#i'm also very introverted so i don't often NEED to interact with others and my traits are mostly interpersonal in nature

[wheelie-sick]

I feel like no one in the autism community understands how extroverted autism looks and it makes me feel very alienated. everyone I see is very, very introverted. they don't like social interaction and try to avoid it. I'm very very extroverted and it makes my autism look different.

I want social interaction all the time with everyone. I don't understand when it's not appropriate to talk to someone so I often bother people by talking to them when they don't want to talk. I talk to strangers when it's socially inappropriate. in ABA therapy one of my tasks was not talking to people. In ABA therapy I'd have to constantly be brought back on track because I'd just start having conversations with people. I have a hard time understanding boundaries around social interaction. my friends have had to talk to me about the fact that sometimes they need space because I can't tell when they do. I'm not naturally inclined towards avoiding social interaction I'm drawn towards it.

and I've been isolated from other people because of these things + my other autistic traits. and that's hard when you're naturally inclined towards social interaction. being isolated from society is always hard but there's a certain extra degree of it when you're not satisfied being alone. one of my first memories is of me, playing by myself, at the age of 4ish thinking about how lonely I was.

there's also a ton of feelings of guilt knowing you're annoying to people but not being able to do anything about it. I can't learn how to read when people want to talk, I've tried but it's just not something I'm capable of. I don't want to be annoying to people and I don't want people to end our friendship because they think I'm annoying.

and this isn't all my feelings about it I just wanted to share a glimpse of what it's like being extroverted and autistic because I just don't see many stories from people like me

[theislandoflosttoys]

Best for last, now onto our boy Vio! 💖

I'll be working on answering asks after this as well as working towards posting some sketches and drawings for this au, I'll probably create a masterlist as well to make it easier to find stuff and to be organized. I'm so happy some people are enjoying this silly AU of mine, every comment, interaction, etc means the world. Thank you guys!! ^^

Now onto the HCs/Trivia~!

6'1" tall, tallest of the gang. Secretly loves it, especially being taller than Shadow.

This man is hard to read, sort of stoic and has the best poker face of the bunch. Is a pro at lying and for verbal sparring. Zelda sometimes asks him to sit in on meetings or diplomatic conferences because he often is able to notice things nobody would, and is able to verbal beat back any attempts made at him or the princess.

Introvert, he would rather not interact with other people outside of his small social circle. People find him intimidating, and though it's gotten better over the years, some people are still wary of him because of his participation in the destruction of Hyrule. Vio doesn't let that bother him, their opinions don't really matter to him, at least that's what he says.

Has the longest ears of the group, more thin too, like most elves in media. He has incredible hearing too.

Can sense vibrations in the earth/ground, kind of like echolocation, he finds it the most useful when he stays up late and has to navigate in the dark. He doesn't bother turning on the lights when doing so, which has led to him accidentally scaring the hell out of the others if they happen to run into him in the dark.

Vio is also very strong, especially for how tall and deceivingly thin he appears to be. He could pick up the whole gang and hold them above his head with minimal effort.

I saw someone mentioned Shadow's earth sign earing in his post, I'm glad you caught that! ^^ Ngl it's my favourite thing to see if someone will catch onto certain things, for example I wondered if anyone noticed that I made Green birthday deliberately so that he could be an Aquarius, which is a wind sign but is commonly mistaken as a water sign, which is just another thing I threw in to tie Green and Blue together. ^^

So the earing, that was deliberate on multiple accounts, both Shadow and Vio are earth signs according to their chosen birthdays, then there's their relationship, but functionally it is actually a communication device that sort of functions like Wind's pirate charm in the Linked Universe world. Vio has one too, it's not pictured in the drawing above but it is tied to the end of his braid, the one behind his ear. ^^ Vio actually was the one to invent it, the normal version of this sort of charm is actually a mirror but with Shadow and Vio's mirror related trauma Vio ended up coming up with something a bit different!

His birthday is December 28th! Surprise he's actually the youngest lol. I mean they're all 25 years old but still. Shadow likes to tease that he's older than him, Vio finds this funny.

Vio is a Capricorn! Earth sign of course, he's a very grounded person. A logical and practical man. He's always thinking ahead and trying to prepare himself for anything. He's a hard worker and doesn't like to leave things unfinished. He comes across as reserved and somewhat emotionless but he's really just thoughtful and quiet, he likes to think before speaking. He really is a sweet man though, he can predict what someone needs before they even need/ask for it. He feels fulfilled being able to help his loved ones in this way, he's definitely an acts of service kind of guy when it comes to love languages.

Also worth noting that Capricorns' most compatible soulmates are other earth signs, Taurus and Virgo. Shadow is a taurus, also worth noting it is the same for Taurus' too. ^^

Vio really drove himself into the ground trying to find a way to bring Shadow back. During this time, he isolated himself from the others, but after sometime and persistence from the others he began to open up again.

Due to this bad habit of neglecting his needs during this period of time, it became a bad habit that has been hard to shake, it often takes the others (mainly Shadow) for him to pull him away from his work.

It's only later on in the AU that it's revealed that Shadow's crystalized heart is actually Vio's. Bro literally gave his heart to him in multiple ways TT^TT.

Because of this, they are linked. Vio has a seal on his chest over his heart because of this. It's a "If I die, you die" sort of situation. Except they didn't realize right away that Shadow is essentially immortal, him being a living shadow and not a hylian. Vio will likely never age and/or die naturally unless he or Shadow are killed. This somewhat horrified them all minus Vio himself because he couldn't imagine being without Shadow, he's already experienced what it was like to live without him and he was not a fan to put it simply.

This man is such a simp, no one outside the group can tell but he is whipped for Shadow. All he wants to do is be around him, even if no talking is involved.

The seal on his chest is usually kept hidden, and like Shadow it isn't something he lets others touch, with exception to Shadow. It doesn't hurt when it is touched by him and vice-versa, it is the link between their souls. It's still sensitive, but doesn't hurt when it's either of them.

Didn't say it but was devastation when Shadow didn't want to be around him at first after his resurrection, he understood but he was still so depressed about it. He worked hard to make up for what happened in the past.

The act that really started to let him back into Shadow's heart was when he made and hand painted Shadow's very first false eye. It took a few tries and he did go to Red for help eventually, face beat red in embarrassment. Red thought it was so sweet.

Man has very beautiful handwriting, until you realize you can't read any of it, lol.

When he realized Shadow couldn't read or write, he jumped on teaching him. It's become a great bonding activity for them. Granted, when Shadow starts to get bored he starts to tease Vio. This stone wall of a man struggles not to crack under the pressure lol.

The type to bite at the ends of his pencils, pens, and brushes. He's a biter, surprisingly.

Vio works as a consult for the princess but mainly spends his time in his own private study which has a library. Zelda has him working with scholars and the castle librarians often enough to keep him busy. He holes himself up in his study often though.

I went for more of a pale sort of coloration for contrast with everyone else's designs, also because it tickles a part in my brain when the eyes are the darkest/brightest in a character's color palette and with me choosing to go with a more pale violet/lilac shade, I think it gives him somewhat of an angelic appearance. ^^

He's hair is more of a angel blonde almost white shade of blonde, and it's quite long because long haired Vios are my favourite lol. It's about waist length and he usually has it down, with the exception of the two smaller braids in his hair. The one behind his ear in particular actually has Shadow's hair braided with his, he tends to fiddle with that braid for comfort.

He has a deep voice, usually takes people off guard because he doesn't talk often much less to people he doesn't know. Shadow likes to ask him to read him to his often just to hear the sound of his voice, is somewhat too shy to admit to it though.

He is a totally hopeless romantic at heart, all those ooey gooey feelings and what they entail included. Yearning, longing, you name it, he's done it. The some from the Epic Musical "Would you fall in love with me again" comes to mind heavily. Ngl I do have like a playlist just for Vidow so TT^TT

Green💚

Blue💙

Red❤️

Shadow🖤

Masterlist

[luna-rainbow]

RE: People giving Bucky a hard time over his "I'm invisble, I'm turning into you.." line being "selfish" That whole scene is Bucky displaying behaviour consistent with depression or traumatic stress. He's drinking by himself in an isolated area, isolating himself from social situations by not sitting with the ohers - he doesn't initiate the convo with Steve and he's apparently smoking. Although a lot of people did that then we didn't see any sign of him smoking before? Not that I recall anyway. And I don't believe he was jealous of a woman paying attention to Steve instead of him or "taking" Steve from him. Bucky's a true friend (I'm not a shipper full stop): and true friends aren't possessive nor do they take issue with you spending time with others or flirting with the same person as them.

I think Bucky was simply testing himself. He wanted to see if he could still muster the confidence and charm to convince a lady to dance with him which he'd probably never had any problems doing before. Its the first time he initiates a conversation the entire scene.

