#so hopefully that’s the case for others as well!!!!

[mountttmase]

Not Your Fault

Note - i hope you’re all excited to meet the final bubba 🩷 a few guesses for the name were right but no one guessed the exact spelling 😂 I hope you love them as much as I do though and hopefully I’ll be able to write about them a bit more as we learn about their personality 😌 hope you enjoy and feedback is always appreciated 😘

Pairing - Mason Mount × Reader

Word count - 6k

Warnings - fluff, smut, tiny bit of angst

Putting the kids to bed with Mason was never an easy task. Mason putting the kids to bed on his own was a recipe for disaster but right now there wasn't much the pair of you could do.

You could hear Mason trying to wrangle your two babies as you sat with your third in the nursery. Ollie trying his hardest to help Mason tame Tilly as she ran riot and you knew Mason was about to explode. You wondered if you should get up to help but Ryley was feeding peacefully in your arms and you didn’t want to disturb him.

‘Welcome to the mad house baby’ you whispered, stroking your finger along his perfect nose all the way down to the end before awkwardly reaching down to kiss his head. ‘You’ll get used to Tills, she’s just excited about you being here’

And she really was.

Never in your wildest dreams did you imagine you’d get pregnant so quickly after agreeing to try again and after your first two pregnancies you thought you knew your body well enough now to know when something had changed. Clearly that wasn’t the case though and it was actually Mason who figured it out first that were pregnant with a little help from Nala.

The kids were at school and Mason came home to find you cuddled up with Nala on the sofa. Her head and paws on your tummy as you scratched her head but as soon as he tried to cuddle you, Nala wasn’t having it. Growling at him when he tried to put his arms around you and pushing him away with her nose.

‘What’s crawled up her arse and died’ Mason laughed. Trying to snake his hands around your middle but Nala would fight him off every time until he gave up and grabbed your boob instead.

‘Mason? Do you mind’

‘Take it up with her, she’s hogging you’ he huffed but you just let it slide. You knew Mason needed to be holding something and if it was your boob then you’d just have to get on with it as he wouldn’t move off. You didn’t think anything of it though, you just knew Nala was protective and after you’d been cuddling for a while she was feeling territorial.

It was two days later that Mason caught you crying in the utility room. Half buried under all of the kids washing and the look of concern on his face just made you cry even harder. You’d been trying to get ontop of the cleaning all day and it the point you just felt overwhelmed.

‘Hey, what’s wrong sweetheart?’ He asked as he helped you up but you didn’t really have an answer for him. Trying to quieten your sobs but you could feel your bottom lip still wobbling as he looked at you softly.

‘Sorry Mase, I don’t even know why I’m crying’ you laughed as he wiped your eyes for you. ‘I’m just a bit emotional at the moment’ you told him and by the small sigh you knew he had something he wanted to say so you raised your eyebrow at him in hopes he’d speak.

‘Baby, you don’t think you might be…’

‘Drowning in washing?’ You laughed but the soft look on his face made you be quiet. He looked genuinely concerned but there was also something behind his eyes you couldn’t quite place.

‘No you wally… pregnant’

Pregnant? You didn’t think so at all. Apart from feeling more emotional than usual you didn’t have any other symptoms that you could think of and you wondered if Mason was just getting ahead of himself.

‘No I don’t think so Mase, I’d know if I was’ you told him but you watched his face soften as he cupped your jaw.

‘Well I know you too, and I think you are’ he teased. ‘You’re all emotional, you’re eating everything in sight and Nala suddenly won’t let me go near you’ he listed off and you blushed at the fact he’d clearly caught you snacking more than usual. ‘Maybe we should check? Just to rule it out’

‘I mean we can but it’ll just be a waste’ you laughed ‘We only started trying a month ago, Mase. I doubt it would have happened that quickly’

‘Don’t doubt my powers of fertility’ he laughed and even though you wanted to smile you were trying your hardest to keep a straight face.

‘You’re insane’ you huffed, grabbing his hand and taking him upstairs to your en-suite. You’d made sure to stock up on tests since you were now trying and you instructed him to wait on the bed while you took it.

‘There you go’ you smiled, walking out of the bathroom and handing him the capped test that was still loading. ‘What do you fancy for dinner? I’ll go get it started’ you told him as you made your way to the door but he grabbed your wrist to hold you in place, looking back at you like you’d lost your mind.

‘You’re not gonna wait?’

‘There's no point, it’ll be negative babe. Now what do you want?’ You told him, shrugging your shoulders as you really believe deep down that you had nothing to worry about as there was no way you were pregnant already.

‘You pick’ he told you quietly, and with a kiss to his forehead you made your way back downstairs and into the kitchen.

Mason was gone for a while, almost to the point where you were about to go and find him but he suddenly appeared in the doorway with his eyes full of tears and a soft smile on his face. You knew he would be upset that it was negative, knowing he wanted a third baby more than anything but you figured at least if he was smiling then he hadn’t taken it too hard.

You didn’t have a chance to say anything though, Mason coming straight over to you so he could cup your face and press gentle kisses over your cheeks which made you blush and your knees weak but you loved his gentle side and you let him shower with you affection.

Before you could reassure him everything would be fine and you had all the time in the world to try for baby number three, he pulled back to look at you and you were frozen in place as you knew what that look in his eye meant.

‘You’re pregnant baby’

‘What?’

‘You’re pregnant’ he laughed, kissing your cheeks again as you froze in his hold. Letting him continue to kiss your face and it’s like his words hadn’t hit you yet until he rested his forehead on top of yours.

‘You're lying’ you whispered, your bottom lip wobbling as your eyes started to burn but he just laughed at you. Reaching into his pocket to pull out the test so he could show you and there it was in black and white. The words pregnant staring you back in the face until you looked up into Masons happy ones. ‘We’re having a baby’

You burst into tears instantly as you fell into Mason's chest. Him holding you close to his body as he rocked you from side to side, letting you know it was okay and that he’d keep you safe, the both of you safe, and when you eventually pulled back he kissed your tears away.

‘I didn’t think it would be this quick, sorry it’s just a bit of a shock’ you laughed, trying to wrap your head around it as your stared back at the word pregnant.

‘It’s alright, baby. Are you feeling okay?’

‘I think so’ you laughed. Letting him grip the back of your thighs so he could place you on the counter and look him in the eye. ‘I just can’t believe it, like I don’t even know what to think’

‘Well It’s still early love, how about we keep it to ourselves for a little while and tell the kids when we’re certain everything’s okay’ he reassured you and you felt yourself relax at how calm and in control he was about everything. ‘We can tell the rest of the world after that when you’re ready but for now it’s just us yeah? You, me and Nala’ he joked before pulling you in for a well needed hug.

So you kept it to yourselves. Telling the kids after your 12 week scan and as soon as Tilly found out you were pregnant she’d barely left your side and was seemingly very quizzical about what was happening. You knew she wanted to come out and ask fully how it had happened but she kept it inside until one night when it was just the three of you.

Ollie was at a friend's house for dinner and after all of you had eaten, you were cuddled up on the sofa with Mason, Tilly nestled in between you. Her head on Mason's chest as you watched whatever was on the tv but soon enough Tilly was ready for a biology lesson.

‘Daddy, how did the baby get in mummy’s belly?’ she asked, her head tilting up to look at him but as soon as you looked up you could see the panic written all over his face.

‘Yeah, how did it happen, Mase?’ You teased wanting to know how he’d worm his way out of this one but you could see he was hating every second of this. Sending you a what the fuck face before looking back down at Tilly who was waiting patiently for him to explain.

‘Okay, so you know how you write a letter to Santa at Christmas?’ He started, Tilly nodding excitedly and you could see the cogs turning in his brain, wondering where the hell he was going with this but let him carry on. ‘Well, when two people who love each other very much want a baby, they write a letter to the stork and then you have to bury it in the garden so they can come and pick it up’

You could see Tilly wasn’t buying it, looking back at him in confusion and you yourself were waiting for what he had to say next.

‘But how?’

‘How what?’

‘His did they get into mummy’s belly’ he asked more firmly this time as Mason was quite clearly skirting around it but knowing Tilly she would ask and ask until she got her answer.

‘Well um… well then the stork, it comes back and uh… and it leaves a seed which is the baby… and uh, that goes in Mummy’s tummy’ he nodded, stuttering the whole way through as he was panicking but you were loving how flustered he was. Trying to hold in a laugh as you covered your mouth with your hand.

‘But how does the seed get in there?’ She persisted, watching Mason now try to hide a smile before his eyes flashed to yours and you knew he was about to say something he shouldn’t.

‘She swallows it’

‘Okay that’s enough for today’ you interrupted, pulling Tilly onto your lap ‘you need to go and pick Ollie up’ you told Mason with a slightly dissatisfied look on your face and he quickly kissed your forehead la with a smile before getting up. ‘Come on missy, let’s get you in the bath, yeah?’

‘Okay mummy,’ she smiled. Reaching over to give Mason a kiss on the cheek before making her way up the stairs and you promised her you’d be right up in a minute.

‘Right I won’t be long’ Mason laughed as he got up, reaching down to help pull you up with him but he must have caught the unimpressed look from you as he began to laugh at your expression. ‘What?’

‘You know what’ you laughed. ‘Maybe If I had swallowed we wouldn’t be in this state would we’

‘I love it when you talk dirty’ Mason laughed. Pulling you into him with his hand on your bum and he squeezed it as he kissed you heavily. ‘I’ll see you soon, maybe when the kids are in bed we can try-‘

‘Mason I swear to god’ you laughed, pulling away and tapping his chest before making a beeline for the stairs but the sound of his giggles as he made his way out the door made you giggle along too.

Things took a turn at the gender reveal though. The four of you not doing anything extravagant but you knew you wanted the kids involved so after you scan you gave your bestie Sid an envelope with the gender inside so she could organise a cake and the next day you were all sat around the kitchen island with wine glasses in hand ready to sink them into the cake and you couldn’t be more excited.

Mason and Ollie didn’t care what the gender was, as did you, but Tilly was gunning for a baby sister. Having already picked out some toys for her to have and she constantly referred to the baby as she. You knew there would be a meltdown if she didn’t get her way but you were trying to distract her as best you could.

‘Okay, are we ready?’ you laughed, popping your hand on Tilly’s glass to help her push down into the cake and after the count of three you shut your eyes and pushed down on both until you hit the board.

