#literally the first draft HAD them in it but i changed it because i struggled to scientifically rationalize why they specifically were there

[gallifreyanhotfive]

Ngl with my watching the show fic I have spent every other moment for the last several months wishing I had added some classic who companions to the chaos lol.

Especially Tegan, Nyssa, and Ace.

And now especially given what I'm doing after The Giggle.

Might throw them in there after The Giggle concludes right in time for the interlude, unless y'all think that's a shite idea.

#its a long character list but i pride myself on my ability to balance them out #and ill also ask this question in the authors note of the next chapter for those not on my tumblr #but ive been tossing this idea in my head since i first posted it #literally the first draft HAD them in it but i changed it because i struggled to scientifically rationalize why they specifically were there #anyway #if you have thoughts lemme know #im itching for tegan and ace and nyssa and classic companions #especially for those stories #but if yall hate that idea i wont #doctor who #dw #dr who #classic who #new who #watching the show fic #watching the show #fanfic #fanfiction #tegan jovanka #nyssa #ace mcshane #the giggle

[heartsandhischier]

definitely the annoying little brother

luke hughes x female!reader, jack hughes x platonic!reader

summary - 5.2k words. living in an apartment with your best friend is great, but living in an apartment with your best friend and his brother... not so great

author's note - so... got a little carried away with this one, might write a part 2 idk yet but I love cocky Luke

warnings - mentions of alcohol, swearing, smut (first time writing so hopefully it isn't total shit)

When you moved to New Jersey you felt absolutely lost. Don't take it the wrong way, it was great – a prestigious college, a change of surroundings, and a fresh start. Your journey took an unexpected turn when you accidentally bumped into someone, quite literally bumping into him, drenching him in your freshly bought coffee. That someone was Jack, who had also just moved to New Jersey after being drafted to the New Jersey Devils. Like you, he was lost, navigating the unfamiliar terrain of a new beginning. Quickly you became best friends, helping each other with everything. You were there to cheer him on in the stands, and cheer him up during his rough rookie year, and he helped you out with your schoolwork, making sure you never felt alone in the stress of college life. You both shared a lot of laughs, late-night chats, and supported each other through thick and thin. And when you struggled to find a new apartment, he offered to let you stay in the guest room without hesitation. When weeks turned into months, you realized that living together clicked for both of you, turning what was meant to be a temporary arrangement into a lasting living situation. 

When Luke was drafted, you were on the edge of the seat in the apartment, eyes glued to the screen in anticipation as the New Jersey Devils were about to announce their pick. The moment Luke’s name was called, you leapt up, a surge of joy overwhelming you. You were thrilled, not just for Luke, but because you knew how much this meant for Jack – having the chance to play alongside his brother, to improve and grow together on the ice. You watched the screen as Jack sprung from the couch, shaking with excitement. Jack had told you that if Luke was drafted to the Devils, he would move into the apartment. However, from the friendship you had with Jack, you could only be excited for the fun ahead with two goofy brothers.

But here you were, angrily banging on the shared bathroom door, “LUKE! Are you fucking kidding me, I’m gonna be late.” The reality of living with Luke was far from pleasant and fun. Luke was definitely the annoying brother of the three. Unlike Jack, who was always kind and considerate, Luke seemed to barely tolerate your presence, often making snide, witty comments, as if he wanted to fire you up.

The apartment had become a warzone, filled with incessant arguing, shouting, and tension thick enough to cut with a knife. In Jack’s absence, there was no one acting as the peacemaker, no one stopping the two of you. Luke was leaving the bathroom messy, his toiletries scattered, leaving dirty dishes in the sink, not even bothering to put them in the dishwasher, and taking your clothes out of the dryer leaving them in a pile on the floor so he could use the machine, he even went as far as to have a party the night before your midterm. You couldn’t help but feel like he was doing it on purpose, you knew he was raised well, with proper manners and common decency – cause you knew what Jack was like. You knew, you knew he was doing it on purpose, to get under your skin. And what bothered you most, was that it was working.

Luke finally unlocked the bathroom door, and as he swung it open, a cloud of steam escaped into the hallway. His hair was damp, a towel wrapped around his lower body, showcasing his muscles. “You don’t have to spend that long in the bathroom, especially when you end up looking like that,” you remarked sharply, your arms crossed.

“Like what? Incredibly handsome?” Luke retorted, a smug smirk playing on his lips.

“No, like shit,” you fired back without missing a beat.

“Well, you look pretty shit yourself. So you don’t really need to go to the bathroom before school anyways,” he chuckled, clearly pleased with his response. Frustrated, you rolled your eyes and pushed past him to move on with your day.

-

“Come on Y/N,” Jack whined, his voice dragging, practically on his knees as he begged. His team was heading out to celebrate their victory from the night before, and with your schedule finally clear after non-stop stress, Jack insisted on you joining them, arguing you deserved a break. But, his team included a certain someone – Luke. The idea of enduring hours into the night, subjected to Luke’s endless barbs and comments, now potentially amplified by alcohol, spelled nothing but trouble in your mind.

“I’ll put you on my tab, if you come,” he offered, hoping to entice you with the promise of a free night out. You couldn’t help but laugh at his desperation for you to join, “Come on, I know you guys rotate who keeps the tab,” you retorted, narrowing your eyes playfully at him, “And you were the one paying last time.”

“Please I’ll clean the bathroom the next three weeks,” he proposed.

“Four weeks.”

“Okay next four weeks. And I'll make you lunch for those weeks too,” he said, extending his hand in a peace offering.

“Deal. But I’ll skip on the lunch since you barely know how to cook broccoli.”

-

“Aren’t we going to wait for Luke?” you questioned, slipping into your boots, a hint of curiosity in your voice. Jack couldn’t help but chuckle at your question, giving himself a once-over in the mirror. “Suddenly become best friends with your ‘enemy’?” he teased. “Absolutely not,” you replied with a snort, “Just needed to know if I had to fight for us to sit in the back.”

The Uber drove into the bustling city of New York, skyscrapers rushing by in a blur. Luke had headed out early with Holtz and Mercer, leaving you to revel in the peaceful drive to the club, free from any of the usual bickering. The car was filled with laughter and lighthearted banter, both you and Jack bubbling with anticipation for the evening ahead.

A chime sounded as the elevator announced your arrival to the club’s level, and as the doors slid open, you were greeted by a stunning panoramic view of New York City. the vibrant lights and endless skyline stretched out before you, leaving you in awe. “Pretty sick, right?” Jack nudged you, his smirk infectious, clearly proud of the evening’s choice. The club’s interior buzzed with energy, packed with people moving rhythmically under the glow of shimmering lights. The music enveloped the space, so loud and deep that the bass seemed to vibrate through the very floor. Jack, with a reassuring grip, took your hand and guided you through the crowd, weaving towards the table where his teammates were gathered.

They all excitedly greeted the two of you, ushering for you both to join them at the table. You loved Jack’s teammates – they were just as kind and welcoming as him, making everyone feel included and part of the fun. They made you feel like a part of the team. And then there was Luke, he didn't even glance in your direction when you approached the table, too invested in a conversation with Timo to care – yeah sure.

As soon as you sat down, drinks were served – Jack with his usual beer, and for you, a Tom Collins, your all-time favorite. You couldn’t help but chuckle, Jack even went as far as to make sure you got your favorite drink. 

After a few more drinks and hearty laughs, Jack pulled you out of your seat and onto the dance floor. The music took over as soon as you started moving, and you found yourself really enjoying the moment. Dancing there with Jack, you felt genuinely happy that you’d agreed to go out. And you forgot all about his annoying little brother.

Dancing, lost in the rhythm and the music, you realized your glass was empty. Sliding through the crowd, you made your way to the bar, navigating the sea of people all moving to the same beat. The bartenders moved with swift precision, a blur of activity as they tried to keep up with the endless stream of orders shouted by the eager club-goers. 

Waiting to be served, you suddenly felt a hand wrap around your waist. Startled, you turned around, meeting the drunken gaze of a stranger. “What you getting beautiful?” He was undoubtedly handsome, but the whole ordeal made you somewhat uncomfortable. You tried to respond, but only managed to stumble out an incoherent answer. 

He leaned in, his breath brushed your ear, the words “Why don’t I buy you a drink, and then we can continue the party at my place?” lingering in the air between you. The proposal sent an uncomfortable shiver down your spine, and not the good kind. You were caught off guard, unsure of how to escape the situation, all you managed in response was a sheepish smile, your mind racing for a way out. In a sudden move, he leaned in. You were frozen, unable to move away, you just tightly shut your eyes, bracing for impact. However, the kiss never landed. With your eyes still closed, the sounds of a scuffle broke through the music.

Then he leaned in closer, his breath fanning over your ear, “Why don’t I buy you a drink, and then we can continue the party at my place.” it sent a shiver down your spine, and not the good kind, you could only offer a sheepish smile. Then in the whiff of a moment he leaned in trying to give you a kiss. You were frozen, you couldn’t move away and just closed your eyes, bracing for impact. But the kiss never came, eyes still closed, you heard commotion. 

“Back off. She’s not going anywhere with you.”

Opening your eyes, you found Luke standing between you and the stranger. He had pushed him, shielding you from his advances.

“You okay?” Luke asked as he lightly brushed your arm, his towering presence offering a sense of security. You looked up at him, slowly giving him a small nod. What the fuck just happened.

Without missing a beat, Luke turned to signal the bartender, “Two Tom Collins’, please.” The bartender acknowledged with a nod and swiftly got to work on the drinks. 

As he handed you one of the glasses, Luke’s hand found its way to the small of your back, guiding you with a surprising gentleness toward the dance floor. The music, once again, wrapped around you, quickly making you forget all about the uncomfortable encounter at the bar.

You found yourself dancing close to Luke, you had never been this close to him before, ever. However, you found it somewhat comforting. He seemed to sense this shift too, his hand gently placed at your hips, his voice teasing, “Considering how much you complain about me hogging the bathroom, you seem pretty okay standing this close to me.”

The comment took you by surprise, a rush of warmth flooding to your cheeks. You were quick to retort, attempting to mask your fluster, “Blame that on the club being crowded. If our apartment was this packed, I’d have moved out by now.”

You felt weirdly comfortable in Luke’s presence now, and it seemed he noticed. “Considering how much you complain about me hogging the bathroom, you seem pretty okay standing this close to me.” it caught you off guard and you felt a warmth rush to your cheeks. You quickly shook it off, “Blame that the club is crowded. If our apartment was this packed, I'd have moved out by now.”

Luke smirked, leaning in closer than before, his breath tickling your ear as he whispered, “Or maybe you’ve just realized how much you actually enjoy my company. All these complaints might just be your way of asking for more attention.”

