Two bags of groceries stop Sombra from pushing open the door. After a moment of fighting it, the bags rip open, spilling the cans and packages across the wood. She frowns, but sweeps the door open and steps over the mess. It’s the items McCree was sent for, but as she looks out over the dirt road turned into mud leading to their little cottage, she doesn’t see him.
It’s been a long time. Why would he leave these here? Why wouldn’t he come into the house, or at least tell her where he had to go in such a hurry?
After Noé was born, McCree had shifted for a few nights in a row, saying that the urge to provide for his mate and their new pups was hard to suppress. He had hunted deer, bringing them to her. It wasn’t exactly romantic, but at least it made for good meat to cook later.
Maybe he’s just running down some pheasants or something else. The twins must be driving him wild with worry.
Her gut shifts at the falling rain. Something tastes odd in the air. Maybe her own worry of looking after three wolf children is eating at her, but she rushes back into the house.
“Noé, mijo, put on your rain coat,” Sombra says, watching the three year old leap from the table in excitement. “Pull on your rain boots, too.”
This time last year I was just starting to peek out from lurkerdom. There was a little bit of time cause of holiday breaks and I’d read so much amazing stuff at last year’s erised, but I was so nervous to start commenting. A year later it’s way easier and I figure there are some other people out there in the same boat I was in. So, from a fanfic writer and frequent commenter, some thoughts about how to start commenting with minimal fear
1. Before we even get into this, do writers really care about comments? OMG, we care so much. Writing is hard and you don’t know if anyone is going to like what you’re writing. Finding out that you did something right, that you don’t suck, means everything. Really. There have been moments where I’m stuck on a story and get a comment on an old fic and it’s so encouraging and energizing. Your words mean more to us than I can even really describe.
2. But why would they care about my comment? You – yes, you, exactly, precisely you – you, the reader, are who we’re writing for. If you’re reading our stuff, we care. It doesn’t matter if other people have commented. You, as a reader, as you, come to the story with feelings and perspectives that no one else can bring to it. Just by having read our stories, you have something worthwhile and important to say about them, and we truly want to hear you.
3. What the hell do I say? First and most important: anything nice you say will be the right thing. Short of telling us that we suck and our stories are awful, you really can’t go wrong.
4. No, but actually, what do I say? Here are some things you can say. You can use one or two or all of them. You can mix or match. But these are some good tangible ways to start.
You can keep it simple – Great story!“ “Loved it!” Taking the time to share a few short words still means loads to us.
Say how the story made you feel – “This brought a smile to my face!” “I got all choked up!” “I needed a cold shower!” “I couldn’t stop laughing!” Anything like that is fantastic.
Tell us what it was like to read the story –“I was on the edge of my seat,” “That was a great twist,” “this stayed on my mind all afternoon,” “I could see this world so clearly,” “I totally lost track of time.” Writers can never know what it’s like to read our own work – telling us what it was like for you is a huge gift.
Mention moments you liked – “[Favorite Line Here] – wow, what a great line!” “I loved when X just threw Y up against a wall and kissed him!” You don’t have to explain it. Saying what stood out is helpful and exciting and can be an especially easy way to comment – copy, paste, “loved this line!” and go.
Talk about aspects of the storytelling that stood out to you – Plot development, pacing, dialogue, characterization, the conclusion, chemistry between the characters, secondary characters, how the story related to canon, cool headcanons that were included. I think this can be the hardest type of commenting because some of this stuff is hard to articulate, so maybe this is more like Commenting 102, but if you’re trying to figure out what you liked or want to be more specific in your comment, anything from that list would be a great place to start.
4. But what if I embarrass myself? What if there’s a typo or I comment on the wrong story or just end up flailing incoherently? I think most of us kind of love it when readers are left in a state of incoherent flailing? So don’t sweat that. If you’re worried about commenting on the wrong story, double check that you’re on the right page, then proceed. And if you do comment on the wrong story, delete it. No harm, no foul – really. We’ve all clicked on a wrong tab sometime. If there’s a typo, don’t sweat it. There’s probably a typo in the story. There’s probably a typo in this post. I’ve misspelled “typo” a couple times already. NBD. You left a comment – you are already a winner.
4a. No, really, I’m not sure you get how nervous this makes me. Totally possible. I’ll mention one other thing that helped me (and I was really super nervous): starting with anon fests. The anonymity made it way easier. Maybe I was commenting to one of my all-time faves who would normally leave me totally incoherent, but maybe I was commenting to another n00b just like me. Anon fests are a great way to give it a shot.