It was Tilly crying no that made you realise what had happened. Looking round to see everyone’s glass filled with the blue frosting from the inside of the cake but Tilly’s wails wouldn’t let you enjoy your time just yet.

Mason was trying his hardest to contain his laughter and when you pulled Tilly into a hug to console her, he wrapped his arms around the pair of you whilst Ollie just grabbed a fork and began to dig into his cake.

‘Tilly baby, it’s okay’ you tried to reassure her, holding your laughs in as best you could but she just cried harder.

‘I don’t like boys’ she sobbed into your neck as she held you tight and as much as Mason looked like he was about to lose it, he peeled Tilly away from you and began to talk to her quietly. Eventually taking her out into the garden where you could see him swaying her from side to side as he spoke into the side of her head and eventually she was nodding her head and wiping her eyes

You joined Ollie though, accepting the fork he passed you so you could dig in too while you spoke about the new baby boy on the way and Ollie was very quick to reassure you how excited he was and how much he wanted to help out.

‘Okay, I think we’re on board now’ Mason announced as he walked back in with Tilly on his hip. A smile on her face but her eyes were still red and watery so Mason sat her on the side so you could feed her some cake.

‘Tilly, my new book came today. Shall I read to you for a bit?’ Ollie asked, your heart melting at the way he wanted to cheer her up as Ollie reading to her was their thing. Whenever Tilly was on mad one or overwhelmed he’d often take her over to their little corner to calm down and your heart felt full as she toddled off with her hand in his.

‘So, another boy huh?’ Mason smiled as he came over to you. Resting his hands on your waist as you rested yours on his chest and you were thankful for a little bit of alone time with him.

‘Looks like it. And after two clones of you I’m hoping this one looks a little bit like me’ you told him before he kissed your forehead with a giggle.

‘Are you happy?’

‘Of course, as long as he's healthy I couldn’t care what they are,’ you told him softly and he nodded his head in agreement. ‘What did you say to Tilly?’

‘Told her it’s another boy to boss around. And that if she’s the only girl then she’ll always be my only princess’

‘What about me?’ you pouted, watching Mason roll his eyes but he was leaning down to kiss you just after.

You’d picked a few names out, but just like you’d done with Tilly you wanted to see him before you named him and once you had, the name Ryley seemed to fit him like a glove. Whilst you could tell he was Mason's boy you were constantly told how much he looked like you and it made your heart swell whenever you looked at him.

Tilly also came around as soon as she saw him. Almost bursting into tears at the way her little face softened at the sight of her new brother before she was looking up at you for permission to say hello to him and Ollie was just as perfect as ever with him.

A new baby meant a whole new routine though and lately it meant Ryleys feed came at bed time so Mason had to put the others to bed on his own. Usually he’d love this but clearly the novelty has worn off for Tilly and she was making it as difficult for him as possible.

Soon enough the noise died down. Mason telling Tilly that Ryley won’t want to stay with us if she’s too loud and she finally took the hint and got into bed. Letting Mason read her a very quick story before he went and said goodnight to Ollie with the house falling silent once more.

You felt Mason pop his head into the nursery soon after, his eyes and facial expression soft as he took you in but he couldn’t hide the deep blush on his cheeks. Eyes flicking down to your exposed chest as you fed Ryley and you could see he was debating whether or not he should come in but you nodded your head to motion for him to come over. Watching him carefully make his way over to the pair of you and when he was close enough you lifted your head in hopes he’d lean down and kiss you. Revealing in the feeling of his lips brushing against yours softly and you hummed in delight just before he pulled away.

‘You two alright in here?’ He asked quietly, crouching down so he could kiss Ryley’s head. Your heart fluttering at the adoring way he looked down at him before his gaze was locked on yours.

‘We’re okay. Are you okay?’ You laughed, referring to the nightmare he seemed to have just had with the others and you smiled as he rolled his eyes playfully.

‘Oh you heard that yeah?’ He laughed. ‘Unless you put Tilly to bed she’s a right pain in the arse’ he teased. ‘I love her but my god she’s a handful sometimes’

‘They don’t call her Tilly the tiny terror for nothing’ you winked. ‘You done good though sweet cheeks’

‘Thanks’ he laughed, rolling his eyes again. ‘I’m gonna go sort myself out but I’ll see you in our room in a bit, yeah? Take your time’

‘Okay’ you whispered and with one last heavy kiss to your lips he was making his way out.

You sat Ryley up not too long after so you could wind him. Knowing Mason hadn’t really got to see him all that much today and he’d be itching for a cuddle soon so you made your way back across the hall to your bedroom for some time for just the three of you.

You didn’t questione why the door to your bedroom was shut even though maybe you should have. He never usually shut it as it was harder for you to open with just one hand whilst carrying Ryley and you always kept it open just in case one of the kids needed you but you just shifted Ryley on your chest so he was over your left shoulder and pushed the door open.

You should have known there was a reason why he shut it. Walking around to be met with the sound of his loud breathing and when you rounded the corner and into his view you were shocked by the sight in front of you.

There he was laid on the bed, T-shirt riding high on his perfect body as his boxers had been shuffled down his thighs ever so slightly to free himself and even from the split second view you knew what he was doing as his hand moved up and down. A shocked gasp falling from your lips before you turned and you heard mason fumbling behind you.

‘Shit! Oh god, oh god no’

‘Mase, it’s okay’ you told him, slightly chuckling as you turned back around to face him but the look on his face made your heart drop.

His cheeks were redder than you’d ever seen them, a humiliated look plastered across his face no matter how much he tried to hide it and he looked on the brink of tears.

‘Masey, no don’t get upset it’s alright’

‘I need the bathroom-’

‘No wait’ you called, popping Ryley into his crib as quickly as you could before rushing over to him to stop him from hiding away in the en-suite for the rest of the night and thankfully you caught him before he was able to shut the door. ‘Come here baby, come and talk to me’

‘No I-‘

‘Mase, come on’ you interrupted, pulling him back to bed so you could sit on the edge with him in hopes he’d look at you. He was determined to keep looking down though so in the end you just held him tight and spoke into his hair. ‘It’s okay, you don’t need to be embarrassed or anything. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before’

‘I thought I had more time’ he told you. Holding you tighter but you hated how down he sounded.

‘Look at me’ you whispered, letting him take his own time to gather himself before looking up at you shyly. ‘You don’t need to be embarrassed, it’s perfectly normal’

‘I know I just… it’s still embarrassing’ he laughed. ‘I feel like a teenager who’s just been caught. I just thought you’d be a bit longer with the little man and I’d have time. I haven’t wanted to ask for… you know. I wanted to wait until you’re ready and-‘

‘Who said I’m not ready’ you smiled. ‘I gave birth 8 weeks ago now so that’s two weeks over’

‘I know’ he smiled. I’m just worried that’s all’

‘Worried about what?’

‘I don’t wanna hurt you’ he whispered and your heart broke at his sad face. ‘Remember what happened after Tilly?’ He asked and you nodded solemnly.

It had been six weeks since Tilly had been born and you knew Mason was chomping at the bit to have you. You were too big and uncomfortable towards the end of your pregnancy so it had been months since you’d last been intimate and it was almost as if Mason was counting down the days.

Your night didn’t go as planned though. Unbenounced to you, you still weren’t fully ready and even though Mason had been gentle with you and you’d tried to push through it, it hurt too much and you’d ended up bursting into tears.

Mason felt awful, almost in tears himself as he tried to comfort you but you knew he was blaming himself when he shouldn’t be. In the end you took his face in your hands so you could pepper his cheeks with kisses but your heart was breaking as he repeatedly told you how sorry he was.

‘Masey it’s not your fault’ you told him quietly, but he wasn’t having any of it. Hiding his head into your neck for the rest of the night until the pair of you eventually fell asleep.

He was quiet with you but extra soft for a few days until you could talk it out and let him know it wasn’t his fault. You just had to wait an extra few weeks and everything would go back to normal.

You could see it in his eyes now that he was frightened so you pulled him closer and cupped his jaw so you could look at each other properly.

‘Tilly had a massive head baby’ you laughed. ‘She was a right pain to get out but I don’t feel like I did with Tilly. Ryley was a breeze compared to her and I’m all healed up now. There’s nothing to be afraid of’

‘Yeah?’ He smiled. His body relaxing in your arms as you reassured him everything was okay and the small smile on his lips made you feel a lot better.

‘Yeah, of course. In fact… what do you say we pop Ryley in his nursery for a bit so we can have some time for just us’

‘Wait, what?’ He whispered, his face looking slightly shocked but in all honestly your been craving some alone time with Mason yourself. ‘Are you sure?’

‘100%, Just give me a sec and I’ll be back’ you told him. Slightly untangling yourself from him so you could pick up Ryley and take him over to his nursery. You never left him in here at night but he had his naps in here all the time so you made sure the baby cam was set up properly before dropping a kiss on his head. ‘I’ll be back for you soon, little one. Just keep sleeping for me’ you whispered. Taking one last look before making your way back to Mason.

He was sitting on the bed facing the door when you got back and a sudden wave of anxiety rolled over you as soon as you shut the door. Your body had changed so much since he’d last seen it and you knew you were covered in stretch marks and still sagging in certain places so when he pulled you in between his legs you tried not to look him in the eye.

‘Baby? Everything alright?’ He asked, fingers delicately tracing the backs of your thighs and you just nodded and you pulled him into a hug.

‘I’m okay, just nervous’ you laughed awkwardly. ‘It’s been a while’

‘I know, love. We can go as slowly as you want to though, yeah?’

‘I know’ you smiled, kissing his forehead gently but he could still read your mind and sense how apprehensive you were.

‘And I don’t care what you think your body looks like now. You know that don’t you? I love you and I just wanna make you feel good’

‘I know, Mase’ you smiled, eyes filling at his sweet words. He’d said the same after both your other babies had been born but the words still hit you deep. You didn’t look like you used you, three babies would have an effect on anyone but Mason never cared. He took you as you were and only cared about looking after you, telling you you’d given him everything he’d ever wanted and he’d make sure he looked after you in whatever way you needed.

His hands were trailing all over your bare legs, touching wherever he could as his lips pressed kisses to your chest and you couldn’t help but giggle as he finally got to touch all the places he’d missed for the last few months.

‘What’s so funny?’ He smiled, pinching your bum gently as you steadied yourself but his cheeky smile was melting you.