Caught in the unexpected closeness, you tried to maintain your composure. “Dream on, Luke. If I wanted more of your attention, I’d just lock myself in the bathroom with you,” you shot back.

“Yeah, wouldn’t you like that.” that damn smirk, you wish you could just wipe it off his face.

What. Was. Happening?

Confused and a bit flustered, you mustered up an excuse, before navigating through the lively crowd, towards Jack at the table. 

“Enjoying yourself?” Jack’s voice pulled you back to reality, his tone playful as he nudged you gently. 

“Fine,” you responded, rolling your eyes at the boy. “I’m having fun. But you didn’t have to make them order my favorite drink,” you laughed, giving in to his bright smile.

Jack joined in the laughter, but something in his response made it seem he was laughing at you, not with you. He tilted his head looking at you, genuinely puzzled. “I didn’t tell anyone to order your favorite drink.”

“Well, who’s in charge of the tab tonight?”

“Luke.”

-

The next few weeks, you tried your hardest to avoid Luke. The whole situation in the club… it was confusing, it was so unexpected but for some reason you didn’t mind the closeness that happened that night. But you couldn't face him. You even got up hours earlier than necessary to avoid the usual bathroom argument, waiting a few extra hours before class or work. It was tearing your sleep schedule apart, but it was for the best.

Your eyes were glued to the bright screen of your phone – 3AM. You let out a frustrated sigh, you couldn’t sleep. The room felt like an oven, the early arrival of summer in New Jersey wrapping your space in an unbearable warmth. Stress of upcoming exams layed heavy on your subconscious. And the thought of having to get up in two hours just to avoid Luke, didn’t help much either.

Defeated, you pushed yourself out of bed, sliding into your fluffy slippers. Glancing at your reflection in the mirror, you sighed, you looked a mess. Hair tied up in a messy bun, and Jack’s New Jersey Devils t-shirt hanging loosely around you. Whatever. At this ungodly hour, no one would see you anyways, and the boys probably have early morning practice.

Carefully, you pushed the door open, trying to minimize the telltale creak. With light steps, you tiptoed down the hallway, aiming for the kitchen. The gentle illumination from the counter lights greeted you, casting a soft, inviting glow over the room – Jack must’ve left it on. However, the comfort quickly turned to your dismay when you spotted the very person you’d tried so hard to avoid for weeks on end – Luke. His back was turned, curls messy, and a pair of pajama pants loosely hanging around his waist. His back muscles, his shoulders, all on display.

The sight of him triggered an immediate response – you knew you needed to get out of there before he noticed you. You turned your heel, your slippers betraying you with a sharp squeak against the floor.

“Going somewhere?” 

You cleared your throat, gathering the courage to face him as you slowly turned around. There he was, casually leaning against the kitchen counter, a bowl of cereal cradled in his hands – his midnight snack. “Just needed some water. Didn’t realize I had company,” you managed to say, trying to sound nonchalant.

He let out a soft chuckle, the spoon in his bowl making lazy circles. “Can’t sleep either, huh? The kitchen’s open for all, y’know.” I mean he wasn’t wrong. Despite your efforts to maintain a distance, you did live together, and spaces like the kitchen were neutral ground, even at 3AM.

“Yeah, I… I guess I’ll just grab that water then.” navigating the awkward silence towering the room, you reached for a glass, making your way to the sink – coincidentally right beside where Luke was enjoying his cereal. His presence was towering over you as you filled the glass with water. 

“You know, for two people who claim to dislike each other, we do end up in the same place a lot.” Luke observed with a smirk that you felt rather than saw.

You scoffed, attempting to maintain a facade of indifference. “We live in the same apartment Luke, and your brother is my best friend. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“Well, you’re wearing my t-shirt, so don't blame me,” he countered.

You huffed, caught off guard. “This is Jack’s.”

He chuckled lightly, “I’ve been looking for it for weeks, thought I lost it. But now I know you just wanted to feel like you were sleeping next to me.”

You let out a scoff, annoyed, “In your dreams, asshole.”

He stepped closer, reducing the distance between you to mere inches. “Y’know, you could’ve just asked. I’d gladly let you sleep in bed with me,” he said, the smirk evident in his voice as he towered over you.

Your heart was racing, your voice caught in your throat at the sudden proximity. In a moment of panic, you retreated, mumbling an incoherent “I have to go,” as you hastily made your escape.

-

The usual calm and comfortable space of your apartment, was tonight transformed into a space buzzing with energy, laughter, and booze. It was Jack’s birthday, and as his best friend you were determined to throw him the best celebration possible – a surprise party. You pulled out all the stops, inviting friends, his teammates, and with the off-season granting a rare break, Trevor, Cole, and Alex were able to join the festivities. As you navigate the cluster of people, a glass nestled gently in your grasp, your gaze inadvertently landed on Luke. There he was, nestled in a corner of the room, deeply engrossed in conversation. By his side stood a girl whose laughter harmonized so seamlessly with his, it almost seemed choreographed. 

A strange unease began to coil within you at the sight. There was Luke, entirely absorbed in dialogue with whoever this girl was, and something about it unsettled you deeply.

“Seems like Luke’s really hit it off huh,?” Trevor’s voice cut through the hum of the party, his tone playful yet pointed as he caught your fixed gaze and gave a teasing nudge.

“Yeah, looks like it,” you found yourself responding, striving for indifference even as you couldn’t tear your eyes away. You weren’t sure why, but the observation felt like it lodged itself in your chest.

Jack’s laughter soon joined in, bright and unaware of the subtle tension you felt. He slapped your shoulder genially, “Luke’s always been a charmer. Who’s the lucky lady this time?”

You attempted a noncommittal shrug, trying to shake off the knot forming inside. “No idea.”

-

“This is nice isn’t it,” Jack's voice cut through the comfortable hum of the city. The sun was shining, pouring its warmth over Jersey City, a gentle breeze complemented the heat perfectly.

The sun was shining, it was warm outside accompanied with a gentle comfortable breeze. It was a great day in Jersey city. 

As you wandered through the city with Jack, it felt like old times, just the two of you. His excitement was contagious, sparking a lightness that you had been missing for too long.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever. And we live together,” he joked playfully nudging you, but you could sense the underlying truth in his words – he genuinely missed these moments together. 

And he was right; it had been a while. The efforts you’d put into avoiding Luke eventually affected Jack as well, as the two of them shared basically the same schedule. You didn’t want to tell him the truth, that you were avoiding luke and then possibly having to explain why. 

“Yeah, I’ve missed this, it’s just that I've been drowning in school work lately.” It was a bad excuse, but it was the best and most realistic you could come up with.

Deciding to take advantage of the beautiful weather, you suggested heading to one of your favorite cafes. The idea of soaking up some sun while catching up seemed perfect. Once you found a spot in the outdoor seating area, you offered to go in and order for the two of you. By the time you returned with two coffees, the dynamic at your table had unexpectedly changed. Two additional figures were now seated beside Jack, their curls a dead giveaway – you recognised those curls anywhere. A sigh escaped your lips as Jack, beaming with enthusiasm, gestured towards them. “Hey, Y/N! Look who I found!” The two ‘curlyheads’ turned to face you, John and Luke greeting you with smiles, with Luke’s carrying his signature, teasing smirk.

Reluctantly, you settled into the chair next to Jack, putting up your best efforts to remain composed, polite, and NOT awkward. The conversation flowed effortlessly, but you, you remained quiet. Occasionally offering a nod and a brief reply. Your eyes shifted between John and Jack, effectively avoiding Luke, as if by ignoring Luke, you could somehow make the situation less complicated.

Eventually, John and Luke made their casual exit. You managed a tight smile and a polite wave, holding on to the facade of composure until they were out of sight. The moment they were gone, Jack’s attention snapped back to you, his brows furrowed in confusion and curiosity. “Why were you acting so weird?” 

Suddenly, the cafe’s cozy outdoor setting felt more like an interrogation room, and you were in the spotlight.

“Wha-what do you mean,” your voice wavered despite the smile you plastered on. “I wasn’t being weird.” you countered, hoping the denial sounded more convincing to his ears than it did to yours.

Jack’s eyes widened in shock, as if he had just cracked the code. The revelation seemed to knock him off balance, almost sending him tumbling from his chair. “Oh my god,” he whispered, a mix of genuine shock and amusement in his voice, as a chuckle broke free. “You’re sleeping with John, aren’t you?” 

A wave of relief washed over you at his misinterpretation. I mean it's better than to tell him about Luke, right? In the end Jack is still his older brother, and you couldn’t risk jeopardizing your friendship with Jack, even if whatever was going on with Luke meant something.

Caught between the fear of losing your closest friend and the chaos of the moment, you found yourself nodding along before the word “yes” tumbled out. And now, you possibly just made your situation even worse.

-

Once again, you found yourself at a bar with Jack and his teammates. The night a farewell toast before everyone dispersed for the off-season. The bar buzzed with a contagious mix of laughter and the clinking of glasses, everyone enjoying each other's company before leaving. Throughout the evening, you’d successfully avoided both Luke and John, navigating the minefield of awkward encounters. You also may have indulged in a few too many drinks to steady your nerves. 

Finding yourself back at the bar for yet another round of liquid courage, you sensed someone approaching. Turning, it wasn’t Luke’s familiar curls, but John’s. You managed a somewhat forced smile as he settled down beside him. “Hey Y/N having fun?” he asked, his smile was radiating, infectious. 

You nervously accepted your drink as it arrived, taking a sip that was perhaps a bit too eager. “Yeah, it’s great hanging out with you guys!” 

An awkward silence fell upon you, filled by only the sounds of your silent sipping your respective drinks. John’s laughter cut through the silence, laughing at the obvious awkward situation, breaking the ice with ease. “Y’know Jack’s been chirping me relentlessly tonight. Mentioning something… interesting, about us.” you groaned, mentally facepalming yourself. 

With a playful gesture, he pointed a finger between the two of you, his expression a mix of confusion and amusement. “Did… did we sleep together one night and I forgot?”

“No no no.” you rushed to clarify, flailing your hands around desperate to clear up the situation. John is, of course, handsome, and after a few too many drinks on a night out, it may have happened under other circumstances. You both burst out in laughter at the situation, dissolving any lingering awkwardness.

John dramatically placed a hand over his heart in relief. “Phew, good. Don’t want Luke getting all jealous on me.” your laughter echoed his, agreeing wholeheartedly until his words fully registered – you never mentioned Luke. “What did you say?”

John merely winked and offered a pat on your shoulder before making his exit, leaving you at the bar, more puzzled than ever.