When it didn't work was when he knew there was something wrong. I don't think it was just the super-soldier serum. It's interesting that after that Steve is really the only person he interacts/talks to having been very sociable and outgoing before. Some people have also noted that his tone of voice chances as well, he seems to speak less often, more softly and his tone is quieter. So maybe "I'm turning into you" is actually a kind of role-reversal. Bucky is now the quiet, less confident, introverted one and the one who has been victimized (and is about to be again by HYDRA). Kind of interesting as well that the serum now means Steve is taller than him too.

Poor Bucky. Cut him a break and give that man a hug. And a cookie. A cookie can't hurt.

Hey nonnie, I'm not sure who's been giving Bucky a hard time over the "I'm invisible" speech but I'm glad I haven't seen it XD

I had a meta a while ago about that particular line. It's not a fixed headcanon by any means, I was just running with the flow of Bucky's thoughts to see how he might have ended up in that moment.

And yeah, I agree, I think he was in a very vulnerable place at that time. Not just what he went through during imprisonment, but he's also traumatised by what he's seen so far in the war, and now someone who matters very much to him is in danger (Steve) and he can't do anything about it. I'm basing my projections on what Sebastian had said about Bucky in the "let's hear it for Captain America" scene -- that no, he wasn't jealous of Steve in that moment, he was just horrified he wouldn't be able to protect him anymore. He's torn between admiring Steve for the courage, and the very realistic fears of seeing Steve come to harm, but he also knows Steve too well to talk him out of it. So he's not in the best headspace in that moment.

I do want to gently disagree in that jealousy in a friendship doesn't make it less pure or less good, it's simply a very human response to what is at its heart a fear of abandonment. Even if you logically understand that you need to let your friend have other relationships, you can still feel jealous if that eats up time you'd normally have with your friend, and apprehensive about what else you might lose. It's what you do with those emotions that defines your morality. This is why a lot of fans say that Bucky has had a villain origin story but has come out the other end a hero -- he's gone through an arc of loss and fear and jealousy, but come out the other side still staunchly Steve's friend, and that's a heroic arc.

As always I think Sebastian did a fantastic job with Bucky. The change in Bucky pre-war and post-war is considerable.

His voice is lower and coarser, his mannerisms are much more "schooled" rather than boyish, it screams less bravado and more of a quiet assurance, and that frown never lifts from his brows. But yeah, a lot of that is battle-hardened professionalism, but I think a lot of that is also Sebastian factoring in Bucky's mental health. And his eyes are on Steve a lot more even when they're not conversing -- shipping angle aside, Steve is his commanding officer, and my other thought is that...his eyes are always on Steve because the danger to Steve is much higher now, and he's always made it his personal mission to make sure Steve's going to be okay.

(I mean there's also a lot we can say, or has been said, about that particular scene in terms of male writers writing female love interest badly, but that's an entirely different topic)

[vesna-v-irkutske]

I LOVE YOUR BLOG SM! ^_^ the academy maniac fd was lowkey dying, at least on my feed 😵‍💫but anyways while im at it, every read about nikita breaks my heart </3. I wonder how different his life would have been if he had a father present throughout. Also on one of your hashtags you put something along the lines of Nikita defending Artyom while Artyom threw his ass under the bus/completely blamed everything on him— UGH IM CRYING!! Poor baby. The fact Nikita even wrote a letter stating his regrets, he just needed true love and affection from his childhood :(

Thank you, glad you all find it interesting and helpful, that's all I wanted! 💌 Everything about Nikita makes me:

Yes, I feel like if Nikita had had a good authority figure in his life, someone to teach him what's good and bad, someone to encourage him and develop his interests, to boost his confidence, make him see good in himself, things might have been different. Unfortunately, his father was hardly present, and only occasionally. His mother worked a lot because they were poor. He had a grandma and an uncle, but I'm not sure about them. His grandmother helped them (she didn't live with them, but I'm not sure if this has always been the case), but his uncle didn't participate much, he wasn't interested in being a father-like figure. Nikita was extremely fearful, anxious and awkward, didn't initiate contact* and talk to people, that's why he was always alone. He had a VERY low opinion of himself. But that was at first. Later, children and teenagers realized that it was very easy to pick on someone SO quiet. And he was trying to protect himself by telling them to "die". He wanted them to get scared and fuck off him, but it didn't help and only made things worse. A lose-lose situation.

*I once read an article from a speech therapist (quoted below). That there are children who don't want anything. Well, they certainly wanted something, they just didn't ASK for anything, they didn't INITIATE contact, they hardly talked. Why? Because they were always overprotected, everything was done for them. I'm not saying that this is EXACTLY what was happening, although Nikita's mother said that she was kinda sheltering him. And please, don't bash her, she tried (I'll talk about it one day) and she knows her faults.

"Having a certain disorder that interferes with interaction with other people (lack of understanding of speech, difficulties associated with speaking), children early got used to the fact that no one understands them, or they don't understand anyone, or all at once. Parents, and more often grandmothers (but not all, of course), took on the role of a telepath and began to give everything to the child. Well, what was considered necessary, of course. The child hasn't had time to think about the toy yet — they have already bought a hundred. The child was sitting on his couch, and they put a chocolate bar in their mouth. On the one hand, they can be understood — the child doesn't speak, it's necessary to do something for them. On the other hand, they won't talk like that. What for? There's no need to, they put chocolate in their mouth, gave them a toy in their hands, put them on a chair, and turned on the cartoons. And here's a guy like that sitting in my office full of toys. He can name objects, he has no difficulty speaking. But he doesn't speak. And he doesn't take anything. He doesn't reach for anything. He doesn't look at anything. He looks at me and expects me to interact with him in some way. Despite the fact that he's not autistic (according to psychiatrists). Once, on another resource, I was shamed by the fact that not all children can be the same: some are introverts, others are extroverts. This one is an introvert. But no, my dears, he's not an introvert. Introverts ask for a drink. They ask to eat. They can choose between an apple and a pear, which they like best. After that child, others came to me. There is no speech, there is no initiative. I taught him to want something. I used to take him jumping on a trampoline like a kid. Blowing bubbles. I showed him robots, cars, slimes, and fidget toys. I waited for his eye to light up and he would reach for the object. And at that moment, I'll be able to give him a "give me" hint. Then the following happened. While the toy was on the table, he didn't take it. He asked only when he saw it in my hands, taking it as a signal that he could ask. But how should it be? Normally, a child can ask for something spontaneously, without waiting for a signal from adults. It's clear that he won't interrupt an adult, but at the appropriate moment he will ask or ask permission to take it. And it's not that I'm a stranger. At some point they get used to me. But we can't teach speech to a person who doesn't need anything. Speech is not just a set of words, it's a way of communication. These are requests, these are refusals, these are questions and answers. These are comments and suggestions. Therefore, first it's necessary to shake up the motivational sphere of the child, and then teach them something. So. What is needed for this? Reinforce the child's reaction many, many times. So that they learn that if they ask, you will give them. And if they don't ask, you won't give them (we don't starve a child, this only applies to interesting things, actions and treats). Some pick up on it quickly. Some need a lot of time. But they also start wanting and talking about it. Give me some candy. Pour some water. Let's go to the swing. I want to jump. Give me a hug. Kiss me. This is how speech is born."

[nocandnc]

5, 20, and 25 for Okonogi?

Hi there, thanks for popping in~

Okonogi for the Character Ask Game, you go it!

The answers got a bit lengthy, so see under the cut!

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

NOBODY NOBODY NO- okay, that's not true lol

The Kn8 ending theme makes me think of Okonogi as a matter of course, but thinking of Okonogi doesn't bring the ending theme to mind (at least not immediately.)

This is a bit embarrassing and I'm totally showing my age here, but. Um.

Just Communication by TWO-MIX.

It’s the song I listen to the most when drawing for her, and the one I think of the most when I imagine her blowing off steam through karaoke. My headcanon is that Konomi first started singing as practice for her job as an operator, but then got into it as a way to channel her frustrations over work and other bottled up emotions.

While very catchy, the song's lyrics are also very poignant. The singer is essentially laying their passions bare - they want to give/receive openly verbal, openly physical communication with their lover on feelings both joyful and sad, so that they might help each other through whatever pain and suffering they encounter. So they can fight through it together.

Given her position, it just feels like a wonderful song for Okonogi to pour her heart into from the privacy of a solo karaoke booth.

Well. That and my brain's baseline connection of "communication, cuz she's the operations leader talking through the radio all the time ahahah" - but mostly the other stuff!!!

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

Hmmmm... of course I like seeing Okonogi getting along with Mina and Kikoru, but... I personally like to imagine Konomi and Tae having a pretty tight off-duty friendship?

