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thatdesklamp · 7 months

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Writing advice from la lamp de desk

Summary of my tip-top writing tips:

‘Said’ is your best friend; avoid adverbs, you don’t need them; never use adjectives instead of someone’s name; avoid clichés like the plague; don’t mix metaphors; use the Emotion Thesaurus; just practise, all the time, and you’ll get better.

(I also feel the need to say that I was asked for writing tips on multiple occasions--I am not this wanky and conceited to offer this unsolicited)

Dialogue

‘Said’ is your best friend. You do not need to use other ‘dialogue verbs’ (shouted/explained/whispered/replied) as much as you think you do. ‘Said’ is like proper punctuation; it blends in and you don’t notice it… unless it’s not there. Use ‘said’ all the time, because your reader will not notice it. The reader always notices other ‘dialogue verbs’ (they stick out and draw the reader’s attention quite a lot) and so overuse of them becomes confusing. Often, too, people can use them redundantly, especially if the reader can figure out the character’s tone from the rest of the scene. For example: if Sally has just realised Mark has been cheating on her, you really can just have her say: “I hate you!”. You don’t have to write: “I hate you!” Sally shouted. The reader gets it.

An exception to this rule is often said to be when the dialogue verb (the ones that ‘stick out’) provide more detail. For example, if the scene with Sally and Mark was very tense and heated, the reader expects the “I hate you” to be shouted, and said viciously. Of course! Context clues. If instead, you write: “I hate you,” Sally whispered.”, then suddenly the words takes on a whole new meaning. It’s something unexpected! The ‘whispered’ verb was necessary, when the ‘shouted’ verb was unnecessary. ‘Whispered’ stands out, but it stands out for a reason.

(As with all writing ‘rules’, there are no rules, and this doesn’t mean you cannot use other dialogue verbs: I do, all the time. It’s just important to remember that you can use ‘said’ much more than you think, which allows you to use other dialogue verbs judiciously, and not unnecessarily.)

(Here’s a full post I made about dialogue going into more detail with more advice)

Adverbs

Avoid adverbs, you don’t need them. It’s often said that adverbs are unnecessary because they can always be replaced by something better. It’s a common trap to add them on to a word redundantly, when a stronger, single word would be a better fit: why say ‘walked clumsily’ when you could say ‘stumbled’, etc. Another common saying is that adverbs are used to tell and not show: why say ‘he spoke nervously’ when you could say ‘his voice trembled’. Also, see my section on the emotion thesaurus for more detail on this ‘show not tell’ idea.

(This doesn’t mean you can’t use adverbs; simply recognise that, potentially, there is a better and stronger way to write that one sentence that, likely, doesn’t include an adverb.)

(There will be a silent disclaimer like this for every section, but I can’t be arsed to write one every time, so just remember that there are no hard and fast rules in writing, but it’s good to be aware of the general rules, so you can choose to break them when it works well).

Names and adjectives

Never use adjectives instead of someone’s name. Please, please, 99% of the time you never ever have to do this. Someone’s name is like ‘said’; it blends in, and the reader doesn’t notice it, so you really don’t have to worry about overusing it as much as you feel you should be. Some writers will use adjectives in place of someone’s name because they’ve heard the rules against repeating words: they’ll instead write ‘The brunette hummed’ or ‘The older said’ or ‘The lawyer considered’, etc etc.

The issue? Why does the reader need to know this?! You are introducing new information to the reader, and they do not need to know it! The reader does not need to know that the character has brown hair, and, in fact, it doesn’t make any sense within the context of the scene to draw their attention to the character’s hair colour. Why do we need to know? The answer: we don’t. At all. All this does is interrupt the flow of the scene, and make the reader’s brain stumble a little. It feels clunky—you do not need to do this! I see it all the time (often when the two main characters are the same gender and use the same pronouns, and the author is struggling to show the reader who’s doing what). It’s a real pet peeve of mine—just use the character’s name! Or use a pronoun! It’s okay!

The only time this should be used is, similar to the ‘said’ rule, if you are intentionally drawing the reader’s attention to the information you are introducing via the ‘name-substitute adjective’, but this would be a pretty rare occurrence. E.g., Johanna is a high-flying lawyer, but is currently giving out really really poor advice to a friend of hers. Using ‘the lawyer’ instead of her name ‘Johanna’ would remind the reader of her profession, and could serve as something mildly comedic.

Clichés

Avoid clichés like the plague. This is explained really really well in the video, ‘How to Bore your Audience’ by the YouTube channel, The Closer Look. To summarise: when I talk about clichés, I’m talking about the writing phrases or situations that have been so widely said and used and overdone that they no longer generate and effect in the reader. Idioms (turns of phrase, expressions) count here, too. The video gives a really good example: ‘He looked like a deer in headlights’. When you read the phrase, you don’t think of what the simile is intended to convey; the wide-eyed look of fear, the franticness of the car swerving, the horror of innocence being slaughtered, etc. You just think: oh, yeah, they’re probably scared, or whatever. Clichés don’t work as a literary technique, because they don’t affect the reader in any decent way: they just tell the reader what they should know, rather than show them. (Watch the video: there’s loads more detail there, and it’s fab.)