As the evening unfolded, the flow of drinks seemed never-ending, each one blurring into the next until the vibrant energy of the bar felt like a distant hum. Suddenly, you found yourself seated in the passenger side of a car, the light of New Jersey streaking past in a dizzying display. Barely able to keep your eyes open in your drunken state you looked over to the driver's seat – Luke. “What are you doing? You shouldn’t be driving,” you slurred. 

“I was sober tonight Y/N. And you… you were way too drunk, we’re going home,” Luke responded. His tone lacked its usual lightness, replaced by a firm blunt response. The drive was engulfed in silence, a tension hanging in the air that even your drunken haze couldn’t miss.

“So, cozying up with John,” Luke remarked, a hint of something indefinable in his tone.

Luke had seen you at the bar. His voice carried a weight, similar to the unease you felt when you saw him with that girl at Jack’s birthday. 

Words failed you as you tried to respons, a string of incoherent mumbles and half-words coming out of your mouth. You felt like you were burning up, put on the spot, panicking. “Trying to make me jealous?” You blinked in shock at his question. There was no hint of anger in Luke’s voice; instead, he sounded amused. You could almost feel his smirk.

As you finally mustered up the courage to face him, there it was – that infuriating, captivating smirk. Part of you wanted to punch it off his face, yet another part was inexplicably drawn to it. “I… I wasn’t…” you stuttered, struggling to articulate your thoughts. Luke let out a soft chuckle, his hand leaving the steering wheel, landing comfortably on your thigh. 

“I’ll admit, I got a bit jealous. But i know John wouldn’t do that to me,” he said, giving you a gentle squeeze. You were totally lost. Luke was jealous? Why? You weren’t trying to make him jealous. Your intentions had been the polar opposite – you were trying to avoid him. And here you were, alone, in the car, with Luke. 

“And I know you wouldn’t do that either. You’re too charmed by me, aren’t you.” The car came to a stop, you were outside the apartment. Luke finally turned to meet your gaze. His question hung in the air, you didn’t know what to say. You weren’t interested in Luke, at all. You were just confused, right?

 “Is that the reason why you’ve been avoiding me?” His words struck a nerve, he knew. He knew, that you’d been in fact avoiding him. You found yourself locked in his gaze, unable to pry your eyes away from his. Luke didn’t look away either, it was as if he was uncovering every secret, exploring every inch of you with his eyes.

In a swift, almost breathless moment, he leaned over, his lips finding yours. The kiss caught you by surprise, yet the thought of pulling away never crossed your mind. Instead, you found yourself surrendering – melting into the warmth of his lips. Your hand instinctively found its way to his curls, fingers weaving through them, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.

You were moving in perfect sync.

His hand reached out, unlatching your seatbelt, freeing your from its restraint. With an ease of urgency, you climbed over the midconsole, never losing the precious contact between the two of you. 

His hands found their way to your hips, finger pressing into the soft fabric of your clothes, pulling you even closer. Arching your back at the contact, your clothed core merely inches away from him, only your clothes separating you. Intoxication swept over you, but it wasn’t the alcohol swirling through your veins that left you dizzy – it was Luke. it was the touch of his hands roaming around your body, the feeling of his lips on yours, it was him. And you needed more. Your hands seemed to take on a life of their own, grasping at his shoulders, tugging at his curls, wrapping around his neck – anything to be closer to Luke. 

Lost in the moment, straddling Luke in the drivers seat as you deepened the kiss. His hands on your hips, pulling you closer as you grind against him, feeling him harden beneath you. The friction was maddening, and you could feel yourself growing wetter by the second.

You simply couldn’t help yourself. 

With a groan, Luke pulls away, leaving you both gasping for air. But the respite is short-lived as you felt Luke’s fingers grazing your inner thigh, sending shivers up your spine. He hooked his fingers under the edge of your panties, pulling them to the side. You bit down on your lip, trying to stifle the moan that threatened to escape as he slips inside, his fingers finding your clit with ease. 

But you can’t, you’d been wanting this, needing this, needing him. Needing Luke.

You let out a soft moan, giving yourself over to the feeling of his fingers exploring your most sensitive area. At first, Luke’s fingers moved in small, teasing circles, bareuly brushing against the sensitive bundle of nerves, just watching you fall apart on top of him. 

In the haze of pleasure, you found yourself drawn to Luke’s eyes. They were dark, intense, however, there was a hint of care, and maybe even love, taking in every moment of your reaction to his touch. 

You couldn’t look away if you tried. Trapped in his gaze, the car filled with the sounds of your heavy breathing and whimpers – you didn’t want to escape.

Luke’s eyes never left yours, watching with rapt attention as your breath hitched in your throat. Your face flushed, eyes closed tight, feeling the pressure building inside you. Luke’s fingers sped up, pressing harder against your clit. 

Suddenly, your vision faded, the orgasm tearing through you like a wildfire, your body shaking with the force of your release.

Collapsing on top of him, your breath coming in short, sharp, gasp as you tried to catch your breath. Luke pushed away the mess of your hair, gently caressing your chin, tilting your face so you could meet his gaze. He was smiling, not the usual shit eating smirk, but smiling with genuine care and affection.

What just happened?

#luke hughes fanfiction #luke hughes imagine #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes x y/n #luke hughes fanfic #luke hughes smut #nhl smut #hockey smut #lh43 #nhl fanfic #hockey fanfic #hockey fic #nhl fanfiction #luke hughes x you

[sweaterkittensahoy]

As Long as I'm Thinking about Job Interview Stuff

Here's my general pattern for answering the "Tell us about time you failed / dealt with a bad co-worker / had to struggle to complete something /etc."

These questions are asked to suss out if you're an asshole. The reason there's more than one of them is to see if you have a shit talking problem that can take a little time to show itself. Basically, interviewers are trying to get a sense of if you're gonna be a fucking problem once you're comfortable at a new workplace.

I literally once watched myself lose a job because the managers asked, "How do you deal with people who might be temperamental at times?" It was a software company, so I figured they meant "At least one of our engineers is a huge asshole, but we think he's worth keeping around even if he yells at people." And so I said, "Look, we all have our moments, and I do my best to be understanding if someone's having a tough time. I think it's important to remember we're all working together and trying to make something succeed. That being said, if the problem is I'm getting yelled at because someone else is being unprofessional, I'm not going to stand there and allow that abuse. I will be talking to HR, at a minimum, and if that doesn't resolve it, I will take care of it myself."

And, let me be clear, the moment any positive vibes left the room was when I said, "I'm not gonna stand there and allow that abuse." Which told me EXACTLY how they were handling the situation currently.

Anyway, sorry for the recipe blog wander. Back to the point. Here's how I handle the questions where they want you to discuss something negative.

I take a moment to think. Yes, I know the question is coming and already have a few options picked for an answer, but taking a moment to think before answering means I'm not gonna stumble over my words when I start.

Start with the negative. If the question is, "Tell us about dealing with a difficult co-worker," Start at the problem. "Well, I remember once I worked with someone who really didn't like answering questions via email."

Explain why it made the job difficult. "Given that what I do is focused on getting things written down, I prefer sending questions via email whenever possible so I always have a clear starting point on the information I use, even if the information changes a lot through conversation."

Restate the problem as the beginning of the solution. "But, this person didn't like to answer questions in writing, so I started going over to his desk and asking him the questions."

Say something nice about the problem. "He was great face-to-face. Always happy to help."

Explain the solution. "And it turned out he was happy to read anything I would print out and hand him. So, I'd go ask him the questions, go back to my desk and do a first draft based on what he'd said, and then give him a physical copy to mark up."

Stamp a positive final remark on it. "Once I realized how to best communicate with him, he was very open to helping. If I walked over with a first draft, he'd just look at it right then so I could make updates as quickly as possible. And he started letting me know if there were any major design changes on the way and explaining it to me earlier in the process, which made it easier to make updates."

That's my technique. The biggest thing of it, I think, is to make sure your answer is sincere. Don't use a situation where you still want to shove someone into traffic. Pick a situation where you feel like it actually turned out well in the end.

#job interviews #job hunting #employment #interview questions #interview tactics

[demon-slayer-chaos]

so

uhm

uh

akaza yandere?

but like

obsessive yandere?

like?

really obsessive yandere?

ruh roh?

oopsies?

*doesn't have to be pure minded either 🧍🏻‍♀️*

"A Demons Love" Yandere!Akaza x reader.

Hehehe I finally got off my ass and wrote this after it sitting in my drafts for literally a whole year.

Triggers: Yandere Themes, obsession, kidnapping, Akaza low key is out of character ITS MY FIRST TIME WRITING HIM LEAVE ME ALONE 😭. I DON'T CONDONE ANY OF THESE ACTIONS THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION.

Characters in this: Akaza

Requested: Yes

🔓 Requests are closed as of now🔓

Link to rules

Masterlist coming soon...

🏮- Oh dear, poor you. Dealing with an upper moon? How unfortunate.

🏮- Akaza's obsession started when he saw you taking a lonely night walk near your house. He wasn't out to kill anyone, he originally intended to just enjoy the moons light and the gentle nighttime breeze. Then he saw you.

🏮- He saw your figure and got interested, he started watching you out of curiosity. He knew that most humans wouldn't take a random walk at night, people weren't stupid, they knew demons existed. So it was an uncommon sight.

🏮- Before long, he felt a deep longing for a connection he has never experienced before. He knew he had a past love, but nobody had struct him as hard as you did. Seeing your beautiful hair seemed to always be shining in the moonlight, the way your eyes stood out, something about you hoping first sight made the upper moon fall hard.

🏮- His desire for closeness and attachment leads him down a dark path.

🏮- Despite his twisted feelings, Akaza maintains a facade of respect and courtesy towards you. He believes that treating you with kindness will make you reciprocate his affections.

🏮- His nightly watches soon became small talk between the two of you, which soon became conversations, eventually the two of you befriended each other. You weren't scared of him, and he wasn't going to harm you.

🏮- The two of you took regular walk, and you found out more about each other. Akaza always remembered these conversations, especially with little details.

🏮- One night you talk about your favorite flowers, the next morning you have them at your door step. One night you mention your favorite food? It's in your kitchen that morning, freshly made. Have a book you've been eyeing recently at a shop? You have it now. All because of him

🏮-This friendship comes at a cost however, Akaza becomes possessive and jealous, unable to bear the thought of anyone else having even the slightest influence on you. Only he should be able to see that gorgeous smile, or hear that beautiful laugh!

🏮- This possessiveness may manifest in subtle ways, such as monitoring your activities or keeping tabs on your relationships.

🏮- He struggles with his internal conflict between his violent tendencies and his desire to keep you safe. His actions might range from intense outbursts of rage to tender moments of care and protection. But he'd never show that side to you.

