#definitely a 'WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABT U SITUATION' and ur like.. u have?????

[theloveinc]

that would be such a wild meet ugly w bkg, like you're crying in the bathroom like you said n the groom barges in n you both start fighting loudly again n bkg tells him to leave you alone n tells his groomsmen to take him away then he tells everyone to go home bc the wedding is over n everyone is like wtf is going on?? n your bridesmaids are like "should we stay n help" n bkg is like "no i'll take care of it" n suddenly it ends with you in your mascara tear stained face, wedding dress all a mess n so dirty at mcdonald's with a pro hero sitting in front of you just staring n making sure ur okay n everyone wondering what went on lollll

RIGHT?!?!

And It's sooooo not Bakugo's bag but for some reason he feels so... not exactly obligated but... that it's the right thing to do to stay, buy you food, and help you pick up all the pieces.

He even helps you out of your dress, lets you wrap up in his spare coat and some pajama pants a bridesmaid left in your get-ready room. You cry when you see the empty venue and all the wilting flowers, but he helps you through that, too, holding you like he's known you for years, mumbling about how "you're never gonna get over it unless you do the work yourself."

He even picks out one of the nicest remaining flowers of your bouquet to send home with you that night, not to remember the day by, but to remember the good that came out of it: you were spared from marrying a "fuckin' loser extra," and you met him, and that can't be all bad, right?

(I think it's a little cliche to say you fall in love that exact night and he leaves you with his number... but you see him again, for sure, maybe dropping off some of your, now unneeded, wedding favors as a thank you gift for him to share with his staff at his agency (which was NOT hard to find, nor to gain entrance to)...

And there you are walking into his office only to be met by a whole handful of little sidekicks, going, "look, guys! It's the bride! It's Dynamight's bride!" as they're all so excited to finally meet the person in the pictures that were taken for the paper, of you and Bakugo sitting in that McDonald's, crying.)

#bakugo #definitely a 'WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABT U SITUATION' and ur like.. u have????? #and they're already come up with a whole love story for you guys that makes both u and bakugo heat up like OVENS #trying to deny the connection #its so funny tho bc bakugo refuses to eat any of the little chocolates and champagne with your ex-fiances name on it #and u catch him trying to get rid of those pieces and it makes ur heart kinda hurt in a good way #so maybe u leave ur number with HIM #and he goes nuts trying to work up the nerve to call u #and its all so EMBARRASSING LOL BUT I LOVE IT #but ur def dynamight's bride like thats ur pap name for the rest of time #ur wedding announcement in some tabloid is the picture of u sitting together next to your official photo for the public #IDK I HOPE THIS IS OKAY #caitie things #anon #gen

[iraprince]

do u have any advice for those that want to run a quest?

it feels a LEETLE silly answering this when all my own are currently on hiatus bc i got busy (SORRY TO CALLIST0 READERS LOL) BUT!!! yes i do. i have only ever run quests/interactive comics on the site questden, so i guess as a baseline this will kind of all be geared towards that, but i think most of this should translate to any hosting situation

you have to be cool with your plots branching and mutating in unexpected ways, and you have to be willing to play ball with your readers. quests are a collaboration between the author and the audience. it often feels a lot like gming a tabletop campaign (and that's the origin!! questden, specifically, was originally an offshoot of /tg/.) -- we've all had or heard about bad GMs who view their position as that of a narrative dictator who exists to punish and prod a captive group of players thru their own personal novel, but a good GM is interested in telling stories as a group. u have final say and have to stay true to the important stuff abt ur story, but if u get mad or frustrated when ur readers want to explore something "off topic" or aren't following the threads of ur narrative the way u expected them to, u don't actually want to run a quest, u just want to make a webcomic w mandatory comments. (the flip side of this is: consider if the story u want to make is the right one for an interactive quest. if it is REALLY important to u that the plot beats of a story go a certain way, maybe save it for a medium where u have more control!)

keep it loose and fast. the art does not matter. i am rly guilty of not following this one, but i still think it's really important! one of the things i like best about quests is the barrier to entry is very low and you SHOULD be able to start and maintain one very quickly. if i were better at keeping my art scrabbly and sketchy and loose, my stuff would not go on hiatus as often as it does. draw fast! it's NICE if the art is gorgeous to look at and definitely will draw readers, but it's way better if the art is simple enough that you can update frequently and without much stress. the quality of ur writing + character building, and whether u are telling a story that's engaging and that ur readers feel meaningfully involved in, is 100000x more important than the art.