Metaphors

Don’t mix metaphors. This ties in with clichés, when people don’t realise they’re using clichés, or turns of phrases/idioms. Using more than one metaphor in a sentence, when the metaphors have contrasting meanings or use contrasting analogies, can be confusing and won’t generate a clear image in the reader’s head. Good example adapted from Daily Writing Tips: “The pastor warned of impending danger lurking just beneath the surface, which had been hanging over the town’s heads in recent years.” So, first, the danger ‘lurking just beneath the surface’: you’re imagining that, with all the sinister images like murky water, the close-to immediate threat, the danger rising up to meet you… and then, suddenly, it’s above you, and the metaphor’s been switched, and it’s very confusing and the reader is jarred. Not fun, not fun.

The Emotion Thesaurus and ‘show-don’t-tell’

The Emotion Thesaurus is the new love of your life. Most budding authors have heard of the ‘show-don’t-tell’ rule. Don’t ‘tell’ your reader that a character is upset, ‘show’ them; it’s less impactful to say ‘Chloe was smug’ than to say ‘Chloe’s lips curled into a smirk, her chin jutting out’. Etc etc. But how do we think of all of these ‘show’ phrases? How do we remember how humans actually… behave?

USE THE EMOTION THESAURUS! Linked here, it gives loads of body language etc. examples that are so so helpful as a jumping-off point for how to express emotions.

The website, One Stop for Writers, is just a general godsend. There are also masterlists of character motivations, positive and negative traits, and billions of checklists and worksheets and ticksheets. Take some time off and just scour it: it’s the best thing ever, trust me.

Just practise, man.

Nothing comes naturally. I’ve been writing for years and years and, since I’ve been publishing on ao3, I can literally see how I’ve improved over the course writing IW. You will get better, and you will write faster (when I first started, it took me multiple hours to write one page), and you just need to write more. That is it: that is the only way to improve. You don’t need to publish anything if you don’t want to: write for yourself and yourself only! I still abide by this, to be honest; I know I’d be able to get loads more interaction with IW if I published quickly and regularly, but I would end up seeing writing as a chore, and as something solely for the readers, rather than as something that I genuinely enjoy and do as a hobby alongside everything going on in my real-person life.

Just work at it. Do it for enjoyment, and don’t worry if it’s bad. It might genuinely be bad: but everyone’s was, at the beginning. No-one starts off being amazing. Everyone keeps improving; I know I am, and I know loads of things that I need to improve at, and so I’m going to keep on writing and I’ll trust that I’ll get better with practise.

Just write. Please please please, just write.

#fucking that Eng lit a level uppppp!!#ALSO #JUST WRITE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT ONLINE TRUST ME #IT'S OKAY TO WRITE WITHOUT GETTING VALIDATION FROM OTHERS #FOCUS ON ENJOYING IT FOR YOURSELF FIRST OR ELSE YOU'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE TO ENJOY IT WHEN YOU PUBLISH IT I PROMISE

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beesofwisdom · 1 year

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#bzzz #encouragement bumblebee #we are going to be okay #now is not forever #i promise #you're doing so well #you're important #you're loved #take care of yourself

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viviraptor · 30 days

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one art thing that keeps making me want to pull my hair out is when ppl post a drawing and immediately call it bad/mention its flaws in the caption. whatever you think you're doing with that i can assure you it's not working

#vivi.txt #listen to me. putting my hands on your shoulders.#i know you think calling your art bad makes you sound humble and relatable and funny but that is not how it looks to other people.#i'm going to be harsh for a second it sounds like your self esteem is low and you're looking for interaction out of pity.#BUT YOU HAVE TO LISTEN i know this because i did it too!!!!#saying those things over and over made me believe they were true. and a lack of interaction made it feel like others were agreeing with me #and maybe they are! when you mention something's flaws to someone they're obviously gonna look for them and notice them #and they might just ignore your stuff BECAUSE of that #and whatever notes you do get you've conditioned yourself to believe that they came out of pity for you which FEELS TERRIBLE #you have to get out of the habit of putting down your work. you don't even have to love it you don't have to think it's perfect #but your own words are is going to influence how others perceive it and not always in a good way!!#plus whatever mistake you wanted to mention would probably be totally ignored by others if you don't say anything. streisand effect #JUST PLEASE BE KIND TO YOURSELF. PEOPLE WILL MATCH YOUR ENERGY AND BE KIND TO YOU IN RETURN OKAY. PROMISE

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etapereine · 3 months

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#why are you looking at me like that i'm doing fine i promise #absolutely not living in fear that he will cut his hair before the season starts #rivals who have hair tufts together stay together okay #i know you're disappointed you cant go play with tadej at the giro #but you can have him with you in spirit (in the hair tufts) all season long if you just BELIEVE #jonas vingegaard

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kanene-yaaay · 1 year

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To Catch a Hero’s Giggle

Alternative Title: Golden Child

Kanene’s Notes: This fic is heavily inspired by This Headcanon that is basically that Hero has a natural quiet laughter and everyone likes to pretend that they ‘stole’ his giggles while tickling him

Warnings: This one has a lot of tickles dfghjhgfgh. Angst with a happy ending. Hurt/Comfort. Raspberries. Lee!Hero and Ler!Sunny&Ler!Kel. Around 3.500 words.