He waited so patiently every night to see you, what was taking so long?

The moonlight bathed the quiet courtyard, casting eerie shadows upon the stone walls. Akaza's eyes scanned around in the dark, waiting for you. Searching like a hunter finding it's prey, except there was no malicious intentions with him. He simply wanted to go on his nightly walk with you once more, it was a habit he squeezed into his schedule after god knows how long. He had a plead and beg for Muzan to allow a bit of free time for him to enjoy with you. Normally if you didn't feel good or an emergency happened he wouldn't be upset about missing such a small activity, if anything he'd still find you and watch over you. But tonight nothing changed, except your presence was absent.

He waited patiently for you in the dark, he was slowly getting more and more upset. Were you skipping out on the walk? He didn't know, until his eyes fixated upon you, his object of obsession, as you went about your evening routine. He saw your figure with a few others walking down the same path the two of you take every night.

Your gentle laughter echoed through the night air as you conversed with a group of friends. Akaza's heart skipped a beat, a twinge of jealousy piercing his chest. How dare they bask in your light, sharing the joy that should be his alone? He felt his nails digging into his palms as he watched, seeing that you went out with friends. Normally he'd know about such an event and wouldn't care too much, but it was clearly last minute.

As the night deepened, the group dispersed, leaving you alone in the tranquil courtyard. Akaza seized the opportunity, emerging from the shadows with a smile carefully painted across his face. His voice, though soft and gentle, carried a subtle undercurrent of possession.

"Ah, my dearest," he murmured, stepping forward, his eyes ablaze with fervent adoration. "How fortunate I am to witness your radiance under the moon's embrace."

You turned to face him, surprise flickering across your features. The unfamiliar intensity in his gaze momentarily gave you pause, but you dismissed it as a trick of the moonlight. "Akaza, you startled me," you said, offering a small smile.

"Forgive me, my love," he replied, his voice tinged with a blend of remorse and delight. "I couldn't resist the urge to be near you, to inhale the sweet fragrance of your existence." Akaza's words dripped with an unnerving possessiveness, yet his demeanor remained oddly respectful. He stepped closer, his presence enveloping you, suffocating yet comforting. A predatory glimmer danced in his eyes, his obsession transparent. He then gently, yet tightly grabbed your wrist, pulling you into his chest.

"Your laughter, your every breath—it belongs to me," he whispered, his voice dripping with longing and madness. "No one else can understand your worth, your essence, as deeply as I do."

As the fear trickled down your spine, you took a step back, a cautious glimmer in your eyes. "Akaza, you're scaring me," you spoke softly, attempting to reason with the man who stood before you, his desire veering dangerously into obsession.

A twisted smile curved Akaza's lips as he raised a hand, his fingers gently caressing your cheek. "Oh, my dear, do not fear. I am merely taking what rightfully belongs to me," he declared, his voice laced with a chilling conviction. Before you could react, a sudden surge of strength coursed through his body, his hand swiftly closing around your wrist. Panic flooded your senses as you realized you were unable to break free from his grasp, his supernatural strength overpowering your every attempt.

As you struggled, your heart pounded against your ribcage, the realization of your predicament sinking in. Akaza, the one you once considered a friend, had crossed the threshold of obsession, becoming a captor of your very being. With a smooth, calculated motion, Akaza pulled you closer, his grip unyielding. "My love, I cannot bear the thought of you being apart from me any longer."

A twisted, feverish gleam filled Akaza's eyes as he whispered, his voice a chilling mix of possessiveness and delusion. "In my arms, you shall remain forever, my precious treasure. No one else shall have you. No one else deserves you."

Terror surged through your veins as you realized the depth of Akaza's obsession, his determination to keep you confined to his twisted world. You fought against his hold, desperate for freedom, but his grip only tightened, his fingers digging into your skin. With a sharp, predatory grin, Akaza hoisted you over his shoulder effortlessly, your struggles rendered futile against his supernatural strength. He carried you away, his steps quick and purposeful, leaving the moonlit courtyard and venturing into the depths of the night.

Your voice trembled as you pleaded with him, your words laced with desperation. "Akaza, please... Let me go. This isn't love. This is captivity."

Akaza's laughter echoed through the empty streets, a chilling melody that sent shivers down your spine. "Love, my dearest, is a fickle thing. It can be gentle, yes, but it can also be possessive and consuming. I am consumed by my love for you, and I shall protect you from the world that seeks to take you away."

As he carried you further into the shadows, your heart sank. You were trapped, at the mercy of a demon's warped affection. The world outside grew distant, and the future appeared bleak. In the depths of Akaza's twisted love, you could only hope for a sliver of light to guide you back to freedom.

#demon slayer #demon slayer x reader #fluff #x reader #akaza #kny headcanons #kny akaza #demon slayer akaza #akaza x reader #akaza x you #yandere #yandere akaza #yandere kny #yandere demon slayer #yandere demon x reader #kimetsu no yaiba fanfic #yandere x reader #yandere x you #demon slayer fanfiction #demon slayer fanfic

[the-leafiest-leafwing]

I've seen a lot of people say that Kinkajou and Sunny are basically the same character, and I strongly disagree with that. What do you think?

HOOOOOOOOLY MACKEREL THIS ASK HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRAFTS FOR LIKE TWO YEARS MAYBE. SORRY ABOUT THAT

this is gonna be kinda long, disorganized, and probably poorly written but it was fun to think about so 🤷‍♂️ i hope i am coherent

first of all, i feel like people who have no media literacy or character analysis skills are ALWAYS the quickest to make baseless generalizations like this. yes, kinkajou and sunny have very similar personalities (both bubbly and optimistic) but their character archetypes to me are actually completely different.

i see kinkajou as a character who is more focused on novelty and adventure, always seeking new experiences, new knowledge, new people, etc. she’s far less seasoned, mature, and responsible than most of the characters around her - not to say that she’s weak or dumb, as characters like them who are portrayed as happy and excitable are often equated to being dumb, by both the other characters and the readers/fans.

both of these characters are often underestimated, but sunny’s character revolves much more heavily around her proving herself to her peers and dealing with feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and not being listened to or being unimportant. we never really see examples of these types of struggles from kinkajou.

i think kinkajou is also especially underestimated in her resiliency; she was kidnapped, imprisoned, and essentially tortured by the nightwings, she was hit by that venom during the competition for the throne, and she was put into a literal coma for i forget how long, plus all the other various harrowing adventures, fights, and experiences she’s been through. she always bounces back very easily and never seems to be deeply/personally affected by any insults to her intellect or general character. she gives the impression that she embraces and even flaunts her odd characteristics, physical and personality-wise, but sunny seems to have more trouble with accepting herself. it’s all like water off a duck’s back to kinkajou, whereas i think sunny is much more easily hurt by other people’s opinions.

sunny spent her entire childhood being put down and shamed for her appearance, demeanor, abilities, “weakness,” basically just everything about her. so it makes sense why, even after founding jade mountain academy, she’s so worried about being taken seriously and also making sure she doesn’t make any of her students feel the way the guardians always made her feel. she’s also (in my opinion) a much more dynamic character than kinkajou, meaning over the course of the books we see her change a lot more. she becomes less of a happy-go-lucky character and more of a sweet, caring, good-natured adult figure (regardless of her actual age). she kinda reminds me of an aunt with no kids of her own who loves looking after her sibling’s children.

kinkajou, on the other hand, would be more of the aforementioned child that is being looked after. she’s still a very independent character, don’t get me wrong, but she’s also very young and often needs to recieve guidance and protection from others. at the same time, though, kinkajou seems a bit more sure of herself and confident in her optimism, while sunny probably used her optimism as an escape/defense mechanism of sorts.

of course, being happy and excitable is an important part of both these character’s personalities, but it comes from different places and experiences and is conveyed in different ways. they do fill similar roles in their friend groups, but feel like sunny acted that way because she had to, while kinkajou acts that way because she wants to. she’s more inclined toward spontaneity, exuberance, and drama, and sunny is more inclined toward peace, love, and unity - to simplify it, sunny is a “happy” character in a calmer way than kinkajou.

​i also think there’s something to be said about the fact that sunny and kinkajou are both women and that’s part of why wof fans lump them together as “basically the same character” and don’t take them seriously as individuals or pay much attention to them and their importance to the overall story, and to both of their respective story arcs.

i might come back to edit this later if i have any more ideas, but please let me know your thoughts on this! whether you agree or disagree with my assessment of these characters, you think there’s something i left out, or there’s something youre confused about!!

#this was so fun i should do character analysis more #i really really hope this all made sense #AHHH THERE ARE SO MANY WORDS IN MY BRAIN #wings of fire #wof #kinkajou #kinkajou wof #sunny wof #character analysis #media analysis

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Your writing is always so well thought out and cohesive from start to finish and so I was wondering, how do you plot your stories? Especially how do you plot your storylines across an entire series? Do you have a routine or system in place for planning all the scenes and lines and whatnot for your fics?

How do I plot my stories??? UHHHHHHHHHH, BUCKLE UP. THIS IS GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE. It's scattered as fuck. 😭😭😭 I've been drafting this response for two days 🫠🫠

It's a bit different each time. I'm literally just a ball of chaos, so it's difficult to get my thoughts in the right place.

There's a lot of drafting and rewriting, honestly. I'll try to get an initial draft down, and then I typically end up rewriting most of it. But the core elements will usually stay the same. Sometimes I'll keep dialogue or something I think is funny or clever. I have so many drafts and little blurbs. And I literally have a doc I titled 'dump doc' for every story, and I paste things into it as I rewrite portions so my ideas aren't gone forever, just in case lol.

For Another Level, I had a goal: get to canon. I knew my ending, I just needed to get there. Then, I knew certain milestones or touchpoints I wanted to cover: the first time they met, the beginning of their FWB, the first time she uses her double, her mother dying, training, her grade 1 exam, her first birthday without her mother, their first fight, meeting Megumi, Maki moving in with Rinko... Things like that. As the story progressed, other pieces began falling into place over time!

Establishing the big plot points and then figuring the small ones out as you go along is kinda of my vibe, I think.

Take the cookies for example: I threw those in as a random detail in Winter Lullaby, and then it just worked to include them as the story continued, and now I've fucking made the cookies IRL.

Physical Paradox is both easy and difficult because the end goal is obviously that they're gonna get married, right? But it's writing the little snapshots that I want to cover and deciding how things will work 🙃🙃

Essentially, what I've been doing lately is writing down an idea or two for a milestone or moment in their lives I want to cover and then trying to see where it flows from there. Like, the next installment is planned, I just need to write it. It's similar to Another Level because it's snapshots of important moments, not a seamless timeline of events, so that helps to plan things as well!