‘We’ve been together for so many years now, had three kids together and you’re still as horny as ever’ you chuckled, wanting him to know how ridiculous you found him but deep down you knew you were just as bad.

‘That’s what happens when you’ve got the most beautiful wife in the world’ he told you. ‘You know I’ll never not want you. Even when we’re grey and wrinkly I’ll still think you’re hot as fuck’

‘If you’re trying to get me in the mood, talking about old people probably won’t help’ you told him, kneeling onto the mattress and his light laugh made you smile.

‘Noted’ he winked, shuffling back and inviting you to lay with him and once you were next to him he laid you back gently and kissed you with as much passion as he could muster.

He kissed you until you felt dizzy, your hands gripping at him where you could and when when you moaned into his mouth he rolled ontop on you so he could look directly down at you.

‘What do you want baby? You want my fingers?’

‘Mhmmm’

‘Yeah? You don’t sound so sure’ he teased but before you could protest he was talking again. ‘I think I know what you really want’

‘What’s that?’

‘You want my mouth, don’t you?’ He whispered lowly into you ear. The sound making you shiver and a gasp to fall from your lip at the sound of his dirty words. ‘Thought so’ he chuckled and before you knew it he was kissing down your neck as he grabbed the hem of your shirt.

You knew it was just Mason and he loved you no matter what, so you let him remove all your clothes as he placed kisses to your exposed skin. Pushing any nervous thoughts out of your head so on you could enjoy the feel of him again.

As soon as his lips touched where they needed to you felt yourself melt. Feeling like you were floating on clouds as he reminded you what you’d been missing out on for months as you tried your hardest to keep your moans at bay and not wake anyone. He made it difficult though. Getting back into the rhythm of things like he’d never been away and soon enough your fingers were getting tangled in his hair as he pushed you over the finish line.

‘Stop biting your lip, I wanna do that’ he laughed, as he made his way back up to your face. Kissing you so you could taste yourself and you let out quiet moan as he gently sunk his teeth into your bottom lip.

‘I’m trying to be quiet’ you laughed, lips against his as you spoke before he stole another kiss from you. Knowing he was ready and raring to go.

‘What do you want now baby?’

‘I want you. All of you,’ you told him. Watching a slight nervousness flicker through him and you wanted to reassure him straight away. Gripping the back of his neck so you could tug him back down for a kiss and as he got into it you began to undress him until you were both naked and needy for each other.

You knew he was watching you the whole time as he pushed his way inside of you. Your face contorting in pleasure as he took his time before bending down to press gentle kisses over your face.

‘Is that okay?’ He whispered, moving his hips slowly so you could adjust to him but you were already seeing stars after not feeling him for so long and all you could muster was a nod. ‘Yeah?’ Breathed, a sense of relief laced through his voice and you nodded as you tried to reassure him further.

‘Yes masey, keep doing that’ you moaned, louder than you’d intended to but it all felt so intense and you knew mason was feeling it too.

‘Should I slow down?’

‘No, just like that’ you sighed. Reaching up to grab his shoulders so you had something to steady yourself but also because you wanted to feel his skin under yours.

‘You wonder why I still can’t keep my hands off of you?’ He moaned, pulling up so he could hold you at your waist and take a bit more control. ‘Fucking look at you, you’re unreal’

‘Mase-‘

‘I know gorgeous. I’m with you, just let go for me’ he told you and you did exactly as he said. Letting him coax you through it until you were spent and he was flopping down gently next to you.

Sometimes you felt like this was your favourite bit. Laying skin to skin with your man as he gently stroked your back and you couldn’t help but nuzzle into him more as you made every second count. You’d missed these moments with him and from the way he was holding you close you knew he’d missed it too.

‘You okay?’ He whispered after a while. Feeling your eyes growing heavier as he lulled you to sleep but you looked up at him with a soft smile as he kissed your nose.

‘I’m perfect’

‘I didn’t hurt you at all did I?’ He questioned quietly but you shook your head so he knew you were fine straight away.

‘I promise you, I’m absolutely fine’ you told him. Pecking his lips softly before sighing. ‘I’m so comfy but I need to go and get Ryley. I don’t like leaving him in there alone for too long’

‘Stay there, okay? I’ll go get little man’ he reassured you. Kissing your head gently before untangling himself from you so he could get dressed and grab your boy.

You got dressed too whilst he was gone and you were just pulling your top over your head as he walked back in with Ryley cuddled into his chest. Your heart thumping at the way they were together and no matter when or where, watching Mason with a tiny human always made your knees weak.

‘Come on boys, mumma needs a cuddle’ you laughed. Jumping up onto the bed and letting Mason pass you Ryley before he laid next to you. His head on your chest as Ryley laid on the other side and you couldn’t stop yourself from looking down at Mason and seeing how happy he was to have some time with Ryley. ‘You okay, Mase?’

‘I’m better than okay’ he smiled, reaching up to give you a quick peck before nuzzling back down into your neck. ‘Thank you for everything, I never thought I could be this happy’

You didn’t have the words for him. Your eyes filling with tears as you kissed his temple but inside you were agreeing with him wholeheartedly. You too never thought you could ever be this happy but as you thought about where you were right now and who you were with, you knew right now your life and your family were complete.

Thank you so much for reading 🩷 I really hoped you enjoyed it and I’d love if you could leave me some feedback if you fancy it 😘

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[dark-frosted-heart]

Go Ahead and Dote on Me - Clavis card story

Story's in His POV

nsfw at the end

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this

[Just a note: people are calling Emma “usagi-chan”]

Spring finally arrived in Rhodolite after the egg hunting contest.

People happily took in the warm winds, admired the flowers that began to bloom following winter, and—

Sweets store owner: Oh, it’s the little rabbit. Are you out with Prince Clavis today?

Emma: Yes. I thought I’d keep an eye on him in case something bad happened.

As we walked through the market together, people called out to Emma everywhere.

It seemed like this would be a springtime tradition this year.

Sweets store owner: You got a lot on your hands, little rabbit. Come, let me give you some baked treats.

Emma: Thank you! By the way, I’ve been hearing “little rabbit” a lot…

Sweets store owner: Yeah, everyone’s been using it. Emma, weren’t you the rabbit in the egg hunt the other day? I think it’s popular because it’s cute. Look, that shopkeep over there’s calling out to you.

Flower store owner: Just in time, little rabbit. I’m currently making a bouquet modeled after you.

Emma: Wow, it’s shaped like a rabbit!

Flower store owner: Yeah. Recently, Rhodolite’s been experiencing an unprecedented rabbit bloom. I guess it’s all thanks you you, little rabbit. Thanks.

Emma: You’re…welcome…?

(Indeed a good trend)

Any direction you look, all of the new spring products displayed in the shops were rabbit-themed.

As a rabbit lover, I couldn’t have been more proud.

Emma: Clavis…do you have something to do with this?

After looking around the market, Emma turned toward me in suspicion.

Clavis: Haha, I don’t have the power to manipulate market trends. I suppose everyone’s become aware of the charm of rabbits. This is how Rhodolite should be.

Emma: Is that a good thing to be happy about…?

Clavis: Naturally. It makes me feel good to see how much everyone likes you. Why not do what the people want and wear those rabbit ears again?

Emma: I don’t want to. It’s embarrassing.

Clavis: I want to see it again. Rather, I always want to see it.

Emma: I’ll consider it when it’s just us alone…

(That’s Emma)

(At any rate, rabbit lovers will spread across the continent)

Emma: Ah…I remembered that Leon won the egg hunting contest.

Clavis: That’s right. He was so strong he almost got banned.

Emma: …Anyway, that means the all-powerful cup that grants any wish is currently in Leon’s hands, right? What exactly does Leon plan to do with that cup?

Clavis: Nothing at all. Since I have the cup on hand right now.

Emma: Huh

Clavis: He wasn’t interested in the prize at all. In exchange, I promised to buy him a drink the next time we went out.

(From the start, I was the one who invited Leon and asked him to win)

(If by chance the hunt failed, then the all-powerful cup would’ve been the target)

(Considering the risks, it couldn’t simply be given to the public)

(But we don’t have to worry about that anymore now)

To make up for a rigged contest, all participants were given a discount coupon that could be used in the market and commemorative Easter eggs.

Hopefully that’ll be enough for forgiveness.

Emma: That all-powerful cup…is in your hands…

Clavis: Hm? What’s with that face?

Emma: Because you’re definitely going to use it for something bad.

Clavis: Such as?

Emma: …

Emma’s face turned red.

It sounded like “bad things” involved doing some wicked deeds to Emma.

She was too cute to handle and I hugged her by the waist.

Clavis: Can you tell me?

Emma: No, I’m trusting your ability as a gentleman.

Clavis: I see, I see. I’ll make a wish on the all-powerful cup when we return home.

Emma: Oh, that’s right! I have a wish that I want the all-powerful cup to grant!

Clavis: You want me to use it to grant your wish and not my wicked one?

I tried not to laugh as Emma vigorously nodded her head.

Clavis: I have no choice but to do as my lovely fiancee asks. What do you wish for?

Emma: Um, well… …

Clavis: If you don’t have one, then I—

Emma: Rabbit!

Clavis: …Rabbit?

Emma: Yes. I know you’re a self-proclaimed rabbit lover, but I can’t be the only rabbit. Wearing the rabbit ears was embarrassing. So I want to see you as a rabbit!

Emma shouted at the top of her lungs, like she had forgotten we were out in public.

Man in market: King Clavis as a rabbit?!

Woman in market: …A rabbit? Is that okay? No restrictions?

(I see…Now I have to live up to expectations)

Clavis: Alright. After all, it’s my lovely fiancee’s wish. Even with the all-powerful cup, I have to make it happen.

Emma: …I’m sorry. I got caught up in the moment when I said that— 

When Emma tried to backtrack, I kissed Emma on the lips with a smile to stop her from continuing.

Clavis: Look forward to it, Emma.

In order to fulfill my lovely fiancee’s wish, I had to act quickly.

There wasn’t time to wish on the all-powerful cup and preparations had to be made as soon as possible—

Clavis: Now then my lovely fiancee, here comes Mr. Rabbit.

Emma: Are you actually a rabbit though?!

The next morning, I became a bunny boy and slipped into Emma’s room.

Emma, who was already awake and relaxing in bed, dropped her book in shock.

(However…)

(You’re being surprisingly shy)

I even altered the rabbit outfit, adding a tail to match Emma’s.