5. But what if English isn’t my first language and I accidentally say the wrong thing? First, if you’re reading and commenting in a language that’s not your first language, props. You’re awesome. That’s awesome. Second, it’s the general sentiment that matters. I’ve gotten comments where the grammar or conjugation is a little off and, really and truly, I am so excited to get the comment that that’s what matters. And knowing English isn’t your first language and you still went to all the effort of reading my story is an unbelievable gift. I will be flattered and amazed by you.
6. But I don’t have a username, what should I do? There are two great things about non-anon comments: (1) we can thank you, (2) It’s super extra exciting to realize someone liked one of your things enough to read another one of your things. So I generally am in favor of having them, and they’re free and whatnot, but that’s an opinion. If you don’t have one and don’t want one and still want to comment, unless a comm has disallowed anon comments (which if it’s done is usually to prevent trolling), go on and comment anonymously. Your words still mean a lot, and we still want to hear them!
7. What if I didn’t like the story? Just don’t comment. Easy.
8. What if I really liked the story but I’m kind of embarrassed that I liked the story? Yeah…been there. The story’s great, but it’s got a kink you never knew you liked and whoa why do you like it so much? Or it’s kind of cracky, or it doesn’t align with your politics or whatever – it happens. And you’re never required to comment. You could also sit on it for a while and come back later if you decide you want to comment or you could comment anonymously. One thing to think about: if commenting feels like putting yourself out there, imagine how it might have felt for the author to hit “post.” Being honest about what you like is a way to end up with more of it, and to show support for authors who are willing to take those risks.
9. If I start commenting, do I have to comment on every story? Nah. It’s lovely if you do, but comments are not a requirement. It’s not like entering into a new world of homework. Comment on what you like, on what moves you or excites you, on things you enjoy. There’s also, at least on AO3, the kudos option, which is still a nice way to give a writer a general thumbs up
10. That’s all nice or whatever, but why should I spend my time commenting? Aren’t the stories just there for me to read? Well…kind of. The stories are there for you to read whether or not you leave a comment after you read them. But fandom is a community, and fanfic is a labor of love. Reader feedback is really the only thing we have to go on. The most popular on A03 in the whole of my favorite ship has gotten kudos 7% of the time and comments .001% of the time. Repeat: comments .001% of the time. And it’s a little hard to know, as a writer, what’s going on there. If a story of mine has been viewed 7500 times and has 320 kudos and 13 comments, does that mean that 7180 people really didn’t like it very much? Are people clicking on it, reading the first paragraph, and deciding it’s so bad they have to back-button immediately? I don’t think that’s the case, but without reader feedback, all we know is that you clicked on something. Without knowing that you liked things, or why you liked things, or what things you liked…it just gets hard. Harder to feel like the writing is doing what (for a lot of us, anyway) it’s meant to do: tell stories that move you, that help you stay in these amazing worlds, that give you (and us!) a way to revisit favorite characters and ideas. Harder to be motivated to write. And then ships and fandoms start shrinking, and no one wants that, right? So, yes, the stories that are already there will be probably there whether or not you comment. But commenting is a way to keep a fandom healthy and thriving. It’s a way to meet people (if that’s a thing you want to do), to encourage writers, and to end up with more fanworks to enjoy. Your comments are the wind in your favorite ship’s sails, basically. And that makes commenting one of the absolute best ways to show your fandom love.
11. Okay. This makes sense. I’m ready. How do I start? The next time you read something, click “leave a comment.” Write some words there. You can use some of the examples above if it helps. Let yourself be nervous if you’re nervous. Try an anon fest if that makes it easier. If you want to try it with someone who is thick-skinned and non-judgy and hard to offend, you can try it with mine (potentially self-serving, I realize, but you already know I’m down for comments and chill about them). And then hit “submit.” And you will have made somebody’s day.
I finally got my Sombra!! :’) She’s the most beautiful thing ever 💜💜💜💜 And she’s finally right beside McCree – they look so perfect together watching over my laptop ❤️️💜❤️️💜❤️️💜 Mcsombra funko pops…yesssssssssss now they need to make a McCree and Sombra nendoroid or figma, pls 💖
i got my OTP in a lootbox :O I’m just like really tickled pink by this screen in particular because even though her stand is pushed back some, it still looks like she’s really tiny compared to McCree…thus confirming my headcanon of mcsombra being a total t0l and sm0l coupling 😛 💖
I found McCree’s reaction to Reyes deciding to kill that man very interesting. It makes sense that he’d be angry because the consequences were so severe, but I think there was more to it than that.
I think all three of the team members’ reactions spoke about their backgrounds. Genji is used to seeing this kind of thing – he’s literally from one of the most dangerous and influential mafias in the world. He even agrees that Reyes made the right choice. Moira has always been an “end justifies the means” kind of person. She probably understands Reyes’ thinking, even if his choice put them all in danger. She’s a devil’s advocate.
