#transformation idea quiz

[webslingingslasher]

you did reader having a bad day and going to see frat!peter but can we get him having a bad day and going to see trouble?

*cleaning out my inbox.*

three loud knocks at your door had you jump from your seat, you were so in the zone that the sharp sound had you frozen for a second.

making the short walk and pulling it open, peter forced his way in and ripped his backpack off before slamming it down. there was no reason to ask if he was mad because he was pissed.

'hi.' you try being gentle, even softly closing the door before peter points at you. 'i was sick, wasn't i?' you blink fast, 'wha-'

'i was sick! last week, i was sick!'

you have no idea where he's taking this, but you're in for the ride. it's not you he's mad at and that's very clear, he's just trying to share his frustration. 'you were sick. you were throwing up.'

'thank you! i was! it was awful!'

you nod with him. 'yeah, throwing up sucks.'

'it does! and guess the fuck what, i missed a quiz and this stupid fucking prick of a professor won't let me retake it. he tried blaming me and said i needed to be more serious, trying to insinuate i was hungover when he knows for a fact i've shown up on my fucking deathbed before!'

you feel anger build for him, peter takes his academics very seriously. so if saying he doesn't take it seriously feels like a slap in the face to you, you can't imagine how it feels for him.

'oh, that's fucked, petey. if you want i'll draft a letter to the dean and we can-'

peter laughs and shakes a finger in the air. 'already did it. and guess what, i got to retake it. but he couldn't handle the fact i went over his head and he called me immature and unequipped to handle the real world.'

you gasp, peter nods with exaggeration. 'yup! so fuck that class, fuck that prick, fuck the guy that got cheese on my shoes-' your eyes look at his nikes, true to his words there's splatters of orange on the tops. "- fuck ethan for getting me sick, fuck everything and everyone!'

a gulp of air, he calms himself down. 'except you. i still like you.' the room goes quiet when he sits on the edge of your bed. it's just one of those days where nothing you say will fix it and he just needs to feel sorry for himself and have someone do it with him.

you stand in front of him and hold his head to your torso. peter buries his face in your shirt and breathes deep, you're worried he might be suffocating himself. you take his snapback off and lightly scratch his scalp.

'i'm sorry everything and everyone sucks, petey.' you can feel a rumble when peter talks but you can't hear him at all. 'what's that, mumbles?' he has a slight blush when he pulls back, 'except you.' he hides his face again, holding you even closer.

'wanna look at me?' a thrash into your stomach, he's anchored around your waist. 'please?' another silent no. 'i wanna tell you something.'

a squeeze, he's listening. 'no, c'mon, look at me.' peter shouts into your shirt, it still comes out muffled. 'no. you just wanna see me all blushy and shy.'

you tickle behind the collar of his shirt, he jolts into your touch. 'just look at me, please?' a few deep breaths, he's not so pink cheeked anymore. you try to mimic peter when you're upset and cup his face, you get why he does it, he's so delicate under your touch.

'you are insanely smart, peter. i've seen the effort you've put into your work. remember one time i tried to see if i could help you finish but your math questions are like three miles long?' a small smile, your heart picks up. you're helping!

'and you're way more equipped than anyone i know, and you have the cleanest room in the house. oh, and you're a really good nephew.' there it is, that's what you were searching for. peter warmed under your touch, watching him transform into bashful had you soaring.

'not to mention how handsome you are. i mean, i totally get it, petey. cause you're my baby.' red, red, red. he turned red. peter dove for your chest, he can feel his heartbeat in his throat.

'you're being mean when i'm sad.' you pat his head before tangling your fingers in, 'i just wanted you to know that your professor sucks and is the dumbest person to ever talk to you. he's wrong and today sucked and that's all it should be.'

you bend to press a kiss to the crown of his head. 'wanna lay down for cuddles,' you wait until he shuffles away, 'my beautiful, handsome baby boy?'

another flush, you never noticed how good peter looked in red. 

[juneberrie]

DRIVEWAY ₊ ⊹ ── ✶ ˙ ̟ DEUCE GORGON

dumb jock ! deuce falls for his tutor

deuce flipped his most recent dead languages test over, quickly flipped it back over, and slumped in his seat, squeezing his eyes shut behind his glasses.

"yo, man." clawd tapped him on the shoulder. "what'd you get?"

"nothing good, dude," deuce mumbled.

"it can't be as bad as heath."

heath broke into a laugh and replied, "yeah, i got a 40! it's not like you could've gotten any worse than m—"

"i got a ten," deuce relented. he didn't need to open his eyes to see their widened eyes and gaping mouths. "yeah, i know."

"oh man. you think coach'll let you play next weekend?" clawd asked, tone worried. next weekend was the big casketball game, and coach had a strict c-average rule for his players. deuce was already straddling the line between a c and a d, but that test was going to drop him down to an f at least.

"definitely not," deuce said. "it's whatever, you guys'll do fine without me playing." he cracked an eye open to see clawd and heath exchange skeptical looks, but they dropped the topic for the rest of class.

at the end of the hour, just as deuce was gathering up his books, mr. rotter called him up to the front of the class. shooting a pleading glance at his friends, who shrugged apologetically, he shuffled down the steps to his teacher.

"'sup, mr. rotter?" deuce greeted. his teacher looked him up and down and scoffed.

"mr. gorgon, are you aware that you failed the test we just took last class?"

deuce looked down and scuffed his sneaker on the wooden floor. "yeah," he mumbled.

mr. rotter sighed and rubbed his temple. "you won't be able to play this weekend."

deuce nodded.

"coach igor's not gonna like that . . . but if you get your grades up in time for next week's quiz, you could be on track to play at the next game."

the next game was only two weeks out, and it was against their biggest rivals

"okay, sweet. how do i do that?" he asked.

"well, i could assign you a tutor."

deuce's head snapped up and some of his snakes hissed. "mr. r, man, you've gotta be kidding. a tutor? can't i do like, extra credit or something?"

"there are no more extra credit assignments for the rest of the semester," mr. rotter deadpanned. "you either don't play until you get your grades up by yourself or you can meet with the tutor. it's one or the other, mr. gorgon."

deuce groaned. "alright, alright. what's the tutor's name?"

"y/n."

he shrugged. "dunno 'em."

he wished he knew them sooner. the two weeks had gone by incredibely fast and mr. rotter's quiz was the next day. y/n was sitting across the small library table holding a stack of flashcards.

deuce kept getting every other question wrong because he kept looking at their eyes.

they sighed. "deuce. focus. the quiz is tommorow!" they sighed, putting the flashcards down between them and dropping their head into their hands. "oh my ghoul, the quiz is tommorow!"

"yeah, it is," deuce rubbed his neck sheepishly. "do you wanna...?" he gestured to the cards. his tutor, his crush, sighed again and looked up. they looked exhausted.

"yeah, sure," they said. they started to reach for the flashcards but deuce got an idea and put his hands over the cards. their fingers bumped into each other and y/n quickly pulled their hand back, eyes wide.

"wait. why don't we take a break?" he offered.

"a break? deuce we—"

"just like, thirty minutes," he protested. "we can go get a soda or a milkshake. anything to get out of this musty library."

their face transformed from a stressed, exasparated grimace into a bright smile. "milkshakes?"

"yeah!" deuce loved their smile.

"like..." their smile turned hesitant. "like a date?" they cocked their head to the side.

deuce's face flushed, and his snakes hissed. "i mean... if you want it to be a date," he replied, trying to act nonchalant.

". . . sure," they smiled.

"wait, really?" he asked, taken aback by their answer.

"yeah, i wanna get outta here too," they joked. "plus, you're like. . . really cute." they turned their face down to the table.