[~*~]

The top is a lonely place.

Actually, thinking about where he is - in the highest spot - feels weirdly frustrating. This numb feeling as he stared at the good grade on his newest text, the lack of even a small sparkle of proudness or relief at knowing that he did it again, the neutral tune of his face, the constant tiredness on his bones… none of this felt like the top. Like the best version of himself, like the amazingness and peak of development that he could achieve.

Yet, that was what everyone around him told that it was his place. The top of his class. The top of the students. The top of his school.

Hero had listened to it for years now, he had even fought with all his power for the title. And still he wondered when it would ever begin to make sense for him, to mean something for him.

(He wondered when he would look at the mirror with the same shine of pride and trust that his teachers and parents had when talking to him.)

"Hey, Hero! How did you do?"

Hero didn't grimace, because that was his classmate and she was nice. In any other and every other situation that didn’t involve school or grades, she was really nice.

Unluckily for him, that was not the case today.

"How did you do?" A smile, a curious look. Usually that would be enough to trail the attention away.

"I got a D! Not as brilliant as you, I guess, but still enough to pass so yeah!"

"D is still a good grade. I am glad you got it!"

"Hm mm, but still you're not running away from the question. Tell me, what did you get?"

His hand began scratching the back of his head, fingers tangling in his hair. "Ah, nothing much, just a B." He chuckled in good humor.

"Nothing much? Hero, I would commit crimes for your grades! Uuuurg, and you don't even look happy for it, too. Come on, I would be shooting fireworks if I was you right now. Is being that good just so normal for you, golden student, that you don't even care about them anymore?"

Words appeared and died in his tongue. A mix of "You’re not me" and "but I don't feel happy" and "Please don't call me that". Instead, he smiled and opened his mouth to say something (anything).

Scratch, scratch, scratch. He could almost feel the spotlight. It was starting to irritate, burn his skin.

Another classmate cut them.

"Hey, hey, Heroooo, my man!" That was June. She was nice and the arm that he slipped across his shoulders in a half hug made warmth spread across the touch. She was nice. "Sorry for cutting you short but I really need you to explain the subject of our Literature test like right now."

His eyes ran at the clock above the white board on the room. It was lunchtime, their literature test would be in the period right after it.

"Of course!" Smile. Suddenly, he was back at his comfort zone, with notes and books and subjects that don’t make any sense, but when you start to stare at them long enough with a tilted head you can start to see the connections. "Do you have any questions in mind? What was the part you got the most confused?"

In a blink his own literature notebook was on his hands, pages being fastly flipped as the boy looked for where his notes were.

Silence. The arm slipped from his shoulders.

Hero looked up. June laughed, with a tiny drop of awkwardness and bit her thumb with a dangerous smile as she avoided the other's eyes.

"Everything."

Hero stopped. Blinked. There was a light tremble in his words.

"The seven chapters about art schools?"

"Yep." She popped the p. "And the historical context. And the authors. And characteristics." Hero must have shown a glimpse of the dread he was feeling inside because soon June was holding his hand and kneeling on the not-so-clean-and-where-did-all-this-ink-even-came-from-floor. "Please, Hero, please! I know that I haven't studied anything but you're so great at teaching. I will owe you that one, please!"

"Ok! Ok!" Hero fumbled a bit with his own hands, feeling a mix of relief to take over his movements. No one should be so desperate to get his help. And how could he even say no to her? "It's fine, it is a very long subject but we have one hour before the class so I think we can cover a bit more than the basics."

His face became more serious, determinated eyes. "Get your book. We're going to meet on the tree next to the entrance, alright?"

"Perfect!" June jumped in the same place. "Thank you so much, Hero!"

"It is fine." And it really was, Hero loved to teach. But…"I am always happy to help, but next time, please ask me a day or two before the test."

"Of course, dude!" And she was already out the door.

Deep sigh. Hero looked at the clock. Actually, he took like one week to study all that stuff, however, maybe if he got the main historical events and explained how those affected the literature, architecture and worldview of each age, perhaps he could summon the main points of everything.

Another minute ticked by. Hero got his sandwich from his bag, already opening and taking a bite. Today was going to be a long day.

At least June was truly nice.

(...)

The thing about having Sunny as a neighbor is that sometimes he was just… there.

Hero, in his spot laid on the floorboards of his room - having fallen there after coming back from school and realizing that Kel was still out with the basketball group, - stared wide eyed at the deep dark eyes that curiously peaked at him from above. As soon as his brain clicked and he recognized the boy, however, his fast heartbeats began to calm down.

“Sunny!” He didn’t really want to get up, the cold floor soaking through his clothes and resting on his skin making all his muscles relax and keeping his mind from floating away. Still, he sat and turned around to stare at the younger with a pleasant quirk of lips. “Did you come to see Kel? He is still at his basketball practice. I am sure that you can still find him if you go to the park.”