Gokudō is LITERAL FUCKING CHAOS, AND IT'S WHY I'M STRUGGLING AND HAVEN'T UPDATED IT IN SO LONG.

I have an end goal in mind now, but I haven't quite figured out how to get there yet. I'm still trying to determine the other big, important plot points that I want to establish and cover. The pacing is difficult with this too. I'm worried about it being too slow in some places and quick in others, so we'll see how this all turns out. 🫠 Especially since this is a story that's not supposed to have massive time skips, so I'm trying to make things cohesive so it's not too jarring!

I literally started the story with the idea of the first line: "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?" and just kinda ran with it as best as I could. But the setting changed multiple times.

TLDR: I start by determining the end goal and major plot points, and then I work on the little details from there!

DID THIS MAKE SENSE? OR DID I JUST RANT LIKE THE LIL RAMBLER I AM?

I HOPE THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION! 😭💕😭

#goinko asks #another level asks #ask kiko #kiko rants #physical paradox ask #gokudō ask #gojo fanfic #kiko's writing rants

[spideronthesun]

💙💔❣️💝

Hello! Thank you so much!

💙: how has the idea changed between starting it and where it is now?

So, I started doing rounds of edits two months ago...

An adjustment in the overall tone of the story. Less light and more shaded. A darker element is weaved in.

It is currently a lot darker in comparison to the original draft. While the main focus of the story is still a modern mythology retelling, I’m totally loving the horror themes I’ve added.

I feel like a kid at the candy store right now with all the changes that I have come up with.

💔: give a brief character bio of your 3-5 MCs

Well, let's begin with Nikolas. He's the oldest and probably the most responsible one out of the cast. His younger brothers think of him as papa because he literally had stepped in to take care of them when their parents passed. Addictive personality but family first.

Edvardas is the black sheep of the family you either have met in one of your family reunions, or you are one yourself. Hard on the outside but squishy like cookie dough inside.

Robertas has thieving hands that also heal. No, but seriously, when he asks you to borrow stuff, don't give anything to him. You aren't ever going to give it back. But he's a massive sweetheart and has a heart of gold. A literal sunshine.

Adamas has a curious mind that goes where the winds take him. He's very caring, even if sometimes he says the wrong things at the wrong time. But if I am being honest, he's probably the only character I would trust with all my secrets and everything else.

Danielius is literally the class clown. He's very hilarious and likes the audience. But he's also very artistic, can play piano, loves to draw and take pictures, and uses his best friend as his inspiration for most part. An artistic renaissance boy in a man's body with a lot to learn still.

Medeina struggles with her identity a lot, all because she doesn't know where she fits in the most. Can talk to dandelions and wolves and has a cool spider familiar. The one with the spark and magic of the story.

❣️: which scene has been hardest to write so far?

How to answer this without spoiling too much, haha. Also I will be editing that scene soon.

It is a very traumatic experience for everyone in the family. Because it includes so many secrets being unveiled and betrayals.

But I also find battle scenes to be hardest to write for me. I am just not good at them.

💝: who has your favorite character arch? give a brief summary

Edvardas.

Inside him, there was always a voice that roared like a lion, but the world around him constantly tried to silence it, expecting more from him than he could deliver.

He's always been a rebel at heart and even as an adult he uses rebelling as a way to express his unhappiness about his situation.

But over the course of the book he learns how to open up more, and that sometimes he needs to stop fighting everything and everyone around him.

#answers

[wetcatspellcaster]

I deeply apologize for the amount of spam I've just given you. While I'm here I have thoughts:

1. One of my literal writing inspirations doesn't think they're good at writing??????? What type of dark twist of faith is this????????? I literally think about your writing all the time it's so good. I reread it religiously and gain new knowledge. I recent reread the latest chapter of an honest lie and had my eyes opened further to the greatness that was that chapter. I am OFFENDED on your behalf.

Literally you're writing reminded me of my favorite book series of all time, the folk of air, and I was so delighted when I found out you've read it too. (Cardan and pieces!Astarion would think they are the same and shake hands, and then Cardan would be like "anyway so that's why I became a better person" and Astarion would start hissing. Also Jude would break Astarion in half. I'm sorry ik he's like Ascended or whatever but Jude would destroy his ass.)

I say it reminded me of it because you too have such a great upstanding of character, dialogue, and misdirection. Which doesn't mean you lie to the reader, but more that characters make assumptions with the facts given to them, and we as readers have to sort of take ourselves out of their head and view the facts objectively. If you listen blindly to Rose, you will be more blindsided and confused than of you think critically. Like, the idea that beta Astarion actually likes her is Very obvious even from the first chapter but it takes her a good while to really click that in her head because well from her pov it makes more sense that he hates her. GAHH ITS JUST???? UGH. UGH!!!!! ITS SO GOOD

2. I totally plan on book binding Pieces when it's finished. Probably party favors too. Like all of your writing is so good but pieces is so ambitious and it is so rewarding. Stories like this often struggle to reinvent themselves after revelations and the climax (or toward the end of the rising action), but Pieces has managed to keep its identity and change at the same time. While the story is not the same as it was when it started, I'm reading it for the same reasons. And this is doubly hard with dark romance. Dark romance is hard to write because a dynamic like that HAS to have a resolution, whether it be one party giving in or one party acting out. And often dark romances struggle to reach this esolution gracefully, but the direction pieces is going is so good. It's so intentional. I'm insane. YOURE INSANE.

3. I am LIVING for the ACU (astartion cinematic universe) like each story on it's own? Amazing. Lovely. The stories together??? Wretched. Painful. Delicious.

4. I'm happy things went well with your surgery!! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

5. Obligatory take your time with updates, there's no rush. The strong among us shall survive the winter and flourish in the springtime.

Oh God, this got long. Oops! Have a nice day!

hello lovely! thank you for the message, and the extensive tumblr blog peer review 😌😌😌😌 no one is ever going to complain about activity on their blog, we live under the Sway of Statistics :')

unfortunately, either I'm a cesspit of self esteem, or (equally likely) if you were to do a survey of all your favourite fic authors, around 8 out of 10 would express concerns/dissatisfaction with certain parts of their writing. we spend the longest time with our work so that even the things we're proud of become a little taken for gratned, we see all the things we executed different than we planned, and even if we're happy with the final draft the first draft Haunts Our Dreams. I am very happy with a lot of my fic and at this point in this unexpected "oh shit, people like me now" boom I can't exactly pretend it's not successful, but I can and will always see my areas for improvement! I always really love the moment after a project is done where I can go back to the fic and read it again with fresh eyes, and actually appreciate it for what it is! right now, I'm in the trenches lmao.

Though I think the final book fumbled it's execution (I was happy with the 'make each other worse' energy of books 1 and 2, trying to pretend Cardan wasn't a bully wasn't it for me, especially because by that time Jude was on his level), The Cruel Prince is one of my favourite series, so thank you for the comparison!

Book binding is and will always be fine with me, I am very jealous of those with The Skill and still reeling over the idea that anyone wants to do that work with my writing :)

Thank you for the compliment about the development of Pieces and the pacing! I don't read much Dark Romance, but I have noticed some issues in the manga/webtoons I read that seems similar to what you're describing. For me, I'm a big fan of the kind of heroine/villain pairing where everyone's thirsty but no one's moral compasses are budging even an inch, so the people involved have to just glare at each other with lust and hatred, and then go to the privacy of their own home for a morally correct, guilt-free wank lmao. That's the kind of dynamic the story has been serving the whole time, and what it means is that if you ever want them to finally get together, something seismic has to shift - hence the end of Act 2. Luckily for me, I feel like there's room for the kind of interpretation in the Ascendency ending that can give me the artistic license to make that change! It's my genuine hope that people feel sympathy for both Astarion's soul AND the Vampire Ascendent by the end... we'll see soon whether I hit those beats or not lmao.

Idk if I'll do the plot behind Pieces justice yet (I say, hyperventilating in my gdocs) but what I have is an outline I've kept since the beginning, and occasionally elaborated on (I realised a new plot point last night, very exciting times for me) but otherwise stuck to religiously. Some commenters and some wider canon revelations (e.g. the epilogue being released) have not changed it, I've deliberated over doing that in the past but ultimately decided I'd rather have an ending I've planned for from the beginning than swerve and change course halfway through and undermine the delivery! I am hoping, like you say, this will make the conclusion rewarding, because it's foreshadowed from about Chapter 2? It might not be the most perfect or even most original story as a result, but I'm hoping it feels like the groundwork has been laid, and that there's an equal mix of surprises and things people can see coming from the very beginning. It is, indeed, intentional, so that's a nice word to use to describe it, thank you! :)

The curse of concurrent WIPs is a joke I've played on myself. The fact that I had to write a Pieces scene that foreshadows but doesn't ruin the Act 3 conflicts of my canon-playthrough fic is so stupid, I have clowned myself specifically :'))))))

Thank you for the well wishes! Recovery is going well. Idk when updates will happen or with what speed I'll finish the fic, but the good news for readers is I'm autistic, hyperfixated, and an introvert 😌😌 as such, I tend to update things pretty regularly lmao

#asks #lovely words from lovely people #wip: pieces still stuck in your teeth #i guess there's some mild spoilers in here for Chapter 17 so spoilers!

[metaharlot]

Hijiginpachi Unfinished Draft From Years Ago lol

This is an unfinished teacher/student Hijigin scenario I’ve literally held since I was in high school lmao

Spoiler alert: I’m not into underage shit. So this is a Mr Young(?) situation where Gintoki/Ginpachi somehow became a teacher as a teen & was the same age as everyone he taught (everyone was aged down accordingly)

Why was this happening? Genuinely I don’t remember why but I think it was smth about budget cuts to the anime in-universe lmao

Anyway here’s an unfinished snippet + ending notes

Also I’m aware that you probably don’t have to go to a police academy to become a cop but back then and even now I don’t have enough respect towards cops to research them. I hear enough on the news

The Shinsengumi & Mimawarigumi are on thin ice cause they get made fun off enough/their force literally got dissolved 

Anyway Gintoki & Hijikata liked each other while they were teacher/student but their emotionally constipated asses only found the courage to confess after graduation/before Toshi was literally about to leave on the train for school

They stayed in touch & Toshi was like if our feelings haven’t changed by the time I become a cop do you want to try this for real?

Obviously their feelings remain the same and they entered a happy if not extremely dysfunctional relationship

And three years after they entered said relationship, Toshi finally feels comfortable enough to make a certain kinky request…

“…Really?”

Ginpachi tried to cover his growing smirk with hand, but with how he could see the tips of Hijikata's ears turning bright red it seemed he wasn’t very successful.

“I’m not judging man. It’s just…wow it must have been a struggle holding this one in for so long.”

