.

If MC themselves were to leave, their friends would be worried, since the yanderes aren't yandere for them. Bit it doesn't mean MC hasn't made close friends.

But the buns would be absolutely heart broken. MC is often with them, and they do their homework and school work with MC, following from class to class as they do their own book work. They're rather close, and it can lead to some jealousy amongst the yanderes, or it could calm others.

Those that are jealous may be happy MC is gone, now they can prove they're the ones who should take care of the twins, but the others still worry for their friend and may contact the BOAF kids unknowingly. Or maybe the kids, specially Salem, Inaya, and Amara keep an eye on that universe to make sure nothing happens. So they can catch connection MC quickly before they get hurt, and send them back.

MC does become a bit reclusive, scared of the others for a while, and can possibly push the poor bunnies away from them. After all, with so many yanderes, the bunnies are surrounded and always have a couple with them. And that... wouldn't be the best for MC, so of course they'd as to stay in Ramshackle, they're safe there and can be alone with MC.

Unfortunately, once the buns to start to stay, MC feels unsafe with all the extra eyes on them. But, they bottle up those emotions rather quickly, seeing as they have to care for the buns again. The staff if understanding and gives them needed breaks, but it won't be enough most of the time, and it builds up.

And there's also a new fear... on how much control the buns have over the others... and how they seem to exploit it. MC still cares about them, but tries to teach them that manipulating people isn't the best idea, so they behave.

When MC is around.

[evajellion]

Idea for a BoaF. Taeko gets a biker look, with the help of our outlaws. She thought it'd be fun, considering how different the two were in the past. As a model citizen, she wears those protective motorcycle suits. Which they teased her about, since she's concerned about safety. However, it makes her cool and attractive (the fabric is modified for extra armor in reference to her engineering hobby). Noriko understood what Matsui meant before and Naoko volunteers to decorate it. Both blush at her.

Okay, tbh? Adorable concept for a backstory chapter before everything went wrong, but also this would eventually devolve into Taeko switching places with Matsu for a day (he becomes the orphanage teacher/caretaker, while Taeko plays biker/snack stand owner)

… only for it to end up with Taeko getting into scuffles like Matsu and Akira often did, potentially leading to "AU where she tries to solve the conspiracy".

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for chapter 7 of Birds of a Feather.

Chapter 7- A Tender Moment

@possum-quesadilla @raineisinkless @crawlingcarcass @katslitterbox

“Shilo picked tonight’s movie. A human monster romance movie. She was always good at finding those.”

I didn’t have a specific movie in mind for this one. If anyone’s got some recommendations, lmk.

“Shilo was cut off by Beetlejuice roughly shoving his lips against hers. He rested one hand over hers and placed the other on her waist. Oh my god we’re kissing and it’s actually happening and I don’t hate it and he doesn’t hate it and jesus christ is that his tongue getting shoved down my throat—“

Woo they kissed! I’ve been planning on writing this scene for a long time. It’s also my first time writing anything with romance, so that’s neat.

“Remember when I said harpies don’t kiss in our culture?”

”Yeah?”

”I lied.”

He had to convince her somehow

“he jumped off the couch and scampered away, pink feathered and blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl. The blush on his feathers matched the pink on Shilo’s face.”

Not pictured is him tripping over a rug running to the stairs. He jumped into bed and screamed for two minutes straight after this.

“She changed into some warm sweatpants and a tank top.”

Also not pictured is the fact that he secretly watched her change. I decided to omit that. I de-perved him a lot in this fic.

“As she walked to the side of their bed, she dragged her fingers along Beetlejuice’s back, watching in amusement as his wings fluttered and he jerked his head up with a high pitched trill, forgetting he was supposed to be sleeping.”

Another action that’s based off my cats!!

[c0zmo-writes-archive]

Hello! Here are some notes/background info/etc on my Harpy Beetlejuice AU, Birds of a Feather! Here’s chapter two.

Chapter 2- Boredom

“It was hard to tell in the low light, but it appeared to be a translucent green color. After a few moments, her brain connected the dots. It was drool.”

Fun fact- all of Beej’s bodily fluids are some shade of green. His blood also glows in the dark, so he’s sorta like a glow stick!! A feather and flesh covered glow stick.

“You’re gettin’ all this stuff for me?” He was confused. Wasn’t he just some lab project to her? Why was she being so nice to him?”

Poor Beet has never had someone go out of their way to get things for him. My guy does NOT know how to handle care and acts of service being thrown his way. 

