#oooh im so excited to write them

[foreverwants]

                        ──────────────                        the guilt burrows deep within her ,      pools in her gut and twists like a knife .      that night had haunted her ever since she’d broken free of the compulsion ,      the flash of amethyst permanently burned underneath her eyelids .      erica can’t blame @divinares for the bitter chill targeted in her direction ;            everyone else had died in the blast ,      victims to the delusions of a madman            ⁽ ʷʰᵒ ᵏⁿᵉʷ ˢᶜʰᵒᵒˡ ᵃᵈᵐⁱⁿⁱˢᵗʳᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʷᵒᵘˡᵈ ᵗᵘʳⁿ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵗᵒ ˡⁱᵗᵉʳᵃˡˡʸ ᵇᵉ ᵉᵛⁱˡ ⁾ ,            and erica just fled like a coward .                        ❝      well ,      it’s good to see you .      you look      [ . . . ]      healthy .      ❞                        alive .      erica had an eternity of regret ahead of her !

despite anticipating it ,      she was still taken aback by the bite in benny’s tone .      arms cross as figure leans against the dingy dresser            ──────            shit furniture courtesy to her latest motel ,      her attempt at flying under the vampire counsel’s radar .                        ❝      i thought you had pǝıp .      ❞                        ‘ with everyone else ’   remains unspoken ,      but erica knows that benny gets the message .      the unfamiliar ache of remorse threatened to eat her alive ,      but she had never been good at wearing her emotions on her sleeve .                        ❝      the vampire counsel said that white chapel had been completely wiped .      ❞

PROMPT            //            ❝ i don't actually care but i'm bored so i'm here. ❞

[the-zephyr-zone]

I love summer. It's warm out, i have very few responsibilities, I'm at my parents' house so I don't have to worry about feeding myself or paying for it. Like what do you mean this week alone I've started crocheting again, I drew for myself for the first time in a very long time, I've been gardening, and now I'm pulling up my google doc to write again?! I'm doing good and I'm way happier than I thought I'd be!!

[luveline]

Hiiiiii!!!!!!! I recently got back into criminal minds and devoured all ur hotch fics like a MANIAC (you write. So unbelievably well. Im also in love w ur tasm peter stuff, you are just such a good writer thru and thru) and that one request where Jack calls reader mom for the first time really stuck w me so I was wondering if maybe I could request smth of the opposite? Like not-so-single mom!reader and hotch have been dating for a while and her lil girl calls him dad for the first time :3 🖤🖤

thank you for requesting! 💌 —your daughter calls Hotch dad for the first time. fem, 2k

“Come in, come in!” Hotch says, the door held ajar by his arm, forcing you to squeeze in and save the heat. “Quickly, honey, please, get out of the rain.” 

Sarah bursts in through the door and away from the rain, her vinyl coat covered in raindrops, her boots wet with mud. “Aaron!” she says, pulling it into something softened and excited at once, though her ‘r’s are weak, closer to ‘w’s. “I missed you.” She jumps from one foot to the other. 

He makes sure you’re safely inside before he abandons you. It’s not very kind to you, but he can’t help himself. “Sarah,” he says, without your daughter’s sweetness but heavily fond, “I missed you more, honey. How many days has it been?” 

“Four!” she says, holding up four fingers as Hotch grabs her by the waist. 

He doesn’t mind her wet coat, working an arm around and beneath her to shuck off her muddy shoes. They topple to the ground to unveil damp socks. 

“Oh, no, your socks are wet. I did all the laundry while we were waiting, I have some warm ones for you in the dryer. Should we get you out of this coat?” 

“Where’s Jack?” you ask. 

“Eating. He was starving, couldn’t wait.” 

You kick your shoes off and gather them with Sarah’s to line up by the door. Hotch takes off Sarah’s coat with some one-armed manoeuvring, aware of her smiley gaze following his every move. 

“I,” you say, pressing a swift kiss to his cheek, cold lips to his rough skin, “am gonna go to the toilet really quickly. Hi, handsome.” 

He savours your kiss and watches you go. He owes you a better greeting, he missed you just as much as he missed your girl. For now, he wipes the cold from Sarah’s cheeks and stations her comfortably on his navel. 

He loves her like his own. He’s privileged to get the opportunity, and it’s hard not to feel that low level of awe whenever she’s around, because she loves him the same way. Sarah waits for him to smile before she wraps her arms around his neck, long enough to twine her fingers in the short hair she finds there. 

It’s funny to love someone you had no hand in bringing into the world, but no less real. He’d do anything for Sarah. I miss you doesn’t cover it, but it’s a start. “I missed you,” he murmurs, not well-versed in baby talk but always willing to try for his kids. “It’s so nice to see you. Jack missed you too, should we go see him? I can change your socks.” 

He ushers her back enough to see her. She has such loving eyes, not shy at all as she nods her head. “Can you make crackers?” 

He beams. “Oooh, yes. Crackers and cheese and apple slices, I know what you want, honey. It’s ready for you in the kitchen.” 

Things weren’t easy at first for either you nor Hotch. He works too much, and you both have priorities that can’t be shifted, but the connection between you was easy. Love, undoubtedly, pretty much the moment you met, even if it scared him. He never thought he’d get a second chance and he’s not sure you thought you’d find yours either, and yet loving you has been as helpless as loving your daughter. He doesn’t have a choice and he doesn’t want one. 

In this time, you’ve found routine. He’s introduced the idea of moving in together and you’re excited for it, though concrete plans haven’t been laid. There’s a lot of questions and no need to rush into answering them yet. He has no intentions of letting you go now —Hotch will do anything it takes to keep his small family. 

Today, right now, that’s crackers. 

“Sarah!” Jack says when he sees them, jumping off of his chair to climb on top of it. He holds his hands out and Hotch leans down with a loving laugh to let his son hug her. “You’re back!” 

“I’m back,” she agrees. 

“Do you want some of my sandwiches? Daddy made me two.” 

“Yes!” she says, wiggling to be put down and given what he’s promising. 

Hotch fights to take her to the sink and wash her little hands, to her horror and whining. He says, “Okay, okay, I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you gotta wash your hands before you eat.” 

He puts her in her own chair, and it is Sarah’s chair, outfitted with a big pillow so she can see the table and marked by a pink star sticker, putting a placemat in front of her. Jack quickly pushes one of his sandwiches towards her. “There you go.” 

“Thank you, Jackers,” she says. 

Hotch smiles. Despite their different interests and ages, they’re quick to get along. 

He shouldn’t pry while you’re in the bathroom, but he worries about you. “Honey?” he calls up the stairs. 

“I’m just changing!” 

“Yeah? Can you bring some socks for Sarah, please?” 

You shout back something incomprehensible. He returns to the kitchen, where Sarah looks over the chair with pleading eyes and asks, “Crackers?” a piece of lettuce stuck to her chin. 

“Ah,” he says showfully, turning to the fridge to grab the plate of crackers, sliced cheese, and apples he’d Saran wrapped an hour ago. He peels off the wrapping and places it in front of her. “Here, sweetheart. Do you want anything else? Maybe some chips?” 

She laughs and grabs a piece of apple without answering him. 

“What about you, sweetheart? Drink?” he asks Jack. 

“Yes please, daddy.” 

Hotch makes Jack a cup of orange juice and Sarah a sippy cup, hers diluted some with water. He places them down in front of the kids, crouching between their chairs, intending to stay and chat. “How’s that?” he asks, tilting his head to the side to listen for your light footsteps on the stairs.  

“Thanks, daddy,” Jack says. 