Hijikata turned to the side face burning as he clenched his fist.

“Look if you’re not interested you can just say so, you don’t have to tease-“

Hijikata’s speech was cut off by a finger on his lips.

“Now, now my darling little tsundere. I never said that, did I?” Ginpachi said, slowly climbing onto Hijikata’s lap.

 Hijikata sputtered, seemingly unsure of where to put his hands before resting them on Ginpachi’s waist. Ginpachi raised an eyebrow before moving those shaking hands down to cup his ass.

“Gin-!”

Gintoki cut him off with a kiss, both of them moaning into it as Hijiakata gripped his old teacher’s ass tighter.

Both of them were panting by the time they parted, a string of spit stretching put between their mouths.

“I was a little surprised by the ageplay aspect, though it does make sense in retrospect. You were pretty into that Kondo kid who got held back for a while huh?”

“Don’t call Kondo-san ‘kid’ he’s literally a few years older than us. And still in our lives.”

“But Gin-san still won your affections in the end didn’t he.”  Ginpachi slid his hands off of Hijikata’s shoulders to flex dramatically.

That caused the first peal of laughter to burst out of Hijikata’s mouth since he made the initial request. Despite the fact that it was teasingly at his expense, Gintoki couldn’t help but soften. As much as he loved to tease his thorny cop he loved his laugh. He was so serious at only 27. Gin-san refused to be a widow because his stupid loved didn’t know how to relax.

Ginpachi placed a hand on Hijikata’s face and turned him until they were looking each other in the eye.

“So let Gin-san share some of his own affection for you, hm? It’s not like this is a hardship, otherwise I wouldn’t do it.”

“And I would have had to deal with your bitchy complaining the whole time.” Hijikata nodded solemnly.

“And you would have had to deal with my bitchy complaining the whole time.” Ginpachi nodded solemnly.

They made eye contact again and started laughing. Hijikata sighed and rested his head on Gintoki’s voluminous chest.

“…thanks Gin.”

“Hey you gotta learn to rely on your old teacher more.” Then Ginpachi snorted. “Oh sorry, should I wait to pull out that line tomorrow? That sounds like something you’d obsess over your dilf teacher saying if you were still a cherry boy teenager.” 

“Oh, shut UP.” Hijikata slapped Gintoki’s shoulder.

“Whaaaaat. I just said there’s no shame in this Hijikata-kuuuun.”

Hijikata rolled his eyes and pressed his face further into Gintoki’s chest. 

“…You sure the school is empty tomorrow?”

“Yeah there’s some important district-wide teacher conference that lasts a few days and everyone has to go. Luckily for us I got banned from that YEARS ago after kicking the main speaker in the nuts.”

“…you’re such a menace.”

“But I’m your menace.” Ginpachi fluttered his eyelashes at Hijikata sickeningly sweet.

Hijikata just stared back at him unimpressed.

“…let’s just go to bed. I don’t think I can handle any more of your corniness.”

Hijikata started walking to their bedroom, carrying Gintoki in his arms.

“Hey!!! You love Gin-san’s corniness! Otherwise you wouldn’t be choking so often on his cob!”

~~~

“D-don’t tease me!”

“Don’t tease you?”

Ginpachi-sensei gasped as he was pulled up by his hair and forcibly turned to face Hijikata.

“You made me wait four years to have you.”

Ginpachi-sensei wailed as Hijikata slapped his ass with his graduation certificate, continuing to thrust into his former teacher’s needy hole.

“You rejected me again, and again, and again.”

“N-noooo!” Ginpachi-sensei gasped as Hijikata blew into his ear.

“Then finally in my fourth year, you said that we can try after I graduate.”

Hijikata flipped Ginpachi-sensei over on his desk and slammed his wrists down.

“I’m leaving for the police academy.”

Hijikata stopped thrusting, laying his head down on Ginpachi-sensei’s shoulder.

“I won’t see you for years.”

Ginpachi-sensei stared at the younger boy’s head, then sighed, wrapping his arms around Hijikata and holding him tight.

“I know.”

“...Will you miss me?”

Ginpachi-sensei gripped onto him even tighter.

“More than you could ever imagine.” 

Ginpachi-sensei felt his shoulder growing wet and shook his head fondly.

What a troublesome person.

“Thank you. I feel so much better after hearing you say that.”

Deep blue eyes looked up to meet Ginpachi-sensei’s wine red ones. Then Hijikata grabbed Ginpachi-sensei’s hips and thrust in as deeply as he could.

Ginpachi-sensei screamed.

“H-Hijikata-kun no~!”

“Toushiro.”

“W-wha-?” Ginpachi-sensei’s back arched as Hijikata started going even faster.

“Call me Toushiro.”

“T-Toshi~” Ginpachi’s eyes start rolling up into his head at Hijikata’s merciless thrusts.

“Come on you can say it~. Or have I already fucked you so stupid you can’t say three simple syllables?” Hijikata grinned ferally.

Tears beaded in Gintoki’s eyes, one dripping down and leaving a trail of eyeliner.

“T-Toshi! Toushiro pleaseeee. M-mercy please~”

Hijikata then rips open Ginpachi-sensei’s shirt and starts playing with his nipples

Ginpachi screeches at Hijikata and tells him to slow down cause he’s too old for this. Hijikata retorts that Ginpachi is literally only 27

Hijikata licks up Gintoki’s neck and starts muttering how jealous he is of all of Ginpachi’s other admirers that haven’t graduated yet. How they better appreciate the fact that they can still see Ginpachi everyday

G: Brat it’s not like I make it a habit of dating my students! For better or worse you’re my only exception

Hijikata gets like 85% rougher after that while Ginpachi can only wail and moan on his giant dick

Cue Ginpachi cumming violently but Hiji just keeps going

Ginpachi-sensei’s just begging him to stop but he’s not so lots of sobbing

Hijikata proceeds to fuck him in all the spots he fantasized about while he was still a student:

He slams Ginpachi’s face into the blackboard, hand in his hair as he lifts one of the teacher’s legs over his shoulder, forcing him to stand on his tip-toes and clutch desperately at the protruding bottom part of the blackboard. Slamming into Ginpachi’s prostate as the helpless teacher cums all over himself and the floor

He sits himself down on Ginpachi’s chair in the front, and forces Ginpachi to bounce on his dick and play with his nipples. If Ginpachi slows down or stops, Hijikata will grab both of his wrists and rub him off multiple times. Otherwise this is Ginpachi’s one “reprieve” from cumming, as this is the only time Hijikata focuses more on getting himself off than making Ginpachi cum his brains out

Then Hijikata switches places with Ginpachi but with a twist. Hijikata maneuvers himself underneath Ginpachi’s desk as he places both of the teacher’s legs on his desk, leaving everything out for Hijikata’s eyes, and mouth, and hands, and tongue only. Regardless of his exhaustion, Ginpachi still finds the energy to scream as Hijikata offers his dick, balls, perineum, and asshole no mercy

After that meal, Hijikata gives Ginpachi a quick water break as he opens the window blinds and brings his old desk to the window where he saw Ginpachi waving at him just before he left for the academy. So of course he fucks him over that small desk and Ginpachi has no room and is forced to rest his upper body against the window, screaming as his burning nipples feel like they’re being iced against the window, and leaving various handprints, breathmarks and drool against the window

Hijikata also pulls him up by his hair once more as he slaps his ass with his graduation certificate once more

There’s nothing coming out of Ginpachi’s dick, it’s not even standing up anymore and Ginpachi collapses, Hijikata following him and gently lowering him down to the ground

Ginpachi’s gasping and crying as he’s crushed under Hijikata’s weight and dick, trying and failing to crawl away as Hijikata fucks him into the ground

Hijikata rolls them over to the side to give Ginpachi a second to breathe, lifting the poor teacher’s leg up in his arm and fucks him slowly and sensually for the last time

He then rolls Ginpachi onto his back, and sees him all messed up, wearing nothing but his lab caot which has fanned on the ground beneath him, thighs spread, legs trembling & cum leaking out while Ginpachi-sensei is whimpering 

H: I’ll miss you so much Ginpachi-sensei…

Ginpachi-sensei gets irritated and yells about him going overboard with his stupid youthfulness and how he should think more about elders who still have to work the next day

Then Ginpachi-sensei softens & sits up groaning (Hiji has to fight hard not to jump him again especially cause Ginpachi-sensei gives him warning look)

G: “Five years will pass in a flash Toushiro, even if it doesn’t feel like that at first I promise it will”

Then Ginpachi pulls him in close for a hug. “I will miss you. I’ll be the one who waits this time. I love you.”

Hijikate tears up as he hugs Ginpachi-sensei back. 

H: How is it you still make me feel like such a kid? I swear I’ll come back as a man you can be proud of.

The Roleplay ends as Hijikata whispers that he hopes he’s lived up to that promise.

Ginpachi rolls his eyes and kisses him back hard

G: You never needed to prove yourself. I’ve loved you back then and with every person you’ll become

Then Hijikata has to carry Ginpachi home and gives a lot of aftercare while Ginpachi teases him a little more aggressively than usual

Because even though it’s still Saturday he’s exhausted from the sex and cleaning up and they both have work on Monday

~~~

I also had a note that went like: Gonna leave a butt(?) imprint if you know what I mean wink wonk (dirty talk)

I think I was trying to say they’ll fuck on the desk and Gintoki will leave a sweaty butt print (like that one Sakagin fic)

Very unimportant to the story but it’s haunted/lifted my spirits for years so you guys get it too

I might write/rewrite it in better detail one day but I’ve had so much writer burnout. Just in case, here y’all go

#gintama #bottom gintoki #hijigin

[kurtsascot]

do you have writing tips for multi-chaptered fics? like, how you plan them out, how you stick to them, etc. i’m kinda struggling

hey !!! sure !! ill try my best

1) i would always start with an outline, and break up plot on a chapter by chapter basis. how detailed you want to go is up to you. i generally have a vague outline before i start and then i further break down chapter outlines to be more complex as i write. once you have that squared away, as you write, you can jump around as needed/dont have to write linear because you know whats going to happen regardless.

2) going off of that, when i was writing treading water, i had a first draft of every chapter done before i began posting. granted, this doesnt work for everyone, but having most of the fic fleshed out helped motivate me. again, it also allowed me to jump around. if a scene in chapter 3 was giving me trouble in editting, id edit chapter 5, or i’d expand some dialogue in chapter 10, etc.

if youve already began posting and are having difficulties staying motivated, i would suggest that you give yourself the freedom to jump around and not write chronologically. or even work on something else. if you have a detailed enough outline, you should be able to come back to whats giving you trouble.