“Then his hand met the light switch. Perfect. He played with the lights for a bit, until his attention flitted to an open door. He dove to the floor and batted the door between his hands, eyes wide and pupils large. That kept him entertained for a good five minutes, before he got bored once again.”

Cat Beetlejuice strikes again. He’s got ADHD in this AU! I might be projecting onto these characters just a bit…

“He unfurled his large wings and jumped up, prepared to fly, but he misjudged how much space was between him and a large stack of loose papers. The force of his wings flapping sent the papers flying in a frenzy around him. The sudden stationery storm made him panic. With a distressed screech, he flew up and clung to the bookshelf. To his dismay, the shelf creaked and leaned forward, bringing him down with it.”

While his hand-eye coordination is pretty good, he has pretty poor impulse control and doesn’t really take a minute to think: “Will the force of flapping my wings send everything around me flying?” He also loses a lot of skills when he’s in a panic. Like basic reasoning. Also shoutout to alliteration. I fucking love using alliteration. 

“Dammit. Now Shilo’s definitely gonna kill me.” He tucked his wings back, slowly approaching the reason he was about to get his ass beaten.”

Shilo would never intentionally hurt him, not that he’s aware of that.

“Ok, ok. Gotta fix this. God, I wish there was something I could use to just glue this thing back together!” It seemed the lightbulb in his head hadn’t clicked on yet. After a worryingly long amount of time, he snapped his fingers and bounced up. “Oh yeah! Glue!”

Inspired by this scene in The Cuphead Show.

“The label read “Glow-In-The-Dark Glitter Glue: Neon Green color! (now with 98% less radium!)”

Just pointing this out because it made me chuckle while writing it.

“After a few seconds, nothing came out, so he bit into the top of the container and ripped it off. He squeezed the bottle harder. With a loud, splattery slop, half the glue bottle dumped onto the pages. Shit. That’s too much, isn’t it? He thought to himself as glue dripped onto his hand. He licked it off.”

Probably not a great idea to put the radioactive glitter glue in your mouth. 

“She stumbled over a pair of shattered glasses. Oh. That’s what that crunching sound from earlier was. Beetlejuice realized.”

Thankfully, those glasses were old and not the right prescription!

“Shilo’s shoulders and jaw tensed. She held her face in her hands and sighed. Counted to ten in her head. Did everything she could to not scream in the face of the harpy.”

When your new science experiment breaks one of the only rules you’ve set for him in a three hour span. 

“Beetlejuice tilted his head and furrowed his brow. What’s wrong? Why isn’t she happy? He wondered. He decided he’d point her in the right direction. He swooped past her and grabbed the sticky, glittery journal. He thrust it into her face with a smile. “Beetlejuice,” her voice was scarily quiet, “I’m going to ask you this again. What did you do?” Beetlejuice stepped back. “What’re you so pissed about? I fixed it!” He beamed.”

He has lots of trouble reading social cues!! He thinks he did something really great, he doesn’t know why Shilo seems upset at him :(

“Beetlejuice flinched at the loud noise and scampered away like a little rodent into the closest room with a door, which happened to be a dark bathroom. Shilo cringed at her outburst. She sighed and hung her head.”

Beetlejuice really hates it when he’s being yelled at due to a mix of trauma and sensory issues. Both Shilo and Beetlejuice struggle with occasional outbursts of anger. Shilo especially hates them. She doesn’t like feeling that she doesn’t have control over herself. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a support system or someone to help her with her mental health.

“and dug through the couch cushions until she found a pen.”

She keeps writing utensils everywhere. Couch cushions, empty flower vases, drawers, lying down on the floor waiting for an unsuspecting victim to step on it and become great friends with the wooden floor…

“Maybe it was just the lighting, but Shilo swore she saw his hair and now ruffled feathers tinted crimson red.”

His hair changes color based off his mood, as do some of the feathers on the underside of his wings (primary converts, primaries, and secondaries).

“Shilo made them both sandwiches, as Beetlejuice kept trying to plunge his fist in the jars and smear condiments on the bread with his hand. They ate in silence, both feeling a bit better. Beetlejuice once again wolfed down his sandwich. Then the next one. Then the next one. Then he tried to lap at the grape jelly, which Shilo had to shut down.”

Beetlejuice isn’t used to utensils, and prefers to grab/dig through stuff with his hands. He’s also a pretty messy eater overall. 

“Shilo only hearing a chorus of happy chirps when Beetlejuice saw his dessert – a bag of live beetles, worms, and a scorpion lollipop.”

He loves his bugs!! Beetlejuice also makes lots of bird sounds.