Originally I wanted to visit at night with the outfit I prepared overnight, but there’s entertainment in not having made it until morning.

Emma: I didn’t think about it when you disappeared after we came back yesterday, but…it suits you better than I thought it would.

Clavis: Right, right? A handsome man will look good in anything.

Emma: You might be better at being a rabbit than I am.

Clavis: I disagree. I could never be as adorable as you.

Emma: You’re pretty adorable now though?

Clavis: Oh?

(Apparently in Emma’s eyes, I’m a cute rabbit)

(That won’t do)

Clavis: I’m a rabbit today. You can hold me, pet me, love me. Anything you want, okay…?

Emma: Really?

Clavis: Yes, I’m a man of my word. What do you want from me? I’m open to any kinks or perversions.

When I got on the bed and crouched like a rabbit, Emma cleared her throat in embarrassment.

Emma: Th-then…

She hesitantly reached out and placed a hand on top of my head.

She patted my hair gently as if handling a rabbit, tickling me.

Emma: Soft and fluffy. Clavis, your hair’s really nice to touch.

Clavis: …

(I wanted to tease you, but I didn’t expect this kind of play)

(It’s fine when I do it, but when on the receiving end, it’s…difficult)

As I quietly accepted her hand, a small chuckle escaped Emma’s lips.

Emma: Are you feeling a little shy?

Clavis: Haha, how could I?

Emma: But you’re not being as talkative as usual.

Clavis: I was just distracted by how nice your hand feels.

Emma: If you say so.

(...)

As she became more accustomed to it, Emma’s hands got bolder.

I’ve never felt so self-conscious.

(I thought I’d be able to take anything Emma did, but…)

(I’m not cut out for this)

Clavis: Emma, you know this rabbit can do dirtier things, right?

Emma: No, please continue being a cute rabbit.

Clavis: Haha, don’t feel like you have to hold back. For instance— 

I push Emma down and boldly hike up the skirt of her nightgown.

When I pushed her legs apart and placed myself between them, Emma started to look flustered.

Emma: What are you doing there?!

Clavis: I’m a rabbit. I’ll go anywhere I want.

I pressed my lips against her thigh under the nightgown and continued up.

Emma: Ah…Don’t…

She tried to stop me with a hand, but faltered when my lips reached her underwear.

Clavis: I’m a cute rabbit, aren’t I? I can be more affectionate if you want?

I shifted her underwear to the side and licked.

The sweet sounds she made were like honey and I almost felt like a spring rabbit in heat.

Emma: Cute rabbits…don’t…Nghaa…

Clavis: Is that so? There’s all sorts of rabbits.

I sucked at her wet spot before appearing out from under her nightgown when her hips bucked up.

When Emma scowled at me in embarrassment with tears in her eyes, I wanted to focus on teasing her more.

(No matter what, you’re cuter than I am)

I removed my vest, undid my tie, and placed the rabbit ears I was wearing on Emma’s head.

Clavis: As expected, it suits you better.

Emma: Really…?

Though she was embarrassed, she didn’t remove the rabbit ears.

She fixed the ears and the sight of her being all shy burned all sense of reason away.

Emma: Nn…Clavis, don’t touch…Aahh

Clavis: Emma…stay as my rabbit for the rest of your life.

(After all, I’m a man that would rather be loved)

#ikemen prince #ikepri #ikepri jp #ikepri translations

[vulnonapixes-dc-corner]

Remember when I told you all about the "Damian & Tim bonding fic, where Damian gets turned into a cat?"?

Well, I do.

I have two wips! One for a fic and the other is a small art sketch

"It's OK! You are OK! With me, you are safe!"

Tim hummed, as he gently rubbed the little fluff ball dry, making sure to clean its eyes and ears out in the process.

He had found it in a trashcan on patrol, all alone, shivering and seemingly abandoned.

The teen couldn't get himself to leave it there.

After all, he wasn't that cruel, and Damian would probably break his back again if he found out that he let an innocent animal die.

It meowed weakly, as he used two of his fingers to gently massage its stomach. He couldn't feel any swellings and injuries, so it should be fine. Hopefully.

"Hey, it's alright! We'll get some food into you and then you'll feel better."

The kitten looked too young to stomach solid food, so milk was it.

He knew that cowmilk was bad for cats, but almond milk should be fine, at least till he could get some special cat milk and wet food to ween the little one out.

After making sure that it was warm and comfortable on his couch, he made his way to his kitchen.

The search for some almond milk and a saucer to fill it in took him some minutes and when he returned to his living room, the cat was gone.

Gone was probably a harsh word, considering that he could hear some really pissed off growls from beneath his bookshelf.

It was quite impressive, considering that the animal making those sounds was barley bigger than his hand.

"Poor little baby, this situation must be quite scary for you."

He pushed the makeshift bowl next to the furniture, avoiding the sweep of tiny claws, before he all but collapsed on his couch.

Then he quietly cursed himself.

In the trouble of making sure that the kitty was alright, he had utterly forgotten about his own needs.

"I am such an idiot."

The vigilante forced himself back on his feet, as he glared at the couch.

Who knows what kind of toxins and germs he had gotten onto it now.

"You know, this totally ruins my whole week. I usually deepclean my furniture every Monday. But with all the blood and shit on my suit this can't wait."

He smiled gently towards the kittens direction, who had stopped growing when he started speaking.

"I will take a short shower, before cleaning the couch and taking my meds. Please try to drink a bit of the milk, alright?"

The teen was aware that the cat couldn't understand or answer him, but he wanted it to get comfortable with his voice

Soaking his suit in disinfectant, showering, checking his body for small injuries, going through his skincare routine, throwing his suit into the washing machine, getting a clean suit ready for the next patrol and starting up his textile-deep-cleaning routine took him nearly an hour.

It left him utterly exhausted and wanting to sleep.

But he still had to finish the cleaning, drink that disgusting, nutrien rich smoothie, take his meds and work on that case Duke asked him about.

His eyes wandered to the kittens hiding place and a smile appeared on his lips as he looked at the empty saucer.

"Good work! Eat a lot and grow stronger. "

The tiny head of the kitten popped out and Tim had to stifle his laughter at the animals unimpressed expression.

"Oh, Damian will absolutely adore you."

It meowed as Tim concentrated back on cleaning the couch.

"He is my little brother and he adores animals. I am planning to give you to him when the weekend comes around."

This was the safest course of actions for him and the one thing will guarantee a happy life for it.

The kittens eyes were watching him clean the couch, as he explained every step to it.

" Now we are just going to let the disinfectant soak in and let it dry. I'll take my medicine and then we'll try to get some more food into you! "

It actually came out of its hiding place when he brought out his yellow pill bottle.

Somehow, it looked as if he had offended it, as it meowed loudly at him to get his attention.

"This is just the medicine that I spoke about. I am sick, you know. A year ago, I lost my spleen due to an injury. I had a flare up a few days ago, since Steph decided to drop in unannounced. Its fine now though."

Steph had been hurt and he was the closest, so he was glad that she came to him instead of bleeding out somewhere.

But the fever he got afterwards was not so nice.

The kitty meowed, as it clawed at his leg, what was suprisingly painful.

"Whats the matter?! This hurts, you know?"

Tim picked the small animal up, as it growled angrily at him.

"You know. You kinda remind me of my little brother right now."

It had the same green eyes as him.

"You are even behaving like him right now!"

He smiled as it spitted in his direction, Biting and clawing at his hand.

Getting the hint, he gently placed it back onto the ground, where it quickly went back to his hiding place.

Tim couldn't help himself as he sighted, as he saw the blood running down his hand.

He needed to disinfect and bandage ut up as quickly as possible now.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Jason, calm down-, i cant understand what you are saying if you scream like this!"

Damian glared at the teen from bellow his hiding spot, as he placed back and forth in his living room, his elder brothers voice screaming through the speaker of the phone.

It was pathetic.

No Vigilante, especially one that studied under his father, should allow someone to yell at them.

#batman #batfam #batfamily #tim drake #batbros #batsibs #damian wayne #robin #red robin #let them be be brothers please

[anoray]

Okay, not to be obsessed with the final episodes of The Bad Batch, but there are some thoughts that keep nagging at my brain about the debate over "who is CX-2" and I must spew them forth.

I totally get why some people don't like it when SW characters come back from the dead and I agree it should never be done frivolously. That said, I'm scratching my head about the opinion that Tech should not be CX-2 and he should stay dead because his character arc was perfectly wrapped up with his sacrifice to save his Batch family. To this I say: Really? How so?

I could understand and agree with this take if Tech had always held back in dangerous situations and he never wanted to risk himself until he finally stepped up in that moment to save the others--but I recently rewatched all the TBB episodes (as well as the initial arc from TCW), and this has never, ever been the case. Tech is almost always the one literally out there with his ass hanging in the wind or directly in the line of fire while his mind and fingers race to bring the power online, or download the vital data, etc., so the others can move forward. Notable examples include the Zillo beast episode in which Tech went all by himself to get the power online even when they all knew something horrible had killed the former crew, and in the mining episode, Tech dove in immediately to help Omega when she fell into the abyss. In other words, Tech has always been the opposite of a coward or one to step back to save himself.

So I really don't get what in the heck it supposedly changed or wrapped up for Tech's character arc when he executed Plan 99 to save his squad. I see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Just like his sacrifice did absolutely nothing to save Omega from the Empire in the end. Is that really a worthy death for one of the Batch? Not in my book.

So what would be an impactful and meaningful character arc for Tech? Well, I'm 99.9% sure that what would be hardest for him to be subjected to (and hopefully endure in the end) is losing what makes him feel unique and special: aka his BRILLIANT MIND. And what more horrible, awful way for Tech to be tested and grow as a character than to have his beautiful mind hijacked by the Empire to further their own tyranny even as they pit him against his loved ones and everything they stand for.

I'm not saying Tech has to be revealed as CX-2, but so far it makes the most emotional and narrative sense based on all the breadcrumbs the writers are tossing at us along the way. Of course, CX-2 could be Cody and Tech is still in a vat on Tantiss while Hemlock experiments on taking over his mind to turn him into a CX as well. But the TBB series is about, well, the Batch, not Rex and Cody. Ergo, a Cody reveal wouldn't gut the Batch to their emotional core the way a Tech reveal would, so right now my money is still on Tech. It could be that Cody is being saved for something else up Filoni's sleeve.