The idea is admittedly a byproduct of my Edo AU timeline where the two are much closer UGH I NEED TO DRAW/WRITE MORE but in canon I can see Tae nudging Konomi into being a regular drinking buddy, dragging her out on blind group dates and the like - largely for her own amusement, but the desire to help a girl out is there too.

"C'mon, it'll be fun! Don't you wanna make the Vice Captain jealous?" "He wouldn't be...!" He is.

I think Okonogi might not be very good with things like makup, skincare, fashion etc... in contrast, the man-hungry Tae is probably more on top of her looks than most? So I think she could also serve as Konomi's 'girly-girl' outlet by taking her out for pedicures and facials, helping her get dolled up for special occasions, or even giving her advice on more risque things like lingerie and other bedroom notions ^///^ (Tae can't get a reaction out of Hoshina herself, so she'll taunt him through Okonogi instead lol)

Their personalities are quite different, but that's why it's fun to think about them interacting ^^;; all introverts need an extroverted friend who'll drag them outside their comfort zone now and then - that's Konomi and Tae in my head!

ALSooo... given their appearances together in the Minute episodes, I strangely like the idea of Konomi and Haruichi becoming good friends as well?

I like to imagine them having in-depth discussions about all the latest Izumo Tech developments. They'd offer the other a unique form of talking shop not found with their usual teammates after all - especially since I headcanon that Okonogi's dad was involved in Anti-Kaiju weapons research (I really need to write about this in depth sometime.) Haruichi is described as someone who 'doesn't mingle or party' in his bio, so I think they'd end up talking to each other a lot during work celebrations and such - both gravitating to where it's quiet more often than not.

(There's also the fun jealousy angle of Hoshina noticing that the super rich pretty boy is close with Okonogi!!!?! But Haru's not into her like that so calm down sir lol)

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first thought was "OMG nerdy glasses girl my beloved!!"

And now... my opinion hasn't changed much lol it's a favorite archetype of mine after all! But my adoration of her has deepened a lot, bordering on aggressive now since she's so often left out of merch and such >.< I have to pour as much love into her as I possibly can... only the Minute episodes keep me sane...!! Or maybe they're making me worse

[elainsgirl]

loved all the asks you interacted with yesterday. So i wanted to send one too. I never post in the acotar fandom, because its so hostile. But I follow Elriel content a lot. Do you have any thoughts about how many in this fandom need banter to see any interaction as romantic? And how they see any interaction that has banter as immediately romantic? The amount of hate I see for quiet people and introverst is so disheartening in this fandom. It makes it hard to exist in this fandom as an introvert when I see people calling Elriel's quite style of communicaiton "ew", "toxic", and "icky" all the time simply because they don't banter and arent loud. There's so much misunderstanding of introverts in real life, especially in the US where extroversion is so valued over introversion. I am very happy Sarah has written a beautiful romance between two characters that are quiet and introverted.

I think maybe i'm just not meant for this kind of space. I filter out content and block users to avoid the worst of it, but it literally hurts my heart whenever I see these "criticisms". Because it isn't just directed at two fictional characters, it is directed at qualities of those characters that a lot of people have. What do you think of this?

Hey anon 🫶

THANK YOU for bringing this up because you are so right & valid. There are so many important aspects and parts to a relationship. Before I start - I will say, its not just gwynriels. Eluciens also change Elains personality to be more extroverted - so that she can be sassy, bantering with Lucien in fact, despite Elain being potrayed as an introvert by Mass and in official acotar quizzes she is referred to as an introvert- Eluciens always say she is an extrovert. And the only reason she is quiet is due to her trauma.

I understand the desire of a “bantery” relationship - and having fun & joking around is definitely important BUT more then that, being able to communicate without words, spending evenings together talking or just spending time together without having the need to fill the silence is more important and meaningful in my very humble opinion.

Elriel have that. Both of them have the same humour - elains’ gifts for Az has made him laugh however to go along with that, they both spent time together chilling in the gardens - and as a side note: I love how it was this simple, domestic scene that sjm used to have Feyre question why elriel weren’t mates. She could have used any other moment yet chose one that displayed the ease that Elain & Azriel naturally had together. They’ve spent a night talking about Elains gardens - do you know how important and lovely it is to have someone show genuine interest in your hobby and allow you to talk whilst they just listen? - I can name so many other scenes but you get the gist.

I think the appeal of elriel is that you have these two damaged souls that are often over-looked and no one bothers to look past their surface until they meet each other. Elain paying attention and noticing Azriels headaches and their cause. Gifting him a gift for it. Azriel taking elain to the gardens and just sitting there in silence with her. They’ve formed such a beautiful connection.

“banter” at the end of the day - isn’t only enough to carry an important relationship. Does it even suit Azriels/Elains characters? Not really. And the reason I believe antis focus so much on banter is because to them - they believe Az/Elain need to come out of their “shells” and only Gwyn/Lucien can do that for them. God forbid, we have quiet characters who keep to themselves and aren’t loud and “outgoing”. You’re so right, they call elriel “boring” and “superficial” all because they’re more quiet and unassuming with their relationship. It’s ridiculous but you know what it comes down too? The enemies to lovers trope. This one trope has increased in popularity and demand - its almost found in every book and is so common, within this trope a microtrope is obviously “banter” - ofc a lot of antis must read enemies to lovers books -> therefore push this trope & microtrope onto elucien/gwynriel despite it not rlly making sense.

I also think anyone that calls elriel toxic or boring don’t fully understand how important it is to have someone like Elain/Az that you can just be & have so much ease with.

Even if the hate is not directly targeted towards introverted people - when you call characters like Elain/Az: boring, lacking depth, not interesting enough, need their “extroverts” to push them out of their shells -> for those that relate to elriel, it can feel like an attack/hate. Introverted people in general are always mislabelled and misunderstood which isn’t fair, starting off as kids when your teachers tell your parents they’re concerned that there’s something wrong as you’re more quieter and keep to yourself compared to your classmates or worse - try pairing you with the “outgoing” “loud��� kids in hopes to bring you out of your shell to teenage years where the “popular” kids make fun off you to try and get you to talk - its a rough world out there.

Im sorry you feel like this fandom isn’t a place for you, but know the elriel side is definitely filled with lots of people that can understand how you’re feeling. I feel like - this whole thing of hating on introverted characters and their relationships such as elriel gives off slight immature vibes or not fully appreciating quiet, meaningful relationships over loud, bantery ones. And I feel Sjm is growing as an author -> her writing is maturing, personally after reading her recent books I do think she values a relationship like elriel more then anything elucien/gwynriel can be.

I agree with you & have felt this way myself when I would see antis hating on Elain for being quiet aka not interesting enough to them or when Id read elucien fics/Hcs where they changed Elains character to being more extroverted - as I joined the fandom quite young, I would see these takes & it used to make me think, I myself would have been considered absolutely uncool and dull. But as I’ve grown older, I like the way my introverted self is. And if thats boring or I lack a personality too some people, oh well. I no longer care. They’re going to eat their words when Elains book comes out and we see her shine.

[wisteriaiswriting]

Matchups sound really interesting...may I try? I thought it might be fun, so I'd like to request a matchup for CRK, if that's alright.

I go by She/Her and am a female, and I’m attracted to men. I'm an introvert with social anxiety and tend to stay in more secluded or quiet places to listen to music and write stories/poems or songs. I’m sensitive to noise so I almost always keep my headphones on; it’s very rare that I take them off.

I'm not good with interaction so I avoid it for the most part, but I'm much more open with people that are close to me. I love cats and currently have 6, along with 2 others that sometimes come around near me. I’m not going to name them all because I would go on a rant about them, but I love them all very much.

I am diagnosed with autism and ehlers danlos. If you don’t know what ehlers danlos is, just think of it like I'm double jointed, so I'm very flexible. Like, bending my leg backwards and pulling it up and around to my lower abdomen. I also have very fast processing speed and reaction time.

I tend to have some temper issues, unfortunately, and blow up easily, but also calm down easily. It usually ends up with me saying things I don't want to say and/or don’t mean, and then apologizing a million times after.

I’m very skinny and tall for my age, or at least so people say. I’m currently 5’8” and still getting growth spurts, causing me to bump into a lot of things…ugh. I hate my appearance, although people say I’m pretty. I deflect nearly every compliment I get and appreciate insults more, because at least I know that those are genuine. Though I’m trying to learn how to accept them, although I really don’t want to. It’s apparently rude to not accept them…

I am both a completionist and a perfectionist. Lovely combo, I know. I really want to be an artist, but I end up erasing or scribbling out any mistakes I make immediately, getting me absolutely nowhere…so I kind of gave up on that dream.

I use laughing and cleaning as coping strategies for my emotions, along with the classic “push it back”. Aside from cleaning being a coping strategy, it’s something that’s extremely fun for me, and I kind of get sad when there’s nothing else to organize, sweep, scrub, etc. I wouldn’t dare ask other people if I could clean for them though, as I fear it may come off as rude.