“Stay with me again?” He asked. Shilo settled down next to him, and they took a similar position to the previous night, with his head resting on her chest.”

He likes this position because it means he can listen to her heart beating. He also likes to sniff her. But the first reason is less creepy.

[c0zmo-writes-archive]

Notes and stuff for chapter four of Birds of a Feather.

Chapter 4- If You Give a Bird a Cellphone

“Today, he sat criss cross applesauce on the living room floor, a chewed pencil in one hand and some loose leaf paper in the other.”

Beetlejuice loves to chew on things. He mostly bites his nails, which can lead to bloody fingers, due to his sharp teeth.

“What’s this called again?” Beetlejuice asked after some time. “Gravity Falls.”

Shilo’s a fan of Gravity Falls! She watched it as a teen, and I’d like to think that the show is one of the things that sparked her love for cryptids and middle of nowhere houses in the woods.

“It took a while, but after an hour of giving him directions, then giving them again, then giving them a third time, just to realize he wasn’t even listening, Beetlejuice now knew how to call Shilo if he needed to.”

The sensory processing disorder and short attention span combo is absolutely brutal when someone’s trying to explain something completely new. I would know.

“What kinda pink? ‘Cause it shouldn’t be turnin’ hot pink yet,” Beetlejuice said.”

In the springtime, his feathers and the roots of his hair are bright magenta. I drew out what it looks like, but I’m not sure if I’ll share it or not. It’s a little bit suggestive. 

“She opened the message up and it was a photo of her a few minutes ago, accompanied by the caption: “  hieyi. tvhesyu” . She chuckled and typed back: “ hieyi. tvhesyu to you too beej” .”

This is based off of my sibling, who types shit like “prom@t”, “TALL YALKIJG ABOT”, or “rip foege”. I love em, they just type oh so quickly. Also all three of those quotes are things that they’ve actually typed out to me. He was trying to write “hey shilo”.

“My flock has a kinda dominance hierarchy thing goin’ on, and since my mom was the oldest and the strongest, she was pretty much the leader. She was a no nonsense kinda gal, which didn’t really pair that well with me. She got angry at me a lot, yelled at me, shit like that,”

His description is putting it pretty lightly. Also side note, but I’d absolutely love to go into detail about how his flock works. I don’t think anyone but me would really care about fictional harpy hierarchy. Someone please tell me if you want to hear about that, I’d love to rant about it. 

“He pulled out some ruffled feathers on his wrist with his teeth.”

He plucks his feathers when stressed. 

“Shilo accepted defeat and let Beetlejuice lie on her. After all, he did just spill his guts to her. He deserved to be held.”

I love the idea of putting him through horrible situations but at the same time I need him to be held and loved and comforted. 

“They were sweet to look at, especially to the beady eyes that were watching them sleep. Shilo shouldn’t have forgotten to close her curtains that night.”

I wonder who that could be…! :)

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for chapter 13 of Birds of a Feather.

Warning for violence, description of animal injury, animal death, general death, and abuse!!!

Chapter 13- Inferno

@possum-quesadilla @katslitterbox @crawlingcarcass @raineisinkless

“While he had lived through many winters, it didn’t change the fact that he wasn’t born for snow.”

His nest is located in northern Argentina and he didn’t experience snow for centuries. It took him a while to get used to winters, especially New England winters. They can be brutal.

“He came bounding out of some snowy brush, a fawn in his arms and a pissed off doe on his tail.”

I’m aware that bucks are the ones that can be aggressive, but this doe is aggressive for storytelling purposes.

“He was towering over the fawn. It stared at him, a literal deer in the headlights. In the blink of an eye, he pounced. Shilo hesitantly looked back at Beetlejuice, who was using his long tongue to lick deer blood off of his lips and chin. He caught her gaze and gave a barely apologetic smile.”

He’s a bit of a feral creature at heart.

“Shi, you look like a marshmallow.”

She does, in fact, look like a marshmallow.

“She jumped to her feet (and not too gracefully, to Shilo’s delight)”

He managed to stab into her legs.

“One of the scariest parts was how deadly silent they were. Aside from the thumps of their bodies hitting the ground and the crunch of the snow under their feet, they didn’t make much noise, save for the occasional hiss and squawk of pain.”

This is based on harpy eagles, who are pretty quiet creatures.

“Shilo took the rock and cut into Juno’s arms, yellow blood flowing out like warm honey.”

Juno has yellow blood! It used to be a blackish color before she was turned into a phoenix.

“A scream came from Shilo’s mouth. Red flaming tendrils snaked around her limbs.”