on the more nitty gritty side: try to have a hook in each update. one of the most common reasons suggestions die off is readers being unsure of what they're supposed to do next. sure, too much spoonfeeding could end up feeling like railroading, and you don't have to end every single update by getting right in their faces and yelling "WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT??", but when you finish an update try to take a second to put yourself in a reader's shoes and see if there's an obvious next step. is there a course of action to decide on/debate, are there clear questions they can ask an npc, etc -- i can't think of a great way to describe it, but you want to avoid ending an update on a note where the player character and readers are basically sitting there looking at each other like "um... okay. that's that, then." some ppl even just end all their updates w multiple choice options, which is a super simple way to keep things moving if it fits the style of what ur doing. if you don't want it to be that overt but you still can't think of a way for there to be a clear hook, you can at least try to leave a little nudge in the narration that invites the readers to try to tie whatever they've just done/learned back into the pc's main goals/motivations or current tasks. (on this subject, VERY useful for your main character to have a very specific goal or end destination that everyone is on the same page abt. it's harder for your plot to lose momentum if you can always point at what your readers are supposed to be moving toward!)

finally: KEEP UPDATING EVEN IF YOU GET VERY FEW/NO SUGGESTIONS. it's a niche genre. questden is a small website. it's hard to get people to read something new, especially if it's in a new and unfamiliar format (and especially especially when it's on a website that looks like a chanboard lmao). picking up readers takes a long time, and a lot of people lurk without suggesting (ESPECIALLY if it's a difficult/plot-important decision, and also especially in the opposite, if it's a very obvious next step and someone else has already commented what most ppl would say). it's very tempting to want to wait for more suggestions bc u "only" have one or two, and then that wait becomes stagnation, and then you're frustrated and u end up dropping the quest bc "nobody cares." instead u just have to push thru!!!! u only have two suggestions and u wish u had more? maybe next update u'll get more. u have NO suggestions and u feel like that means ur quest is dead in the water? NOPE! the solution is to update again, bc maybe ppl with latch on more and have something to say in the next scene. the more u update ur quest, the more u'll be able to talk abt it (and maybe get more readers), and specifically in the case of questden the more ur thread will be bumped to the front page. think abt how many times you've seen ppl talking abt a webcomic or a book and thought "i need to check that out eventually...." but it takes months for you to actually do it. 99.9999% of the time, ppl need to see something MULTIPLE TIMES before they check it out!! most readers do not come from clicking something the very first time they see it!! i know it can feel lonely and discouraging, but u owe it to ur art and the stories u want to tell to keep trying, even if engagement is very low at first, otherwise you're killing it before it's even had a chance. like, get shameless about it. ask your buddies to comment on your quest. but give that horse a few really good whacks before you decide it's dead!! i think that's my main thoughts. if you have any more specific questions i'm happy to help if i can! but also i think you'll learn the most by just jumping in and fucking around. quests are easy to pick up and easy to drop, and imo do really well as a playground where u test different ways to draw and tell stories, so might as well just get messy.

[aro-culture-is]

this isn't a fun and quirky post, it's a question / advice seeking, sorry everyone u_u

so, i never really cared much about being in a relationship, even when all of my friends were obsessed with the idea, i just didn't get it. i had a crush on one of my good friends, but i never wanted there to be an end goal of getting together with her, and those feelings went away after she ended up moving (tho i mean. obviously i was upset bc she was my friend and i missed her), i was content with just being in her company.

fast forward to now, i'm in my second year of college, i've been in a long term relationship (4 years), and right in the middle of it, i'm realizing that i'm most likely aro, or at the very least greyro. i don't HATE romance, it annoys me most of the time, but i definitely experience feelings that could be described as love, towards my favorite things / friends / family; i'm not averse to using the term love when i love something. BUT. not experiencing romantic attraction and "LOVE love" the way others do makes.......a loooooot of sense for myself. i hadn't considered myself aro until a few months ago because i thought it wouldn't be,, "valid?" bc i've been in this relationship for so long, and i really do care about my partner.