"then let's go!" deuce pushed his chair back and grabbed their hand. "c'mon."

they laughed all the way down the halls and into the parking lot, where they slid into the passenger seat of deuce's car.

a few minutes later, they were sipping on milkshakes, sitting on the hood of his car and watching the sun dip behind the horizon.

"y'know, this is way more fun than studying for rotter's stupid quiz," deuce said.

"definitely," y/n agreed. they took a long slurp of their milkshake, pulling out their phone to check the time. "oh, shit man. i've gotta get home. curfew, y'know?" they slid off the hood.

deuce looked down at them, disappointed, before his face lit up with another idea. "i can drive you home," he offered.

they looked up at him. he could feel a hot flush creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.

"that'd be nice."

y/n pushed open the passenger side door and got out. they waved goodbye and thanked deuce for the milkshake. "good luck tomorrow," they grinned. "you're gonna do great either way, cause, y'know." they pointed at themselves. "i'm your tutor."

deuce laughed and watched as they walked up their driveway.

"wait!" he called out. he quickly got out of his car and ran to meet them in the middle of their drive. "uh . . ."

one of his snakes hissed in his ear, berating him for being nervous. he shook his head and took a deep breath.

"do you wanna, uh. . . do this again soon?" he asked. y/n looked confused.

"the— the tutoring?" they questioned.

"no," deuce chuckled. "like, the milkshakes. the. . . the date."

"oh. oh! yeah, no totally sure!!!" y/n rambled. i'd rather see that twinkle in their eye rather than look at the stars, deuce thought. "that'd— that'd be nice. actually, that'd be great," they smiled.

"sweet."

"cool."

they both stood there, in the middle of the driveway, staring at each other like middle school crushes. then, y/n leaned forward and pressed a kiss to deuce's cheek.

they pulled back with wide eyes. "bye! see you later— tomorrow! uh—" they scrambled back towards the steps of their porch. "g'night, deuce!"

they shut the door behind them, and through the silhouette in the window, deuce saw them jump in the air, pumping their fist up.

he laughed and raised a hand to the cheek they kissed. "g'night, y/n."

[tavyliasin]

Baldur's Date Open Creative Challenge!

Artists, Writers, Creators of All Kinds!

You are cordially invited to join a creative challenge!

You must be 18 years old or over to join, but there will be 2 categories, one for SFW works and one for NSFW works!

Accepted Submission Types

Please note all works must be your own and not made using any AI, including AI RP bots for writing.

Art

Comics

Valentine's Card

Fiction

Drabble collection (series of short fic, 1-5 paragraphs each)

Poetry

Song lyrics

Full songs/music

Podfic (With agreement from the fic writer)

Cosplay (No Nudes/NSFW/Explicit please)

Other Crafts (Puppets, embroidery, paper figure cut outs - whatever you like!)

For the Rules and More Details, please see below! Credit to Morb for the new event banner!

Welcome to the Baldur's Date Challenge!

Please be aware this event will include spoilers to characters, storylines, and endings, as well as NSFW content. Proceed with care!

The idea is to create something themed around a Date or Valentine Event. It doesn't even have to be romantic or positive, there are lots of ways to take this from Valentine's Cards from characters to slow burn romance to fully brutal heartbreak and violence. The choices are yours!

The Rules

By participating, even in the SFW version, you agree and confirm you are 18 years old or over.

All creators retain full rights to their works, subject only to the conditions of the platforms they share them on (ie, AO3)

Submissions must contain at least one named character from Baldur's Gate 3

Submissions must also be based around a date, valentine-type event, or similar

AUs, non-canon, alternate versions of characters are all WELCOME

You may choose your own prompt, or use the quiz to help you decide!

Poly Romance Welcome

Characters only, no actors or real people, other than using "Reader Insert" with 2nd person writing styles.

All works must be tagged appropriately for any CWs (please ask TavyliaSin for a list if required)

All characters must be 18 or over in the game as well as in the work you create

No characters in romantic relationships are to be related to each other.

Trans and gender-swapped characters are welcomed, unless it is only for the explicit purpose of making a canon homosexual couple into a heterosexual couple (eg, making Aylin a man so that the relationship with Isobel is straight) 

Deadline is 10th Feb to allow for time to check entries

Collections will go live just before midnight on 13th Feb so they are ready to be viewed on Valentine's Day

If you would like to help with the event running, please contact TavyliaSin on Twitter, Discord, or anywhere else you can hunt her down~

Dead Dove and controversial topics, kinks, and characters are allowed but must be properly tagged to give people a choice of what they engage with. This also means there is to be no shaming - Tavylia would like to support all creative works even ones she isn't personally fond of or would avoid.

How Do I Join?

You can either send your submissions directly to the AO3 Collections, or if you don't have AO3 you can wait until 14th Feb and reblog/retweet the posts I'll make for the collections on the day to add your contributions. It's open to EVERYONE who is 18+! Join in, give it a try! Submissions on AO3 close on 10th Feb 2024 (just before midnight GMT/UTC 0) so please try to get things in on time to be on AO3 so we have a few days to accept and check submissions. The collections will go live on 14th February for Valentine's just around midnight UTC0/GMT

Select "Post to Collection" to add your work! All works will be hidden until the collection releases on 14th.

Are there any Prompts?

Yes! Aside from the general theme there are prompts for art and writing (and anything else) on the following google form. You can roll dice to decide for you as each question has numbered answers and instructions on the dice to use! But you don't have to stick to the result you get - choose what you like. You don't even have to roll dice at all if you don't want to, just take a look at the selection for some ideas and choose what's interesting in it.

You can enter as many pieces as you like, so please use this to have fun and enjoy yourselves~

If you have any questions please drop them in comments, or contact me anywhere you can find me~

[poetryandfluffycats]

Dances and Daydreams

A/N: this is turning into a bsd blog😭 this oneshot is a part of this kidnapper nikolai au ive got going on (Quiz time! being the first oneshot) but its not like you have to read them in order or anything

Pairing: Kidnapper!NIkolai Gogol x fem!reader

Content: Nikolai asks you to dance, and daydreams fill your mind

Warnings: kidnapping, mentions of torture

Words: 522

Oneshot under cut!

Another day, another torture session.

Not real torture, anyway. Not the kind you hear about on the news, the kind that makes you say "what's happened to the world?" and then move on with your day. No, Nikolais idea of torture was something else entirely, something I wasn't sure how to put into words

"May I have this dance?" He held out a gloved hand to me, the other tucked neatly behind his back. A cheeky grin was plastered on his face, his sharpened teeth geaming in the dim light of the basement. It was a look I saw regularly, one he gave often since we started this game of house.

Rules were simple: Play the role of the perfect girlfriend, as perfect you can be whilst stuck in this basement, and he won't kill you. It was a promise, sealed with a pinky swear and a sloppy kiss to my forehead.

"Of course, Kolya" I tired my best to smile, although it probably came out looking like a grimace. The nickname Nikolai made me call him felt sticky in the mouth, like when you eat too much cotton candy and it gets stuck to the roof of your mouth.

Cotton candy... that would be nice right now.

I placed my hand in his, allowing him to pull me off the bed and into his arms. The hand not holding mine traveled down my back, resting on my waist and gripping my gown tight. My own hand moved up to his shoulder, squeezing slightly. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it certainly wasn't comfortable, either.

We began moving, swaying side to side as Nikolai hummed a tune I didn't recognize. The rhythm was a slow one, something you'd hear at a high school prom, or a wedding. I tired to imagine us somewhere else, anywhere but this shitty basement. On the dancefloor at our wedding, him looking his best in a fancy tux, I imagined it being white, and me in a pretty dress, like the one I had been eying up at the boutique near my work. It would be a beautiful day, a little girls daydream.