They’re not made out of fire, but they burn like they are.

“Juno raised an eyebrow at her. “Did you really think that would work?” “I mean… yeah, kind of,” responded Shilo. That was the wrong answer, apparently, as her face was swiftly dumped in the snow. Now her body was burning from both flaming heat and freezing cold. Fun.”

Maybe don’t sass the person who can murder you and your boyfriend.

“And then they were gone. And Beetlejuice was gone. And Shilo had never felt colder. There was no telling how long she stood in that one spot, waiting for Beetlejuice to come back, but she eventually started looking around the area to locate any things she left behind.”

There’s a bit of a pattern here.

“When she was a good twelve feet in the air, light started emitting from more spots in her flesh, like it was fighting to escape. Finally, she let out one shrill, inhuman screech as she exploded into flame. It was like watching a firework show.”

Inspired by what ender dragons look like when you kill them.

“All that remained was one glowing orange feather and a pile of ashes.”

Juno’s dead!! Sort of. She’s in a limbo of sorts. There are very few things that can permanently kill her.

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for chapter 9 of Birds of a Feather.

Warning!! This chapter has some references of abuse.

Chapter 9- Flash Fire

@possum-quesadilla @crawlingcarcass @katslitterbox @raineisinkless

“But my first little murder attempt didn’t work, and when she found out, she cursed me so I couldn’t use my powers. It was a whole thing, really annoying, had a patch of feathers that wouldn’t grow back for a few years. Thankfully, when I actually managed to kill her, the curse broke. I just got pretty anxious ‘bout usin’ my magic after that. It’s been so long, guess I forgot what I can do.”

Beetlejuice’s curse is a bit different in this one! Thankfully, he’s no longer bound by it. Also, the reason he had a patch of feathers that wouldn’t grow back is because of how badly Juno burned him.

“She grabbed a pen off the floor”

She keeps writing utensils everywhere but an actual cup/bag/drawer.

“Beetlejuice sighed and flopped limp to the floor. Shilo looked down at him with concern.

 “Bug? Are you alright?”

 “Duh. I’m groundin’ myself,” he said, like collapsing to the floor was completely normal, “you read me some article on how to focus a few days ago, and it said ‘ground yourself’, so that’s what I’m doin’.”

He’s trying his best. And he paid attention to the article :)

“And so, Shilo was covered with water, the floor was covered with glass, and Beetlejuice’s face was covered with an embarrassed blush.”

Poor guy’s ready to die in a hole rn.

“I’m proud of you. Four words Beetlejuice had never heard before. Four words that suddenly turned him into a blushing flustered mess.”

He is not used to being praised! He is not used to people being proud of him! He’s going to lie awake thinking of that for a while!

“Her first thought was: “OH MY GOD IT’S A KITTY!” Which was slowly followed by: “…I definitely don’t own a cat.” She didn’t even notice the small, inky black wings on its back.”

The level of excitement she feels when seeing a cat trumps any rational thoughts. Also any animal Beetlejuice turns into has a little pair of wings on its back! He does not know how to get rid of them.

“Happy Sat- purr -day, babes!”

I’ve been tracking the exact days of when events in this story take place. He said this on September 7th, 2024. A Saturday! This is one of the only things I use my calendar for. I can make a post talking about when every chapter happens if anyone would care to hear about that.

“Suddenly, she was filled with the overwhelming feeling that she was being watched.”

Juno is actively watching her!

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show was on in front of them.”

ROCKY HORROR I LOVE YOU ROCKY HORROR !!!! Shilo watched this movie a lot as a teen. It resonated with her a lot as someone who always felt out of place.

“I would do the most unholy, atrocious, unspeakable things if it meant I could take a bite of that man’s thigh,”

Who wouldn’t?

“Grab it. And get a butcher's knife from the kitchen while you’re at it. We’re going bird hunting tonight.”

She’s ready to get this girl.

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for Chapter 8 of Birds of a Feather.

Chapter 8- Conflagration

@possum-quesadilla @raineisinkless @crawlingcarcass @katslitterbox

“Mmhr?”

Cat trilling noises !!

“We’re gonna have to have a conversation about last night eventually,” she said. “Ugh. ‘M not ready to have that talk,” he groaned. “Well then, we’re gonna have to have a conversation about how to defeat your mom.” “I’m not ready to have that talk either.”

Denial only gets you so far, bud.

“She took a deep breath, walked out the front door, and stepped into her hearse.”

Shilo drives a hearse!! I’ve wanted to drive a hearse for years.