i've looked into other terms for myself - i don't relate to demiromantic at all, bc no matter how close i've ended up getting to ppl, i've never experienced anything beyond just close friendship, nor do i jive with cupioromantic, bc if i wasn't in the relationship i'm in now, i wouldn't have any desire to seek one out.

with my partner, i've (half) joked abt how if we weren't together i would probably just be aro, and they said something along the lines of "something about that doesn't surprise me" (IN A GOOD WAY THOUGH not a condescending way), and we've talked a bit about the reality that i am , most definitely somewhere on this spectrum, but i want to talk to them about it seriously. i feel like it would explain a lot about how a lot of the time, i feel like i'm STILL trying to figure out and maneuver being in a relationship. i'm lucky to have a very patient and understanding partner, and i know that if i sat down with them and told them everything, they'd definitely work through it with me.

so AAAAAAAAAALL of that out of the way, my question issss ,, what are the.. logistics of subscribing to a label? some days i'm like "yeah greyro seems pretty accurate," but others i think "mm ,, even greyro seems a bit generous, and i feel like i'm just fully aro." though, i feel like i CAN'T be fully aro if i have a long term partner that i care abt. (i don't know if that's a stereotype, i apologize if it is, this is all still a bit new for me.) i already feel very out of place looking through the aro community and seeing so many people refusing to even use the word love for their pets or favorite tv shows n what have you (full respect to those people, i feel like they probably wouldn't feel the same about me tho :sob: ). i don't know if aro can be used as somewhat of an umbrella term? just hoping to get some advice .. this is the first time i'm even talking about it with someone who isn't my partner. i appreciate the time ur gonna need to take to read and respond to this monster ask LMAO so thank u in advance !!!!!

hi, sorry this has taken forever to get around to!

honestly, labels are really up to the person. there's a number of metaphors about it, but ultimately, labels are meant to help you express how you feel, not to limit you to their exact definition or a stereotype. (and, it is a stereotype that aro people can't date - aromanticism is defined intentionally to allow that you may be able to feel romantic attraction, but feel it rarely or conditionally. it would be quite strange to include that and not allow romantic relationships!)

if it helps to consider, a lot of people I've heard of in similar situations to you appreciate hearing about alterous attraction, or queerplatonic attraction. depending on the definition and era of when it was talked about, sometimes they're distinguished and sometimes they aren't. you may be experiencing your relationship like a queerplatonic relationship!

I'm sorry I can't help more, but I hope this gives some food for thought. I strongly recommend that folks with questions like these take a stroll through my tag "am i aro" and see if anything fits or helps!

- most phoenix

#not aro culture #aro #aromantic #actually aro #actually aromantic #ask #anonymous #mod phoenix #am i aro

[angeltrapz]

💋, 🍅, 🍊, 🌵, + 🍇 for ur SAW f/os (as many as u want if all of them is too much sjfhhdhd)

AAA ty bestie omg!!!! I'm gnna answer these w art, mallick, & gibson since I don't get to talk abt them nearly as much as I want ;v; putting this under a cut tho bc it's. very long

art:

💋 - give us a kiss headcanon!:

he's super fond of forehead kisses! every morning before he leaves for work he makes sure to give me one. I like to kiss him on the cheek a lot + he loves that too!!

🍅 - what makes your f/o blush?:

when I wear his clothes >:3c the minute I found that out, he has not known peace since kdjsfkds

🍊 - what’s your f/o’s biggest secret?:

that being tested twice got to him more than he'd ever admit. he keeps that one very close to his chest, and it was quite a while before he felt comfortable admitting that to me. I don't necessarily think that he blamed himself, persay, but I do think he definitely wonders what john could've seen in him that was so bad it warranted being tested twice (though I definitely make sure to remind him that nothing he could ever do would justify + legitimize john's little power trip). I think he also struggles with the fact that even though they parted on bad terms, he still thought of john (and jill, who I believe he meets for coffee every now and then) as a friend until he heard about the jigsaw murders.