“Thank you, daddy,” Sarah echoes, reaching for him. Hotch offers his hand, startled, not quick enough to hide it. She doesn’t pay any mind to his expression, pleased to have her hand held and her big plastic plate of crackers to munch on. 

“Why’d you look like you’ve seen a ghost?” you ask, passing him Sarah’s socks, and rounding the table to stand by Jack's other side. “Hi,” you add, ruffling Jack’s hair, “look at you, gorgeous, you got your hair cut.” 

Hotch rubs Sarah’s knuckles, trying to phrase it, not sure how to tell you with the kids still there. Will Sarah feel embarrassed if he brings it up so swiftly? Will she feel like she’s done something wrong? Will you? 

“What’s wrong?” you ask. 

He decides to present you with the situation. He’s not manipulative, but clever. “Mommy got your socks, too. Can we take these cold ones off, is that okay?” 

“Yes, please,” Sarah says.

You watch in confusion. Hotch gives you a quick look. Trust me for a second. 

He eases the socks off of her feet, laughs when she laughs at his tickling, even if he’s not quite sure how to feel. Happy, he gives her toes a squeeze and bunches a sock up to pull it over her heel and up to her ankle. “One,” he says, repeating the process with the same tenderness. “Two. There we go, all warm again, Sarah.” 

“Thanks, daddy.” 

You breathe in. 

Sarah puts some cheese on a cracker and offers it to Hotch, who eats it while you summon him away with silent parent talk. He kisses her forehead and wipes it clean as he goes. 

“Did she do that when I was upstairs?” you ask quietly. 

Hotch knows you. Loves you, but knows you intrinsically. He knows just by looking at you that you’re happy, but you’re worried about something, and it’s not hard to guess what it is: he might not want Sarah to call him daddy, and telling her not to might break her heart, and yours too. 

“She did.” 

“She’s never… expressed that interest to me.” 

“Sometimes they think about things more than we know.” Jack still surprises him as he did when he was a toddler.

“She just loves you,” you say. 

“I love her. She can call me whatever she wants to.” 

You hold his wrist, taking a step closer to him. “Are you sure?” 

“Of course I’m sure.” He murmurs now you’re close, ducking his head to yours, two halves of the same heart looking at one another’s hands. “I love her more than anything in the world. I want to make her crackers for the rest of my life.” Hotch puts his index finger to the soft skin under your chin. “Maybe by tomorrow she’ll forget she called me daddy and she’ll never say it again, but… I want her to. Is that okay?” he asks. 

You lean up to kiss him and you nod into his lips, which makes it hard but not impossible to kiss back. “She loves you so much,” you say quietly. You’d only wanted a quick peck. 

He might’ve said he loves her more than anything, but there’s a level on which he holds her and Jack where you sit too. He loves you. You made Sarah who she is all by yourself, and you’re so lovable standing in his reach. You’re perfect. 

Maybe he’s feeling sweet because Sarah called him daddy. 

“I think Jack confused her,” he says. 

“Maybe. You are, you know, her dad. You do everything a dad would.” 

Hotch slots his leg between yours and leans back to force you into his favourite kind of hug. You laugh slowly, hug the same, your arms sliding up over his shoulders to wrap behind his head, your hand cupping his hair. 

He closes his eyes and feels your waist. 

“You don’t have to worry,” he says. 

“I don’t worry about you and Sarah, I know you love her. I guess I just worry about us. Not that you don’t love me, Aaron.” 

“Big changes,” he guesses in a whisper. 

“Big changes.” 

He encourages you away to hold your face. He hopes that waiting with you in quiet for a while can explain it better than words. 

Your shoulders finally relax. 

[rathayibacter]

Ok so how does one MAKE a tabletop game because this is something I want to try!! Are there good references out there for non-d20 systems or how to balance mechanics yourself?

oooh, hell yeah! honestly the big thing is to just do it, unlike board and video games the gap between idea and execution in ttrpgs is incredibly narrow, so if youve got an idea just start writing stuff down and see where it starts pulling you, where it feels like something's missing, find what excites you and what you feel isn't working. but that's not very specific, so let's get into it!

first off, read games! read weird games! there's tons of free ttrpgs on itch, lots of people sharing their work here and on other social media, there's 200 word rpgs here and here, and lots of system reference documents written specifically for people looking to hack games. reading other games is a great way to enrich your work whether you're building systems from scratch or working in an existing framework, because every game you read will show you a new way of approaching design problems.

on that note, draw inspiration outside of ttrpgs too! i pull a lot from video, board, and card games in my work, as well as poetry, novels, movies, etc etc etc. im autistic, and ive spent a lot of my life thinking about and dissecting unwritten social rules, so that's another big source of material for me. take your passions, whatever they may be, and put them in your work!

next up, think about the core of your game, sometimes called the minimum viable product. this is whatever the fundamental idea at the heart of your work is, and it's important to keep in mind because it keeps you from spiraling down unnecessary tangents. the core of your game can change, don't get me wrong! in fact, it likely will. what you want to do isn't prevent your work from growing and changing, but have a point of light you can always refer back to and ask "is what im doing important to this game?" you might be surprised by what you find isn't actually as important as you thought at first, and what turns out to be vital to the experience you're going for.

next up, once you start working, don't throw things away. if youre working in a word processor or google docs, it can help to have a section at the bottom of your document that you copy anything youd otherwise delete into. i do the same with my Affinity documents, ill have a few pages i dont export to store all my scraps. i know other folks who keep a dedicated scraps document that they use across projects. whatever works for you! the reason you do this is twofold: it makes it easier to cut things if you know you can always put it back later if you change your mind, and it gives you a lot of raw material that you can pull from in the future. months or years from now, you might find yourself looking to fill a gap in a new design and realize that some cool toy you set aside is exactly what you were looking for.

lastly, i wanna strongly encourage you to practice finishing things. that's often the hardest part for people, cuz we have a lot more experience starting projects than finishing them. here id like to once again direct you to 200 word rpgs, because that strict limit means you wind up with a finished first draft really quickly, and the rest of it is polishing and editing. once you've finished some bite-sized projects, you'll have a better idea of what it entails, what parts you're good at and what parts you struggle with, when to keep working and when to cut yourself off. i find it really helpful to add arbitrary limitations and deadlines on my work because that helps me push myself to finish something when otherwise i'd just keep adding and tweaking, but you'll find what works best for you!

[cosmerelists]

How Kaladin Would Flirt With Other Cosmere Characters

As requested by @cam-ulu29 :)

Hot off the back of my post about other characters flirting with Kaladin, cam-ulu29 asked if I could also write about Kaladin being the big flirt with other characters. So let's just say that Kaladin had the ability & the desire to flirt...how might he do so?

1. Lyn

Kaladin: I'm glad that there are women Windrunners now. Lyn: Man, me too! Kaladin: And specifically I am glad that you. A woman. And a Windrunner. Are here. Lyn: Awww, thanks! Kaladin (visibly sweating): Yes you. As a woman. Who is a Windrunner. And is here. Lyn: Are you...are you having a stroke right now?

2. Renarin

Kaladin: Hey, Renarin...back when you first joined Bridge 4, did you have a crush on me? Renarin: ! Renarin: W-Was it obvious? Kaladin: N-No, not really! Syl told me. Later. That she thought you did. Renarin: Oh... Kaladin: ... Kaladin: Any chance you still do?