My nightmare.

The fantasy shattered in my mind. The image of Nikolai in a ironed suit, hair neat and tied back, eyes not covered by layers upon layers of facepaint quickly turned into him now. His hair was a fizzy mess in his braid, his jester get-up torn and covered in who-knows what, his cakey makeup that still failed to hide the deep bags under his eyes. The wedding venue morphed into the basement, the bright lights transformed into the flickering of the single candle in the corner, my big, poofy dress was back to the lifeless gown I wore.

This wasn't a wedding, it wasn't a fairytale.

It might as well have been my funeral.

"Dove? Everything okay?" Nikolai suddenly stopped in his tracks, using a hand to tilt my chin up.

I had started crying, god I was stupid. Crying over a wedding that didn't happen, a man I would never love. Crying over a psychopath.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Let's keep dancing"

[scarydeadlavender]

꧁༺ 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓪 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓫𝓲𝓮 𝓖𝓲𝓻𝓵 ༻꧂

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Daniel: Oh no, I refuse!

The boy rapidly waved his hands in front of him as a sign of protest, looking at his friends with a sadistic smile holding a pastel pink dress with cute strawberry motifs on it.

Daniel: No, no, no, and again, no!

Ivy: Come on! We didn't slog through revising just to get a good grade on the potion assessment for nothing!

Daniel: I-

Tp cleared her throat and took out a parchment from her crossbody bag.

Tp: I quote, "Daniel Page, on this day, April 4th at 2:00 PM, declared: if you manage to score higher than me in the next quiz, I'll do whatever you want for a day!" Right here, here's the signature!

Tp turned the paper towards Daniel to show him the image proof. He grumbled.

Daniel: I should have revised more... But as for you all! He gave them a cold look.

Daniel: My revenge will be terrible...

Tp: Yeah, yeah, now give it a shot! Tp placed the dress in Daniel's arms and then did a high five with Ivy, who shivered while letting out a small joyous laugh!

Ivy: I forgot something! Without delay, she went off to search for that 'thing' and returned with a pair of white strappy ballerina sandals with a small heel, paired with matching pink socks. She slipped them under the curtain of the dressing room.

Daniel: No way!

Ivy: A deal's a deal, Daniel!

The boy groaned.

Daniel: I'm not stepping out.

Tp: Come on, don't be a spoilsport!

Daniel: Never, I'm staying in here until nightfall-

Ivy: Daniel Page, get out of here!

A sort of growl was heard, and a somewhat magnificent Daniel emerged, wearing a cute pastel pink dress with strawberry motifs, puffy tulle sleeves, a boat neckline, a bow tied around the waist, and Ivy's choice of shoes made it all even cuter. Daniel's fists were clenched, and his gaze was fixed on the ground, his cheeks as pink as a child caught red-handed stealing candy. Snap! Tp had taken a picture with a magical Polaroid that brought the images to life.

Tp and Ivy couldn't hold back their laughter.

Daniel: H-Hey, stop it!

Tp: Ivy, do you think what I'm thinking?

Ivy: Oh, absolutely!

Daniel watched his two friends, displaying a sadistic smile. He backed away in fear when he felt the cabin wall behind him. He knew it would be over then... He swallowed hard before being pulled by his two friends towards a seat in front of a white marble table with a grand golden mirror, several makeup tools laid out – colored nail polishes, mascara, eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks... too many things that gave him a headache.

Tp: So, what are we doing with you, Daniela?

Tp placed her hand on her chin, pondered for a moment, and then smiled. She grabbed a palette of colors and whispered her idea to Ivy.

As for Daniel, he sank into the chair, hoping to disappear from the world. But when he saw a brush with pink powder on it, he flinched.

Tp: Don't worry, everything will be fine!

Daniel: Do you think I'll believe you with that smile?!

Tp: Close your eyes, or I'll put this in your eye!

He wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he obeyed Tp. He just felt a brush on his eyelids, and when he could open his eyes again, he saw Ivy with pink glittery nail polish. He quickly pulled his hand away.

Daniel: Don't even think about it!

Ivy rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, applying the polish much to his chagrin. ... This went on for 15 minutes, and when he finally saw how they had transformed him, he blushed with embarrassment. His hair was styled in a bun, with strands escaping, pink eyeshadow, pink glittery lip gloss, pink nail polish... he looked at himself in the mirror and saw the bespectacled boy staring. He wore a red checkered shirt with a black t-shirt underneath.

Daniel: Is it normal for that guy to stare at me like that?

Tp and Ivy looked behind him and noticed the boy quickly looking away. Tp leaned towards Daniel with a sly smile.

Tp: Looks like Daniela has admirers.

Tp stifled his laughter while giving him a friendly pat on the arm. Ivy signaled to the mysterious boy, who came over to them.

Daniel: Wh-what are you doing?!

Ivy: A romantic rendezvous.

Daniel: WHAT?!

He tried to escape, but Ivy held him back. The more the guy approached, the more Daniel panicked. This guy arrived in front of them, flashing a smile that could compete with Ken's.

Guy: Hey, ladies, what's up?

Tp: Oh, um, yeah, shopping day!

Guy: I can see that...

His gaze didn't leave Daniel, much to his despair. So, he tried to avoid his gaze, noticing that Tp was gently pushing him toward the guy.

Tp: Excuse her, she's shy. This is Daniela!

Daniel's entire body jolted at that name... she could have been more creative...

Guy: Oh, nice to meet you, doll. The guy draped an arm around Daniel's neck, causing him to shiver from the cold sensation that ran down his back. Daniel forced a smile, sending a glare that could kill to his two friends, who were barely holding back their laughter.

Ivy: Oh, I've got an idea! What if you two went for a walk? We'll meet at 5:00 PM to retrieve Daniela!

Daniel glanced at Tp with pleading eyes. She just shrugged.

Tp: Yeah, why not! Come on, Daniela, it'll be fun!

She gave him a look that said "I'm going to get you for this!"

Guy: Perfect, then! Let's go!

The two headed for the exit, and Daniel hoped against hope that he wouldn't see anyone he knew. He gave his friends a final helpless look and walked away, leaving only a glittery lip gloss mark on Tp's cheek as a farewell...

Oh, how he missed his potion books! This boy named "Maxime" was not interesting at all! And he clearly didn't have all his marbles!

There was just one hour left—just one hour with Maxime in a cafe. Daniel's head rested in his hand as he sighed, knowing he couldn't stay a minute longer. He couldn't take it anymore! All his energy to tolerate Maxime had vanished. So, he came up with a little lie that could save him from the situation.

Daniel: Um... I need to use the restroom.

Ignoring whatever Maxime was saying, he got up and headed towards the restroom, hoping Maxime would look away so he could escape.

Hiding behind a few people, he waited for the perfect moment to make a dash for the door. For some unknown reason, he felt like he was seeing a divine light in front of it.

And when that moment finally arrived, he sprinted as if his life depended on it! Even though he was walking rather quickly, he could feel Maxime following him like a lost puppy. How did Maxime notice? He didn't know, maybe that pink dress made him less inconspicuous among the people dressed in darker colors.

So, when he finally got that opportune moment, he ran like there was no tomorrow! Even though he was walking rather quickly to avoid suspicion, he could feel Maxime trailing behind him like a lost pup. How he noticed, he didn't know. Maybe that pink dress made him stand out among the people dressed in darker tones. The two of them left the café, heading towards the clothing store.

Maxime: Daniela?