And…I think that’s it! Kind of curious as to see what I'll get!

I match you with...

There are two cookies here as I couldn't actually decide.

Clotted Cream Cookie

Clotted Cream tries to help you out with your social anxiety, just let him know when you’re done for the time being and he’ll take you somewhere quiet.

At first he will question you but stops quickly, will buy you a new pair when needed.

He tries to help you with interactions but notices when you aren’t comfortable and takes over. Loves having conversations with you, mainly late at night where you talk about anything that comes to mind.

I mean this nicely, he doesn’t really know when to step away. It’s from him standing up for the others but you’ll need to tell him or make it clear for him to stand back. But he understands that you don’t mean your words, lets you cool down before coming back.

Elder Faerie understands your need to be somewhere quiet, as he tends to do so every so often. So when you want to hide away, and if you let him, he'll come with you, sitting around quietly.

Luckily there aren’t any loud faeries around and even then they would understand, so you wearing headphones won’t bother him one bit.

He never forces you to try talk with others, will quietly ask you once but if you don’t want to then he won’t make you. Also likes having deep, personal conversations with you.

Has learnt when to step in, if you clearly don’t need or want his help or advice then he’ll stay back. But if you do then he’s by your said softly and thoughtfully handing it over. In his mind he knows you don’t mean your words but he has to step away for a little bit, always returns and apologizes.

Clotted Cream Cookie 5

Elder Faerie Cookie 5

[th-compl-x]

hi, how do you guys share your life as a 300+ system?..I’m imagining surely there isn’t enough time for everyone to front, does the concept of getting less time to do things/less time to be alive because you have to share not stress you out? We personally are not sure how to share our life in a fulfilling way/overcome this stress…so how do you do it? Do some/most alters just live in the inner world when they’re not fronting?

-ray

This is a very interesting ask! Tysm for asking. 😊👍

(A good, long answer lies below... beware! Lol)

In truth, you're correct, that it's often only myself (Jessica) + maybe... 10 (at most!) that front in a day. But we have an incredibly active "inner world" where most individuals actually continue to live and thrive "behind the curtain", as it were. Like actors during a stage play, the entire cast isn't on the stage (fronting) for most of the show (my life) and instead take time backstage to eat, drink, get ready for the next act, etc.

In truth, being very connected to them and THEIR lives within is what helps me, and them, feel fulfilled. Having someone (or multiple people) to talk to about what's going on within is also incredibly helpful! My wife (for example) will often ask me how someone is doing, what they've been up to, if they've spoken to anyone recently, etc. I also do the same for her! (Since she's also a System) Through that practice, we keep tabs kind of like a community or close-knit neighborhood.

Sometimes, through these questions, I find out that two have passed from dating to engaged or are already elbows-deep in marriage! Sometimes, they've moved from one location within the inner world to another! (Like how Lyney is gearing up to move from Fontaine to Penacony because he absolutely fell in love with it ❤️) Sometimes it's as simple as realizing that a younger sibling has gone from "child" to "teen" literally just because of the length of time it's been between checking in on them/their older sibling...

But, through this practice, it's incredibly easy for my System to share my eyes and ears and share their thoughts with me almost constantly. Some of them are very funny and will crack jokes and then just disappear again! Sometimes, someone will be around a lot and then gradually grow quieter. But I'm not worried or stressed because I know they're still there: They just have their own lives. No one wants to be social 110% of their life, after all! Sometimes, they just need a break! And, like any other person, everyone has their own levels of social need. Some are extreme extroverts, others are extreme introverts...

Right now, for example, an "old" (original) Alter of mine - Steeltoe - just cropped back up because one of my wife's is currently struggling with their sense of self. (Funnily, he did this before, too 😅) He showed up again - after YEARS of sitting in the background - specifically to help this one person. He was never very social, enjoyed his solitude, and was never very interactive because of those things, but now he's suddenly been forward every day, checking in on her Alter, making sure he feels loved. Sometimes, Alters are just like that. 🤷‍♀️ They just leave everyone alone until they don't anymore, and it's that simple.

All-in-all, Alters are people.

They have their own ambitions, wants and needs, lives to live, and levels of fulfillment to seek. If they want to be forward/fronting, they will be. If they NEED to be, they definitely will be! They'll chatter on if they're a chatterbox, and they'll sit quietly alone if that's what they prefer. In the end, some might even fade... but, if that happens, it was probably by choice or ultimate necessity. No matter what happens though, they deserve respect first and foremost, and stress last, because just like any friend of yours, they live their own lives outside of hanging out with you. Sometimes? They're just busy, and that's okay.

So, don't stress. 🫂 Just talk it out as a group, or let the natural flow settle you all into your happy space!You'll figure it out in the end, and through cooperation and communication, you'll all live fulfilling lives...

We promise.

❤️💕

[fuck-customers]

🌠 I have a fun story. Some of this was filled in by a relative of mine who works upper management.

Where I work, we have this employee. She's a bit of a jack-of-all trades but seems to choose to stay on the bottom rungs, since she'd honestly not thrive in higher management positions. I'll call her X. X is pretty introverted, quiet, kind and above all, willing to help.

Our door greeter has some hang-ups and inconsideration they won't work through, so they call out very often. (Boss won't fire them because they are elderly.) X was always the first to offer to take their shift. Did our forklift guys need a spotter? (The guy they used to have walked out one day.) X is on it, no questions asked. Does a customer need an employee to help them shop? X is there! X has covered more of my shifts than I can count, due to personal life issues.

A lifesaver and a sweetheart. We all were inspired by her and also branched out to help, sometimes.

Despite how nice she is, X takes bullshit form no one. One day, one of our main supervisors got a position changed and some asshole took their place. This asshole seemed to hinge a lot of their projected success on what they perceived as X's submissiveness. Well, X felt disrespected by every interaction, it seemed. She always denied this jerk.

He'd demand X do something. "I'm sorry, that is not within my responsibilities as a cashier. If my responsibilities have changed, I would like to see a notarized and documented form that bares my signature before I take on other tasks." Honestly, to-a-T, brutal compliance of business shenanigans.

Well, Jerk got mad she stopped being so complicit and, one day, confronted her on her "behavior." Other employees, myself included, recorded him yelling at her while she looked unmoved and unbothered. When he was done, he shouted. "You do all of this for anyone else! Why not me?"

X was quiet for a long time. "You didn't treat me like a person when you bullied me in high school, and you still don't now. So why would I?"

Y'ALL, I WAS FLOORED. He was her high school bully and her revenge was not doing anything beyond her contracted job to help him, KNOWING HIS SUCCESS HINGED HEAVILY ON HER.

He was about to snap again, but saw we had cameras pointed at him. His face was red, he looked like he realized something.

"I don't remember that."

"Yes you do. Leave me alone, please."

Then, he didn't ask her to do anything. When he's wasn't scheduled, she goes above and beyond. But X didn't do a god damn thing for Jerk. He couldn't look her in the eye anymore. And honestly, good for her. Our store will never fire her; she knows too much and is too helpful, and she's the highest paid cashier after all her raises and such.

His "projected" productivity suffered since all of his promotional promises hinged on the cashiers being willing to help him with tasks outside of their job. We'd help if X did. She stopped so we did, too. One day he stopped showing up as our supervisor. Our new supervisor told us he'd taken another position.

X is a badass.

She eventually quit and took up her true passion, which was coding and programming. I still text her and we play Balder's Gate together. I love her to bits. She even said she'd teach me some code stuff and see if I can't work with her and her company... Wish me luck!

Posted by admin Rodney.

[eri-pl]

Also Namo and Manwë — 1 & 5 if you want to.

1 When (how?) they became friends

I would be surprised if you chose this question without thinking about "they both know The Thing", and yes, I imagine this is a big factor making their friendship closer—

OK, an explanation to everyone else who does not follow our conversations: Manwë and Námo both know what happens to Men after they die (more precisely than "they leave Ea") I don't know where it's written, probably in Valaquenta? The other Valar don't know it and it's a Secret. (not necessarily from a reader that has at least a vague knowledge of the author's worldview�� but from the other Valar etc)

—But also I assume that the proper Valar are friendly to each other in general, only the closeness of this friendship differs. And they're both introverts (or at least: I see Manwë as more of an introvert and not a fan of being important, and Námo is by necessity not very talkative). Also, Manwë is the most good of the Valar, and Námo is the only one I see as morally fixed (because of his relationship to time & knowledge)—

OK, an explanation to everyone else who does not follow our conversations: we discussed about whether the Valar get "fixed" in being good/bad at some point, or at least some of them, and my opinion is I don't like it generally, but makes sense for Námo.