3. Leswhi

Kaladin: Hey, uh, Leshwi? I was wondering if you would be free for an honorable duel, maybe Tuesday night? Leshwi: Certainly. I will assemble the shanay-im. Kaladin: Oh, well, I was actually thinking of an honorable duel with just you and me, you know? Syl: And me! Kaladin: And also Syl. Leswhi: ... Leshwi: Tuesday you said? It's a date.

4. Rlain

Kaladin: Ugh, all these women keep coming to the clinic to flirt with me. Kaladin: I can't get any work done! Kaladin: I bet if they knew I was in a relationship already, they'd stop. Kaladin: Hey Rlain...do you want to hold hands? Rlain: ...Are you asking me to pretend to be your boyfriend? Kaladin: Pretend?

5. Laral

Kaladin: Crazy how we're both single now. Laral: ... Laral: You mean because you got dumped and my husband DIED? Kaladin: Uh... Laral: ... Kaladin: So...not the right moment to see if you want to get a drink and catch up? Laral: NOPE

6. Adolin

Kaladin: I think horses are mean and scary. Adolin: That's just 'cause you haven't been around them enough! I swear! They're cool and friendly! Kaladin (continuing as if Adolin said nothing): But I would accept being around horses. Lots of mean horses. Kaladin: If it meant. Kaladin: Being around you. Adolin: ...? Kaladin: ... Adolin: ... Adolin: Oh! Adolin: Nice.

7. Shallan

Kaladin: [sighing dramatically] Shallan: What's wrong? Kaladin: I want to flirt with someone, but she's much wittier than I am, so I don't know how to even start. Shallan: Oooh, that's exciting! Can I give you advice? Kaladin: I would LOVE advice. Shallan: Well, it depends on whether you can match her wit, or whether you think she's entirely too witty for that. Kaladin: I think I could. Sometimes. Probably not while also flirting, though. Shallan: Sure, sure. Well, you can always just enjoy her wit and let her enjoy how smart she is. Kaladin: Yeah? You think making her feel smart is a good tactic? Shallan: Well, it certainly can't hurt! Kaladin: [significant look] Shallan: ... Shallan: Oh! Shallan: Nice.

8. Moash:

Kaladin: You know...I bet I could swallow a WAY bigger sphere than you could... Moash: MY BED IS UPSTAIRS LET'S GO RIGHT NOW

9. Szeth

Kaladin: You know...I've been thinking that maybe this trip is a chance to find what I really need. Szeth: I feel the same way. Kaladin: You...you do? Szeth: I do. Nightblood: (Me too!) Kaladin: Well, good...because I think what I really need is... Kaladin: You... Szeth (simultaneously): Vengeance. Nightblood (simultaneously): The eradication of evil! Kaladin: ... Kaladin: I don't know what I expected.

10. Jasnah

Kaladin (talking to someone else): I mean...being partnered is fine, I guess, but the sex stuff I don't really get. Jasnah: ... [...] Kaladin (to someone else): Darkeyed Radiants is good and all but, I mean, we still have slavery. Anyone who really cared about social change would do somehing about that! Jasnah: ... [...] Kaladin: (to someone else): I like Wit, but storms can he be annoying sometimes. Small doses, you know? Jasnah: ... [...] Kaladin (talking to someone else): So then I convinced the ardents that locking up the insane in dark rooms was NOT a good thing--they're gonna change the treatment! Jasnah: ... Jasnah: Has Stormblessed always been so attractive?

[strawberries-and-summer-days]

SHOPPING WITH YOU 🤍

pairing: luke castellan x fem!reader

warnings: none!

a/n: i have arisen from the dead with this blurb instead of actually finishing the two other series i have... anyway! this was so cute to write hehe

luke, to put it simply, was a pack horse.

he had been dragged around the shopping complex all morning, bags of snacks and clothes adorned his arms and he had never been happier.

the reason for his happiness was the excited girl rushing back to him with a candle in hand gushing over the smell. "luke! luke! ahh smell this one!" she places the candle under his nose and, yep sure enough, its vanilla. your favorite scent.

nearly all of the candles you've picked out this morning have been some variation of vanilla; french vanilla, caramel & vanilla, coffee & vanilla, light vanilla- what even is that?

"oooh we've got to get these! look at them, they're adorable!" she says picking up a pack of heart shaped tea-light candles and placing them in lukes arms.

after he pays - he will always insist on paying no matter how much she argues - when his girlfriend notices a bookstore across from the current one they're in, she takes off dragging him behind her and exclaiming how they must go in there.

a smile appears on lukes face as he watches her's light up with joy while she flicks through books and spins back between the shelf and him chattering excitedly about each book. the girl - y/n, his y/n, was so wrapped up in her little world that she barely noticed when luke slipped away and scoured the aisles looking for a book that he think you'd like.

he found two, both with pretty covers - which she loves - and both written by authors she loves.

"luke?" the girls tentative voice fills the store, and he quickly spins around finding his way back to her.

"hey you," he says his voice low and adoring when he sees the worry on her face before she notices him. "i'm here."

"hey," she breathes, coming to a stop in front of him. "you disappeared." she hesitates a little, "i'm sorry for dragging you around all day, i know this isn't your cup of tea."

luke softly smiles down at her placing the bags on the floor next to him and he wraps his arms around her waist. "baby, i could be completely covered in bags and it wouldn't matter, you're here so im here."

y/n's eyes fill with so much love and she leans in to place a soft kiss on luke's lips. "i love you so much," she whispers.

luke grins and picks up the bags letting her lead the way to the counter, "oh wait i forgot to get that book!" his girlfriend says, "be right back!" luke discreetly picks up the books and pays for them before the before she comes back.

the girl appears again with another book and smiles brightly at luke when he pays and then allows him to lead her out of the store and to their car.

when they're both home that night snuggled up in bed luke leans over the edge and picks up the two books he had bought earlier.

"luke!" his girlfriend shrieks peppering with kisses when she sees the books. "you're my favorite human i swear. i love you so much."

"not as much as i love you," luke hums kissing the top of her head as she settles into him. "read to me," he whispers.

your calming voice fills the quiet room and luke presses a heartbreakingly adoring kiss to the top of your head.

"not as much as me."

[carlos-in-glasses]

Thank you for the tag @lemonlyman-dotcom @welcometololaland @sznofthesticks

@actual-sleeping-beauty @thisbuildinghasfeelings @honeybee-taskforce

@strandnreyes @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @whatsintheboxmh

and @birdclowns🧡

I have a knitting WIP as part of this too - prompted by @actual-sleeping-beauty's share!

But first! This is my first share from the WIP we shall know for now as...Poet Fic! Which is not an AU! Oooh! I started it in November and I've gone HAM on it recently - it's getting to be on the longer side and won't be ready until after the summer (I think).

For context, TK has done a naughty thing lol and Carlos isn't very happy with him:

TK bites his lip, steps forward, releases his hands and slinks them along Carlos' hips, his sweatpants plush and soft over his firm muscles. Carlos goes still. He stands upright and rigid. TK breathes against the back of his neck, travels a finger along the curve of Carlos' waistband, stopping when his fingertip taps the middle of the bow Carlos has made of the drawstring.

��Babe,” Carlos huffs, “What are you doing?”

“What does it feel like I'm doing?”

“Killing me.”

With one skillful hand, TK yanks and undoes him, collapsing the tightly knotted bow like it was nothing. Carlos instinctively pushes his ass back a little, bumping TK's groin. TK feels him keenly through the thin cotton of his pajama pants.

"Do you need help with the tea now?" TK whispers.

"No."

TK slips a hand down inside Carlos’ sweatpants, slow and smooth, slides his pointed forefinger against the not-entirely soft bulge in Carlos’ black Calvin Klein’s. "How about now?"