Daniel: I'm leaving.

Maxime stopped.

Maxime: Your voice sounds weird...

.

.

.

Daniel sighed before massaging his temples. He turned to Maxime.

Daniel: Listen, Maxime! I'm not Daniela, I'm Daniel, yes, Daniel! I am not a girl!

He raised his collar slightly to show that he didn't have a chest, causing Maxime to blink repeatedly, not understanding the situation.

Maxime: Wait... can you switch genders? Like, are you an alien?

Daniel looked at him, shocked by his stupidity, and slapped his palm to his forehead. He just wanted to get away.

Daniel: Yeah, sure, if you want...

He was too tired, continuing on his way. But then he felt Maxime grabbing his hands, and he shivered at the contact.

Maxime: Wow, Daniela—or Daniel—you're amazing! Please, take me to your planet!

Daniel: Ugh!

Too clingy, too persistent, in his opinion. He shook off Maxime's grip.

Daniel: Stop it!

Maxime: But I love you!!

Daniel: Well... I don't! I already have feelings for someone else!

He thought that would finally make Maxime go away, but no... Instead, Maxime grabbed Daniel's shoulders and kissed him. Shocked, he violently pushed Maxime away, wiping his lips and leaving traces of gloss on his hand. Disgusted, his stomach churned a bit. He hadn't consented to that, which made him even angrier. His blood was boiling, but... if he wanted to get out of this situation, he had to play along.

Maxime: Daniela...

Daniel: It's Daniel... Listen, Maxime, can't you see that our love is impossible? You just broke a rule from my planet! Oh, Maxime, forgive me, but farewell!

He struck a dramatic pose, pretending to cry, and then he started running towards the path back to Hogwarts.

.

.

.

On the seemingly endless path, he hoped not to bump into anyone, as he'd die of embarrassment and might never want to go back to Hogwarts. He looked around frequently, checking if anyone was following him.

?: Hey, beautiful!

He jumped, freezing in place. His hair stood on end as he turned his head towards the sound of the voice, hoping it wasn't Maxime.

But to his great surprise, it was Tp who blinded him with a camera flash. He rubbed his eyes, where small black spots blinked.

Daniel: Tp! You nearly gave me a heart attack!

Tp laughed, then handed Daniel a brown paper bag. Daniel looked at it suspiciously but took it anyway.

Daniel: What is it?

Tp: Relax, Daniela. They're just your clothes. You left them at the store.

Daniel: And whose fault is that?

Daniel shot a cold look at Tp, who laughed, turned, and leaned against a tree to give his friend some privacy to change.

Without further ado, he removed the dress and FINALLY got back into his clothes. He looked at his fingers, where the nail polish sparkled. He sighed, walked over to Tp, and tossed the dress at her. Tp was surprised but ran over to join him, heading towards Hogwarts. Tp seemed a bit sad.

Tp: Aww, Daniela is gone...

Daniel: Oh, shut up...

Rolling his eyes, he tried to remove the makeup while Tp laughed, seeing the colorful mess on Daniel's face.

Daniel: What?

Tp: Nothing, come here!

Daniel was too tired to argue, so he approached Tp, who took a small tissue from his pocket and began wiping his face. Daniel groaned a bit, withdrawing like a scared cat, his face turning red.

Daniel: I swear, next time we make a bet, I'm setting rules.

Tp: Alright, alright, Barbie girl.

Tp held back his laughter, seeing Daniel's adorable panicked expression at the nickname.

Daniel: W-what did you call me?

Tp: Barbie girl—

Daniel: Oh, you!

Tp couldn't help but laugh as Daniel clenched his fists, his cheeks as red as his hair.

Tp: Come on, Barbie, let's go party!

Daniel: Stop that...

Tp: I am a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world, life in plastic, it's fantastic, you can brush my hair—

Daniel: Shut up...

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose, watching his friend enjoy singing the famous song. And for some reason, he leaned in and planted a kiss on Tp's cheek. That stopped Tp from singing as they blushed, hiding their face in their hands. As for Daniel, he headed towards the castle without a word, leaving just a trace of glittery gloss on Tp's cheek as a goodbye...

...

The next day arrived quickly, and it was no surprise to see Daniel Page with pink nail polish still on his nails. He received curious glances from other students and good-natured teasing from his friends

Frey Twins: hey, Barbie girl?

Daniel: Oh, shut up!

Deep down, he knew that the only person who could call him that was Tp...

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Word number : 2303

L'idée vous est venue après avoir regardé le film Barbie ; c'est vraiment bon, je le recommande !

[hells-lady-v]

Devil's Desire - Chapter 1

Hello, this is my first time writing any sort of fanfic, but Hazbin is my obsession at the moment!

Short chapters - following a young demon woman on her road to becoming an overlord. It's a slow burn that involves Lucifer, Valentino, Vox and Velvette (for the moment).

No Trigger Warnings yet - but this is for +18 readers!

Chapter 1 - The Goat’s Hoof

Your life was as comfortable as one could expect when you lived in hell. In life you had often wondered what the afterlife was actually like. Would you be tortured for all eternity by the things you feared most? Or would it involve pulling limbs off, killing you over and over again until you begged for the darkness of death and being cruelly denied peace? Maybe it was once like that, or maybe it was like that just in a different circle to where you had ended up. Either way, you were sure of one thing, you didn’t want to be a victim. Not again. 

You owned a modest apartment and worked in the local pub across the street. It was a quiet part of the day, but the patrons made you laugh, they were kind and made your job bearable. Friday’s were pub quiz nights and Saturday was karaoke night - your personal favourite. When you started this job the pub was struggling to make ends meet, it was a shell of something that was once the social hot spot of town. You brought new ideas with you, as well as your skills with a cocktail shaker. The menu was transformed, you modernised the interior on a modest budget and before too long the bell above the door rang again - until it clattered to the floor from overuse. 

The Goat’s Hoof, was once again the place to meet your friends, make new ones and embarrass yourself with your awkward renditions of Whitney Houston songs. You had turned the business on its head and for the first time in months it was turning a profit. 

“I don’t know how we can ever repay you for what you’ve done for us. You’ve saved our pub from ruin!” The Landlady gushed, unable to control her excitement at her modest, family business bursting at the seams. You rolled your eyes as you lifted a tray of pints and walked over to a table. It had been a few weeks since the pub began picking up and she hadn’t stopped thanking you since. It was nice that your hard work had been appreciated. You promised that you’d let her know if you ever needed to cash in the favour and hoped she’d calm down. 

One quiet afternoon, you fixed your white hair around your grey curled horns and checked your makeup in the large floor to ceiling mirror behind the bar. Your light grey skin made your green eyes glow hauntingly bright. There were a few businessmen in the bar enjoying a quick bite to eat over a pint, and a couple of the local drunks hunched in corners or over the bar, but apart from that it was a quiet afternoon. These were the times when you could catch up on the cleaning and order supplies for the weekend. 

You paid no mind as the door opened and closed and a short man in a white suit and top hat took up a stool at the end of the bar. He looked around, clearly excited by his new surroundings. As you moved around the bar to face him, your mouth dropped and the cloth in your hand fell to the floor. It couldn’t have been him. No. Absolutely not. 

“Hi!” The man that looked like the King of Hell chirped happily. “Pint of your finest, please!” 

You gulped hard and nodded, rushing to pour him the most perfect pint you had ever pulled. If this really was Lucifer you needed to be sure everything was nothing less than perfect. 

“Here you go Sir,” you said with a shake in your voice. You wanted to ask him if he was who you thought he was, but what if he took offence that you didn’t recognise him on sight? What if he’d kill you? Should you just assume? If so, what should you call him? 