3) otherwise, how do i plan fics ? at the end of the day, the outline is just an outline. its malleable and if it changes as i write, thats okay and to be expected!! i often start with a general idea and then just keep expanding outward. i think in terms of scenes, so i ask myself how i would convey certain conflicts or character in the terms of actions/events.

i dont stick with my first idea ever. there were multiple versions of ch8 of treading water, for example, and i hated them all except for the last iteration…

if a scene isnt working or if you dont like what youve written, allow yourself to delete it and try to a different approach. does a scene have to unfold exactly like that? can your character say something else?

4) if you are reaching the end, its common for it to get harder. youve thought about this idea for so long- you’re bound to get annoyed or sick of writing it (‘its all in my head!! why is it not on the paper grr’) so dont be discouraged if thats happening.

5) finally, it may be obvious, but like, if im writing a scene and im stuck on a line, i just skip it. like, i literally write “blahblahblah” or “FIX” and then come back to it later. even if its just a line. or a paragraph. come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. just be kind to yourself !!! its a hobby!!! its fun!!! and the ideas will come, eventually.

#i hope at least one of these resonated with you anon!! #if you have any specific questions feel free to send another ask!!! #asks #personal #anonymous #genevieves writing tips

[alphamalereviewsfanfics]

KEEP IN TOUCH by FooT (chapters 1-3)

SUMMARY: “Agent Stone has taken it upon himself to keep watch for the missing Doctor Robotnik. Meanwhile, on the Mushroom Planet, the Doctor stumbles on a most novel way to contact his former assistant to coordinate his return to Earth.”

[NOTE: Still going through my drafts and I found this gem from early December. I still agree with everything I’ve said and I suggest listening to The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan while reading the fanfic if you ever get the chance.]

PREGAME: I read this fanfic during a time where I was so sick that it was hard to get out of bed so all I could do was lay in bed in the dark and binge-read fanfics. So I have many reviews to write, but so little motivation since as an alpha I have better things to do, like play fallout and think about my partner, (very important things). This fanfic wasn’t a very promising one from the naked eye, especially since it was an unfinished fanfic that was last updated in august of 2020. But at the time i first read it, I was desperate. I had seen it around before, but seeing the tags “butt plug” and “teleportation” right next to eachother didn’t feel right to me. But alas, the tags, “Dubious Science,” “Morse Code,” and “Anal Play” piqued my interest, once I had nothing else to read so I got through it.

REVIEW: Upon first glance, you wouldn’t think that this is the best fanfic you’ve read in your life, but it might be the case this time. This fanfic plays into the absurdity of the concept to a T, and it’s beautiful. The author has this skill of being able to beautifully describe the struggle that Stone goes through emotionally, while also making sure the comedic bits don’t alienate the audience or seem too much like a random change in tone. This has to be one of my favorite things I’ve ever read man. Like I don’t know what I’ve been doing with my life until I read this. Before this I was just a regular man reading regular fanfictions by regular people who like piss and tildes. But now, I am a man who has read a fanfic by a person who has written more fanfictions about PRO WRESTLING than the amount of years I’ve known how to read. It bewilders me. My life will never be the same. The egg shaped vibrating buttplug has changed me. The characterization of Agent Stone and Eggman is just beautiful. His process of elimination to find out that Robotnik is communicating with him via vibrating butt plug in Morse code is fucking insane but you’re with him on the ride and you know what the answer is but you want the explanation, the buildup, AND YOU GET ALL OF THAT AND MORE??? Making Stone a loser nerd who got the fucking Morse code badge in Boy Scouts is genius because the man is literally the type and he has less than 20 minutes of screen time. This makes me understand him more than I ever had. It’s like that one ofmd fanfic about izzy hands being into petplay but also made me want to analyze the character and write an essay on the depth of the character. It’s that but like more because it’s better written. This is beautiful. It should be in the Louvre bro trust me. Seeing Stone recognize a distress signal from the vibrations in his ass is a sight to see trust me bro. Also this author dude is working in healthcare and I respect them more than anything hopefully they’re doing well on this fine day. Read this please.

RATING: 7.8/8 dubious scientific processes (alpha male ranking)

#alpha review #fanfic review #stobotnik #Stobotnik fanfic

[scatterbrainedart]

Being a slow artist with a short attention span is hell because I literally do not have the energy to finish anything ever. My drawing process is literally just me sketching the same thing over and over because I wasn't able to focus enough on it to make it good the first time. To make ANYTHING I have to be quick, just to make sure it exists, and then I go back and refine it and make it GOOD.

It really does not help that I struggle a lot with picturing stuff in my head, especially 3D things. This means that I have to highly rely on references or just muscle memory, which is another reason to why my sketches usually start out rather skewed.

Because of both of these things, I tend to trace photos. Now, here me out here alright. I don't trace other people's art, that's not what this is. When I say tracing, I mean drawing over my reference picture to get the general anatomy right, and then I shift it to look how I want it to look (make limbs longer/shorter ect.). I don't do it because I'm unable to draw the anatomy. I know that with enough trial and error I can do it no problem, but it takes a LOT of time and effort. Time and effort that I'd gladly cut out of the process if I'm able.

I don't even use just one reference most of the time. I tend to put a bunch together, even just for poses, so that is a whole thing within itself. For example, here’s my reference versus final for this old drawing. I started out with changing the proportions of the photo, mixed a bunch together, and then continued to edit the sketch once I had the bases down. This still takes a lot of time and energy, but it makes the process less intimidating to me. This drawing took 16 hours to make all in all, which I’d say is pretty standard for me. It can take anything between 5-40 hours depending on the complexity of the piece.

But it’s kinda funny because you can so clearly see where my energy starts to run out in a sketch’s first draft. It’s literally a visual representation of the deterioration of my attention span. It’s kinda neat, even if it sucks ass.

Just wanted to touch on this a bit in case other people relate to struggling with this, and because I don’t believe in gatekeeping helpful tools and tips. I still practise anatomy and I take time to study stylisation and art techniques, all quite regularly. When I trace photos, I tend to trace shapes more than I trace lines. I don’t do this because I’m unable to draw good anatomy on my own, but because it’s a good way to entertain my focus for longer by removing that specific bit of trial and error. Here, for example, Isa piece in which I didn’t use any references at all. It showcases that deterioration of focus that I talked about earlier very well. I drew the first version all in one sitting (which took around 6.5 hours) and you can clearly see how I didn’t have enough energy for the background and was rushing to finish it before my energy was completely drained because of all the time I spent on the characters.

In the second version, I completely redid the background (which took about 2 hours) while leaving the characters as they were. The trees in the far background still suffers from a bit of that focus deterioration, but it overall looks a LOT better than it did initially. And it was all a matter of how good my energy and focus levels were as I drew them, not on a lack of skills. The same gos for when I’m drawing literally anything else.

I recently took a step back from leaning as heavily on references as I normally do because it felt like such a weakness, but the only thing that really happened was me drawing significantly less and still getting one of the worst burn outs I’ve had in years. So much so that I was seriously considering just stopping making art completely, including writing. That’s how tired I got. The only thing I really have to present from that time are these little clay sculptures, because that was the only thing I could bring myself to make.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic. What I'm trying to say is that it's okay to trace photos if that's what helps you draw. It's okay to lean on tools to an extent, as long as you learn the basics and don't use them as a reason not to practise or improv. And don't use them as a bible to follow to a T. Use them as guidelines, and stray from them when needed. Sometimes the better looking drawing is the one with slightly incorrect anatomy because brains are weird and sometimes what is less realistic just reads better. So don't be afraid to trace, but also don't be afraid to stylise your drawings and stray from the reference photos.

Lastly, and I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT TRACE OTHER PEOPLE'S ART. Trace photos. It's okay to do for practise as a part of a study of another artist's art style, but don't post it. If you really want to, you can ask the artist personally if they are okay with it or not. Some are, some aren't. That's something to be respected. But I'd recommend to entierly refrain from that outside of studies. Not only because it's kinda scummy, but also because it won't help you much in the long run as the artist's anatomy very well could be off and it'd affect your own piece. It's a loose loose situation, really, and absolutely NOT what I am encouraging here. Alright? Alright. Good we're in an agreement here.

#art tips #artists on tumblr #digital artist #artist struggles #scatterbrained rambles #nd artist #neurodivergent artist #adhd #adhd problems #adhd artist #adhd struggles #neurodiversity

[walden-media]

A Kid Interview with Chris Rylander, Author of The Hurricanes of Weakerville

We’re so excited to have an interview with author Chris Rylander on the blog today! Chris nicely agreed to sit for some hard-hitting questions from a budding journalist about his new middle grade novel THE HURRICANES OF WEAKERVILLE. Jack is a 10-year-old whose two favorite things in life are baseball and books, so he seemed like the perfect candidate to step in as a guest interviewer. Jack had a lot of questions about the plot of The Hurricanes of Weakerville, the writing of the book, as well as Chris’ baseball preferences in his own life. Read on to find out how The Hurricanes came to be, and which MLB team Chris loves so much he got a tattoo in their honor.

⚾️ The Hurricanes of Weakerville is on sale now! ⚾️

Hi Chris! Thank you for answering my questions about The Hurricanes of Weakerville. First up - How did you first come up with the idea for this book?

It came from talking to my editor, Jordan. We both love baseball and I particularly love fantasy baseball, and he was saying how he always thought the idea of a kid managing a real semi-pro baseball team could be a lot of fun. Almost like a Bad News Bears with the roles of manager and players reversed. When I heard that idea, I loved it!

How did you come with Tex's crazy stories?

They all came from somewhere different. It would take a while to explain each one, but one example is a story Tex tells that ends with a law making it illegal to change the weather in Texas. That came from a magazine article I was reading about absurd real-life laws. So, it’s actually true: It is illegal to attempt to change the weather in Texas. When I heard that, I knew it’d be a perfect story for Tex. I love that I was able to make his great grandpappy responsible for that law existing. And I even borrowed a little bit of the real-life story behind the law, too. In the end, I just love absurd stories with either multiple meanings or possibly no meaning at all.

Do you have a favorite baseball team? Do you have a least favorite baseball team?

My favorite team is definitely the Chicago Cubs. I even have a Cubs tattoo, which means now I have to be a fan forever, no matter what! Haha. And of course, as a Cubs fan, it is obviously my duty to root against the St. Louis Cardinals in every way possible.

How did you choose the town name Weakerville, and why did you set it in Iowa?

One of my favorite bands are The Weakerthans. So, it was kind of a nod to them. Also, I liked the idea of the main character, given the struggles he faces in the book, having this looming label of being “weak” literally attached to his name for rest of time. I chose Iowa because it’s a good baseball state, in the heart of the Midwest, with a lot of small towns the rest of the country has never heard of. I’m from North Dakota originally, so I can really relate to the small midwestern town experience.