Sunny looked back at him, his face was less pale and his movements less sluggish. It was good to actually see him more often, see the light come back bit by bit in his eyes. The same attentive eyes that fixed their attention at the taller boy, the silence stretching across the room before Sunny seemed to arrive at a conclusion, lightly nodding his head before popping himself on the floor right at his side.

He pulled his knees up and rested his chin on them and Hero opened his mouth, wanting, but not knowing how to explain that he really wasn’t a fun company right now.

“Heh. Sunny, I-”

A hand rested on his. The cold fingers patting his hand twice before a phone screen was basically shoved in his face.

Hero blinked, chuckled and adjusted himself to see what was on the device. It was a video of a small duck shaking himself and walking excitedly behind its owner with a light and quick ‘pap pap pap’.

He smiled, much more naturally this time, and pretended to not notice how thick with emotion was his voice. “This is cute.”

Sunny nodded, seeming content with himself, before turning back to watch something else. Probably more videos with ducks.

“Right.” Hero mumbled for anyone in particular. Deep breath. “Alright.”

Something hot ran across his cheek. And another. And another. And another.

It felt like burning, almost as bad as his eyes. Almost as annoying as the itch on his nose, the dryness of his throat.

Still, the floorboards were cold. They were brown and smooth and filled with dents wherever the tip of his fingers passes, result of years and years of both him and Kel having more accidents than the normal amount for two boys with inexplicable clumsy tendencies.

Still, there was a cold hand on his and the sound of puppies ‘yip yap yap’ and ducks ‘pap pap pap’ in the air smiling at it felt a bit easier.

Breathe.

Hero stared at the ceiling for a pieces of minutes, letting himself slowly close his eyes as his breathing got slower.

What a long day.

(...)

He opened his eyes, rubbing them and yawning as the consciousness slowly creeped back to his senses. His gaze travelled to the window, confirming that it was still afternoon and that possibly didn’t doze off for more than an hour.

Stretching on the floor, the older one realized that Sunny was still there, unfolding from the tight ball he usually imitated when sitting down and answering his gaze with his own curious eyes.

Hero smiled.

Sunny was a good friend.

His smile quickly turned into a grin.

“Sunny. There is something on your face, come here for a second.”

One blink, two blinks, Sunny came closer. Hero tried to not let his plan ( or mischief) show too much on his face.

“Just a little bit closer.”

He opened his arms, Sunny moved to attend his request. Hero’s arms got closer and…

Bam!

*HERO captures you in a hug!*

With a squeak, Sunny trash for a second before realizing what was happening and letting himself fall on the floor with a small smile, amused titters making his shoulders bounce for a bit before he let himself be hugged like a teddy bear with no complaints.

“Thank you, Sunny. You’re a really good friend.”

The younger boy didn’t answer him, but it didn’t matter. The silence that fell on them wasn’t in any way awkward. There was no need for words when all of his acts and little expressions showed how much Sunny cared.

Hero only kept him in the embrace for a couple more of seconds, giving the boy a quick squeeze before letting him go as a dazzling smile took over his face. Now it was time for him to show a bit how he cared about the younger too.

That was enough sulking for one day.

“Kel still hasn't arrived, huh? What if we both play a game then? I am sure we still have that old Spaceboy videogame where you can race his-”

“Another game.”

The voice was low, but for the way that made him immediately stop right on his tracks could be the loudest shout to ever exist. Hero tried to not let the immense wave of pride that filled his chest everytime Sunny decided to express his opinion show in his expression.

“Do you want to play another game?”

Sunny nodded, lightly pushing Hero’s shoulder so he would be laying down again. Hero let himself fall with an amused light in his face.

How could he deny that boy anything, really.

“What game is it?”

Sunny shrugged, as if not sure, he didn’t wonder about it too much, however, the shorter quickly calling his attention by lightly shaking his hands and lifting them.

Hero tilted his head, confused and still amused. Kids nowadays are so fun.

Sunny repeated the movement.

“Ah!” Finally, it clicked. Hero lifted his own arms. Was this a new version of Worm? He and Kel used to play it all the time as kids, even though his mother never seemed excited in seeing her two sons wiggling around the floor like two invertebrate beings. “Like this?”

The younger nodded, patting the arms for a good measure and a clear message of ‘stay’.

Then he lifted his own hands again, Hero watched attentively, ready to follow the instructions to the next step of the game.

That was the moment Sunny shoved his hands on his sides.

The sound that came out of his mouth was a half gasp and a half squeal, arms immediately crashing down in an attempt to catch and stop the onslaught of squeezes and pinches that were being delivered all across the ticklish skin.

“Suhuhunny!!” As quick as the giggling came, it went away, being immediately replaced airy titters and low, almost inaudible laughter, especially as Sunny spidered his nimbly fingers upwards in order to escape the hands that tried to pry him away, each prod and poke on his sensitive ribs making the older one arch his back and let out a single high pitched squeak that made his entire face explode in warmth. “W-why!”