Either way, if Tech's gifted mind has been sabotaged by the Empire, this seems like an actual character arc rather than having him die via a sacrifice that he would have made without hesitation going all the way back to Season 1. To quote Chopper: BLAH BLAH BLAH. In contrast, not only is a hijacked Tech deeply affected, it also generates significant emotional collateral damage to the Batch. Tech and all of his family/squad would have to struggle to deal with the consequences, such as whether or not he can even be saved and how much of the damage to his mind is permanent.

If Tech is alive and the Empire has done something like this to him, it is certainly possible the remaining episodes will not fully answer whether or not Tech is salvageable. After all, the SW writers had no problems with having Ezra Bridger and Thrawn vanish for years before we found out what happened, but I very much hope they won't leave us with this kind of cliffhanger again!

Anyway, my whole point is that the possibility that Tech is alive does not necessarily equate "ugh here we go again, no one in SW stays dead." A narrative choice by the writers to bring Tech back does not automatically erase deep and lasting consequences for either Tech or the rest of the Batch. Death is not the only way for characters to grow, and it seems to be used way more than it should be for this purpose in my humble opinion. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the story concludes in the finale and whether the onscreen hints about Tech's possible not-dead state were simply red herrings.

As far as other character arcs go for the finale, all Omega has ever wanted from the very first show is to be part of her Batch brothers, to belong. So the most difficult test for her would be that the squad is finally reunited, but now she must leave them. It seems quite possible that her interactions with the Force sensitive children on Tantiss will make it clear that none of them will ever be remotely safe unless they find the few Jedi who are helping such children in the aftermath of the Purge. No doubt Ventriss would come back into play if this is the ending for Omega. In a happier ending, the Batch would go with Omega to continue to help rescue Force sensitive kids from the likes of Cad Bane, while Rex and Echo most likely continue helping clones.

I think Hunter will definitely have to choose to confront the Empire head on in a way he has always resisted to protect his squad. After all, Echo left the Batch to join Rex because he got tired of waiting for Hunter to come around to doing more to fight for their clone brothers, as well as others being hurt by the Empire. I only hope this doesn't cost Hunter his life, but if it does, THIS would be a sacrificial death that completes the character's arc.

Meanwhile, Crosshair's redemption arc is well under way and he continues to be one of the most interesting characters in the series. The best part of Season 3 for me has been Crosshair rejoining the Batch and I very much hope his curmudgeonly efforts to be a better person won't be the cause of his demise.

As for Wrecker, he has grown as a character over the series and no longer is just Mr. Boom Boom. He's showed a lot of street smarts dealing with the likes of Fennec in that Space Florida episode and he seems to look more before he leaps into the fray with his fists and weapons...although I do like the fact that Wrecker still enjoys opening up a can of whoop ass more than anything :)

Okay, so 3 more episodes to go and we'll see how much of what actually happens blows my essay today about Tech and the finale out of the water.

#the bad batch #the bad batch spoilers #tech #yes more theories and speculations #please don't kill off another blorbo star wars #was a new hope just a blip on the sw timeline

[fan-clan-fun]

So you want to Build a clan? Chapter 8- Ranks : Leadership

Alternative titles: Monarch, King/Queen, Matriarch/Patriarch, Chief, Commander, Ruler, Chieftain, Captain, Boss, etc

The Canon explanation of the leadership of the clans is fairly simple and easily explainable. You have a leader, and a deputy, and when the leader dies the deputy becomes leader. The only requirements when it comes to choosing a deputy (which are often not even kept to anyway) are that a deputy must be chosen by moonhigh if the clan has need of a new one, and the one chosen to be deputy must have mentored at least one apprentice. The thing is, this approach to leadership is honestly a bit shallow. Even the books on occasion will mention what might happen if the rules are broken or twisted or confused (like when Tallstar gives Onestar leadership rather than Mudclaw) or when different deputies are appointed despite not having mentored any apprentices, but there are barely any lasting consequences.

So now the question is, what can we do in our own clans to give the leadership system more depth and solidity? You can stick with the Canon approach and just add more detail, or consider other approaches when it comes to the type of leadership, how it is implemented, and how long it lasts. Let's take a look at some of the options.

Leadership Duties

First, it's wise to consider what your leaders do. Are they just there to order cats around, or do they have their own tasks, expectations and responsibilities? 

In canon, it seems that leaders are the top of the piramid, making general decisions for the entire clan, and running some things such as patrols, training for apprentices, choosing mentors, etc. Some leaders seem more involved in day to day than others, going on patrols or staying back at camp. Of those who do remain at camp, some are more invested in their clanmates lives directly, either by interfacing with various different members of the ranks, or assisting with tasks within and without camp.

So when you are building your clan, consider what purpose the leader serves, what their day to day looks like, what the clan would expect of them and what work they do. That will help guide you when you consider what type of leadership you want.

Types of Leadership

Specifically for the top position of leadership in the clan, deputy/equivalent will come later. 

Canon Leadership

This was discussed above, so I'll be brief. Canon leadership involves one leader, one deputy, the deputy chosen by the leader to succeed them upon death. This system relies on the leader having almost absolute power, as is evidenced by the code which says the leaders word is law. There could be many discussions about the pros and cons of this system, how it encourages nepotism and authoritarianism. While on the flip side it is simple and should, hopefully, not cause any issues with succession (except when a leader changes his mind last minute or both leader and deputy die at the same time). In any case, most people know this way of leadership, so let's look at others.

Inherited Leadership

This type of leadership is different, the premise being that the leadership is inherited through some sort of specific criteria. The most common one would be by blood, similar to a monarchy, where an heir to leadership is chosen among family members as closely to the current leader/monarch as possible. The next leader can inherit through other criteria as well, such as being chosen by a religious sign, or by some criteria of skill or personality. The important part is that these heirs are usually chosen young, and raised to be placed in their role, giving them time to be taught how to lead. At least that's the idea, it doesn't always work in practice. But the point of this is that the heir is not chosen based on skill or experience. In some ways it could be good to choose leaders young, give them the time and training to take on their role, though it would also be a heavy burden to bear. A smart clan would train multiple heirs to be safe, in case one were to not make it to adulthood or the chance to take on leadership.

Elected Leadership

This would be most in line with the way leadership is decided in modern times, though the way it works in a clan would be different. Elected Leadership would be a clan, or part of the clan, casting votes to choose the next leader or deputy, through casting stones, or spoken votes, or another method. This method would hopefully choose a leader which a majority of the clan agreed with. Either through casting votes in some sort of voting system, or gathering in a meeting to agree to the best option. This system would ideally allow for leaders to be replaced if they did not do their job correctly, as the leadership is chosen by the clan itself, and thus beholden to the well being and support of the clan.

Group Leadership

This one goes somewhat hand in hand with the previous one. Group Leadership would be a different set up, in which more than one cat held power. Perhaps the clan has two leaders, or three, or a council with one senior member from each rank. How they are chosen could be from any of the other methods, but it's different in how it's set up, because power is more evenly shared.

Earned Leadership

Earned leadership in this case is a situation in which a leader of a clan has to overcome a set of challenges or hurdles, or fulfill certain criteria. Perhaps the clan warriors all have a battle royale and the winner takes the leadership. Perhaps only cats with a certain age, skills, or renown can become a leader. This type of leadership could encourage a lot of competition, and mean the clan is unstable for a bit until a leader is chosen and establishes themselves. Either way, it's much more individual, and about the cat who becomes leader having enough ambition or at least reason to pursue the leadership, than about the broader clan and it's needs and ideals. It would work best in a more independent clan, than a more community driven one.

Religious Symbolism

Leaders chosen based on the religious symbolism/rites of the clan. This could mean they are directly chosen by Starclan, or through prophecy, or through the word of the religious figure within the clan. It would be the kind of situation with a lot of pomp and ritual and meaning, surrounding their religious beliefs. Perhaps the leader is even considered a religious figure, or the religious authority within the clan. I would give examples, but this one is as varied as the different expressions of religious belief and symbolism. Clans who use this would likely have a more predetermined view of life based on their beliefs, and try to curry favor with whatever religious authority would give them such a privilege. 

Some questions to help you get an idea of the type of leadership that would work best for your clan:

How religious is your clan? Does your religion affect how a leader is chosen? What sort of ritual or ceremony surrounds the naming or choosing of a new leader?

Is it expected that a leader have certain skills? Be a good fighter or something else? Are there specific criteria to be eligible, like mentoring at least one apprentice? Or is it a case by case scenario?

What is the average age that a leader is chosen? Are they chosen young and trained for the role? Or generally older and experienced? How long do leaders remain in their position? A certain period of time? Until retirement? Until death? 

Do they actually get nine lives? If so, how do those function? Where do they come from, how easy is it to lose one? Do they combat old age?

What function does a leader serve? Are they a mere figurehead, or do they have more direct control over day to day life? What aspects of day to day life do they control? Is leadership considered authoritarian, or more egalitarian? Does your leadership follow Canon's guidelines of the leaders word is law? Are leaders generally respected, or disdained in the clan?

#buildaclan #warriorsworldbuilding #warrior cats #warriors #clan culture #warriorsocs #warriorscats

[ask-the-critters-survival-au]

Static dances out from the speaker of the monitor... which is probably power by magic now that you think about it-

"I am sorry children... Picky does not seem willing to listen... It hurts me to think she still considers Dogday to have abandoned you all- especially because it was her own words that confirmed my knowledge of where he is. She seems so... scared to believe what I have said. So quit to curl her ears and ignore it. So quick to turn her emotions into rage... I feel like forcing her to confront that truth may break her."

"I hope you have a plan children. One that does not involve making a deal that could permanently disable you or make this situation even worse. As Hoppy explained the rules behind our contracts? I hope so- if only for you not to fall victims to one of my fellows suggesting a deal that will do more harm then good."

"I have been hard at work devising a way to create a deal that could help you all without harming you or making the situation worse... and I believe I have finally found it. I am to assume that much of the food you all have is food either to rotten to eat or stuff your bodies cannot consume? Picky has told us of your carnivore diets... which does not make sense do to what was used to make you. Studying of that strange issue must be dealt with later."

"Using the rules established- it should be possible for you to use the rule of equivalent exchange to turn that rotten and uneatable food into something you can eat. Again, it perplexes me that none of you can eat other things- Ah sorry, Lost in my thoughts again. I will warn you now that you may end up with an amount of food a small bit less then what you use for the deal- but that should be made up for in spades by the meat sent back being cooked- allowing your bodies to absorb much more of the nutrients then simple raw meat."