Carlos shakes his head, seething, turns on his heel and snatches TK by the waist, slamming his mouth against his. "Fuck you," he says into a vicious kiss, "Fuck you. Fuck. You drive me nuts."

Tags and tank top under the cut!:

For a change of pace, here is my tank top, which I'm knitting out of a bunch of colourful cotton I impulse-bought in a sale (hence the back and front being mis-matched. I'm knitting it flat because I felt a bit daunted by trying to do the shaping in the round, but I think this has taught me the basic principles well and I'm excited to try a tank top in the round next time! I'm still very much a beginner, so I'm trying to find entry-level things that are still challenging enough to build up my skills:

Tagging!: @eclectic-sassycoweyes @fallout-mars @literateowl

@kiwichaeng @tellmegoodbye @paperstorm

@cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @heartstringsduet @ladytessa74

@rmd-writes @liminalmemories21 @lightningboltreader

@chaotictarlos @reyesstrand @sugdenlovesdingle

@bonheur-cafe @goodways @herefortarlos

@alrightbuckaroo @vineofroses @orchidscript

@three-drink-amy @nancygillianmvp @safeaswrites

@mikibwrites @basilsunrise @theghostofashton @freneticfloetry

@sanjuwrites @chicgeekgirl89 @never-blooms @fitzherbertssmolder @carlos-tk

If you want to share/ haven't already! No pressure ever! ❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜

[anothertransauthor]

hiya !! this is a bit of an odd request but is there any chance you'd be willing to write pickles x reader , where the reader has shied away from alcohol / substances all their life until they start embracing them after becoming close with pickles ? all good if not , thank you and have a great day !! o7

Oooh i kinda adore this trope ngl. keep coming with these bangers im so excited!

Only With You

Summary: Dethklok's newest babysitter has been observed to be quite the dildo. They never want to drink with them, smoke, or generally party with them in a significant way. Pickles opens his own investigation into them and starts to genuinely enjoy the time they spend alone. Maybe he'll lower their walls, and open them to some new mind-altering experiences.

Warning: obvious drug and alcohol use, as a general pot user I'm going to be as specific as possible. I'm going to make this as fluffy as possible but there might be some suggestive content. Reader has they/them pronouns

Word count: 2345

"What are you? Schome kind of fucking schquare?" Murderface quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye as he nudged Nathan playfully. "Yeah, come on, don't be a dildo," Nathan retorted, his deep voice rumbling with frustration as he batted Will away from him.

Their banter filled the cramped bar, the air heavy with the scent of stale beer and cigarette smoke. Neon lights flickered overhead, casting a dim glow on the worn-out furniture and peeling wallpaper. As the tension between Murderface and Nathan escalated, Toki attempted to intervene, his gentle voice drowned out by Skwisgaar's disdainful remarks about both of them being a "lady dildos." The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, their argument blending with the other patrons' raucous laughter and clinking glasses.

Feeling overwhelmed, y/n glanced around the bar, a headache forming from the noise. Just as they were about to suggest leaving, Pickles came to the rescue, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

"I know a quiet spot; let's dip while they're distracted," Pickles suggested, his voice low and inviting. The air was heavy with the scent of cigarette smoke and distant laughter, creating a hazy ambiance that enveloped them both.

Y/n hesitated, a flicker of concern crossing their features. "I don't know, Charles might kill me for leaving them by themselves," they replied, their voice tinged with uncertainty.

Pickles waved off their concern with a casual shrug. "He'll get over it as long as they don't drive. Then again, they wouldn't leave without me. So therefore, we can hang out in a cool alleyway while they drink themselves to the ground."

With a sigh, y/n bit their lip, their mind racing with conflicting thoughts. Despite their hesitation, the allure of escape beckoned, tempting them to leave the chaos of the bar behind.

After much internal debate, y/n finally nodded and walked with Pickles into the alley. It was nothing spectacular, but the relative quietness offered a welcome respite from the clamor of the bar. The cool wind brushed against their skin, causing goosebumps to rise on their arms.

"So uh...this is where you run off to when they get loud," y/n remarked, their breath forming wispy clouds in the frosty air. "Shoulda known to check the alley."

"Aww, you look for me?" Pickles teased, his voice laced with amusement as he pulled a joint from his pocket.

Y/n watched in awe as Pickles took a long drag, the smoke swirling around him like a halo. The air was thick with the scent of cannabis, earthy and pungent, mingling with the sharp bite of the night air. "For as much as you brag about being rich, you think your lighter could use an upgrade?" y/n teased, their voice laced with amusement.

"Eh... this lighter and I have a history," Pickles chuckled softly, leaning against the cold brick wall. "I smoked my first ever blunt with this Zippo... would you believe I stole it from my dad?"

As Pickles continued to talk about other crazy stories, y/n found themselves drawn in by his easy charm and effortless charisma. They watched as his fingers traced over the worn metal, the flickering flame casting dancing shadows on the alley wall.

"Yeah...I believe it," y/n replied, their voice soft with admiration. "So you've been smoking a long time, huh?"

"For as long as I can remember, y'know, before I got into the other shit," Pickles admitted, nudging a crate beside him. "You've been standing a while; you should sit."

Their body moved instinctively, gravitating towards Pickles as they settled onto the crate beside him. With a sigh of relief, y/n felt the tension begin to melt away, replaced by a sense of calmness in Pickles' presence.

The silence between them was almost palpable, the only sound the soft rustle of the wind and the occasional clink of cans on the ground. Despite their attempts to enjoy the tranquility, y/n couldn't shake the nagging feeling of restlessness that gnawed at their mind.

"Wow..." they laughed awkwardly, their fingers fidgeting with their sleeves. "A whole five minutes without being asked to partake...must be a new record."

"No sense in pushing it; it's a waste of good pot," Pickles remarked casually, his demeanor relaxed and nonchalant. "Besides, the first high will be shit if you don't know what you're getting into."

Y/n nodded in agreement, their gaze drifting down to their hands. "You just make it look so easy..."

Pickles tilted his head, the crimson strands of his hair falling over his shoulder as he regarded y/n with a knowing smile. "Make what look easy?"

"Everything!" y/n blurted out, their words tumbling out in a rush of emotion. "Just...everything you do is effortless. You make it look so easy to talk to people and operate under pressure like nothing affects you. I want to relax, and I want the rest of the band to like me...and I shouldn't be rambling right now, but it's like I can't stop myself because my brain just won't—"

"Shut up?" Pickles interrupted gently.

Y/n blushed brightly, their cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "S-sorry..."

"No...like your brain just won't shut up? I get it. Hell, why do you think I smoke this stuff?" Pickles reassured them, nudging them with his shoulder. "It's not easy being so laid back; it takes practice."

"Practice?" y/n echoed, their curiosity piqued.

Pickles nodded, his gaze steady and unwavering. "Gotta practice not worrying what other people think. I'm fucking famous; who cares what nobody at the bar has to say? It's vain, I know, but it works. It's easy to be friends with people when you can shut off that little nag in the back of your head. You just have to stop assuming people are out to get you."