A hand waved under your face and you looked up at the man sitting before you, his blonde hair poking out from under his hat. “Are you okay?” He asked softly, clearly wanting to keep his voice down and not draw attention to the crisis you were clearly having. 

“Are you…” You paused. “Erm…Do you…” How in Lucifer’s name were you meant to ask if he was Lucifer? 

“Yes!” He chirped, a broad smile across his face. “I am!” He laughed deeply as your panic turned to confusion. He leaned over the bar, put a hand close to his mouth and whispered, “It’s not my first day as King.” 

“Right…of course, I’m sorry your…Majesty…?” 

His smile faded slightly to one you would describe as sweet - if it weren’t attached to Lucifer’s face. “Lucifer is just fine.” He finally said. He took a long drink of his pint and burped quietly. “That’s good stuff!” 

“Thank you - it’s actually our house lager, we brew it in the basement, it’s quite popular.” The more you rambled on, the quieter your voice got as you watched his smile slowly spread across his entire face once more. His eyes sparkled like diamonds and you felt yourself get lost in them. 

“There’s a brewery beneath us?” He asked quietly, excitement building. “Can I see it?” 

“Oh! O-of course…Lucifer,” you hesitated to say his name, it felt too familiar, too comfortable…he was the King of Hell for Christ sake! You jumped when you noticed he was staring at you expectedly and you realised he wanted to see it immediately. You quickly led the way to the basement door and opened it for him. He chuckled at you and held the door open, making sure you went before him. ‘What a gentleman.’ You thought to yourself, ignoring the fluttering of your heart. 

The basement was not glamorous at all and why should it be? It was a brewery after all. Wooden casks were scattered around the room, and the floor was sticky from years of lager dripping onto it and not being cleaned. 

“Wow! Look at this!” Lucifer exclaimed. Had he never seen a brewery before? You watched as he moved around the room, practically in awe at everything he laid eyes on. “This is amazing…I wish I had a brewery…” his pouty frown turned into a cheeky smirk. It was almost as if he remembered he was the King of Hell and could create literally anything with the power he possessed. 

You couldn’t help but smile at this adorable man acting like a child in a candy shop. He was nothing like you had imagined, you’d always assumed he would be cold, full of hatred and cruel. You were pleasantly surprised and happy that you were wrong, he seemed kind and genuine - nothing like the stories you were told growing up. 

As you watched him, you felt yourself slipping in a blissful daydream, imagining what he would be like to spend time with, to be a friend, maybe someone he went to the pub with. In your dreaming, you hadn’t noticed that he was staring at you, standing right in front of you and waiting. 

“Oh, shit!” You exclaimed, jumping back a few steps. “I’m so sorry! I was daydreaming, I-” a gentle finger pressed against your lips, stopping you in your tracks. 

“Don’t be sorry, I have that effect on women…” He said cheekily, giving you a wink. He bowed gracefully and tapped his cane on the floor. “Thank you, my dear lady, for giving me a tour of your charming pub.” He took a hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. “I hope to visit you again one day.”

“That would be…thank you…” you were flustered, the King had just kissed the back of your hand…and placed a finger on your lips. You waved as he vanished in a cloud of red smoke, leaving you alone in the basement.

As you wiped the bar clean, you were lost in your own thoughts. Such a powerful being, you wished you could turn people to rambling buffoons with just a smile, you imagined what that level of power would feel like. Would your fingers tingle? Would it feel heavy on your soul? As you tried to think of possible answers, the landlady slammed a crate of bottles down next to you, making you jump a foot in the air and shriek. 

“What in Hell’s name has gotten you so distracted?” She asked with a laugh. “That’s not like you at all, are you feeling well?” 

You were getting ready for the Friday night rush, the pub was empty as the furniture was rearranged and a dance floor was laid out in the middle of the room. Rumours of Lucifer’s visit earlier in the day had spread like wildfire and the crowd outside was the biggest you had ever seen. 

Your eyes widened as you suddenly realised what you wanted as payment for making this business work. You turned to your boss and smirked. “Bren,” you said matter of factly, “I know what I want from you…and your husband.”

“Oh? What is that dear? Anything, for saving our livelihood.” 

That’s exactly what you wanted to hear. 

“I want twenty percent of the business…” you started, picking at the dirt under your nails.  “And your souls.” 

Silence.

For the longest time, there was silence. 

You watched your boss straighten her shoulders and hold her hand out before you. It was obvious what was going through her mind at that exact moment. You had saved this pub from the brink of extinction, what was to stop you from undoing what you had done? “You have a deal, Vida.” 

Green smoke surrounded you as your hand clasped Bren’s. A roll of parchment slowly appeared above you and green electricity surged around the parchment, burning the deal onto the surface like ink and sealing the deal. 

Your face twisted into a devilish smirk as the power of owning just two souls intoxicated your senses. Is this what cocaine felt like?  

Chapter 2 - Making a Mess ?

[curatedbyondrea]

Why you should be creating online in your feminine energy

In a world where hustle culture and masculine energy often dominate the landscape, it's easy to overlook the transformative power of feminine energy. Embracing your feminine energy in content creation is not just a trend—it's a revolution. Here's why tapping into this divine force can elevate your content and resonate deeply with your audience.

1. Authenticity and Connection

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2. Creativity and Flow

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3. Intuition and Empathy

Feminine energy is intuitive and empathetic. It allows you to tune into the needs and desires of your audience with greater sensitivity. This means you can create content that truly resonates, addressing the pain points and aspirations of your followers. By understanding and empathizing with your audience, you can build a loyal community that feels seen and valued.

4. Balance and Harmony

Incorporating feminine energy into your content creation brings balance and harmony. It's about integrating the yin and yang, the masculine and feminine, within your work. While masculine energy might push you to set goals and achieve, feminine energy reminds you to nurture and sustain. This balance prevents burnout and ensures that your creative process is sustainable in the long run.

5. Magnetism and Attraction

There's a certain magnetism to feminine energy. It's alluring, captivating, and powerful in its softness. When you create from this space, your content naturally attracts those who resonate with your vibe. It's not about chasing followers but about drawing them in with your unique energy and essence.

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Creating from your feminine energy is also about honoring your own well-being. It encourages self-care and self-compassion, reminding you to fill your own cup before you pour into others. This approach ensures that your content creation journey is not just about output but also about nurturing your own growth and happiness.

Embrace Your Feminine Energy

Incorporating feminine energy into your content creation is a powerful way to stand out in a crowded digital space. It's about creating from a place of authenticity, intuition, and empathy. By doing so, you not only produce content that resonates deeply with your audience but also cultivate a fulfilling and sustainable creative practice.

So, lean into your feminine energy, let your intuition guide you, and watch as your content blossoms into something truly magical and impactful.