Sunny only hummed contently, letting his hands rest cozy and snug on his highest ribs, the tip of his fingers just scratching the tip of his armpits while the thumbs kneaded the ribs with energy. Soon enough more and more loud high pitched squeals and squeaks began breaking the quietness of his laughter only for Hero to descend right back and his hysterical airy giggles all over again, arms clued on his sides, torso squirming from a side to another in lazy, futile wiggles that did nothing to actually stop the sudden tickle attack.

“Got you.” Sunny’s voice was as calm as ever, with plenty of a playful joy blossoming on it freely. “I will steal all of your giggles for myself…”

His attack went back to his sides, however instead of maddening squeezes or killer pinches, Sunny simply laid his hands on the skin and vibrated.

Hero jumped, merely wheezing before inaudible snickers that made his shoulders bounce with giddiness bubbly right out of his lips.

“Got them. They’re mine now.” Hero almost wished that his laughter was as loud and boisterous as Kel’s just so it wouldn’t be so easy to listen to Sunny’s teasy remarks, which weren’t even that teasy in the first place, lacking the smugness Aubrey had during her tickle attacks or Kel’s mischievous pokes of fun, but his words right now sounded just so sincerely happy that all that Hero could do at the this was let out an embarrassing snort that made his cheeks even more warm, the gigantic smile plastered on his face getting wobblier.

Especially as he heard a voice from his doorway.

“Are we tickling Hero?”

The immediate cry of “No!” that flew from his voice was quickly subdued by the fact that the younger violin player decided to change his technique to a skilled scribbling that concentrated too much on the spot where his sides connected with his stomach to be a coincidence. The word died in the air just as Hero’s bouncy snickers got even bouncier and even snickery, Sunny’s affirmative hum instead filling the room.

“Great!”

“Don’t!” Hero managed to slip in between his chuckles, opening a watery eye just to face the one thousand watts smirk of his younger brother, a smirk full of promises of danger and his very immediate doom. His brain run though arguments to find anything, anything promising enough to discourage Kel from helping Sunny but all he got was the same mantra of “it tickles it tickles it ticklesitreallytickles” that scrambled his thoughts any time that wiggly fingers even looked at his direction.

“I’m going to-” Wheeze.

“I can’t-” Yelp.

“When I-” A hiccup. More airy giggles.

Finally, he acquiesced, accepting his fate. “Plehehehease.”

“You’re tickling his sides? Nice idea, Sunny! That is a very good spot.” Kel carelessly threw his bag somewhere on the floor running to sit right at his brother’s sides, taking full advantage of the situation where Hero couldn’t scold him for that. “But you have to see his reactions when I tickle his legs! It’s like a super secret spot that can get him crazy every single time!”

Hero actually jumped when a hand lifted his leg, a few half-heartedly kicks with no real effort showing his struggle as he shook his head in protest.

“He always gets all squirmy when I do that but he never actually tells me to stop.” Kel ‘whispered’ (which, for Kel’s standard, was a lowered shout). “Even when he kicks me it’s so light that I can barely feel it. I think that he really doesn’t mind being tickled but I don’t tell him that I know or he would be really embarrassed.”

Sunny seriously nodded in understanding. Hero wondered if his face was trying to melt with how hot it was. Maybe if he tried enough he could be able to get that invisibility power he always wanted as a kid.

He kicked again.

“Watch this.” Kel whispered to Sunny, who decided to stop his own attack so the taller could get some interrupted oxygen. Two sets of watchful eyes turned in Hero’s direction. “Ha! This one wasn’t even close, Hero. Try again!” And then Kel’s hand found his calf and began kneading.

The force of the crackle that was fished from his throat made Hero shoot his head backwards, arms failing around for a couple of seconds before he fell back on the floor, quiet, fast and impossible to hide began dancing around in the room like a sweet melody.

“Ok, ok!” Kel, like the little demon he is, laughed together with him. “Now you just need to do this and…” His fingers crawled a few inches closer to his knee, attacking the spot with squeezes and pinches non stop. A snort shot in the air. And another. And another. And another. “Tcharam!! A snorty piggie coming right up.”

“Kehehehel! Don’t!”

“Make me.” Kel raspberried at him, suddenly stopping the banter when he saw his neighbor moving like he was snatching something out of thin air. “Eh? Did you catch a mosquito?”

Sunny shook his head, a grin on his face. Hero turned his attention to him as well when the boy repeated the gesture.

“I am catching Hero’s snorts.”

“Ohohoho my gohohod.” Sunny telegraphed his movements enough that when the oldest’s protest began disappearing in a wheezy crackle he was already “snatching” it from the air. “Stohohohop!”

“Ah! I get it! But you can’t have only his snorts, Sunny. Look! I can make him do other sounds too.”

Suddenly there were scritchess and scratches worming their way on the extremely, awfully, horribly ticklish skin under his knee, giving every inch of it a special attention as more and more silly sounds fell in flocks from his lips.

“There is a giggle!”

“And a yelp!”

“Quick, catch this squeak, it’s already floating away.”