Y/n nodded in understanding, their thoughts swirling as they absorbed Pickles' words of wisdom. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, the silence punctuated only by the soft sound of their laughter and the occasional drag of the joint. Despite the cold, y/n felt a warmth spreading through them, a sense of peace settling over their troubled mind. As they sat side by side, y/n couldn't help but admire Pickles' easygoing demeanor and the way he seemed to effortlessly navigate through life's challenges. For a moment, they forgot about their worries and insecurities, lost in the simple pleasure of his company. And as they took a hesitant puff of the joint, feeling the smoke fill their lungs and the tension melting away, y/n realized that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

Their eyes wandered over Pickles, taking in every detail with an almost reverent appreciation. Each freckle, every smile line, and the faint scars that adorned his skin told a story of a life well-lived, adding to his allure in the dimly lit alleyway. Despite the chill in the air, the warmth emanating from Pickles enveloped them, comforting and reassuring like a soft embrace.

As they sat there, a thought lingered in their mind: why was everything about him just so perfect? His casual demeanor, his effortless charm—it all seemed to come naturally to him, effortlessly captivating those around him.

Caught off guard by Pickles' quizzical expression, y/n felt a blush creep into their cheeks as they realized they had been caught staring. But Pickles' playful demeanor quickly put them at ease, his snicker breaking the tension that hung in the air.

"You see something you like?" he cheesed lightly, dramatically waggling his brows.

"No- I mean yes- I mean- shit.... uh-"

"Relax, I'm messing with you," Pickles chuckled, his voice laced with amusement. "I gotta teach you how to flirt."

"Heh...um, actually, I was maybe wondering if I could try..." y/n trailed off, their gaze flickering towards the burning joint in Pickles' hand.

"Holy shit, you actually wanna smoke with me?" Pickles exclaimed, genuine surprise coloring his tone.

"Well...kinda. Maybe it won't be so overwhelming if it's with you..." y/n admitted, their nerves beginning to dissipate in Pickles' reassuring presence.

"I'll take care of ya, don't worry," Pickles reassured them, passing the dutchie with a gentle hand. "Don't try to show off, ok? Baby hits..."

After calming their shaking hands, y/n carefully placed the joint between their lips, their senses heightened as they inhaled deeply. The taste was harsh, earthy, and unfamiliar, causing their shoulders to tense with each choppy cough.

"Deep breath. You're gonna choke no matter what, you got virgin lungs. 'S normal," Pickles reassured them, his voice gentle and reassuring.

"It tastes like dirt..." y/n grimaced, their discomfort evident in their expression.

"Well, it's weed; it's gonna taste bad," Pickles shrugged, his easygoing demeanor soothing y/n's nerves. "Take one more, then pass it back."

With a nod of determination, y/n took another deep breath, the smoke swirling around them in ethereal patterns. Despite the initial discomfort, a sense of calm washed over them, easing the tension in their shoulders and allowing them to relax fully in Pickles' company.

Pickles extinguished the joint with a flick of his wrist, the ember sputtering out as he tucked the carton back into his pocket. Leaning back against the cool brick wall, he regarded Y/n with a curious expression. "So, short stuff, how do you feel?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine interest. Y/n raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing in their eyes. "You're one to talk," they scoffed, a small smile playing at their lips. "I feel…slow, but in a good way. Like, I can finally think clearly, funnily enough."

"Yeah?" Pickles raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Yeah...is this how you feel constantly?" y/n returned the question, genuinely curious about Pickles' experience.

"More or less," Pickles snorted, kicking around some cans on the ground with a lazy gesture. "I could get used to this," y/n mused, a sense of contentment settling over them like a warm blanket. "It feels…easier to talk as if a barrier was temporarily moved to the storage room of my brain. This is nice. Thanks, Pickles." "Hey, any time," Pickles replied, a genuine smile gracing his features. "You remind me a lot about myself, actually."

Y/n tilted their head curiously, they scooted closer to Pickles, craving his warmth in the chilly night air. "How so?" they asked, their voice soft and curious. Pickles paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he considered his response. "I used to worry about how everyone perceived me," he began, his voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability. "I was always so…strung up, like the world was out to get me." He chuckled softly, the sound rough and raspy in the stillness of the alley. "I know I'm nothing but a pampered, rich airhead," he admitted, his gaze flickering away for a moment before returning to meet y/n's eyes. "But I know this job keeping us out of trouble isn't exactly the easiest. If no one else is on your team, you can relax knowing that the world's best drummer is." Y/n felt a flutter in their chest, their cheeks flushing as they met Pickles' gaze in the dim lighting. His words were simple, yet they held a profound depth of meaning that resonated with them. "Pickles, I—" they started, their words catching in their throat as they struggled to articulate the whirlwind of emotions. They leaned away slightly, suddenly self-conscious about intruding on his personal space. But before they could retreat too far, Pickles grinned cheesily, his eyes sparkling with warmth. "Geez…you really are the coolest," they blurted out, a shy smile tugging at the corners of their lips. Pickles' grin widened, his laughter echoing off the walls of the alley. "You think?" he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

The air between them crackled with anticipation as y/n struggled to find the right words, their gaze locked with Pickles' in an unspoken exchange of longing and desire. In that moment, everything else faded away—the noise of the city, the chill of the night air—leaving only the two of them, suspended in time. Pickles waited with bated breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he silently urged y/n to speak their truth. He could see the turmoil in their eyes, the raw vulnerability laid bare, and he felt a surge of tenderness wash over him.

Finally, y/n took a deep breath, their voice trembling slightly as they found the courage to voice their feelings. "Everything about you has always been cool," they began, their words soft and hesitant. "I wish I could say I was jealous, but…I don't think that's it." A flicker of understanding passed between them, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken attraction that had simmered beneath the surface for so long. Pickles' heart soared with a newfound sense of hope, his gaze never wavering from y/n's as he silently encouraged them to continue.

"Oh?" he prompted, his voice gentle but filled with anticipation. He knew what they were about to say, could feel it in the way their gaze lingered on him, and he silently willed them to take the leap. Y/n hesitated for a moment, their mind racing with a new uproar of butterflies. But then, with a surge of determination, they pushed aside their doubts and fears, allowing their heart to lead the way. "How do I say this…" they trailed off, their voice barely above a whisper. "Other than I just don't want tonight to end…" And in that moment, the weight of their confession hung heavy in the air, the tension between them palpable. But before either of them could say another word, Pickles closed the distance between them, his lips capturing Y/n's in a tender kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as they melted into each other, the world fading away until nothing was left but the warmth of their embrace. And as they pulled away, breathless and exhilarated, y/n felt a sense of peace settle over them, knowing they had finally found the courage to speak their truth. "Me neither," Pickles whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and affection. "Let's make tonight last forever."

______________________________________________________________

ok that took a really really long time. now time to go back into my writer whole. Leave more requests for me :DD

EDIT: HI so for some fucking reason in the translation from docs to tumblr, half of the fucking fic was just OMITTED. HOW DID I NOT NOTICE UGHHHHH im so sorry yall if the pacing felt weird. thats what i get for not proof reading before i post but i was SO EXCITED to have another bomb fic doneeeeee.

[fairytwles]

Oooh please tell me about your OCs!

HOLY SHIT WHY DID I JUST SEE THIS?? IM SO SORRY??