—so they are the most, how to phrase it… well ok, and Varda too. Funnily, I don't see her spending much time with Námo. I wanted to say "their vibes don't match", but that's not really true. I'm sure they were/will be close outside, but the vibe that connects them both is a bit too much for Ea. No, I don't have anything concrete in mind this time, just… they both are in a way very fundamental.

Anyway Manwë and Námo are the two most good in the abstract sense (as opposed to Ulmo, who does a lot of things and I appreciate him, but I think he is often overrated… Ulmo is kinda like the Martha of the Valar if you get my mental image.)

Another explanation needed… I don't know how to explain it quickly, from the Bible, she's got this personality trait... like multitasking but that's not really it? I suppose someone else can explain it better.

And yes, of course when you spend a lot of time with someone contemplating (behold: I did not see "fanboying"! I'm learning the proper tone!) something you can't share with others, you would get close.

5. A scene of them I wish we had

I generally wish we had a scene of them two talking to each other one-on-one. More scenes with the Valar just having interactions would be nice. I know there are some in Morgoth's Ring but probably not with those two.

I don't have a precise scene in mind, not canon-compliant. I just realized I need to draw them at some point, and it does have a lot of background in my head but… I can't think of any particular scene I wish was in the books. Just: more of them.

More asks welcome!

[literatureloverx]

The Fairest One of All, our dear Snow White,

How have you been since we last spoke? What have you been up to? I hope you are in perfect health and good spirits! Are there any new fixations, things you've learned, or anything new you've experienced lately? I'd be happy to listen to you. :}

I am sending you lots of virtual hugs, cyberbullying you with my love. o( > ᗜ < )o ₊˚⊹♡ May your every day be a pleasant one. Knowing you, please remember to put yourself before others. You have a big heart, but even she needs to be attentively cared for, as you do for everybody else. You are so precious, Snow. I hope you know that. 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

I am aware I didn't write much to you for a while. I thought I was asking you too many questions, but I think you've answered them all already (I don't even remember them myself, so feel free to delete them if any are left). It's not easy to stay away from you. 😣 You have such a magnetic presence and a warm nature. But I don't want to overwhelm you or myself, as I believe everything is better in moderation. Let's say I'm trying to become more balanced with my interactions; I hope I'm not messing it up. I will be keeping it slow, writing once in a while. Also, I feel like it must be exhausting for you at times to reply to everyone and everything intently. Or I’m overthinking. As a fellow introvert, I guess you could have a larger social battery than I do.

I've been seeing many different and interesting anons join our cult family, and it makes me genuinely very happy!! I like reading their writing and your answers; they're stimulating. By the way, for the anon who was looking for some Fyodor fanfic, I'll recommend @/theonlyqualitytrash's blog. She writes truly amazing stuff; it was love at first sight for me to read her writing. And she's also one of the most kind and understanding people I've met here. So, I highly suggest it if they want to read something slightly long but well-structured and creative. 🥺 Speaking of cults, she has also written cult!Fyodor x reader. I don't know why I am loving this particular theme.😭

Ahem anyways—

To be honest, I know very little about astrology. Even though I myself don't really believe in it, it's fun to talk about it or to look on the internet to see what happens to match you according to your zodiac sign. It also seems like something you're interested in, and since the topic came up, I'm going to throw you some questions if that’s okay:

What are your thoughts on each zodiac sign? How would you rate your compatibility with them in general?

I'm definitely not asking because I want to see what you feel about my own sign

Sincerely yours,

-Berry

I’ve been doing fine, my dear. How about you? ♥️

I don’t have any new fixations, as my fixations tend to be very long-lasting, often lasting for multiple years.

Recently, I dreamt of a random lion on the beach, which led me to pester my brother into watching the first Narnia movie with me again because I enjoy watching movies with a companion.♥️

He agreed, but then put it off for several days because “he had things to do” (which really meant he wanted to game with his friends instead lmao). Anyway, I waited for two more days and ended up watching it alone. He randomly walked into my room, saw me watching it by myself, and got all pouty about it (serves him right, if you ask me, haha).

Thank you so much for “cyberbullying me with your love.” I’m bullying you back with my love too. ♥️ I truly appreciate your kind words, my dear Berry. Thank you, I’m doing my best! ♥️

You’re not overwhelming me, and as you’ve probably noticed, I answer asks when I feel comfortable and when I have the time. Feel free to send whatever you wish, and I’ll answer them gradually whenever I can. ♥️ Your compliments are incredibly heartwarming, but I think you might be seeing me as someone more superior than I actually am—I’m just a normal human being, like anyone else on here. You can always write to me whenever you’d like!

Children, give @theonlyqualitytrash ‘s blog some love. It definitely deserves more likes. ♥️

I’m aware that you read my astrology-related post, where I (jokingly) ranked each zodiac sign, so I’m guessing your question is more compatibility-related this time? I hope that’s okay.

I’ll consider other aspects that might theoretically be compatible with me because… I’m not someone who goes around asking people about their birth charts. So I can’t really base this on personal experience.

I’ll also take into account other aspects, not just the Sun sign, like the Moon sign (because it reveals emotional compatibility), the Venus sign (because it shows how we express love and affection), and the Mercury sign (because it relates to communication styles). I could take more aspects into consideration, but I need to keep this friendly for the people reading who aren’t as into astrology. I hope you have fun reading this! ♥️

Don’t take this too seriously (I stereotyped every single placement haha).♥️

Aries

Sun: I never had any good experiences with them… I’m sorry. It’s a no for me.

Moon: Okay, so with my Moon sign being in Libra, and Aries being Libra’s opposite/sister sign, I’ve heard this could be a good match for me. However, I have no personal evidence to support this. I do see the potential, though.

Venus: Again, Venus in Scorpio is supposed to be compatible with Venus in Aries. I’m not against it, I suppose?

Mercury: An absolute no from me, I’m sorry. What do I gain by communicating with someone who is as impulsive as an immature child? Nothing, dear children. Nothing at all.

Taurus

No need to dissect in sections. I love Tauruses in all shapes and forms, haha. (Tone down that stubbornness though, I’m begging you.)

Gemini

Sun: They are fun to be around. I like them, but the likelihood of me committing to a deeply rooted friendship or a romantic relationship with them is highly unlikely. (Unless it’s Dazai, of course. Lmao.)

Moon: A fellow Moon in an air sign. I see the potential— it could work.

Venus: Uhm… no… (We would be “you don’t own me” x “but you belong to me” haha.)

Mercury: I imagine this placement to be rather flaky, with a hyperactive communication style, which doesn’t resonate with my love to dig as deep as possible when talking about interesting topics.

Cancer

Sun: I’m optimistic. It would likely work… as long as it’s not someone who is overly, stereotypically emotional.

Moon: I’m not entirely sure, but why not? Libra and Cancer might not match directly, but I think it aligns well with my Scorpio stellium overall.

Venus: Theoretically speaking, this could definitely work. In fact, it might even feel magical.

Mercury: I think this is a great placement compatibility-wise. We could have fascinating, deep-dive conversations.

Leo

Sun: From a theoretical standpoint, it’s not a great match for me. You’re not everyone’s sunshine—you’re supposed to be my sunshine. Tch. (Though I’d probably choose the moonlight over the sunlight anyway, but that’s beside the point.)

Moon: This could actually be a good match. The thought intrigued me as I was considering it.

Venus: YES. (I love generous people.)

Mercury: To be or not to be… that is the question. In this case, Mercury Leo’s are not compatible with me.

Virgo

Sun: Theoretically speaking (yes, you’ll be hearing this often), we should get along well.

Moon: Did you lose your feelings when you were born? Quite restrained, aren’t they? Haha, just kidding, of course. In fact, I do like them.

Venus: Please no…🥺

Mercury: I find this placement rather intriguing! I can imagine us spying on people together, hahaha.

Libra

Sun: I love them as my friends. They’re so comfortable to be around, but I don’t necessarily see it as a good romantic match. However, it really depends on their other placements. For example, I could handle a Libra Sun-Scorpio Moon combo well.

Moon: My Moon-twins. ♥️ I feel like this is a very good match! We’d just be vibing together, haha.

Venus: The sign is in the right placement. For me, it would be okay… but would it be okay for the person with that placement? As a friend, yes. As a romantic partner, probably not.

Mercury: This placement seems like a very balanced form of self-expression, which I appreciate. I imagine people with this placement tend to be soft-spoken.

Scorpio

Sun: We get along very well, so it’s a definite yes from me—both platonically and romantically.

Moon: I’ve never met anyone with this placement, but I think I could handle the intensity well and even balance it out.

Venus: To whoever has this placement—same here. I know it’s rough. Let me give you a hug. Overall… YES. (Let’s be possessive of each other. ♥️) As an aside, the Libra friend I’ve mentioned also has this placement, and even in a platonic relationship, it’s amazing. I can only dream of a romantic one.