Take the social style quiz

[steelycunt]

Hey, you seem really well-read, would it be alright if I asked for a book rec - something gothic that explores complex relationships and monstrosity, ideally with transformation as a theme, I’m not sure if this is the kinda thing you might have read but I’m looking for something to read that will go well with Carmilla by sheridan le Fanu for my English lit NEA and every book recommendation quiz/website seems to insist on asking things like ‘what’s your ideal reading location’ ‘pick three words to describe yourself’ ‘pick between [3 generic y/a main character archetypes]’ and I am at my wits end 😭

agh hello my love! i am flattered that you thought of me! to be honest i'm not really massively well-read particularly in the gothic genre so im not sure how much ill be able to recommend...im guessing youve probably considered frankenstein by mary shelley already? if not i think would fulfil your monstrosity and complex relationships themes quite well from a birth/motherhood perspective (i havent read carmilla but its a vampire novel if im correct? so maybe the idea of monstrous motherhood/creation ties in there) and of course its a pretty famous classic gothic. otherwise in the gothic strain maybe a bit of a reach but perhaps wuthering heights? might tick the boxes in terms of complex relationships and though monstrosity might be a stretch theres certainly an element of characters being terrible/being demonized/a degree of nature v nurture. to a lesser extent but along a similar vein theres also the picture of dorian gray...im not sure if you're purely looking for classic gothic or you could perhaps compare with a more modern novel? when i think of complex relationships and monstrosity one that comes to mind is we need to talk about kevin by lionel shriver, though thats a modern novel and it lacks the gothic elements youre looking for. also i have not read it but theres interview with the vampire lol. sorry all ive got is pretty mainstream recs youve probably already considered...but i know my followers and mutuals are a well read bunch so i invite anyone who might have other suggestions 2 leave them in the replies!!

[rainiishowers]

If requests are open can I please request Mammon with a crow shapeshifter!reader?

Like the reader is still 100% human, they just so happen to have the power to transform into a crow (kind of like Atsushi in BSD)

It would be so cute if Mammon's familiars recognise you as one of their own and since you can communicate with you even when you're in human form they like to fly to you and tell you all about how much they love Mammon (and the fact that he has a huge crush on you and talks about you to them 24/7) - the crows consider Mammon as their dad so they're trying to play matchmaker

Imagine if you hang out with Mammon in your crow form and he has no idea who you are but can tell that you're not one of his babies familiars. Even so he's still softly cooing at you and is being sweet as he strokes your feathers and scratches your chin being all cute and gentle and then he somehow tells you all about his crush on you so you tease him by transforming back into a human and giggle at his shocked face

Of course you start dating and you tell him everything that the crows told you (he pouts at them and scolds them for snitchin' on him) and now not only does he have a lover but also another crow in his murder and the crows get another doting parent so really they're the real winners in this.

A/N: Anon you have no idea how much I love this idea. I swear I had to shorten my original idea cuz it didn’t fit with your request This is a bit of a late Mammon birthday post!

If y’all like this, perhaps I’ll do more Shapeshifter! Crow MC content Y’all don’t understand, I already have a design for this MC

———

The first time Mammon saw you in the council hall, he knew something was up, he couldn’t put his finger on it though. He felt… connected to you somehow, his memory may not be the best at times, but he never remembers meeting you in the human world before all this.

As you stayed, he noticed some similarities between you and his crows. You liked mimicking things, be it phrases or poses. He saw you mimic Simeon’s hand on hip pose once during the castle tour, or even Levi’s overeager yell, which he did not like coming out of another person's mouth.

Mammon was quick to realize you didn’t need his protection! You somehow got out of many of the dangerous situations unscathed thanks to your inhuman speed, dexterity, and flexibility. Levi trying to attack you during the TSL quiz? You got out of there without getting hurt!

If that wasn’t enough to make him fall in love with you, it’s also the fact that you got along with his familiars that you seemed so similar to splendidly, and that’s one of the things that made him fall harder. Sometimes he’d come to his room and see you on his couch with some crows flying around you.

For some reason, you were hanging out with him a lot, even rejecting the others just to, say, go to the movie together! Mammon wasn’t complaining, he adores your company, but there were so many options, why choose him?

As his crush grew, he had no one to talk to about it, so he talked about his growing love for this exchange student to his beloved familiars, while babying them of course. It was a particularly boring day where Mammon had chosen to baby one of his crows and rant about his crush on you.

“MC is just really cool, an’ this growin’ adoration won’t go away! They are just a human! Why am I falling this hard for a human!?”

This is how his usual talks went, one minute he'd be praising you, the other he’d be screaming into a pillow.

As he was in bed, screaming into the fluffy pillows, the same crow he was babying before lands at the other side of his bed. He doesn’t pay attention to it until he hears some noises and a weight at his feet.

As he slowly lifts his head to look up, the look on his face went from frustration to surprise, with his mouth agape as he saw the very human he was falling in love with was grinning widely and stupidly. Stumbling to sit up, he sputters, his cheeks heating up.

“W-When did you get here!?!”

“I was here the whole time!”

“What? That can’t be true!”

You scoot closer, still having that wide grin.

“Want me to prove it to ya?” You mimic his accent and the way his arms cross.

“I’d like to see you try!”

Seconds later, in a flurry of black feathers, a crow stood where you once were, squawking happily and triumphantly as Mammon’s eyes grew wider.

As quickly as the crow appeared, it disappeared, and you were back.

“Yer a crow!?!” Mammon yells.

“Well, technically a crow shapeshifter, but yea!” You laugh, which causes the other crows that came in from the window to sort of mimic the laughter.

“So.. You were the one I was talking to about my crush…”

“Yep! The other crows often tell me how you talk about me almost all the time, although I don’t need the other crows to tell me that, since your brothers tell me that too.”

“Ughh… This is probably the worst day of my life..”

“Well, would it make it better if I told you I loved you too?”

Mammon took a minute to process that before his whole face became red and he hid his face in his hands.

“…M-Maybe it would..”

“Well, you should thank your crows. They were the ones who attempted to make us closer. They convinced me to hang out with you more.. Not that I needed much convincing, mind you.”

Mammon, at this point, had calmed down enough to not be a tomato. He shakily nods as three crows in particular flew over and squawked happily. Mammon was quick to t

“So you three were the ringleaders, eh? Not surprised.” Mammon gives a toothy grin and pets the crows chests as a thank you. The one in the front decided to slide Mammon’s gold ring off his finger and fly away.

“Wha- Hey!!”

You laugh as Mammon launches off the bed to chase after the thief of a crow, who you both knew was just playing around.

[library-graffiti]

I got:

Baskerville

The Writer Font As someone who loves to read, Baskerville is one of my favorite fonts. Elegant and just pleasant to look at, this font tends to be a favorite in literature and media in general. But mostly literature. Definitely mostly literature. If you got Baskerville, more than likely, you're a writer. If not, you're at least a reader. If not, you should really look into writing and reading sometime because you definitely share some common writerly traits! You are extremely creative. Sometimes that creativity might overflow and make you come across as a little ditzy, but that overflow of ideas is also what makes you a good writer and/or an avid reader. You also tend to prefer a little pizzazz over more boring, uniform things.  And hey, you got your disembodied host's favorite font! That's pretty cool, huh?

[neonganymede]

@sigmashipweek Day Two: Outfit Swap / Halloween

“I already have a few costume ideas that I think you two will like!” Nikolai declared as he tapped his pen against the yellow notepad. Sigma winced as he watched that unfortunate creature smack against the paper repeatedly, its comically big eyes practically screaming for mercy. “These are reasonable suggestions, yes?” Fyodor asked, his tone pleasant but cautious. “Have I ever made unreasonable suggestions?” Nikolai couldn’t speak without giggling, and Sigma thought that was answer enough.

[the-orion-scribe]

Breaking the Fourth Wall – A gift fic in a special format

Fandom: Gravity Falls

Rating: G

Summary: Something sinister lurks for the girls and Pacifica, and Audrey steps up to face the threat.

Dedicated to @mercedesaria, for her love of a 90s-2000s sitcom.

Thanks to @bonpocalypse for giving an initial read and vetting through this story!