Why did you choose the name The Hurricanes?

I went through a few different team names while writing/revising this book. They were originally the Mighty Pheasants, because nobody thinks of pheasants as actually being mighty. It was later changed to the Hurricanes to fit with a tale about Weakerville’s past.

Was the "potty sauce" based on something from real life?

Sadly, no. But now I sort of want to try and make the recipe as it appears in the book just to see if it really is that good…

Do you know how to score baseball games, like Alex?

Yes, I do. I even used to keep fake scorecards for a baseball video game I played. I still have several notebooks full of baseball stats for totally fictional baseball games that occurred only on my PlayStation.

How did you come up with Flumpo?

Alex as a character, struggled with his confidence from the very first draft. I knew I always wanted to present this idea that Alex has that some kids (and people in general) just seem to be inherently likeable, while some don’t. And, after a few revisions, it just became clear that this belief needed a concrete label/name, something that could literally be one of Alex’s worst enemies throughout much of the book.

How did Tex get so rich?

You know, like Alex, I have spent many hours Googling his name and trying to figure that out myself. Alas, in many ways, Tex seems to just be a man of mystery.

Do you have a favorite baseball stadium? Do you have a favorite game that you attended?

As a Cubs fan, my favorite stadium is of course Wrigley Field, and my favorite game was getting to go to a World Series game there in 2016, even though they lost that game. It was still unforgettable. Some other favorite stadiums I’ve been to: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Oracle Park (which was AT&T Park when I went), and I’ll always fondly remember the very first one I ever went to: Kauffman Stadium (which was called Royals Stadium back then).

Did you play baseball growing up? What position did you play?

I played until about 5th or 6th grade. I wish I had played longer. It’s definitely a regret I have, even though I wasn’t very good. I played second base and outfield and despite hitting many singles and doubles, I never once hit a homerun.

Did you have a favorite baseball player growing up? (I love Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernandez.)

Ryne Sandberg, hands down. Then later as a teenager it was Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. (Mookie Betts is great, though!)

The Hurricanes of Weakerville Synopsis:

Middle grade star author Chris Rylander brings his signature sense of humor, a compelling and original baseball story, and tons of heart to the story of The Hurricanes of Weakerville.

All his life, Alex Weakerman has had one passion: baseball. Specifically, the Hurricanes of Weakerville, Iowa—the scrappy independent-league team owned by his Grandpa Ira.

Even as team and the town have fallen on tough times, there's no place Alex would rather be than at the ballpark—a hot dog in one hand, a pencil and scorebook in the other, keeping track of each and every statistic. Alex has never been all that great at playing baseball, but that doesn’t matter. For someone as painfully awkward as Alex, being a fan—and a wiz with baseball stats—is all he needs.

When Grandpa Ira passes away, though, Alex is crushed. He's lost his best friend, and he doesn’t see any way that the team will survive. But Ira, it seems, has one last trick up his sleeve: his will names Alex the new manager of the Hurricanes.

Alex is as excited as he is terrified at the chance to finally put some of his fantasy baseball genius to use. But as he sets to work trying to win over the players, he soon learns that leading them to victory is about more than just stats. Will he be able to save his team, his hometown, and his family legacy?

From the author of The Fourth Stall, a SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award winner and multiple state-award favorite, The Hurricanes of Weakerville is sure to appeal to middle grade readers looking for a funny book about real kids.

About the Author:

Chris Rylander is the author of the acclaimed and bestselling “Fourth Stall” saga, the “Codename Conspiracy” trilogy, and co-author of book three in the New York Times bestselling “House of Secrets” series. He lives in Chicago, where he eats a lot of raspberry jam and frequently tries to befriend the squirrels on his block.

#chris rylander #hurricanes of weakerville #middle grade #middle grade fiction #middle grad books #middle grade interview #baseball books #book birthday #walden pond press #walden media

[monstersandmaw]

Have you ever thought about some sort of reading group discord, where you can put your Storys for a small amount of people to read, and see if they are actually bad written or if your brain is just mean to you?

I'm such a private person about my writing that the idea of sharing something raw and directionless and unfinished that I'm struggling with gives me hives, but I know it works for some people. Honestly, the fastest way to get me to stop writing something is me sharing it before I'm ready, but my former Patreon folks are always super encouraging with each other in our Discord writing channel, so I know that if I'm really stuck, we can bounce ideas around there.

I was really just venting that day about the possibility of 7k words and an entire day's worth of writing not being useful to the story (all writing is valuable, even if you don't use it in the story, because you're honing your craft and learning from your mistakes etc. etc.).

I literally just had a bad writing day. And it genuinely was 'bad writing'. I read it back again later, and now I know where I want to take it. I've done the hard part and figured out most of what happens, and I've had some supportive feedback that the subject matter (domestic fluff) is welcome by my readers, so I am reassured and can now proceed. That's just how it goes sometimes. Sometimes drafts stay pretty much unchanged from the first writing, and other times you have to wrestle with them and hack at them over and over until they change shape completely.

This isn't supposed to sound like a rant or me having a go at people for offering kind advice and support. It's a thank you for caring, and a reassurance that I just wrote shittily for a bit, and now I'm gonna fix it after putting a bit of distance between me and the shitty writing.

(I’ve also deleted the original rant post because it was giving the wrong impression - that I was whining about the subject matter, not the shitty writing).

#i'll also be more mindful about not venting on here in the future #writing #anon ask

[armatization-a]

❤️ SPILL THAT TEA

you know, this isn't going to be a funny story. usually i'd talk about the time someone's character asked mine if he could 'feel their bladders beating', or the times i got pressured into instant replying. or the RP groups i was in

but this? this is a much sadder story, and explains who i am today. and why i joined Tumblr

i was actually kinda... pressured into it? by a friend of mine. we didn't share a fandom at the time, but we wrote together. i feel okay talking about this bc no one is gonna guess who this is lmao. but yeah. so we were close before this. like, super close

then they joined my fandom, and everything changed

it felt like if i didn't reply now right now, i was a terrible person. i was always walking on eggshells bc Lord knows we can't upset them. they'd make me write whatever they want but never returned the favour. they once tried to make me write Askr stuff but i outright fucking refused bc i didn't wanna get into FEH. but fuck me, right? because they got into my fandoms for me - despite me never asking them to

i'd post a reply, and get a message a second later. never anything good. always some kind of complaint. it came to a point where the Discord noise actually became upsetting to me because i thought, what did i do now?

i was told i had to make a sideblog bc they didn't wanna write That Stuff on main even though i didn't fucking care. i made one when i remade but still

i wasn't allowed to make friends on this stupid site without being made to feel bad about it. i'd mention my best friend and i'd get a funny response. i'd reply to someone else first on Tumblr and that's that. they once got angry with me for like 2 days because i forgot two things out of the literal 30 things we had together. even tho i even posted "i've finished my drafts please tell me if i forgot something"

i was always the bad guy. always

eventually we remade together, then they told me we can't be mutuals because ??????? i don't even KNOW why. this came out of the blue that we basically couldn't be friends in public anymore. then when i reacted like "okay" they unfriended me and just dumped me as a friend. like. okay

i posted about a certain... event in my life. an event they'd know would be upsetting for me. a couple days later, i made a vague post about feeling free - free from a lot of people from my old blog, but also from them. next thing i know i get a LOT of messages on main about how i'm a terrible person and making a vague jab about the event that happened

so they were stalking my blog. they knew. they fucking KNEW

anyway i accidentally found out they now list my OTP as a NOTP which is hilariously petty considering they didn't hate it before

and this colours why i struggle to get close to people and why i keep everyone at arm's length nowadays. this isn't especially RP related but it sure left me with a lot of Issues lol

#↻┊ ooc ( out of character. ) #galeforged #I'M SORRY THIS ISN'T FUNNY OR WHATEVER BUT IT REALLY DID AFFECT MY LIFE EVEN A YEAR LATER

[world-of-fire-and-flight]

Hi!! I hope you are doing well❤️

For the ask game, how about Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces?

Maybe also taurus and gemini?

I am not sure how many i should(/can) ask for-

HI! I'm good just kinda keeping busy😅 Hope all is well with you too! (And I'm also really happy you asked for aquarius because that's my sun sign!)

Also, I'm sorry - this got kinda long lol

Capricorn - hahahaha so I *try* to write every day for however long time allows (so a few hours at most, rarely do I write all day). I'm not picky and just tend to write whatever I have the motivation for. Some days it's blogs (personal or freelance whatever), sometimes it's creative, and sometimes I bounce around. Get a blog done, a chapter done, whatever and switch, so there's not really a set schedule of "I'm working on this project for this length of time."

As far how long it takes.....it depends on the length of what I'm working on and whatever's going on around me (but that's what I have headphones for😂)

Drafting a blog can take me maybe an hour, unless I have to do research then it'll take a few hours. Then I edit it immediately and send it off to who ever it's for so it'a not my problem any more. Same with personal blogs that I post on my website, though those can sometimes take longer depending on the subject.

Drafting a Tumblr snippet or an actual chapter for a creative work can vary. On average, it takes me a couple hours. If I'm struggling with it or if I'm working on it between other tasks, it could take me anywhere from a couple days to a week.

Aquarius - Currently, I'm working on EoE, the sequel to Fire & Flight. The landscape and the overall world the narrative is set in is definitely the most unique feature a d arguably my favorite part of it because I get to let my imagination take hold of it✨

Pisces - both! I've called myself a pantser, but I definitely daydream a lot of scenes and then those scenarios do kinda play like a movie in the background while I physically sit and draft it. And also, due to the shear amount of daydreaming I do before actually sitting down to write scenes, I find that the words flow a lot better than when I sit down and open up a fresh document and try to just go for it. I have to have an idea first or else the worlds don't work lol

Bonus signs because idk how many you ask lol:

Taurus - ummmmm idk. I've never thought about it. There was a scene in F&F that I had to cut because it didn't fit but you can bet your ass I shoehorned it into EoE so I guess I'll wait literal years to make a scene work if I can. I'm a brutal editor though too, so I'll cut scenes if I can't make them work and align with my plot or make them serve a purpose (character development, etc)

Gemini - Depending on the length of the thing I'm working on/what it is/what draft it is, it can change a handful of times. In my Tumblr drabbles, the plot can change between each part because, for the most part, I write those on a weekly basis without any preplanning and then ideas hit me as I write and I have to make decisions on the fly about whether or not those ideas work with previously written parts or not.

#writeblr #writeblr games #writeblr asks #THANKS FOR THE ASK! #I've learned that I love doing these because they make me think about my writing and consider things about me as a writer that I never have #💜💜💜