Mercury: Again, we’re one of a kind. Which I like. So, yes, again.

Sagittarius

Sun: Haha. In the most loving way possible: no. ♥️ —at least in the romantic sense. To be honest, we really don’t have much in common platonically either.

Moon: I’m not sure…

Venus: As a friend, probably fine. As a romantic partner, a definite no for me. My Scorpio stellium does not vibe with this pairing—sorry!

Mercury: Sure, why not? I’d love to have philosophical discussions with someone who has this placement. I hear they have fascinating views.

Capricorn

Sun: It’s said that Capricorn is one of the zodiac signs that pairs well with Scorpio. I can see the potential.

Moon: I’m not so sure about this one…

Venus: I think this could be a great opportunity. To be more precise, I see it working.

Mercury: YES. The cut-throat, borderline brutal style of communication because they want the best for you? Just yes.

Aquarius

Sun: YES.

Moon: My brother has his Moon in Aquarius… I’d likely avoid it if I can, haha. I may not be overly emotional, but I do sometimes need guidance. I’d probably expect that more in a romantic sense. However, as a friend, this placement is great!

Venus: Again, as a friend, very great.

Mercury: This is an excellent placement, in my (very biased) opinion, haha. I do love the intellectual tone and expression of Aquarians, particularly Mercury Aquarians.

*Malicious giggle because you wanted to know what I think about your sign, but I knowingly put it at the very end. Hehehe.*

Pisces

Sun: You have all failed me up until now, dear Pisces. It’s only going well with one of your fellow Pisces so far (and you too, of course, my dear berry). Her cardinal-sign shenanigans of not being able to control her emotions whenever they bubble up can still be frustrating, but I’m managing. Overall, as a friend—platonically, a maybe and an okay. Romantically, an ABSOLUTE no. (With all due respect, of course.) Also, I’d like to add: Pisces men have it rough in this world. Bless them.

Moon: My friend—the Libra one—is a Pisces Moon, and it works perfectly in this specific combination. Platonically speaking, I love this placement, and we’re very compatible.

Venus: Theoretically speaking, we should be compatible. But somehow, I don’t believe in this. I think it’s because most Scorpios like to be the lead and the dominant type (whether in platonic or romantic relationships), while this isn’t the case for me. I can’t treat my man as a princess—I’m very sorry. Other Scorpios love you, though, I’m sure.

Mercury: We’re likely compatible, but I wouldn’t enjoy it. Again, I don’t like to lead conversations or lose rationality in discussions altogether. I can handle it for a while, but at some point, it might get exhausting. The intuition-based conversations could be a plus, though.

[nickeverdeen]

Request: Hi, if it's ok, I would like an arcane matchup, please? I'm a twenty years old bi-ace AFAB (She/they pronouns) with a preference for women, kinda short (5'2 I think, it's 158 cm anyway), I usually like to wear button up shirts with sweaters, generally really large ones, but my favourite piece of clothing is a very long jeans jacket full of patches and pins; I occasionally also wear T-shirts, but mostly if they're baggy enough. I also have kind of callous fingers, because I play violin, though I'm not sure whether this might be important. Anyway, my friends describe me as an introvert that becomes pretty crazy when opens up, I also really like doing dad jokes. I don't talk much, I prefer to listen (also because I worry about annoying people and being made fun of), and I struggle a lot with self worth, like, I often don't like myself much, and I always feel like I'm out of context with how I talk or interact. I also have the physical strenght of a noodle, but I love giving and receiving hugs, or, well, simple physical contact is just so nice. I really like writing, reading and drawing, or just chill and listen to someone else talking, I also really like books, TV series (especially cartoons) and musicals, and, lately, I've picked up baking. I don't really like playing the violin, or doing physical activities, and being put at the centre of attention makes me feel very uncomfortable; I'm also not very confrontational, so I have a tendency not to discuss unless prompted to; another ick are loud noises and rough textures in clothing.

Your Arcane match is…

Vi

Vi would always reassure you when your self-worth falters, reminding you how amazing you are and never letting you dwell on negative thoughts about yourself

She’d be your biggest cheerleader

Knowing you love physical touch, Vi would happily initiate hugs, hand-holding, or draping her arm around you while you talk

She’d say you’re the perfect height to hold, and it would be her favorite way to comfort you

Vi would adore your long jacket and its patches

She’d even collect or make new pins for you to add, turning it into a collaborative project between the two of you

Vi would love trying your baked goods and might even ask to help in the kitchen—though her “help” might involve stealing bits of dough or playfully smearing flour on your nose

She’d respect your need to chill and listen rather than always talk, often sharing her own thoughts or stories while you relax beside her

Your ability to truly listen would make her feel seen in ways few others do

Vi would create a cozy, safe environment where you could feel at ease

Vi would secretly love your dad jokes and try to one-up you with her own terrible puns

It would become a lighthearted game between you two, and her laugh would be worth every groan-worthy punchline

If anyone tried to make you feel uncomfortable or put you down, Vi wouldn’t hesitate to step in

Her fiery side would come out, but only because she’d want to protect you from harm

Knowing you’re not physically strong, Vi would often tease you by offering to carry heavy things or lifting you off the ground during hugs

[voxofthevoid]

Hello! We haven't really interacted before but I reviewed a Bleach fanfiction of yours a while ago, and I've loved your stories for the fandom! I'm sad that you no longer write for Bleach, but you've shared some amazing work, so thank you for that.

Just wanted to ask if you have any tips on how to connect more with other readers and writers, as it seems your conversations with other people in your fandoms bring a lot of joy and inspiration! While I wrote fanfiction in my teenage years, I felt very much like a fandom hermit back then but I'm coming back to it now many years later and want to actively engage with more people. I've joined some discord servers and am posting much more to twitter and tumblr, but I'm still pretty shy about messaging people privately as I feel like I don't really know what to say. I know it will take time, but any advice on how to get the ball rolling would be much appreciated.

Good luck with the writing!

Hi! I'm very glad you like my Bleach fics, and hey, being missed isn't a bad thing either ❤

(I do have one 80%–finished grimmichi fic that I'll put up on Ao3 soon-ish. The last chapter won't ever be written, but there's still some 28k of fluff and porn that ends on a fairly conclusive note on the emotional end.)

You're right that interacting with my fellow fans is a large part of what makes fandom fun for me. The community aspect of fandom is something that comes up a lot in conversations about why people flock to fandom, why they stay, and why they leave, and although I'm an introvert bordering on a hermit, the social aspects of fandom are its greatest draw. I write because I need to or I'll burst, but I share for the people here with me. That's not an uncommon attitude or experience. YMMV, but many of us want to connect with people who share our interests, and the level of creativity and commitment fandom inspires often thrives in collaboration and community.

How to get that sense of community is a trickier matter though. You're already in Discord servers, which seems to be the main fandom social space(s) these days. You're also on social media platforms where people can reach out to you or vice versa. So that's the basics covered. After that, it's largely a matter of organically developing relationships. But I do understand the hesitance to just roll up into someone's DMs; even though I have no issues with people popping up in my DMs, I also find it harder to initiate.

Plus, I've found that some sort of existing rapport gives you a better foundation when you do take the step into private exchanges. This can be Ao3 comment sections, Tumblr notes, or Discord group chat spaces. I tend to avoid Discord servers these days, but back when I had more tolerance for group chats, the people I met there often became closer friends. Mostly though, my pocket friends are people I met via Ao3 and, less frequently, Tumblr—fellow authors and readers in a specific fandom.

I know my regulars, here and on Ao3, and I've been a regular many times. Discussions in comments usually start out limited to the specific fic, but they can also include general fandom/canon stuff or even personal talk. Many times, you build a degree of familiarity with a person that way, and if the conversation moves to more private channels, you already have a shared base to build further conversation on.

So my best advice to find friends and like-minded fandom folks is to be active in Ao3 comments and Tumblr notes (...and whatever the corresponding thing is over on Xitter):

Reply to the comments on your stories and try to really engage with what your readers are saying. This is very much a personal preference, but the reason I try to reply with more than a generic "thanks" for longer, more in-depth comments is that, like I said above, nerding out with fellow fans is a huge part of why I love fandom. If people are already expressing interest in your story and you have a shared interest in canon, there's a lot of room there for fun conversations, even if they never go beyond one-off exchanges.

Comment on stories you like, and if you find specific authors you really love, let them know without reservations what you like about their takes and why you like them. One of my favorite commenting methods when I'm well and truly in love with something is to read everything once, then reread and leave longass comments on every chapter/fic. It's time-intensive, but I've never seen the effort go unappreciated. I've also been on the receiving end of this many times, and that's how several of my fandom friendships were born; one of my closest friends is someone I virtually kidnapped because I loved their tags on my JJK fic posts so much.