Notes: Audrey, who is more on the forefront here, makes her first appearance in Six and Seven, in which she bullied young Nilam until Great Grunkle Ford mediates the situation. Aria wrote a review saying how she was “very partial to that name”, given she writes a series featuring Audrey whom Jonathan (rather reluctantly) takes under his wing as a teacher-student. The two grow closer over time as the events unfold. Truthfully the name was taken from Pau’s next-gen comic which features a similar flashback of Cedric being bullied by a girl of the same name. Nevertheless, I decided to flesh out Audrey more, particularly in Episode IV: Death and the Maiden, and also in this gift fic.

For this work, I took a look over a few episodes of Boy Meets World, which is a sitcom Aria based her fanfiction series Autumn in Philadelphia from, and decided to write this story in a screenplay format. Canned laughter, recorded applause… those are something you can find from a 90s/2000s sitcom, while the sitcoms of the 50s were filmed before a live audience. Other inspirations also include DuckTales 2017 episode Quack Pack (although that's more of an 80s sitcom) and Wandavision.

I had an idea of the four friends doing a social studies project on the 90s/2000s and hence they reenacted a few scenes. The one they are reenacting at the beginning is from Boy Meets World Season 2 Episode 20 Pop Quiz, as the headmaster admonishes the two students for their appalling grades. Something unsettling happens, and it turns out to be a glitchy showman from Zoe’s video app that decides to take control of this show. I debated various ways on how to deal with him before deciding upon a game show. The scene featured at the end is transcribed right from Mercedes Aria’s Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy – Squirrelly Funerals and Nutty Neighbors.

To Aria, you’re a dear friend, and I’d like to thank you for your incredible support and the valuable feedback you’ve provided on several of my writings. As of late, I had the opportunity to delve into your own stories, which are nothing short of extraordinary especially since I garner deeper insights from watching the show. I love how you integrate your OC into the canon – how Audrey becomes a mother figure for Shawn and is a close partner of Jonathan. It’s a pleasure to have you not only as a writing friend but also as someone whose work I admire wholeheartedly. I look forward to many more exchanges of creativity in the future.

I hope you'll enjoy this gift fic. And Happy New Year!

[greattemptation]

On the Big, Wide, Pirate Sea

This is a little Pirate AU I did for Frottage Cottage's Which Fanfiction AU Are You Flash Fiction Challenge!! The idea was to take a quiz about which fanfiction AU you are, and then just roll with the results, stretch a bit, and write something you might not have otherwise written!

[theuniversitychallengereview]

The Olympics of Quizzing

I don't know about you but I've watched a lot more kite-surfing and modern pentathlon in the past few weeks than I usually do.

I've watched less football, but I'm probably watching too much football normally if I'm being honest with you.

As The Olympics came to a close yesterday, to be replaced by another of life's sporting behemoths - University Challenge - it had me wondering what an Olympics of Quizzing would look like.

And I'm not talking about the World Quiz Championship, or whatever the highest level of normal quizzing is. I'm imagining an integrated quiz-sporting festival, which combines quizzing with all of the other regular sports.

Or a 10m platform diving competition where they ask you a question as you leap and you have to answer it as you come out of the water. Same with the vault in gymnastics.

Or a marathon with a question after every mile, sort of like that guy who drank 25 glasses of wine during the London race this year.

This would test the mind as well as the body, like chess boxing, but on a grander scale.

On second thoughts, maybe we should expand the scope and include things like chessboxing in this new festival of competition, because there are as many different ways of challenging the mind as there are of challenging the body.

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Mind-Body Dualism

The philosopher Rene Descartes is famous for his idea of mind-body-dualism, which states, from a summary on the Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy:

"That the mind is indivisible because one cannot perceive one's mind as having any parts. On the other hand, the body is divisible because one cannot think of a body except as having parts. Hence, if mind and body had the same nature, it would be a nature both with and without parts. Yet such a thing is unintelligible: how could something both be separable into parts and yet not separable into parts? The answer is that it can’t, and so mind and body cannot be one and the same but two completely different natures.

This prompted a lot of scientific and religious discussion in the centuries which followed (and to throw my hat in the ring - just because one cannot conceive of the parts which make up a thing that surely does not prove that it does not have parts), and remains a question which interests modern philosophers.

So we have the Body-Olympics for things like running and shot put, and the Mind-Olympics for things like quizzing and scrabble.

Why not the Mind-Body Dualympics for things like Poker-Archery, Sudoku-Judo and the Cryptic-Crossword-Triple-Jump.

This is my official call out to the IOC - get on with it.

Queen's, Belfast vs Liverpool

But back to the matter at hand - the new series of University Challenge. Which could be combined with the Team Pursuit to make a new Dualympics event.

The first episode of this new series features Queen's, Belfast and Liverpool. Remarkably, Liverpool haven't been on since the 16/17 series, while Queen's University last appeared in 22/23.

Queen's won in 1981, but haven't made it past the quarter-finals in the BBC era, while Liverpool have made the semis on two occasions since 1995, losing to Trinity Hall, Cam in 2006 and St John's, Ox in 2016.

Here's your first starter for ten

Queen's get off to an incredible start, which I'll talk about before getting onto the troublesome subject of how to grammatically deal with the fact that their name has an apostrophe in it.

Thompson earns the honour of the first question with sample, and Queen's rattled off a perfect set of bonuses on musicians who were awarded posthumous Pulitzer prizes (for music, unsurprisingly) with Scott Joplin, Thelonious Monk and Aretha Franklin, who would have made quite the jazz trio.

Rankin takes the second starter with Cologne and another hat-trick followed. Carlisle made it three from three for Queen's, and they finally dropped a bonus, but lead by 70 points.

Onto more pressing matters.

How to use Queen's in a sentence?

The issue is that Queen's already has an apostrophe in it, so whenever I write Queen's like this I worry that people will read it as something belonging to a/the Queen. If this isn't an issue for you then you can skip onto the next section.

If it is an issue then you also have the option to skip ahead, but you'll miss out on some good rambling.

The easy (cowardly) solution would be to use their full name - Queen's University, Belfast - every time I mentioned them, to avoid confusion. But that is a long and unwieldy name, and despite the fact I've dedicated an entire section of this blog to a single apostrophe, I generally dislike the unwieldy.

And if I don't want to use the full name I have to use the shortened Queen's, but that then leaves me with a dangling possessive. A garden path possessive, I suppose, as it leads you to believe that there is a possessive where there is none.

But these are solutions which would work, even if they are a bit clunky.

The biggest problem arises when trying to denote that something actually does belong to Queen's. If, for example, I were to refer to the Queen's captain Rankin, or the Queen's mascot. Without further punctuation it would appear that I was talking about a captain or mascot belonging to the Queen.

And if I were to flip the apostrophe and say the Queens' captain, then I would be referring instead to a captain belonging to a group of Queens.

Leaving me no option but to always say the Queen's University captain, or the Queen's University mascot, which is mightily arduous. Though not, perhaps, as arduous as a 350 word section on the subject of a single apostrophe.

Any students of grammar please inform me of a more pleasing solution.

Liverpool fight back

Cartilage provides Liverpool, through Day, their first points of the evening. She is delighted and beams with a fist pump. Their resident chemist Sajit provides three correct answers on molecular structures, and Day is just as pleased by this as she was by her own starter.

But not for long

They returned to form with another hat-trick on the bonuses, before Liverpool captain Williams got his first starter with Dreamgirls, a film which would have surely proved too "low-brow" for a University Challenge question a few years ago.

Sajit takes the dubious honour of the series' first incorrect interruption, but Queen's can't pick up the points. McKillen then makes it a full house for the Northern Irish quartet with serotonin, earning them a bonus set on American sandwiches.

Rajan says that one of these sandwiches shares a name with a famous French novel, so they guess Les Miserable (it was Monte Cristo), which prompts great mirth from the audience. Seeing this, Rajan milks his own laughter a tad too long, giggling his way into the third bonus, which is on the Sloppy Joe.