As Kel and Sunny kept their play pretend, Hero started to feel like he was going to explode, and, in an unexpected bound of energy the flew forward and catched Kel’s hands, holding them with a triumphant grin - which was cracking at the corners with leftover chuckles, it’s true, but still - as he stared down at the brother in front of him.

“Heyyy, Hero.” Kel smiled nervously. “I, huh, er, uh…”

“Hi, Kel.” He was careful enough to put a playful growl at the end of the younger’s name. “Missed your old friend, the Tickle Monster?”

“Eek! Aaaaah!! He is going to tickle me! Sunny!”

“Don’t worry, the Tickle Monster has two hands. One for each ticklish boOOOY!”

A sensation exploded across his senses. A buzzing that began in the back of his neck and spread like a tickly electricity across all his nerves, teasing his ears, dancing on his chin, zig zagging over his spine and humming over his torso.

“Yes! Get him, Sunny! More raspberries until the Tickle Monster is defeated!”

Quickly another raspberry followed the first, and then another and another over and over again, all of them unfairly attacking his unprotected neck. For a moment Hero lost himself in uncontrollable belly laughter, in smiles, in airy snickers, teetery titters and in a maddening sensation that made everything else but the constant idea that “It tickles!” disappear from his mind in a blink.

After some time, he was tapping the floor, happy tears running on his cheeks and a wheezy “enohohohough” flying from his lips as the tickling went away. Sunny running to stay at Kel’s side as his friend called him for a winning high five.

“We did it. We defeated him!” Kel’s excited voice made amusement fill his chest. Kids are so fun nowadays. “Your raspberry attack was a good idea.”

Breathe in. Breathe out. Giggle giggle giggle.

“But, eh, why were we tickling Hero?”

At this, Hero’s head shoot upwards, body slowly unfolding from the defensive ball it tried to mimic to watch Sunny with an equally curious gaze.

The shortest eyes glanced at his form for a bit, but before Hero could think anything out of it (was he going to tell-) Sunny just shrugged.

Silence.

“Ok! Hey, Sunny, since you’re here, we should play a game!”

Their neighbor grinned, just the tiniest tiny bit.

Hero wondered if he, as a good older brother, should warn Kel.

“Do you have any idea of a good one?”

But nah. Hero sighed - a mix of relief and a calm contentment that spilled from his soul and filled his heart. He would let them have their fun.

#I begin thinking about a giggly Hero and something feral unblocked inside my soul #Also loved the idea of Hero receiving one (1) piece of comfort from Sunny and IMMEDIATELY going:#'okay okay that is enough now it's time for YOU to receive the attention' and Sunny looked in his eyes and went 'no <3'#and then proceeded to tickle him. honestly so valid <3 #Lee!Hero #Ticklish!Hero #Ler!Sunny #Ler!Kel #ALSO KEL AND SUNNY WORKING TOGETHER WAS ONE OF MY FAV INTERACTIONS TO WRITE THEY ARE SO AMAZING TOGETHER <3 <3 <33 #Omori tickles #Omori tickling #You can pry Hero with silent laughter from my dead cold hands #cheer up tickles #All I can think is Sunny in the end looking at Kel and being like :] ...... >:]#anyways moe personal tags now #Crazy how I had classmates that actually got *angry* at me because I didn't was ''''happy enough''' because of my grades. pretty messed up #Also if you relate a bit w that struggle.... it gets better. I promise. It takes some time and it takes we being kinder to ourselves #but it really gets easier. One day you will look behind and be porud of yourself for enduring all you endured. for real #you're really cool bean <3 #Also be careful or sunny might appear and get u ya know jhgfdfghjjw #Kanene's fic #Kanene's fanfic

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rainbowangel110 · 4 months

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Guys how do I help a friend who's not doing too mentally well ATM when I literally have no clue on their situation and my only go to response is a stupid "Do you need a hug?" or something like that.

#I'd love to give them a hug but like.... That's all I have #And uh hey #Specific friend I am not going to mention just in case if you don't want people crowding you rn #But I think you might know who you are #I care. A lot about you. You are genuinely one of if not the most interesting and passionate person I've met here #I want to help you. Really. But I'm not sure if I'm helping #But hey listen #If you do indeed see this....#Well #This is for you #I might have to go to bed RN but hey. I really care about you and I want you to be safe #Can you promise me that at least?#I don't want you to feel like you're a burden cuz you're not #please be okay.#None of my friends are burdens #Just posting #Hey guys don't ask who this is about cuz I don't want them to be overwhelmed #Just hope the person this is for will see it

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ballisterboldheart · 2 years

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couldn't stand the thought of missing out on the rest of our life together.