BUT AHHH I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY

thank u for asking about her!! im so proud of her and i love talking / getting questions about her!

her face claim is natalia dyer!! (think season one of stranger things!)

so Lena is best friends with Laura Lee, practically sisters, they've known each other since they were babies because laura's family went to lena's father's sunday services

laura lee and lena were inseparable, seriously, you almost never saw one without the other, lena often went over to laura lee's house so she could escape her mother

Lena grew up in a very strict religious family, surprisingly her father, the pastor was not the strict one, it was her mother.

lena's mother was the big stressor of her life, it seemed like nothing she ever did would ever be good enough, her mother had the eyes of a hawk, always making sure lena was acting up to her mothers standards.

she has a four month old (by the time she left for nationals) goldendoodle puppy named goose :)

she's your sterotypical "girly girl" i guess you could say, she always dresses in light colors, taking a liking to pastels, she liked ruffles and florals, and her favorite color was a light pink! i'll put some photos of what i would imagine some of her nicer outfits would be at the bottom !

she's not actually on the soccer team! she's the head of the yearbook committee and the school (with some plea's from laura lee to help the cause) asked her to go to nationals with the team to photograph it!

she's super artsy! she loves to paint and make crafts (though some things shes better at than others) (she tried to make a little clay cow for laura lee one time and she couldn't even figure out what animal it was...)

she was never seen without her camera, that thing is her baby!

she can also sew (which defintely helps her out in the wilderness) she brings a little sewing kit (a tiny bit bigger than a travel sized kit but barely) in her carry on just incase of emergencies, the dress laura lee brought for the dinner rips easily, so she made sure she had something to sew it back up when that inevitably would happen.

she was never really close with anyone on the soccer team, she knew their names because of laura lee, just like they knew her name, but she wasn't friends with them before the crash.

she was a lesbian... though she didn't realize it.

she was never interested in boys, to the excitment of her parents, who said she could only date when she was older, when she could date for marriage.

she thought she was just a late bloomer, she didn't think anything of the fact of how her heart would speed up, or how she would choke on her words at the sight of one of laura's teammates, Natalie Scatorccio.

when the plane crashes, her entire life turns upside down, obviously, but genuinely in her eyes, this was the first time that her mother's intense and critical stare wasn't burning into her skin, as bad as it sounds, she felt a little bit more free.

she was still scared shitless though, it would be worrying if she wasn't, she just survived a plane crash, watched 5 people die right infront of her, is stranded in the middle of who knows where with people she barely knows except for laura lee and the only adult there has one leg now.

its that moment, when she witnessed the death of the flight crew, coach martinez, and rachel goldman that she would question her faith, it was just an inkling in the back of her mind, an inkling that she felt incredibly guilty for, but it was still there.

it's kinda hard to explain the rest of the wilderness storyline because i haven't written all of it, but i will say that she changes completely after laura lee's death, that moment is a big switch for her character, for her relationships with other characters etc. i CANNOT wait to write it.

first pic is what she typically wears/looks like before the crash and the second pic is what she wears/looks like in the wilderness :)

[lumiilys]

Hi! How about 1 and 7 for the ask game? 🙂

Hiya!!!!

list 3 positive things about your current fandom(s)

oooh okay so!

i really love how many podfics there are in the ofmd fandom?? i havent listened to nearly enough of them but i’m so amazed by the sheer number of them, i dont think i’ve ever been in a fandom that has so many! Thank you podficcers <3

i love how obnoxious we are, and i know that seems like it shouldn’t be a good thing but i think its fun and good to be annoyingly excited about harmless things you love! (yay for clowning! yay for voter fraud!) 

i love the relationship we have with the creators of the show. It did kinda freak me out when i first joined the fandom, and it still does at times, but i think we’ve managed to strike a decent balance now. And i genuinely love seeing how enthusiastic the cast/crew are about the show and the fandom and i’ve loved seeing them get involved with causes organised by fans (like the auction or the raffle!)

7) your favorite tropes to read/write/draw

im gonna be so fucking predictable now. I love reading hurt/comfort and also a bit of whump (as long as theres some good comfort afterwards), and i love drawing anything cutesy and cosy! (i’d love to make more angsty art too but it always looks so silly in my style hahahaha)

[msbunnat]

thank you for your answer, in any case I was already very excited by your comic and I cannot wait to read more about it!

I honestly cannot understand the people hating on your work. I feel like fandoms has been invaded by a wave of purity/moral policy that shouldn't exist anymore. it's even more wild to me knowing you're working on a greek myth, and the greek myths are KNOWN to have many versions. that's the beauty of them in my opinion, the way these authors all wrote their own versions and they passed them to us. I love the fact you picked Ganimedes, and you decided to explore both Zeus and him. And the mystery you keep about your relationship really makes me wonder which take you will follow!

and speaking of take, I really enjoy yours on Zeus. Gods are complex beings, and sure they're problematic (like duh) and bad, and everything but it's funny how people will decide which pick for who. Like everybody love Poseidon but oh boy, he can be as bad as Zeus people. So yeah, I am actually excited to read the way you're gonna write him! I don't hate Zeus, sure he does seem one of the "worse" when reading most of the myths, but my favorite thing is the way you can love one god in one story, and hate him in another. they're immortal beings. they're not just black and white. so I happen to enjoy when authors write Zeus as more than just a big bad villain. But I also enjoy when they just don't make him a "sweet lovely daddy".

Oh by the way, I didn't know the version of Metis abusing him and I'll have to look into it! We had a more "feminist" vision of her myth in my class, so it's not something that was talked about hmm.

Also, my bad for saying he died. It was a sum up because of him turning into a constellation. I cannot say we studied this myth so unfortunately I don't have sources to help you on it! It's assumed he lives on forever young but the fact he turns into a constellation is why people think he died?

Thanks! I want to post soon, but I'm so tireeed ;w; I prefer to make people wait and do a good job tho.

About the hate... People re affraid (artists have to much power kkkkk) and we live in a time that you need to share your opnion to get validation. In my case, they need to say that Zeus is bad and hate on him and me so they know they re on the rigth side and have good morals. And even after all this, I think its a good thing they just warning people, that way I can get to my real target that can enjoy characters more complex that re not good or evil, but mess up beings (that includes Ganimedes). And even if people in the end critizied my aproach, its also fine, I dont claim to be perfect and just hope that even to the mad ones, they feel inspired to create their version as well. I think they forgot that, like, they can have their version and will be as valid as mine, dosent matter the story.

(I really enjoy everything about Ganymede, if people go and do their versions, its a plus to me! More about him is best for me heheh. I came across two versions of Ganymede on tumblr and I LOVE BOTH!! I really want to do a fanart of the second one, but I'm a lil afraid if they dont want to interact with me, which is fair, but I'm just judging by the dark aproach on the myth, as a horror story).

Thanks for liking my Zeus u.u I'm really more found of him, as I think about his past, but I'm trying not to focus to much on him! He steals the scene to much!!!

About Metis, its not a version, but a interpretation. I'm looking to see if I find a sourse, but anyway, its intresting, since they met when Zeus was still young. And there re some greek myths with female abusers, so... its something.

Oooh! I see. hm... I never see the constelation as a death, so its not clicking with me, but I understand. Any way, I kinda dont like the constelation, for some reason looks wrong to me, but its a valid version and Im totally using the aesthetic kkkk

[lunarleonardo]

whenever I'm whumping characters I just imagine putting them in paint shakers........ let's see what they do. i do actually write quite often but I get too anxious to actually posts things lol. But I'm planning a sicfic of sorts ^_^ Shuichi gets concussed and Maki has to take care of him

:o OOOH? SICKFIC YAAAYY!!! I love Shuichi and Maki stuff Im excited to see it (*＞∇＜)ﾉ

I get the feeling qwq I have soooo so much in my oneshot docs. It took a lot of courage to actually post one of them (shadow of a dead bro was originally from my oneshot doc, its why the earlier chapters are so different and shorter compared to later ones). But u can do it (*ゝω･*) I believe in u!!

[aachria]

I am so unbelievably nervous for this chapter pooks you dont even know it andthe title sure doesn't sound very promising at all

Writing as im reading once again but I noticed how long my chapter commentary has been gwtting so I'll tryyyy to Tone It Down but i make no promises. The length of my commentary is only dictated by how absolutely crazy you decide to make this chapter.