"As of the recording of this message... Crafty has only been revealed to me. For the sake of future proofing I have also prepared a deal for her as well. I am not sure of the nature of her episodes of madness... all I do know is that she may freak out at no having anything to paint with- and even that is faulty knowledge. So, with this extra deal, it should be simple to change any spare art supplies you have around into another color. In the case you don't have any... I will attempt to devise a safe deal for that for out next contact."

"All you must do is gather the proper items listed for the magics to consume and warp and accept the deal as per our rules. I hope this can help you all moving forward. I got suggest rationing what you can and eating slowly, as flooding the body with nutrients during starvation can cause a multitude of issues. Perhaps getting you all glass jars to preserve the food is in order. I'll attempt to keep the spell work up so you may continue to do this at any time... but magic can be finicky."

"Maybe making this deal to Picky in return for stopping her pursuit would work, but I am still unsure any magic can be done away from the monitor. What are your thoughts on this Children?"

"I will also look into this issue of you not being able to eat food stuff other then meat- that should not be so yet it is... what has Playtime done this time- How would one warp the human stomach that way? Possibly an inhibiter to the brain? or possibly an certain change in the enzymes your bodies produce?- Ah sorry- Rambling once again. Talk to you all soon. Please- Be safe."

(Heh- Magic time : ), Hopefully everything here makes sense and seems fair to you mod. No need to have our beloved stars starve no? Of course if not that is always alright! I simply wish to fulfill my promise of doing all I can to aid these young souls! Hope you have a great day!)

YES YES! FOOD! IM SOOO TIRED OF EATING ROTTEN FLESH! WE ARE SO TAKING THAT DEAL.

I’m not surprised about Picky. She’s…always been a little ignorant.

She’d still hunt me down even if she got that deal. Me and her...have history.

And Crafty not having paint isn’t exactly the problem. She doesn’t have hands to paint with anymore.

You can thank CatNap for that.

[Mod note: I hope you have a good day as well! I love getting your asks :)]

#ask blog #poppy playtime #poppy playtime chapter 3 #ask the critters #smiling critters #poppy playtime au #ask the smiling critters #hoppy hopscotch #hoppy hopscotch poppy playtime #bobby bearhug #bobby bearhug poppy playtime #craftycorn poppy playtime #craftycorn #mod note

[supersoakerfullofblood]

Beta Reading, Workshopping, and Peer Editing for Indie Writers: a Guide

Beta reading is a term you might hear tossed out as a vague buzzword, kind of like how people talk about "character development" and "worldbuilding"; I've made a bunch of posts to demystify words in that latter category, but beta reading is a different type of term. Where those latter words and their ilk are terms of craft, things we can discuss in theory ("this is how I think characters are developed best"), beta reading is about a novel after its first draft and first wave-ish of edits. Pretty much everything before and after the production of a novel or story is purely up to what works best for the writer, so this post will introduce beta reading if it's new to you, and I'll give you my process if you want to tinker with it!

Beta reading is when interested readers work through your polished manuscript and make workshop comments so you can make an extra wave of edits. Publishing houses usually have two waves of this type of reading--alpha reading (AR) and beta reading (BR). If you can find enough people to alpha read for you (and you want alpha readers), go for it! But if you're confident in your grammar, your ability to craft a scene and characters, and the other formalities of creative writing, alpha reading isn't a requirement (as an indie. If you ever query your work to a house, it'll probably go through alpha reading).

Alpha reading is to catch grammar and syntax slips, mischaracterizations, character development that doesn't add up, excesses of adverbs and adjectives, and other craft faux-pas that the average reader wouldn't catch. Your alpha readers should pretty exclusively be other writers.

Beta reading is to gauge what your audience is thinking or feeling while they read your work. If your beta readers want to make alpha reading comments ("I don't feel like [character] would do that here"), that's A-okay, especially if you didn't have alpha readers, but that shouldn't be your chief concern with your betas. These are your audience surrogates! The job of beta readers is to tell you what they think or feel: "I like this," "I don't like this"; "This paragraph hit me hard"; "This word is confusing"; etc. If they add more words to their comments, that's A-okay ("I like this because these words go well together" or "This word is confusing--does it mean X or Y?") but not necessary! If your beta readers are your audience and not people who really get how writing works, then you should be taking any reasonings in their comments as loose, loose suggestions. Maybe those words that go well together to one reader feel, as you look at them a second time, cliche. Or perhaps the confusing nature of a word or phrase was by design. In any case, try to see your beta readers as a "live audience reaction" and not a "live reactionary critique."

One aside about alpha/beta reading: "this is bad" and "this is good" comments are toxic and should be avoided at all costs. Tell your readers to avoid these before they start writing. No good can come from these. Even "I don't like this" and "I like this" are worlds better, though still not great. But absolutely warn your readers against using objective blanket statements like "good/bad" as they read.

Now that we've laid the foundations, I'll go into my own process so hopefully everything above makes more sense.

Before I give my manuscript to beta readers, I go through 2-3 waves of revision on my own. After I finish my first draft, I wait about a month to let the dust settle, to gain at least a little emotional distance from the project so I can look at it a little more objectively. Then, I read it through, revising for content: cut this scene, add a scene here, chop paragraphs and sentences, add paragraphs and sentences, move this chapter here, make sure this character actually functions as he should in the narrative, etc. These are my macro edits.

Then I let it sit a week or two and go into line editing: punctuation and syntax, word choice, tweaking figurative language, etc. Close pruning of your work. Filing your nails after you've clipped them.

The third read-through is at a normal reading pace, as if you were a reader, to catch anything that may have slipped past during your close edits and revisions. This third read-through is likely the first time you've read your manuscript as it should be read--a book! This step, then, is a victory lap, but it's also one last troubleshoot. You might not find the errors in a computer program until you run the program. So too it is with writing.

This is a lot of work! You might want to relegate these tasks to your readers, but DO NOT!!! If you're still heavily revising and editing your work, don't let your readers to the table. This is your work and your story, and outside influence will stray it from what you want. Own this. Buckle down. Read.

Once you've got your polished draft, it's time to contact your readers! I would recommend 4-6 readers total unless you think you can handle more cooks in your kitchen at a time (I cannot). I typically just ask some of my friends to beta for me. Here's an example text:

"Hey all! I finished that book about church camp a while ago and was wondering if you'd beta read for me! Basically, I'd just need you to read through the book and make comments in the sidebar whenever you like something, don't understand something, are excited or intrigued by something, or other general impressions. You can comment however often or little you feel comfortable with--some people make one comment a chapter, others make multiple comments a page--anything works great. Really all you shouldn't comment are blanket statements of "this is bad" or "this is good," but feel free even to say stuff like "I like this" or "I don't like this." Just avoid objective language when possible.

I don't have any money for this, so sorry in advance, and if possible, I'd love for all of my beta reading to be done by the end of summer.

Let me know if you're down or not! :)"

I really have had readers comment that much and that little on my manuscripts. This is normal. If your readers are supposed to comment whenever something in their attention triggers, different readers' attentions will trigger differently.

It's also a wise idea to form your beta reading group (again, especially if you aren't doing a wave of alpha reading) as a mix of people from different backgrounds and writing experience. My church camp novel group is below:

Person A who went to church camp with me, is into poetry

Person B is into fanfiction, little church experience, mindful of social issues

Person C has little church or writing experience, mindful of social issues

Person D is very into writing, pretty into church

Person E is very into social issues and church, not a writer

I would advise to find a similar balance of people who are into your subject matter and those who aren't.

It's also helpful to give them a timeframe to read by, and make this longer than they need. I gave people ~two months for my ~60k-word novel.

Also, as a little incentive for your readers, plan something for when everyone's done! A post-beta party! Something like this will also encourage you through the process :)

Once you have your betas' comments, it's time for one last wave of revisions. Compile these comments however you like, and start tweaking. I like to have each beta's document open so I can cross-reference while I work through my own doc. And remember: these are audience comments, not writer comments (unless you explicitly brought writers on). If someone says something confuses them, that might just be their cross to bear. If none of your other betas were confused by it, or if one of your betas compliments the same section, it may be worth ignoring that first comment. Try to rule with the majority when you can, and take everything with a grain of salt. "I don't like this" doesn't mean it needs to be changed. It means you should figure out why that reader doesn't like it.

If you have any questions, my asks are open! Again, this is a pretty open concept where anything works as long as it works for you, so don't feel pressured to "get it right." But if you have any questions or suggestions, I'm all ears :)

Hope this helps!

#writeblr #writing #writing advice #fanfic #writers on tumblr #creative writing #bookblr #writing questions #booklr #writerscommunity #reading

[nogenderbee]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕒𝕤 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ not a request

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ I know there's a lot of bots with this au and probably fics too BUT

I just has to write it 😔 The au, prompt and everything is just too great!!

Also, this time I wrote in a bit different form! Hopefully it's still alright ^^ because oh my, I definitely enjoyed writing this!!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ fluff

✧ Heizou heard about you even before he got your case, he simply never got too into it since you're u didn't do anything to pique his interest

✧ but when he got your case, he was at first bored to do it, but when he saw you in action, it all changed!

You just robbed another shop because of private reason, maybe it was on order! Well it's up to you! But on your way back you bumped into a detective who happened to have your case.

"Well well, who do we have here? Stealing from innocent shop owner?"

Because of your inattention, he got your wrists so now, you had to lean on your charisma skills to escape this situations...

"Maybe I just wanted to meet you~? I mean look at you! You're so handsome... every girl would squirm at my place already!!"

Of course Heizou expected the thief to try getting out but somehow... he couldn't find a lie in your sentence... the adoring look in your eyes made him blush, his mouth with gaping...

"I- well... ehem, it's not- Hey! Uh, I should've known!"

And you got him! The moment he cleared his throat, you escaped! And he quickly realized that. And that was the moment, the chase began~

✧ soon, the case began VERY interesting for him! So interesting he refused any other long cases because he wanted to prioritize yours

✧ was he falling during the case? Yes. Was he about to admit it? No. Were you the same? Yes, but you weren't afraid to admit it~

✧ now he knows, to not get distract by your words! And you knew you'll be done for the next time he catches you...

✧ but somehow, the chases always made both of you smile...