The above habits can be applied to Tumblr/Twitter too. Plus, there are plenty of people on such sites who engage deeply with fandom outside of fic writing. Be loud and proud about what you love. Sending a DM is an intimidating step, and not everyone will be receptive anyway, but most people welcome encouragement and appreciation. There are a lot of people I'm friendly with and fond of whom I've never interacted with directly, only via Tumble notes or asks.

I think all of this narrows down to being pretty generous when it comes to expressing your love for fandom and fellow fans. Won't always work out for various reasons, but as long as you're having fun, it's not wasted effort or time.

[lokigodofaces]

for the blorbo ask game: 8, 9, & 12 :D

again, sorry for the delay. i keep getting these asks at work lol. also i don't recognize your url so i'm not sure which blorbo you'd be interested in hearing about...i'm going to do bucky because that sounds fun rn, but if you want me to talk about a different character let me know and i'll answer the same questions for someone else.

is your Blorbo an introvert or extrovert?

I would say introvert. And I know some people disagree and say he was an extravert before the war, but introverts are just as capable at social interaction as extraverts. Introvert doesn't mean shy, it means that social interaction can be tiring. Meanwhile, I'm told that extraverts get an energy boost interacting with others. But I headcanon that he's always been an introvert, but before the war he wasn't shy or socially awkward. He just knew when he could hang out and when he couldn't. And at least in my experience as an introvert there are certain people I'm very close to that don't tire me out. So he probably can hang out with Steve more because hanging out with Steve isn't tiring.

As for after TWS, well, things are different. He is more socially awkward but because he's out of practice. And he isn't shy. He's so guilt-ridden that he doesn't let himself get close to others. He needs a lot of therapy (and not from a therapist that is manipulative).

So, yeah, he's an introvert, but not in the way people often describe introverts.

describe your Blorbo in 3 words

Only 3? Well then:

Determined. Kind. Intelligent.

do you talk to your family or in-real-life friends about your Blorbo?

Yeah! Not to my family as much, but my family is full of casual Marvel fans so when it comes up in conversation then yes. But I do talk about him to my best friend!

Blorbo Asks Game

[mademoiselle-cookie]

Is Étoiles a bad leader?

No. If you just wanted to know that, my answer is no. You don't have to read the rest.

So in my completely impartial and not at all biased opinion, I'm going to explain why we are actually lucky to have him as a leader. (it will probably poorly age)

But first yes, this question does not come out of nowhere. This first day was hell for the Green Team and their chat (at least Étoiles' chat). I was watching his stream before stopping before the “teamwork” part. If it had been later, I wouldn't have watched the VOD. I literally put the last stream in accelerated, because it wasn't pleasant to watch and Étoiles was clearly not having a good time. It ruined my good mood and I abandoned the stream on the 2nd day because I wasn't in a state to enjoy it, even though it seemed to be exactly like the solo part of Étoiles during the 1st day, but vocally with the Blue Team, so without the stress of teamwork.

I'm not saying that Étoiles is perfect. It is obvious that he was not elected for his leadership abilities, but because he is the strongest (and he is green). He is kind, doesn't like to impose himself, speaks softly and is an introvert whose social battery runs out quickly (I'm an introvert myself and let me tell you it goes down very quickly in stressful/in unusual company/unpleasant situations). It also often happened that the other players talked over him (except Fit, no? It seemed to annoy him)

But I attribute the majority of their difficulty to two points:

Lack of luck A) Decisions which are good on paper but the circumstances of the event make them bad

It's a survival game. Taking your time to prepare is super important if it's possible. It's literally what allows you to survive properly after that. The Green Team farmed items, obtained and enchanted armors and weapons, collected food, made sure everyone had what they needed, created a well-hidden base... They then left as a group because it is more cautious and stronger... The problem is that not everyone plays like that. The other teams were much weaker (at this moment) so the fights weren't tense at all, they got lost very often due to their numbers, the majority of interactions among teams took place while they were preparing so they arrived too late for that ...

B) Lack of balance

The Green Ninjas are way too strong. There is Étoiles, the strongest on the server who is used to this type of game, Fit, who is also used to this type of game but with even more experience, Roeir who is much stronger than he looks like… In comparison, the Red Team doesn't have half its team and those remaining are mostly lore players, not pvp or survival. What would it have cost to take Étoiles or Fit and trade him for a red player who never comes? There would have been fewer calm and experienced people among the Greens but a penalty is not a problem at this stage. Etoiles were just complaining that they were too strong and that it wasn't fun.

(And really, at least the Reds are with people they're used to being around (the Twitch Rivals members are all there except Etoiles) and they're the crowd's favorites. The Green Team is either people who know their stuff and are quite solitary (Fit and Etoiles) or don't come in general (Kameto), or won't come much anymore because it's not their type of game (Antoine and Ironmouse). So it's less fun to watch. Imbalance is not just in the difference in strength.)

C) Languages

It's like that for everyone but on the Green Team, only Fit is a Native English Speaker, the language that everyone uses. Finding words is complicated, understanding others is complicated, and all that, added to the stress, made the situation even more difficult than necessary.

Hell is other people A) It's stressful

The players were teleported to an unknown island completely run by a person who hates them and wants to make them suffer, without their stuff, with one less heart line, to save their children, taking into account that an (unknown) team is corrupted and its defeat means the death of some eggs. Survival games aren't for everyone either, so some really fall completely short. Game or not, it's a stressful situation. And humans don't perform well under stress, and that makes us more aggressive and difficult to get along with. For teamwork, it's a real obstacle.

B) These players do not meet often

Apart from a few exceptions, the members of the Green Team do not often hang out together. They get along well but are usually with other people. Obviously, the bonds are less strong, and the knowledge to understand and manage others is lesser.

C) It's the 1st day

The first day of an inherently stressful and frustrating event, where team members do not necessarily know each other well. Obviously it's a disaster. We rarely perform really good the first time. At least the Greens didn't kill each other or go crazy.

But honestly, we judge the Greens on their teamwork because they were the only ones to do it. The Blues were working, but mostly on their own, the Reds acting as a team but they did not really "work".

But why are we lucky to have Étoiles as a leader? Because he's the nicest. He wants to play fair. He apologizes after killing someone, didn't want to kill Tina because the fight was way too unfair, asked his team not to burn other people's stuff because it's really annoying. This team is the strongest on the easy server if they try. Étoiles almost won on the 2nd day while being all alone. He would have succeeded if Elquackity hadn't messed up (chances are it was done on purpose to boost the morale of the Red Team). Roier wants blood, so does Fit. Yet Étoiles managed to keep them calm enough to farm and maintain some morals. If he decided to be completely wild, it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

The Reds went completely crazy from day 1, while the Greens had enough preparations for a solid foundation when they reconnect. The Bolas might be the most fun to follow, but if you were stuck on the island, which team would you prefer? The crazy cannibals who eat each other or the strongest who help each other even if it’s boring?

[aifos206]

How They First Met (Andy and Noah)

premise: (there might be a small spoiler about Fay's affinity quest)

Ok, let's start by saying that they met for the first time a long time before they had their first real conversation, Andy had arrived in Harvest Town to open his bar and Noah was now living in his house away from the eyes of the townspeople, so... two people who lived their lives without really interacting with each other, the only things they knew between them is that Andy was the new bartender who came from the city and the most Andy knew about Noah was that he was the school librarian, but beyond that... nothing more. (also because Noah is very introverted for obvious reasons)

Now... if you've read Noah's backstory you'll know that Noah sees both May and Fay as sisters and, if you've done Fay's "first affinity quest" you'll know that she often went around helping others to the point that sometimes she got sick (among the jobs she helped Andy organize the bar).

and here is where it all begins... (I warn you: I am not a writer and I do not define myself as an aspiring writer, so forgive me if it seems a bit... "sloppy", also I want to remember that my first language is not English, so if there are grammatical errors... I'm sorry😅)

It was Friday afternoon, the children had finished school and Noah was tidying up the books in the library, it's Friday afternoon, this means that tomorrow will be Saturday, so it will mean that it will be a day of rest for the children, but also for Noah, therefore, it will mean that he will be able to stay in his little house in the woods to study some plants, learn some recipes and maybe walk through the woods to relax his mind-

oh no, wait... that's right... he'll have to spend the next three nights translating texts from human to monster language... you know, besides the mysterious cave in the mountain and the mines there's an underground city populated by monsters, more intelligent monsters, but they rightly need books to allow the refugee children to learn since studying in the "old world" was optional, but in that underground village studying is a right and also a duty, but they need books and they need someone who can write books... and think about it, who will be the person who knows both human and monster writing? well yes, it's Noah... and is he paid for it? of course not, but that's another story.

Anyway, Noah was putting away the last books until at one point he hears a voice behind him.

May: Ehy Noah

Noah: Oh, hey May, what's up?

May: Fay got sick...

Noah stops. the information was sudden...