Ace and Sabo giving ed a shovel talk is everything ive wanted since the marriage i beg you to let ace live long enough to get mad at ed for not telling him pretty please 😭🙏

Oooh the gift for Sabo i was gonna send an ask abt it since ive been rereading the fic this weekend but i figured you wouldn't forget it

LUFFY AND SABO INTERACT8ONS 😤🦅😭😤🦅😭😤😭🦅😤😭🦅😭😤😭🦅😭🦅😭🦅🙏🙏🗣🗣🗣‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Im very much unready to read the strawhats be separated i have cried too many times reading this fic and im certain this will be the worst to date

STOP 😭 ed's jst going on abt keeping the crew safe and i can feel the tears coming

HOLD ON if ed is in fact staying with luffy, thing i should've guessed from last chapter, does that m3an they're meeting boa? Omg. I am suddenly so much more excited for the next set of chapters, thing that i did not think was possible.

Once again i ask myself when the fuck ed learned gymnastics 😭

Not the "i definitely did that on purpose" after they slam into a fucking building like sure you did 🤨 and i definitely believe you 🤨

"Its as straight as you can get" made me crack up

I will be so completely honest with you i have no idea what the fuck is going on like a good 40% of fights but thats jst because i have trouble translating the moves into a movie in my head

"Adam Sandler? What are you doing here? And in a bright yellow pinstripe suit sounding stoned out of his damn mind, too." I had not expected to laugh this much in this chapter i was fr bracing myself to cry. 🧍‍♀️. Now that i think abt it you might just be lowering our guard so that it hits harder 🤨

AND ED'S SAVIOR COMPLEX HITS AGAIN WITH BLAMING THEMSELVES ONCE MORE !!!

so. Luffy and Ed separation. I cant bring myself to be sad this shit was written so well 😭 just "wait for me" and "ill always find you" ugh just throw an "unquestionably" in there and id cry there could be one every chapter and id still cry every single time

Im so fucking excited for ed to meet coin hopefully next chapter 🤭

Amazing chapter as always!! Surprisingly didnt cry!! Thank you!! I cannot fucking wait for the Wednesday chapter

I pulled out the Rio Romeo you KNOW it was gonna be a rough one.

Tfw you're tying to give your baby brother's S/O the shovel talk but you're also stuck in the scaffolding at your own execution and your baby brother's S/O is also your friend who you have cried about your self worth and daddy issues to.

That fucking black book plot bunny has been hopping around FAR TOO LONG, so I had to take it out back and shoot it and by that I mean finally deliver it to it's intended recipient.

Mmmmmmm Boa

Look Ed had gymnastics beamed directly into their head by GOD does that make sense?

When I write combat I do it 70% for the vibes 20% for the quips and humor and 10% for the actual fighting. If you have no idea what is happening you and I are on the same page.

Ed got them self worth issues in them where the dog should be 💪💪💪

God I cannot wait for Coin & Ed content. Love those two.

I am so proud of you for not crying. I cried writing it. That baby was cooked with TEARS.

[sga-owns-my-soul]

Writer asks!

31, 32, 37, 41, 45, 48, 49!

ask game

i answered 31 and 32 here already!

37- Promote one of your own “deep cut” fics (an underrated one, or one that never got as much traction as you think it deserves!). What do you like about it?

oooh hmmm i think i'm gonna go with The Calm After The Storm it's a short fic about elizabeth seeking out rodney after the events of the storm/the eye because she's worried about him and they give each other comfort. idk i just really love rodney's and elizabeth's friendship and i hate that we don't see more of it in canon and i really wanted to explore that because i think they would seek each other out for comfort after that. two civilians in a hostage situation with only each other to cling to. idkidk i just love them and i love that fic

41- Link a fic that made you think, “Wow, I want to write like that.”

GLADLY O I Think We Should Be Brethren is such a fucking beautiful fic and every time i read it my breath is taken away. the way the author (you lmao) breaks down johns character and gets inside his head it makes me fucking insane i need to reread it again i just hope to be even half as good at a character study as this fic is (and i genuinely cannot wait for the next fic in this series i am so fucking excited you have no idea)

45- What’s something you’ve improved on since you started writing fic?

my confidence!! i used to think my writing was actually really shit which didn't bother me bc i wrote for me but i really didn't think i was any good at it and now i am very aware of my strengths and i'm incredibly proud of myself every day for my writing. i love writing and i'm very proud of myself for what i've accomplished.

48- What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

thanks for this question so i can again tell everyone to go read Pivot & Scrape the BEST fucking criminal minds fic ever i am going to go insane literally forever about mob boss rossi it's so fucking good im going to scream forever about it him and emily are SO hot in this fic. it killed me. i am dead. 10/10

49- What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

god so many things too many things but i am currently fully possessed by my john/rodney/ronon fic (working title does he know) it's a fic where john and rodney are in a relationship (fucking without talking about it ever) and ronon decides one day to make a move and hooks up with rodney which eventually leads to all of them getting together and it was supposed to be a short smut fic about ronon and rodney fucking behind johns back that has now evolved into a ridiculously long character study fic that will likely be over 10k long. i'm going insane i'm in love with it. here's a snippet from the start bc ronon and rodney are hot:

"Look at me," Ronon rumbled. McKay's face snapped up to Ronon's, his eyes big, the ring of blue barely visible behind his blown pupils. Ronon pressed the head of his cock against McKay's entrance, waiting for his nod before sliding in. They both moaned at the feeling. Ronon took a second to steady himself, refusing to let this be over too quickly, before slowly sliding out. Rodney gasped when he started pushing back in.

"God, McKay," Ronon groaned, grabbing McKay's hip, gripping tight enough to leave bruises.

"Rodney," he moaned. "Call me— call me Rodney."

"Rodney," Ronon moaned, a heat burning through him unexpectedly at the intimacy of it. Ronon had never used Rodney's first name before, and now he didn't think he'd ever be able to hear it the same way again. "Rodney."

"Ronon."

[overlymetaromantic]

hi! im not quite sure my question will make sense, but how do you determine which scene to draw in correlation with the dialogue? For example, if there are multiple text bubbles on a page with only one accompanied drawing which dialogue to do choose to represent the characters saying?

I hope that makes sense, I am currently working on my own comic which is pretty dialogue heavy and noticed your comic flows very smoothly with the dialogue! Just looking for some advice^^

Oooh that's a fun question!! I can definitely try to give some advice—I can fully admit I'm by no means a professional and make a lot of my own mistakes, but I'm happy to hear that my dialogue usually flows well, especially considering how wordy I can get!! 😂

I have to admit, a lot of my choices in scenes relies heavily on instinct, but my primary goal with everything is to be as economical as possible. There are SEVERAL instances where I could have drawn more panels per dialogue, but since my personal priority is keeping my panel counts under control, I end up with more dialogue per panel instead. Based on that, I tend to look for compositions or expressions that can match with multiple lines of dialogue; so for instance, if there's a conversation in which a character's emotional state remains steady throughout, I don't need as many panels to show their face, since there's no new information to be gained.

It might be helpful to remember that people are specifically reading your drawings in a comic! It's therefore similar advice to writing in that sense—if something is redundant or unnecessary in that it doesn't add anything to the text, cut it. Otherwise, it tends to be a matter of answering the question of what's most important for the reader to see. Does the character's expression matter, or does just the dialogue convey enough? Who is the most important character or detail in this scene? Can the reader tell who's speaking without a new panel to show the speaker? What needs to be conveyed so that the reader isn't confused? Or the flip side—what can be cut without disrupting the reader's comprehension of the scene?