✧ you were smiling because of the adrenaline and how much he tried to catch you

✧ he on the other hand, enjoyed how creative you were with your escapes and because you weren't like any other thief, he actually wanted to catch you for some other reasons than the law~

✧ it's easy to say, calm talks are almost impossible between you two... so unless you let him catch you just to talk with him for a bit, or climb a really high building so he has no choice but indulge in conversation with you, you'll only be seeing each other while chasing...

✧ but you could also lure him into a little trap! Just to make him listen to you and that's probably how you could finally have hert to heart conversation with him and confess~

"You should be more aware of your surroundings, detective~ Well, I can't say I'm complaining! We can finally talk a bit."

"Talk? Heh, you mean talk on how much you'll try selling me back to Tenryou Comission for? Classic thi-"

"No. I mean talk. I'll let you go the moment you feel uncomfortable! I planned this mechanism well enough to have a chance to explain after that so no worries~"

"Hm... well this is new. So be it... if this is so important you had to tie me to a tree, I might as well listen your point."

✧ it's really kind of a forbidden love... BUT not impossible to go around! Maybe HE won't change but he could agree on few adjustmens~ especially if you already had the hard confession!

✧ if you agree, he'd be happy to take you to interrogation and fill in the documents so you could get out without jail, maybe with "punishment" of being detective's assistant for a little while~?

✧ but if that doesn't suit you, there's also possibility of little play pretend! If you stop stealing in the Inazuma City, he'll be able to mark your case as forgotten and he wouldn't have any bigger obstacles to secretly meet with you

✧ all of that wouldn't happen soon tho... he'd first need to develop actual strong feelings for you that he finally admits and both of you would need to trust each other and have few sly calmer meetings here and there

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@bleachtheidiot - come get your flirty detective~

#genshin impact #genshin #x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #shikanoin heizou #heizou #heizou x reader #genshin heizou #genshin heizou x reader #shikanoin heizou x reader #fluff #genshin fluff #headcanons #oneshot #genshin headcanons #genshin oneshot

[autumnywinter]

Im crazy for this blog! Do you mind writing for yandere Baizhu or some hcs? Maybe a modern au?

Baizhu's more just a clinician than a pharmacist here because I'm obsessed with yandere doctors. It's been a while since I wrote for him, I'm not very confident in this but I hope it's still good ^^

Yandere!Baizhu x Reader

TW: Heavily implied noncon somnophilia, drugging, doctor/patient, gaslighting

You had been seeing and hearing things. It started with little noises outside of your window at night, rustling and shuffling. It scared you, but not enough to do anything about it. Next thing you knew, you swore you were seeing white flashes through your window at odd hours of the night. You'd look out the window, and there'd be not a thing in sight except for the stillness of the night.

It got worse.

Items of your possession began to go missing, mostly clothing, oftentimes dirty. You told yourself it was probably due to your own absent-mindedness, but you knew deep down that something was wrong.

The thing that set you off was when you'd wake up sore and hurting. There'd be scratch marks on your arms and back, and bruises you swore were hickeys on your shoulders and neck. They were in places you couldn't have reached yourself. Your mind had jumped to the worst case scenario, and you were terrified.

Yet your trusted doctor brushed it all off, saying you were getting hallucinations and stressing yourself out far too much. He claimed what you were so sure were hickeys, were actually just bruises. He said you were likely a sleep walker due to your increased stress, hence it made sense that you'd unintentionally hurt yourself while asleep. You'd bought into his reasoning, because he'd always been so trustworthy and reliable.

He gave you medication to help you, but you couldn't help but feel like what he prescribed made it worse. You found yourself more groggy than usual, and often having nightmares. You felt physically sick most days.

But Doctor Baizhu was so trustworthy, you felt like it was the right choice.

You noticed how his fingers would linger longer than they should whenever he took your pulse. You noticed how his eyes would dilate when staring at you for just a bit too long. You noticed how his touch felt wrong, like there was something else behind it. But you were just being paranoid, just as Baizhu said.

"Feeling sick again?" Baizhu's cold hand pressed against your forehead. The touch sent a shiver coursing through your body, the sharp contrast in temperature setting your nerves on edge.

"Yeah," you managed. Your voice was barely a whisper.

"That's unfortunate," Baizhu sighed. He clicked his tongue a few times in thought. "Well, if you continue taking this medicine, you should start feeling better soon. Although I'm starting to worry the side-effects are a pain. I have something else to try, so if you would just give me a moment..."

Baizhu walked off to the other end of the room, leaving you alone. You swallowed hard, wincing slightly at the uncomfortable feeling. Your throat was always dry lately, and you found yourself struggling to swallow, let alone eat. You wished you could sleep, but the nightmares always left you a groggy mess. You could never remember them, only that they were terrifying.

"Ah, here we are," Baizhu smiled, snapping you from your thoughts. He had a bottle of pills, shaking out one singular white one. "It'll dissolve in your mouth. It's to help ease your nausea. I know you haven't been keeping anything down well lately. Hopefully this should help."

You extended a hand, to which he placed it in your palm. Were doctors even allowed to give out pills directly? You weren't sure, but shrugged it off. You popped it into your mouth, and Baizhu was right. It quickly dissolved, and you were surprised that it didn't have a funny taste. You were expecting something bitter or awful, but there was nothing.

"It'll take some time to kick in," Baizhu assured you. "I'd like it if you stayed here until it does. It might make you a little dizzy."

"Sure," you nodded. You had no reason to distrust Baizhu, despite every fibre of your being telling you something was wrong.

The medicine kicked in quickly. Within ten minutes, you were feeling a bit weird, like you were floating. Your head was lighter. Baizhu noticed you swaying and pushed you gently onto the examination table.

"Dizzy?" he asked.

"Uh huh," you replied dumbly.

"Stay lying down," he instructed. Your vision was spinning and your head was empty, so empty you could hardly process the fact he was digging into your belongings and then leaving the room. You wanted to ask him where he was going, but couldn't find the energy. Instead, you let yourself lay there, staring at the ceiling as it spun round and round.

Baizhu came back, rolling in a wheelchair. He lifted you up with a quiet groan, and set you gently into the seat, draping a blanket over you. It was scratchy and thin.

"We're going for a walk," Baizhu said. He wheeled you out, and as loopy as you were, a spike of hazy panic hit you when you saw him leading you to a car in the parking lot that wasn't yours. You tried to protest, but Baizhu cooed, petting your hair and whispering sweet nothings.

"Shhh, it'll be okay. Everything is fine. We're going home."

Baizhu opened the passenger side door, pushing the chair close. He lifted you out with a low grunt. You felt weightless in his arms, like a feather. He buckled you in, and his minty breath ghosted across your face.

"I love you," he murmured.

You passed out before his lips could even touch yours.

#answered ask #yandere #genshin impact #yandere genshin impact #baizhu #yandere baizhu #baizhu genshin impact #genshin impact baizhu #baizhu x reader #baizhu x y/n #baizhu x you #genshin x reader

[alexbkrieger13]

Women’s Champions League: where the semi-finals will be won and lost

This weekend brings the first legs of the Women’s Champions League semi-finals and I am particularly intrigued to see how my old club Chelsea approach their tie against Barcelona. This is the third encounter between the clubs in the space of four seasons and it will be interesting to see what Chelsea’s coaching staff have learned from those previous games – the 2021 final and 2023 semi-final, which both ended in defeat.

To draw on my recollections of playing in those matches, in 2021 we went into the final with a high press and the attitude that ‘we’re going to do our thing’. But we all know how that worked out – within 20 minutes we’d conceded three times and by half-time it was 4-0, which is how that final finished.

Last year, as a consequence, we took a more cautious approach. We changed to a back three and tried to minimise their chances on goal and I think we did it quite well though, in the process, we sacrificed our own attacking game to a degree. In our 1-0 first-leg loss at home, we had an xG of only 0.35. Hopefully, this time Chelsea can find the perfect blend and play their own game while also constricting Barcelona.

Of course, it won’t be easy as Barcelona – like the Spain national team – are going like a train right now. In my first column in February, I spoke about playing against Spain with Sweden and the challenge of stopping their play in the half-spaces between the centre-back and full-back, which they are so good at exploiting through Aitana Bonmatí. This time I’d like to single out another player – namely, the Barcelona right winger Caroline Graham Hansen, who is having an incredible season. She scored in both legs against Chelsea last season and has been even better this year with 17 goals and 16 assists in the Liga F. With Barcelona functioning so well as a team centrally, they can get the ball to her in the wide spaces and give her the one v one situations in which she flourishes. Therefore, Chelsea must keep a player tight to her and also to try to stop the supply line of passes out wide.

As for my old team, just like for last season’s semi-final, they look certain to be without Millie Bright, who has only just returned to training after her knee injury. She will be missed, as will Sam Kerr, the leader of the front line. Yet if you’re looking for positives, one potential upside is that it might not be easy for Barcelona to analyse Chelsea. They have used a lot of players this season with different combinations in the back line and midfield and this unpredictability could be an asset. A case in point is Lauren James, who could play as centre-forward, the No 10 or in the wide areas. Lauren has been injury-free this season and has played at a consistently high level and it’s not easy for opponents to set up to stop her as she can float around and perform in different areas.

Another possible positive for Chelsea is that Barcelona are without their injured centre-back Mapi León. She was very good against us last year, both in stopping attacks and building the play. We had a plan to exploit their high line and get Sam in behind her and Irene Paredes, the other centre-back. However, the pair of them read it well and dropped back to deny Sam the space.

When you look at Barcelona’s unbeaten run in their domestic competitions, it contrasts with Chelsea’s recent domestic form with their defeats in the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-final. I’d argue that, playing in England, Chelsea face bigger tests more often yet Barcelona, to their credit, never seem to let their standards drop and whenever a big test comes around, they show up. If I have to make a prediction, therefore, my head tells me Barcelona are the best club side in the world right now and so will edge it. Of course, my heart is hoping for Chelsea and although they’ve have had those recent setbacks, a huge characteristic of their success under Emma Hayes has been their ability to bounce back from disappointments and produce a performance when it matters most.

As for the other, all-French, semi-final between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, I would have made Lyon clear favourites a few months ago but not any longer. I actually scored Bayern’s winner at PSG in the group stage in November but I have been impressed by how they have gelled as a team since then. Watching their quarter-final against Häcken, I saw a settled, solid side who have found a way to really capitalise on the speed of winger Tabitha Chawinga.