#why r u mad bc jarmen clowns keep winning ?#cobrakaiedit #cobra kai #carmen diaz #johnny lawrence #s.gif #changed my mind jarmen isnt underdeveloped you're all just haters #because okay listen <- things said before writing a wall of text #johnny's arc w carmen is ALL abt him taking responsibility. he's a man who has run away from literally Everything in the past 30 years.#he's run away from ck/his past w kreese he's run away from his son he's literally on the outskirts of society.#he doesn't. he doesn't CARE enough abt anything to stick w it when it gets hard.#and everyone lets him. no one makes him accountable.#but. for the first time. w miguel. he doesn't want to run away from something.#and i think its so important the carmen and johnny's first Real interaction is when johnny is carrying miguel #home after he got his ass beat.#he's taking that responsibility/that punishment for having failed.#and yeah. he spirals afterwards. self flagellates. and then drags his ass back and promises to be Better.#and he is! he does NOT give up he does not run away ever again #hs fight happens carmen says she never wants to see him again but johnny doesnt take that as a sign to Go Away #instead he helps out however he can while still respecting that boundary #and just ughhhhhhhh that fucking. ''i'll do whatever it takes / i know you would'' exchanges is like. the best way to sum it up #it takes a While for johnny to earn that trust. but he does.#anyways. normal.#long post

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akirakirxaa · 8 months

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FFXIVWrite Prompt 10: Free Day (Shed Part 2)

Rating: E (That's for Explicit, not everyone)

Word Count: 840

Warnings: Explicit sexual content

Summary: Shedding complete, Akira's feeling better and her lovers are determined to help her relax. [Note, this chapter is not complete but I figured I'd submit this portion for the free day. :3 Consider it a sneak peek. Continued from Day 8: Shed. Hyth and Hades Stay AU.]

Master Post

Akira sank down into the hot water of the bath with a sigh until it covered all but the top half of her face, hair still piled on top of her head. She’d had several soaks now, and it had removed most of her dry scales between the treatment that her loves had applied and the hot water working the scales loose. Now her scales fairly gleamed, dark glossy obsidian against the chalky alabaster of her unscaled skin. She ran her thumb across the back of her other hand; the scales were soft and malleable, something that scared her to go to battle with but…that she couldn’t help but feel proud of. For once they weren’t covered in scrapes and scabs from her desperate attempts to get it over with faster.

She sank a little lower, the water lapping over her nose. It rankled a bit that Hades knew better than she how to take care of her own body, but… It wasn’t like it was a fair comparison. While he’d had thousands of years to learn everything about anything, she had a grand total of less than ten years of memories to work with, and less than half of that with any knowledge that she even was auri. Her tail swished behind her, and she flinched as the water sloshed onto the floor.

“Don’t worry, we can just get Hades to clean it up,” Hyth smirked from the doorway, and she gave a small smile in response. “Might I join you?” Akira nodded and backed from the side of the bath to make room. She averted her gaze to try to give him some privacy, but not only did he seem to not particularly want it, she couldn’t quite keep her gaze away. Between furtive glances she couldn't help but appreciate his lean physique, softer than either her or Hades, save for his archer's arms that were all corded muscle. She knew he knew she was looking but, for a blessing, he said nothing, settling into the water next to her, pulling his hair free of its usual braid.

"Your hair's really pretty when you let it down," Akira tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. He smiled.

"You think so? Maybe I should wear it down all the time."

"It looks nice up too," she quickly added, then yelped as he hauled her into his lap, facing him.

"Then perhaps you just think I'm pretty," he teased lightly, and she felt like her face was on fire from the closeness.

"M-maybe I do," she tried to match his tone, but her voice wavered as his hands hooked behind her legs to pull her closer, and she could feel exactly the effect their earlier activities had had on him resting against her thigh. A light scrape of teeth against her horn had her stifling a whimper into his chest, and he chuckled.

"You know, this is allowed, I don't think anyone's going to tell the savior of the star she can't indulge a little," he encouraged, and Akira hesitated just a moment before tilting her head back, carefully minding the sharp points of her horns as her mouth found his throat and mouthed at it with teeth and tongue. The groan he let out at that had her positively aching. He gripped her hips hard and ground against her, a whimper escaping her as he dragged across her clit.

“Did I tell you that you could touch?” A sharp voice interrupted, and Akira, startled, collapsed forward into Hyth’s chest, her hands slipping from his shoulders.

“You also didn’t say that I couldn’t,” she could hear the smirk in Hyth’s voice. Slow footsteps approached the bath before Hades took Hyth by the chin and pulled his face towards him. Akira glanced up to see Hyth giving a supposedly innocent grin. Hades had shed his coat earlier and, now, the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up and the very top buttons undone. She swallowed.

“Come now, Hades, doesn’t she deserve a reward for behaving during her treatment?” he purred, and Hades scowled.

“Looks more like to me that you’re rewarding yourself,” he fired back, before giving a snap. Hyth’s arms were pulled behind him and bound in red leylines. Far from looking put out, Hyth seemed pleased with the outcome. “Well, Hero, enjoy yourself.” Hades’ voice deepened to a low purr, trailing one hand up her spine, and she shivered.

“I…I…” she stammered nervously, her mind going blank at the suggestion, as she felt an overwhelming feeling of stage fright. Despite their having stayed with her for some time now, she still wasn’t entirely used to being watched.

“Come now,” his voice rumbled against her horn as he leaned over the two. “Don’t you think you deserve a little reward?” He pressed gently on the small of her back, not hard enough to force her, just enough encouragement. She shivered, bucking forward and drawing a moan out of both herself and Hyth.

And she indulged.