Aside from that, my biggest piece of advice is page flow! I can freely admit I cram a LOT per page for MBNSSB, and I know it doesn't always flow as well as I hoped it would, but I promise page flow is always at the forefront of my mind 😂 The idea is to lay out your art/dialogue in a way that naturally draws the reader's eye in the direction you want them to read the page—in Western comics, that's usually left to right, in manga it's right to left, and in Webtoons it's top to bottom, etc. I usually rely on the height of the speech bubbles and the direction of the tails to help guide the flow of the page, but there's a lot of fiddling that can be done with this. Here are a couple of different comic pages I've drawn and my intended reading flow of them, if the visual examples helps at all!

In each instance, the goal is the use both the art and the speech bubbles to guide how the reader is looking at the page—a speech bubble leads to the art, which leads to the next speech bubble, which moves back to the art, etc. There are a lot more theories that have to do with composition that I am NOT qualified to lecture about lol, but for me it's a similar instinct to deciding what needs to be drawn in the first place. Every panel is doing double duty in that sense: first, it's answering the questions of who/what/where/why/how, aka information the reader needs to know for the story; and second, it's pointing them in the direction of where to read next through visual cues, like a character looking in that direction, a speech bubble placed so that you look at it right after the art, the flow of the lines in your art that curve your eye towards the next panel, etc.

I hope that rambling made sense and at least answered part of your question! And sorry if I misunderstood anything you were asking for—I can admit I get very excited about these kind of technical details and am definitely prone to spiraling off into them as seen here lolol 😂

[skulkiee]

HI HI HI

sooo this is i guess the first bit of the proper au im writing about the gods in epic! The two stories about Hermes and Apollo are a part but this is where the real story happens and i am exited because i love God Games :D

So i guess- part one of my Resistance au? :D

Apollo glares at Athena. He clearly has a bad feeling about this, but he is very clearly the only one. Hermes, and the other gods around them are all eager to see what Athena gathered them all here for.

"Father, God King!" The Goddess of Wisdom announces, standing before Zeus' throne, "Rarely do I ask for favors, now, I'm knocking on your door, with hopes to save a friendship with one who's a prisoner far from home!"

Hermes thinks she looks small there. Athena has never been small, she's always been stood at their father's side, glaring down at whoever is standing before the throne.

"Odysseus."

Oh what has he gone and done now? Sure, Hermes hasn't been checking up on him or Ctimene as much since Anticlea died, but it can't have been that long since he helped his great grandson fight Circe.

He should go see Odysseus soon, that fight with Circe was very fun to help orchestrate. Circe found it amusing too, so win win.

"-playing with thunder for a man full of shame, but if he's worth the risk of going under, why not make it a game?"

Oh wait Zeus is speaking. Hermes should probably pay attention.

"Convince each of them that he ought to be released, and I'll release him!" Zeus grins down at Athena. Hermes shivers at the expression on his face. Maybe he shouldn't go check on Ody, he doesn't wanna be in Athena's place.

"Who's them?" Athena snaps, her eyes dancing over the crowd.

"Apollo, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hera, or me! What do you say?" Zeus beckons each god forwards as he speaks their names, and cheering goes up at each name.

"Great!" Apollo laughs. He loves a show, and he loves being the show even more.

"Very well." Hephestus has a faint grin on his face, he never gets the spotlight like this, for something fun, especially not when gods like Athena and Apollo and Zeus are in the equation.

"Eh." Aphrodite frowns. She's not very eager, has better things to do than perform like some sort of mortal or animal for Zeus' amusement.

"Alright!" Ares meets his sister's gaze head on, both war gods seem excited to fight again, they always are.

"Groovy." Hera sets her goblet down and smirks.

"Bring it." Athena laughs. Hermes can see the confidence in her pale eyes.

"Apollo!"

Its highly entertaining, Hermes decides. Apollo doesn't put up much of a fight with that silly siren argument, but Hermes does see him wink at Athena, and then give Hephestus a Look.

"Hephaestus!"

Hephestus gives a good point actually, he could have continued to argue, and probably refused Athena's request if he wanted. But so does Athena. This is the most entertainment Olympus has had in a very long time.

"Aphrodite!"

Well, ok, Aphrodite. No need to get personal, Hermes is rather fond of his granddaughter, Anticlea, he brought her to Hades himself.

"He was busy fighting!" Athena snaps back.

"Oooh this is getting interesting." Dionysus whispers in Hermes' ear, his excitement clear in his face, "She's not gonna be swayed as easily as the other two."

Hermes grins at him, "Sunny handed that win over willingly, Hephestus did too, even though he had a good argument."

Dionysus laughs, "Love it, and i don't even know who this Odysseus is."

"More like busy spiting the cyclops. Let him feel the pain that his mother felt and rot." Aphrodite turns away from Athena, waving her hand dismissively.

"Wait, please reconsider this!" And then they're gone, clearly into Athena's QuickThought realm, and they're back the next moment, Aphrodite glaring daggers at Athena, and Ares picking himself up from the floor.

"Ugh, release him." Aphrodite and Ares agree.

Hermes stares. Dionysus frowns, "Hey! It was just getting interesting, why did she have to do that?"

Hermes opens his mouth to add his own complaint, but Hera is already dancing forwards, grabbing Athena's hand and spinning her around, waving at the crowd, "Hey baby!"

"Hera!"

"So many heroes, so many tales! Give me one good reason why yours should prevail." Hera is good at this, very good. Hermes is pretty sure the Queen is currently in her comfort zone, a bright smile on her face, all eyes on her.

"He's got the mind of a genius!" Athena puts forward. Hermes has to agree. He also has to take the credit for that, that's his great grandson they're talking about!

"Try harder." Hera laughs when Athena almost trips over her own feet trying to keep up with the dance.

"He's pretty skilled with words!" Athena rights herself, stepping away from Hera slightly. Hermes is now pretty sure that Hera tripped her just then.

"You can do better than that!" Hermes sees Zeus smile slightly at his wife's delight in his game.

"He's kind of funny?" Athena tries once more. She's losing. The goddess of wisdom is losing.

"Eh." Hera successfully trips Athena up this time, but grabs the other Goddess before she hits the floor, and pulls her into another spin.

Athena stumbles out of the spin, and turns, grinning sharply at Hera, "Never once has he cheated on his wife!"

Hera stops, her eyes lighting up and flicking to Zeus briefly, "Release him." She meets Athena's grin with one of her own, "You chose a good mortal to raise." Hermes has to agree.

Cheering breaks out from the large crowd that has gathered, and the Gods that played smile and wave and bask in the attention, and slowly rejoin the crowd. Hermes throws one arm around Apollo's shoulders, laughing as Dionysus places a wine goblet in his hands.

Like he said, this is the most entertainment they've all had in a while, of course they're gonna make a party out of it one way or another, they're gods.

A rumble of thunder sounds above them, silencing the people.

"I've played your game and won!" Athena yells, triumph clear in her voice.

Ah. She probably shouldn't have said it like that. But then again, she's Athena, she has never had to worry about their father's wraith before.

I actually find it quite fun writing the gods because they are not as down to earth as you might put it as the mortals are, and they dont run the risk of dying like they do and so are a lot more, i guess, free. Its got a whole lot lower stakes to play with and they dont take things as seriously :D

Gonna see how much i can change that for them >:]

@corvisclouds hii