Before our two games against them with Bayern, we looked at their threat on the left side with both Chawinga and full-back Sakina Karchaoui, who gets over a lot of crosses. What I like about Chawinga is that she’s a forward who, with her individual quality, speed and strength, can make something out of nothing. At Bayern we experienced that in our 2-2 draw with PSG in Munich in December when with her speed, she intercepted a backpass which our goalkeeper had looked the favourite to reach.

She also scored when PSG drew 1-1 in Lyon in their most recent league meeting in February and with Marie-Antoinette Katoto alongside her, it’s clear PSG have a strong attacking threat. At the same time, though, I consider Lyon a more complete team. It’s true they’ve not yet faced a serious test in the competition but they have more than 11 world-class players. And I can speak from recent personal experience as my Sweden team lost 1-0 last week to a France side including several of Lyon’s best players. At centre-back Wendie Renard was really solid against us and underlined her set-piece threat once again by scoring the winning goal. Alongside her, Griedge Mbock now looks back to her best after injury.

Up front, meanwhile, I faced Kadidiatou Diani, who is the Champions League’s leading scorer with seven goals. Seeing her up close, I could sense she was in good shape. When you play an attacker who’s in form, things just seem to happen for them and I recall one incident in particular where, without producing a fantastic dribble, she was still able to get the ball away from several of our players. She is another player who can create something out of nothing and could have a key role, especially with Eugénie Le Sommer missing after suffering a knee injury in that same game against Sweden.

Like Chelsea and Barcelona, Lyon are unbeaten in this Champions League campaign, they tend to get the better of PSG in their domestic competition and I expect they’ll do so again over these two legs. That said, I really do think any of these four semi-finalists have the quality to go on and win the trophy. Whereas the quarter-final ties each had a clear favourite, this time anything could happen. I hope as many people as possible tune in as we could be in for a treat with two dramatic ties full of twists and turns.

#love this analysis from magda #magdalena eriksson #swewnt #woso #fc bayern frauen #fcb frauen

[miniagula]

ghouls. is this a safe space. bc i actually really love vaggie and i really really want to love her relationship w charlie but series charlie sometimes makes me want 2 eat drywall in the not-fun way

to tldr it: shit just didn't live up the way i thought it would be lmao

idk what it is that's giving me the bad taste in my mouth but particularly off the dome it's her desire w BEING GOOD and her disdain for hell, the show's pacing, and her inability to stand up for herself? like. why are you apologizing to the angels trying to kill you‼️‼️

sometimes it felt like charlie only rlly cared abt heaven and being good rather than loving her people for what they were, and doesn't seem to mind violence as long as it's undertaken for her own gain. and i don't have a problem with that! i thought they were interesting traits/conflicts that would get some more focus but they. didn't.

and vaggie. i LOVE vaggie so much. i love her design, i love her voice, i love the fallen angel background, i love she has so much love for charlie. ik that last bit is a point of contention for people but i loved it, and i thought all of it would also get more focus and it also didn't

#*shaking charlie by the shoulders* you are the 200y/o eternal princess of hell!! #why are you shooting fireworks at the angels trying to kill you!! #she's not a baby! she's not new to violence! #im not explaining it well but it was so frustrating to watch #but on the other hand #i've been toying w the idea of charlie knowing the whole time abt vaggie's secret‚ and trying to constantly reassure her that she's loved #& like instead of reacting w fear at the trial its just resentment for adam bc that was something VAGGIE was supposed to tell her #in her own time #it would've been a lovely addition to how so much of vaggie is love for charlie. so much of them is love for the other!!! #but it just. falls flat. #who knows! hopefully this will all be solved in s2 #but potential-wise i can't help but feel like i just watched someone continuously throw away plates of good food #in any case. vaggie i'm getting you out of there #hazbin hotel critical #long tags #this isn't to like rag on the show; just my personal grievances #i want it to be amazing! but sometimes it felt like i waited years for smth that wasn't worth it

[galaxseacreature]

job interview tomorrow?!?!!!

#on the one hand i am literally happy at my current job and did not plan on going anywhere yet #on the other hand it's a very exciting sounding opportunity! so like! hopefully it still sounds cool when we talk tomorrow! #obvi i don't know their applicant pool situation but i think i'm competitive #it's a bit surreal to consider the case if all goes well #i kind of don't want to leave my team now. but like. it's too good an opportunity not to throw my hat in the ring! #already having a job i like is a wonder for nerves though. i truly will be fine no matter what #so as i keep telling people: we'll just see what happens! #anyway i've been doing a little prep and just had to let out some of the extra energy before bed

[inga-don-studio]

Just made a Bluesky account (THANK YOU ESTRIN!!!) so if any of you are on there & wish to follow, this me: https://bsky.app/profile/deadofnightstudio.bsky.social

🎃

I’m also on Instagram as DeadofNightStudio, too! https://instagram.com/deadofnightstudio?igshid=YzAwZjE1ZTI0Zg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

I tend to mostly lurk on Insta lately, but I may start posting my art over there again if the spirit moves me.

🎃

I’m on discord, but I mostly stick to one or two community servers & not so much the DMs.

I am considering starting a Toyhouse account, and if there are any other sites that are good for artists & creators that y’all would recommend, I’d be interested in hearing your suggestions! Or other social media sites you guys like! Just … not Twitter.

#🎃 Cryptid sighting #I’ll follow up in a couple days if I decide to give any other sites a chance #Haven’t had the energy or time to be super present on here so the same will apply to those other sites as well #But in case Tumblr becomes a ‘legacy site’ faster than anticipated I’ll get things set up & figured out as soon as I can #But like I said in the tags on the previous reblog- I can’t imagine I’m leaving here until the site is unusable #And given it sounds like they’ll keep a small team working on the site- hopefully that won’t be for a long time

[always-a-slut-4-ghouls]

Me, opening up a packet of the stuff the vet gave me: “I hope this probiotic powder doesn’t put my cat off his food. Can’t really help with his digestion issues if he doesn’t eat it”

I spill some because my hands can have problems with stability

My cat: *licks the stuff up like a kid who just discovered what powdered sugar was*

Me: “is this flavored?”

My cat: begs me for more powder and momentarily forgets his food

Me: “this has to be flavored”

#emma posts #sometimes him getting excited about new flavors for kitties is good #but other times his love of flavor exploration will lead him to eating a food he’s allergic to #and I can’t figure out what he’s reacting to right away because he just keeps eating the thing that makes his tummy hurt #at least I stop using things I realize cause allergic reactions #you’d think a little guy who doesn’t even know what allergies are would be even more off put by them #he’s so finicky about so many random things! but he loves new foods. especially more expensive ones. and that food was more expensive #this time he is getting a food for upset hairball tummies and has been enjoying it more than his old stuff too #I just hope that him traveling back and forth between his old food at my parents house and new food here causes problems #his old man tummy is getting more sensitive than it used to be and he’s getting a different food now… hopefully. and vitamins while he gets #these probiotics to hopefully make the change easier. I don’t want to jinx it but so far it seems to be really helpful #he hasn’t even gotten one hairball since starting the hairball food! and he loves his new vitamin treats #hopefully he’ll keep doing well with the old kitty vitamin treats #I want him to get his old man vitamins #even if he’s super healthy for his age. it’s good not to get worse! #i would know. as someone who dealt with not eating enough from medication side effects #I’m better now though! I switched meds and take more vitamins just in case #anyway. eating food is important for humans and kitties if you can get it it’s important! #and if your cat doesn’t get or absorb enough food they could get permanent damage to their bodies. never let your cat go more than three #days without food! try to make sure that they eat at least every 12 hours #they might not need as much food as you. but they can get a lot sicker a lot faster than humans usually do #I can ramble on and on about cat health though 😅 I just love my little guy so much #combo of better food formulated for hairballs and not giving him an allergic reaction with the probiotics too seems to be helping a lot #i knew cheap food wasn’t usually quite as good as the slightly more expensive stuff but holy shit. since moving out and now switching food #it’s been going so well for him! maybe I should ask my family to change the other cats food. I just hope that an extra 9$ a bag isn’t #off putting for them. i feel like fewer hairballs should be a great selling point

[mediapen]

this is the worst fucking trip of my life. i spent a week in russia having a massive panic attack every fucking day and THIS is the worst trip of my life

#ive literally never experienced such rude people im gonna snap so fucking bad soon #it’s EVERY DAY if it was a one off it’d be at least a bit better but it’s EVERY TIME I GO ANYWHERE WHAT IS IT ABOUT ME!!!!!!! oh my god #i am so sorry central maybe it’s not you. well it was you but your shitass contagion has spread around the world #I’ve had like six people cut in lines ahead of me people walk so close they push me into walls i just stop dead now it’s the only thing tha #works some guy walked through my arm and WHACKED his arm on my water bottle in my bag and it HURT him i could hear it it’s the highlight of #this entire fucking trip #i have been hit in a cathedral nearly stood on multiple times kids running into me people trying to walk through me ive just lugged my case #onto a bus where these two old cunts with like cabin bag sized cases managed to move to take up SIX SEATS as i got on the bus with my big #case so i had to stand. then nobody would let me off the bus with my big fucking case so hopefully i broke some toes. and THEN in my three #minute walk to this airbnb i am supposed to just get off the planet apparently and also walk in the road because god forbid other people #develop an ounce of brain matter and not walk four abreast on the pavement im fucking over it. fuck off and die you can see me im 5’9 #also the bus people im not done with those fucking bus people like they were in the four seats and one of them went to a two seat but the #one on the four stayed on the edge with his case so i couldn’t get past and there were no other case-friendly seats #like it was fucking intentional what level of fuckhead do you have to be to stop someone sitting on a bus absolutely wank #google translate I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL MYSELF the next time something happens and i will do it for real #dl

[sanctfy]

i think i'll have to call out from work sometime this week to take my cat to the vet

#poor baby i think she has chin acne #our other cat just had it + it looks the exact same #i could have someone take her for me but she's my baby id feel so bad for leaving her alone #+ i want to talk with the vet and hear exactly how i need to take care of her #hopefully we can get an early appt but if not ill just call out sick #im also just so scared theyll say that shes really sick or something serious #and id never forgive myself for not being with her if that's the case #(hopefully not i believe she'll be healthy and well🙏 but ive definitely been crying over the possibility + its kept me up tonight) #+