#ffxiv #hyth and hades stay au #smut #hyth x wol x emet #I'm working on a better name for this ship and verse i promise #sorry for the sudden stop but I ran out of time to work on it and wanted the extra credit #hythlodaeus #emet-selch #warrior of light #oc: akira kirxaa #au ra xaela #ffxivwrite2023 #ffxivwrite #my fanfiction #dom/sub dynamics #just a little bit #do not perceive me #okay perceive a little but only if you're going to be nice about it

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swinging-stars-from-satellites · 1 year

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I come as bidden to ask for angsty fic recs! :D (Especially if they end good though, I just watched a TV show from which I am a little physically ill of Bad Things Left Hanging) 💛

ohoho yes good you've come to the right place!!! angst with a happy ending is one of my favorite tropes ever tbh, especially including lots of hurt/comfort!!! without further ado~

protective dad Bruce

family-wide angst with a side of character study

Jason and Bruce have very different ideas of remembrance

very angsty Cass fic for the Cass mutual ft. hope and healing

Damian and Jason have met before

the passing down of warmth from fathers to sons not quite their own

pretty heavy Babs character study (this author is REALLY GOOD)

getting shot is a great way to end a family feud (and Tim is a little bit feral for a hot second)

baby Dickie and a field trip gone bad

Damian thinks he's going to die (he's wrong) and Tim won't let that happen

Tim and Bruce and healing

Steph and Bruce get yoinked back in time and they are not having fun

Bruce just needs to see his kid alive

Steph telling Bruce "I think I'm bad" will stick with me forever

a little bit vague and a lot bit sad but everything is okay at the end, for the whole family

Dick and Jason being brothers

this one made me ache a little bit and then healed the bruises (B and the kids and the finite nature of human life)

I feel like this has probably been recced to you already but OUGGHHHH the family feels from Dami's POV... it's so good

this one is actually pretty soft and has a really cool concept (and ten bucks says you can probably guess why the title caught my eye) with Tim and Bruce

Dick is hallucinating his kid and it just might break him

SAD SAD SAD ANGSTY HOWEVER read the endnotes bc everything's gonna be okay

I KNOW this one's already been recced to you but honestly it fundamentally changed something in me. in the back of my mind I'm always on some level thinking about it. I cannot adequately explain just how much this fic wrecked me and how important it is to me. I'm just gonna say again what I told @called-kept after she first sent it to me: for middle children in the Wayne clan, sometimes dying (and coming back) is what it takes to realize how loved they are. (Kept actually pitched this to me with, essentially, "hey you like fics where the others are comforted in near-death experiences by the fact that Jason's already been through it, right?" though not in those exact words. and if i let myself I'm going to write a hecking epistle to you about this so I'm just gonna uh... stop talking now)

so ya know how I'm really emotional about Dick being a parent to Damian?

Jason is having panic attacks

Jim Gordon is SUCH a good dude.

Jason stress cooks/bakes

growing up is hard when you're a bird-themed vigilante

I don't usually go for soulmate AUs but this is a REALLY GOOD platonic soulmate AU (it made me cry)

ANOTHER fic that's made me cry and also the one that made me realize how deeply bittersweet I feel about Dick Grayson

Timberly dealing with being immunocompromised (a word which my phone apparently does not like smh)

brothers grieving together — sad but has a happy ending!!!!!

INCREDIBLY long oneshot (with a sequel that I also greatly recommend!!) with a lot of angst but!!! it does not stay there!!! as is a theme in this list there's also healing!!!! (Tim needs help to feel again. that's ok bc he has brothers.)

dare I say it THE Batfam angst (presumably with a happy ending) fic? I'm slowly making my way through it and AAAAGHJHHH it's SO GOOD the characterizations and relationships and struggles and fears and never giving up... so so good

basically anything by @envysparkler but I have like 90% of her fics bookmarked and this list is already super long so I'm just going to gesture wildly and excitedly toward Envy's AO3 and leave it at that

and last but not least one of the first Batfam fics I read and really really loved. a bird gets a bird of his own and Damian gets a new understanding and deeper relationship with his next-oldest brother

#one thing about me is that i will never miss an opportunity to wax poetic about looking back #'I'm glad it's you you who’s here for me. you who comforted me. you who never promised to come back but still did. you who loved me.'#i WILL sob about this fic okay??? never meet me in person because I'd be even more insufferable about these family dynamics #than i am online #(actually tho i would love to meet you irl. if you're ever in the northwest US lmk <3)#ANYWAY I'm half asleep and delirious could you tell?? and my fingers are freezing sjfkbakfjslgnslfj #as usual i have wayyy more in my actual ao3 bookmarks if you ever wanna dig through #I've been told i read freakishly fast so i go through a LOT of fics. mostly oneshots but. a lot.#and also once again feel free to dm me if you ever want to Discuss fics!!!!! or just fandom stuff!! or anything as you are a #beloved mutual who i would love to talk to #and with that said i REALLY need to go to sleep shfkbakfnakdj #<3 #Lu rambles #asks #mags tags #batfam #fic recs #lu don't lose this

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