“Beetlejuice (11:36): “i lpbw u”

Beetlejuice (11:36): “libe”

Beetlejuice (11:36): “kobe”

Beetlejuice (11:37): “live”

Beetlejuice (11:37): “close enuff”

His fingers are too big for him to properly type on the screen. He’s also not great at spelling.

“Bug? If I walk in there and you’re sticking my pads to your face again, I’m really not gonna be happy,”

This has happened before. Twice overall, but Shilo only walked in on him doing it the second time.

“Thankfully, she was only a bit taller than Shilo.”

Juno is 6’3” currently. Shilo is 5’10”. Juno can get to be over 7 feet tall after a rebirth.

“She had gray hair that coiled and floated around her head in a cloud.”

Her hair is like smoke! When she was a lot younger, it used to be black with orange-red streaks, but it gradually changed into what she has now.

“With the speed of a cheetah and the grace of a rollerskating ferret on crack, she grabbed a trash bag, threw it over Juno, sprinted down the stairs and outside, spun the bundle of bird above her head, and chucked Juno far into the woods, all while silently thanking her parents for forcing her to do track and field from middle to high school.”

My beta readers thought this part was funny. That last bit is based off of my own parents who tried (and failed) to get me to participate in sports back when I was in middle school.

“Did somethin’ happen?” He asked groggily.

Poor guy was sleeping in the basement during all of this.

“There was a sudden spread of warmth around her head. The injured area tingled, then the pain faded away. Now, she only had a dull throbbing pain in her head. Not completely fixed, but some of the pain was definitely relieved.”

Healing powers !!!

[c0zmo-writes]

Notes for chapter 6 of Birds of a Feather.

Chapter 6- Calm Before the (Fire) Storm

@possum-quesadilla @raineisinkless @katslitterbox @crawlingcarcass

“his wings were stained a garish blend of orange and indigo. He was the world’s most depressing sunset.”

Orange- anxious, indigo- depressed

“(although, if he was being honest, he really just loved the feeling of Shilo's hands in his hair.)”

Poor guy is so horribly touch starved.

“They’d started watching a new movie every night. Tonight’s film was Little Shop of Horrors.”

Added this in because I love this movie!!!! I will go insane if I can’t shout out my other interests in my work.

“HE IS!!! I love shy, clumsy dudes with glasses,” he swooned.”

I think he’d be pretty fond of Adam if they met.

“Beetlejuice hummed in thought. “I guess I like a gal who’s self sufficient. And funny. And shows me the stuff she writes, even if I can’t read it. And lives in a remote cabin. Oh, and I love when a pretty girl tranquilizes me, ties me up, throws me in her car, and kidnaps me. I swear, that’s the hottest shit. Wouldn’t you agree, Shi?” He smirked. Shilo rolled her eyes.”

The story of how they met isn’t the cutest depending on how it’s told.

“Beetlejuice had taken a liking to fake flirting with Shilo. She loved to brush it off and scoff, but deep down… She didn’t hate it.”

…!

“Beetlejuice, what did I say about smelling me? It’s creepy.”

This is a semi regular occurrence.

“Experimentally, she dragged a hand up and down the feathers on his back... Immediately, he leapt up, the feathers on his back and wings blossoming into shades of light pink and yellow.”

Back touching is a very intimate gesture in harpy culture.

“He fought to free himself from the fuzzy fabric, but his feathers fluffed up and sent him further into his frenzy.”

I FUCKING LOVE ALLITERATION. Is this sentence a bit much? Probably. Don’t care though.

“Shilo picking at her hair.”

She’s got some hair pulling problems (just like me !!!)

“I did. When I told you about her, there was a… tiny detail I left out. Real small, don’t even matter that much! Honest!”

…

“If you had asked a seventeen year old Shilo if, in eight years, she saw herself planning out the murder of her best friend’s psychotic mother, she would’ve asked if you were mentally disturbed. But now, here she was, looming over a whiteboard with a marker in hand, writing the title: “how to kill beej’s crazy fire bird mom”.

Safe to say she’s had a bit of character development in those years.

“They swapped ideas between each other, until they eventually created a list that consisted of: “water?”, “stab !!”, “wait until she’s senile (may not happen within Shilo’s lifetime)”, “feed her to a wild animal”, “iron”, “holy water”, “garlic”. As much as Shilo insisted that garlic was for vampires, Beetlejuice was set on adding it as an option.”

Beetlejuice has already used a few of these options, but it never hurts to try again!

“Even though he was asleep, his head still shuffled until it rested in its favorite spot— right over her heart.”

He loves the sound of her heart beating <3