Making up for her earlier mistake, Sajit gets Liverpool going again with Barcelona, and again Day cheers her teammate.

Would the Real Slim Shady please stand up?

Rankin takes the music starter within a few seconds, knowing not only that the song being played was Eminem's seminal masterpiece, but that it was released in the year 2000.

Rajan asks Rankin if he was born in 2000, which he wasn't. But that's hardly surprising, given that someone born in 2000 would now be 24! Or 23 at the time of filming. Some of this years contestants may have been born far later - perhaps even as late as 2005, which is quite disconcerting.

Boatswains

The subtitles on my rewatch alert me to both the fact that the word boatswain is pronounced bosun, and that the word bosun can be spelled boatswain. I might start referring to all of the UC contestants who aren't captains as boatswains from now on.

Consecutive starters from Liverpool skipper Williams and his boatswain Sajit keep them in it. Ashcroft tries to get in on the fun but his guess of bhaji is wrong and for the first time in the match Day looks like she's having a bad one.

Queen's boatswain Thompson picks up the pieces, and he also picks up the pieces from a Sajit error on the next starter too. The gap was back into the hundreds, and with only a few minutes left Liverpool were done for.

They made a late charge to try and bag a spot in the high-scoring loser play-offs, but their final score of 125 is not going to be enough. Queen's 240 - 125 Liverpool

A magnificent performance from Queen's, who sail into the second round. Liverpool will be kicking themselves for a few incorrect interruptions, which may have been what costs them a spot in the repechage.

After the gong, Rajan discusses Queen's mascot with them (Queen'ses mascot? Now you see the trouble I'm in. I could just say 'Queen's University's mascot, of course, but like I said earlier, that would be the cowards way out).

[self-improvementgirlie]

What Feminine Archetype Am I? QUIZ

Ready to find out what female archetype you are?

1. In New Beginnings and Exploration, I Feel Most Alive When:

   a) Embracing spontaneity and curiosity.

   b) Nurturing and caring for others.

   c) Tapping into my creativity and instinctual nature.

   d) Engaging in deep emotional connections and expressions of love.

   e) Taking charge and leading with authority.

   f) Facing challenges head-on with strength and resilience.

   g) Embracing wisdom, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life.

 

2. When I Express My Creativity, I Tend to:

   a) Explore new and innovative ideas.

   b) Create nurturing and harmonious environments.

   c) Embrace raw and untamed forms of expression.

   d) Express deep emotions and sensuality.

   e) Exhibit grace, authority, and mature decision-making.

   f) Demonstrate strength, courage, and resilience.

   g) Infuse wisdom and depth into my creations.

 

3. My Approach to Relationships Involves:

   a) Exploring connections with a sense of wonder.

   b) Nurturing and caring for my loved ones.

   c) Expressing my raw and instinctual self.

   d) Deep emotional connections and passionate expressions of love.

   e) Leading with authority and fostering harmony.

   f) Facing challenges together with strength.

   g) Sharing wisdom and embracing the transformative nature of relationships.

 

4. When Overcoming Challenges, I Tend to:

   a) Embrace challenges with spontaneity and curiosity.

   b) Nourish and support myself and others through difficulties.

   c) Tackle challenges with raw and untamed strength.

   d) Navigate challenges with emotional depth and passion.

   e) Take charge, make decisions, and lead with authority.

   f) Face challenges head-on with strength and resilience.

   g) Approach challenges with wisdom and a transformative mindset.

 

5. In Leadership Roles, I Feel Most Comfortable:

   a) Inspiring others with new and innovative ideas.

   b) Nurturing and guiding individuals toward growth.............(click the link to finish the quiz)

[harkaranscanvas]

Creative Advertising Exercise

Hey Urban Nest community! 🌟

Creating a compelling advertising campaign is crucial for capturing attention and driving sales. Today, we’re sharing our top strategies with a Creative Advertising Exercise that will help you craft an engaging campaign, tailor-made to resonate with your audience.

Whether you're promoting a new product or revamping your brand, this exercise is designed to spark creativity and drive results.

Objective:

Develop a creative advertising campaign for Urban Nest that effectively engages young urban dwellers and drives interest and sales.

Step 1: Define Your Campaign Theme 🎨

A strong campaign starts with a cohesive theme that ties all your elements together.

Theme: “Urban Living Redefined”

Description: This theme emphasizes transformation and personalization, highlighting how Urban Nest can help customers create a stylish and functional living space that reflects their unique personality and urban lifestyle.

Step 2: Craft Your Key Message 📢

Your key message is the core idea you want to communicate.

Key Message: “Transform your apartment into a stylish urban sanctuary with Urban Nest’s modern and affordable decor.”

This message should be consistent across all campaign materials to ensure clarity and impact.

Step 3: Develop Creative Executions Across Channels 📺

Let’s break down how to implement your campaign theme and key message across different media channels.

1. Social Media Magic 🌟

Platforms: Instagram, TikTok

Idea: “Apartment Makeovers” – Showcase stunning before-and-after apartment transformations using Urban Nest products.

Execution:

Visuals: Side-by-side photos and quick videos showing the transformation process.

Caption:

“From drab to fab! 🌟 Swipe to see how Urban Nest turned this space into an urban oasis. #UrbanLivingRedefined”

Call-to-Action: Include “Shop the look” links or promote urban living tips.

Example Post:

Caption: “Turn your city apartment into a modern sanctuary with @UrbanNest. Use code URBANLIFE for 10% off your first order. #UrbanLivingRedefined #UrbanNest”

2. Pop-Up Events in Urban Areas 🎪

Location: Urban Community Centers and Popular City Spots

Idea: “Urban Nest Pop-Up Experience” – Host pop-up events where city dwellers can explore Urban Nest products in person.

Execution:

Setups: Create mock urban apartments with different decor themes (industrial, modern, chic).

DIY Stations: Allow visitors to create their own decor items.

Promotions: Offer exclusive event discounts and host social media contests.

Example Setup:

Event Flyer: “Visit the Urban Nest Pop-Up Experience this weekend! Discover stylish decor, DIY your own pieces, and enjoy exclusive discounts. 📍Location: Urban Plaza, Date: July 15-16”

3. Online Decor Quiz 🧩

Platform: Urban Nest Website

Idea: “What’s Your Urban Style?” – An interactive quiz that offers personalized decor recommendations.

Execution:

Quiz Design: Include questions about style preferences and living habits.

Results: Provide a curated selection of Urban Nest products based on quiz results.

Call-to-Action: Offer a discount to quiz takers on their first purchase.

Example Quiz Question:

Question: “How would you describe your ideal urban apartment ambiance? a) Industrial b) Modern c) Minimalist d) Chic”

4. Email Marketing Campaign 📧

Platform: Email

Idea: “Urban Nest Inspirations” – A series of emails featuring decor tips, product spotlights, and customer success stories.

Execution:

Email Series: Send weekly emails with themes like “Small Space Hacks”.

Personalized Recommendations: Use data to offer tailored product suggestions.

Call-to-Action: Include “Shop Now” links with special discounts.

Example Email:

Subject: “5 Easy Decor Hacks to Transform Your Urban Apartment Today!”

Content: “Hi Alex, ready to upgrade your apartment? Check out these 5 decor hacks featuring our top-selling products. Plus, enjoy 15% off your next order with code URBANHACKS.”

Step 4: Review and optimize 🔄

After launching your campaign, track its performance across all channels. Use metrics like engagement, click-through rates, and sales conversions to gauge effectiveness. Adjust your strategy based on what’s working best.