Noah: what?

May: yes... Gary called me and told me he took Fay to Lee because she seemed paler than usual, but nothing serious, just tired.

Noah: ...

Noah didn't know what to say, it's not the first time it's happened, it's not the first time May tried to keep Fay from working too hard, it's not the first time Noah tried to reassure Fay that she was useful to the village, but it never seemed to be enough, she always said that she was fine... and instead it ends with her getting sick.

Noah: So... what should we do?

May: I honestly don't know... despite her condition Fay still says she's fine and will be ready by tomorrow.

Noah: but damn-

May: Noah there are still children!

Noah: ...

May: ... I thought... why don't we do the things Fay normally does tomorrow? So she won't have to worry, I can try to convince her or ask Foxy to convince her to stay calm with the chores and we'll take care of them!

and... all of Noah's plans went to hell-

Noah: Well... yeah... that could work... but... what exactly does Fay do?

May: well... she usually brings vegetables to Pong... she brings breakfast to Steve... gives Gary a hand with the animals-

Noah: Jesus, doesn't Lopez have like a daughter who can cook for him or at least someone who can teach him how to cook? at least two eggs-

May: I swear Noah if you interrupt me again I will throw an encyclopedia at your head like you tried to do to Duke last month-

Noah: I told you already, it was an accident, it slipped off the railing and it didn't even hit him-

May: YOU WERE LITERALLY THERE TAKING AIM!

Noah: Well, HE was getting too close to YOU for MY taste...!

May takes a deep breath trying to control her instincts to throw a Karate chop at his neck, also because... there was Tom who was watching them from afar, but by now he is used to these scenes between the two of them, even for the most absurd reasons and so he goes out without making too much noise.

May: Anyway, I was saying... the problem is that the children have done some pretty important tests and it will take me almost a morning to correct them, plus... someone will still have to keep an eye on Fay while she's sick...

Noah: Let me guess... I'll have to do the "heaviest" work because you decided to give third degree equations to children of maximum 7 years old and you don't feel like going back and forth like an idiot...

May: Exactly.

Noah: ...well that seems fair to me.

May: so... tomorrow I'll think about giving the vegetables to Pong and then I'll go and correct the tests, while you go and help Gary with the animals... I think Steve will be able to get by with food since Lulu will also be resting...

Noah: I don't know much about farm animals, but I think I can get by, I'll go to Gary and let him know.

May: ah, Noah wait

Noah: hm?

May: maybe Andy will need a hand with the bar tomorrow, maybe ask if he needs a hand

Noah: ... who?

May: Are you serious? The bartender, Duke works there, remember?

Noah: oh yeah... the guy who sees the girls and ladies dancing at the square every morning? pretty creepy...

May: Nah, Andy's a cool guy, I've talked to him a couple of times, I think you might like him, in fact... maybe you should make some friends here, I hardly ever see you talking to anyone...

Noah: don't worry *meanwhile he's going down the stairs* I have friends

May: The half-unicorn with the possible criminal record doesn't count.

Noah: ...

May: See you tomorrow.

Noah: See you tomorrow...

the morning after:

Noah: well... all that's missing is Andy and I should be done... maybe before I go home I'll stop by Fay's to see how she is... and maybe give her something for the fever...

Noah was coming back from helping Gary with the animals, was it complicated? Not really, probably because he didn't give him the jobs he usually would have given to Fay, did this bother him? Well... enough, he never really related with anyone in the village, except for special cases, but... despite living there for at least 12 years he still felt like the "black sheep", even if technically he would have been more of a "wendigo in sheep's clothing".

Anyway, it didn't take long for Noah to arrive in front of the bar door, he knocked, no answer, May had told him that Andy and Duke lived here... maybe they didn't hear him, maybe their rooms are on another floor, who knows Noah has never been there, he knocks a little louder

Noah: uh... is anyone there?

*in his head* obviously if I speak as if I were talking to someone 2 cm away from me surely no one will hear me, but... it's 8.00 in the morning and it's Saturday, maybe someone is still sleeping...

Noah, stand still for a moment in silence...

Noah: Ugh, I'm going to sound like an idiot...

*took a breath*

Hey! Is anyone there?! Do you guys need help at the bar?! Is anyone there?!

?: huh? uhm, oh hello there!

Noah hears a voice, but he doesn't understand where it comes from

Andy: Up here!

Noah raises his head and as soon as he does he feels that he has lost what little color he had left, he takes a few steps back to make sure it is not just a strange decoration and instead...

Andy: Hey boy..! Do you need anything? The weather is so nice today isn't it?

Noah: uh...

Noah is slightly stunned to see a man on the roof and especially near the edge.

Noah: uhm... yeah? The weather isn't bad...

Andy: So... what did you come here to do?

Noah: o-oh right, well you see, my sister would normally come to here to help you organize the bar, but today she's sick and so I thought maybe I...

Noah stops for a second in saying the sentence when he notices something near the bartender, a bottle of wine, which Andy takes and drinks his whole, this man... is he drunk...? and it's only 8:00 in the morning?!

Noah: uh... are... you okay...?

Andy: Me? yeah sure, why? ... Oh, are you worried about that? *raises the bottle* don't worry, I only drank two sips...! Look, don't worry... now wait while I come down and-

Noah: -!

in those seconds in Noah's head there is total chaos, a second ago the bartender was trying to get up, then he slips and now he's falling...

he's falling...

OH MY GOD HE'S FALLING FROM THE ROOF-!

...

...

...

...

Noah: ... are you... okay... sir...?

Andy was squeezing his eyes shut ready for the impact and the future pain of the probable broken bones from the fall and the panic around him and instead... he doesn't feel anything, he felt gravity pulling him down, but he didn't feel any impact, he opens his eyes and realizes he's not even touching the ground.

Noah: Sir, are you feeling okay?

(the background is obviously not mine and sorry for the arms)

the silence has become deafening. Andy looks around, looks at the ground, looks at himself, looks at Noah and then... laughs

Noah: ...?

Andy: oh God, this could have really ended badly! Thanks for the catch boy, you have great reflexes!

Noah: uh... thanks?

OK, if Noah's brain was in a tailspin before, now it's completely disintegrated...! He's trying to process what happened, he fails OK- let's try to process again... he arrives and finds the village bartender on the roof, obviously not 100% sober, he falls, Noah catches him, Andy laughs, Noah is confused...

Well, gentlemen, a normal Saturday morning apparently...

Noah is so confused that Andy himself brings him back to planet earth by patting him lightly on the shoulder

Andy: ehy...

Noah: y-yes?

Andy: I ​​think you can put me down now

Noah remains silent, looks into space, looks at it and then... screams inside and the worst thing... it seems that Andy has noticed his "panic"

Noah: o-oh, yeah, right sorry

Noah puts him down as "gently" as possible and the first thing he notices is how Andy at that moment was shaking from the adrenaline

Noah: uhm... I don't want to seem too... nosy, but... maybe it wasn't a good idea to sit on the roof and drink...

Andy: yeah... but anyway, back to us... did you come here for...?

Noah: oh yeah, Fay is sick, so I thought I'd replace her since I heard that she often helped you prepare the bar...

Andy: oh, I'm sorry for her, I hope she gets better

Noah: yeah... I hope so too

Andy: wait... you're her brother? The librarian, right?

Noah: um... yeah, actually I am

Andy: oh well, Fay told me about you when she came to help me...!

Noah: oh, okay...

another awkward silence

...

Noah: so... what does Fay usually do?

Andy: let's see... she usually helps me carry some crates... she cleans a bit here and there... nothing too complicated, oh, don't worry about the crates, I don't make her carry too heavy stuff

Noah: okay...

Andy: then when we finish we usually talk and sometimes I give her some samples from the bar, just to get some feedback

Noah: okay

...

...

...

Andy with a friendly smile: you're not the type to talk a lot, huh?

Noah: a-ah, no... I don't think so...

Andy: don't worry, I don't want to force anything... *comes closer, opening the door of the bar*

Andy: do you want to go in and see what the inside looks like? I don't think you've ever been in my bar

Noah: ah, actually no...

Andy nods inviting him in: well, there's always a first time, right?

Noah: ... right...

Noah takes a few steps inside the bar and sees how the environment gives a certain... calm, something he didn't expect, meanwhile he heard Andy's voice calling him and meanwhile he took a box

Andy smiling: anyway... I haven't asked your name yet...

Noah: o-oh right... mine is Noah...

Andy: well, it's a pleasure to meet you Noah

Noah: ... thanks, the pleasure is mine... yours would be...?

Andy: Andy, anyway you can call me informally, there's no need for all these formalities

Noah: oh... O-ok

Maybe May was right... it doesn't look so bad, except maybe for the roof.

Ok, this is how they met, I hope you liked it and if you want to know more just ask your questions, bye