🌵 - how long does it take for your f/o to warm up to new people?:

though he doesn't say as much, after jigsaw, I think it takes him quite a bit. he's not outwardly hostile or even distant, but there's definitely that probation period after he meets someone new where he's super cautious and maybe a bit more quiet than usual bc he's feeling things out. typically though, unless given a reason, he tries to give others a chance.

🍇 - does your f/o naturally give themself “me time,” or do they need reminders from time to time?:

I think he's pretty good at being able to tell when he needs to recharge a bit! every now and then he gets a bit caught up in his work, but for the most part, he's able to step away from it when he needs + recognize when he's approaching that point.

-

mallick:

💋 - give us a kiss headcanon!:

mallick loves face kisses!! cheeks, nose, lips, forehead, eyelids, chin, everywhere! he generally moves in a circle around my face, and they're generally fluttery + super sweet, if a bit shy. he very much appreciates it when I reciprocate too <3

🍅 - what makes your f/o blush?:

a Lot of things honestly kjdkfds but like art, when I wear his clothes, which is Not hard for me to do (given that. he is 6'1'' to my 5'2'' lmao)! part of that comes from like. having a partner who Wants to steal his clothes, and part of it is just that he likes to see me in them! it just makes him happy.

🍊 - what’s your f/o’s biggest secret?:

I wld have to say the fire, as we've both discussed before,, especially how it impacted him + the others who were involved, regardless of intent. I genuinely don't think he intended to hurt anyone but he feels terrible about the fact that he did, and that he technically was never caught - this gets into both mine and your interpretation of him, but as a result of this, I think what happened w jigsaw, to him, kind of felt like... righteous punishment, in a way, since he was never officially charged. it takes him a long while to unlearn that.

🌵 - how long does it take for your f/o to warm up to new people?:

a VERY long time, esp post-jigsaw. he is very, very cautious and if he gets bad vibes, he won't hesitate to remove himself from the situation (though he tries to do so politely). honestly, it takes him a while to be comfortable around people he doesn't know after that, which makes meeting new people hard, but eventually he's able to relax around new people, esp if meeting them with ppl he already knows!

🍇 - does your f/o naturally give themself “me time,” or do they need reminders from time to time?:

mallick definitely needs reminders. this also ties into his self-esteem issues, but he tries to like... push himself far past his limits bc he feels he doesn't deserve that sort of accommodation. over time he gets much better with it + doesn't need as many reminders, but I'm alwayd there to tell him that it's okay to take breaks when he needs them and that there's nothing wrong with setting time aside to take inventory of your mental health & how you're doing!

-

gibson:

💋 - give us a kiss headcanon!:

matt rlly likes shoulder + temple kisses! he might not do so as often, but when he does, they're lingering + very soft. he's a bit reserved that way, but that just means that I know how much he means it when he Does do it <3

🍅 - what makes your f/o blush?:

when I flirt back lmao!! he might not engage in pda very often at all (hand-holding is typically the only thing), but he Does flirt with me - like he doesn't know how to turn it off or simply doesn't want to - and is always caught off-guard when I flirt right back. it's a surefire way to get him to blush + rigg thinks it's Hilarious when it happens around him!!

🍊 - what’s your f/o’s biggest secret?:

a bit more light-hearted than art + mallick, matt's biggest secret is that he sings in the shower. the thing is, he THINKS it's a secret, but I know and simply don't tell him 'cause I know he'd stop lmao!!

🌵 - how long does it take for your f/o to warm up to new people?:

matt is typically pretty easy-going. unless you give him reason, he's generally friendly and open! he's not afraid to call people out on their bullshit + stand up for himself, so the way he sees it, he's cool with meeting new people.

🍇 - does your f/o naturally give themself “me time,” or do they need reminders from time to time?:

we've talked abt this a bit before, but matt is pretty good at knowing when he needs a break! he even sometimes sets aside an hour or so to chill (iirc we were talking abt him + lawrence?) in a bubble bath with music and everything, just sort of recharge. I still check in with him of course, just in case <3

#dkjsfhakjs thank you adam!!!! #in which connor accidentally goes off abt his perception of his bfs lmao #I have SO many feelings abt these three kljdgds in my opinion art and mallick esp are some of the most complex SAW characters? #so this is part gush part Actual Speculation #asks #long post #anyway. ty again!!! #(god dkjfds now I've got them on the brain omg. I am not at all opposed)