But McCree. McCree didn’t like it because it “felt like an execution”. Considering his background in the Deadlock gang, you’d think he’d be used to seeing leaders make themselves the judge, jury, and executioner. But that’s probably why he was shocked and angry to see Reyes do it. Reyes, who picked him up out of the filth and offered him a chance to be more than just a common gang member. Reyes, who saw potential in McCree when most everyone else wanted him thrown in jail. Reyes, the man McCree trusted, followed, and admired. This seems like the first thing Reyes has ever done that betrayed that trust. McCree “didn’t sign up for this” – he didn’t sign up for just another gang killing to get what they want. He had deluded himself into thinking he could use his sharpshooting for justice while working for Blackwatch… But instead found more of the same. This event really was the thing that made everything fall apart.
a couple of days ago i looped dragons like 347 times in one day and it made me sad so i drew this to cheer myself up. but now, thanks to the new retribution voice lines, i can never be consoled ever again.
[Image Description: A medium shot of Hanzo in his Cyber Ninja skin in Ecopoint Antarctica. There is text that reads (312):
I just bought condoms and a potted plant, making for a top ten super weird and awkward purchase.]
a/n: i’m all about those soft and affectionate writing prompts. so i hope that these hc’s are to your liking!
Demon Hanzo With A Soft and Affectionate S/O:
Probably will not be sure of how to react at first. Demons are neither soft nor affectionate to those around them other than their own kin. So he will have to warm up to your affection.
Doesn’t understand how you can be as soft as you are, but you are. For some reason, it brings him peace.
Small baby steps, help ease him into understanding that your affection isn’t some underlying attempt to do harm.
Once he’s warmed up expect him to be seeking out your affection. That soft love and warm hugs. Those delightfully wonderful kisses that you pepper all over his face, even on his fangs.
Loves it when you cuddle as close as you possibly can.
This movie is way too under appreciated in my opinion… The fandom is practically non-existent…
And I don’t understand why? The plot was fantastic.
All of the characters were lovable.
There was no one that you absolutely could not stand.
The “bad guy” was actually the main character, Kenai. Which was an interesting twist for Disney.
But by building a bond with this young cub (Koda), and seeing the world through the eyes of a bear, he realized that he (as a man) had been the monster… Not bears.
I mean, talk about character development…
Koda: Those monsters are really scary… Especially with their sticks.
And for me, this scene right here was one of my most emotional Disney moments. You can’t even here Kenai telling the actual story… But you can see their facial expressions and you can just feel it. You know exactly what he’s saying to Koda.
Genji: Talon once tried to recruit my father. Reyes: He didn’t take them up on their offer? Genji: He did not find them to his liking. Their aims did not coincide with his own.
McCree: What’s it like, Genji? Y’know, as a cyborg. Genji: Pain and agony. And what am I? Man or a machine… McCree: Then why did you agree to it? Genji: I wanted to be able to walk again.
a/n: we have a character max of 4 so i chose Jesse, Hanzo, Genji and Soldier. I hope that these were alright sweetie and that your day has gotten better!
sorry that this took so long to get out, i was playing Overwatch with Mod Knight and a friend.
Jesse:
Jesse will wrap you up in his serape and hunkers down with you on the couch.
Will probably ask ten questions while watching your favorite show, because he’s confused but very interested in what’s going on with the story and characters.
With be very cuddly and shower you with kisses and dumb pickup lines. You wake up to very loud snoring from McCree and just sort of watch him.
Hanzo:
Hanzo will sit you down for a warm cup of tea, something soothing to help relax you after the hard day you’ve had.
While he’s not much of a tv person, he will sit down with you on the couch regardless to watch a few episodes of your favorite show together.
Focuses on making you relax and to help wind down especially after how long you cried, and if you just so happen to doze off on the couch Hanzo will remain there with you. Carding his fingers through your hair to sooth and help you sleep.
Genji:
Genji’s first reaction to you being sad is to get you to smile or laugh. Even if it means he has to pick you up and twirl you around to earn a laugh.
Will set some tea to make, even doing so in a traditional manner, enjoying how your eyes light up while you watch him even though he ruins the tea due to his over excitement.
Is sort of loud during your favorite show, especially when something he didn’t expect to happen well happens.
Soldier 76:
Jack might be a bit awkward, but he will do what he remembers if family doing to help him when he had a bad day.
So he’ll make you something warm to drink, turn the tv on, but keep the volume low and tuck you in close to his side so he can rub soothing circles on your back.
Will doze off on the couch with you most likely, his arms wrapped around you to hold you close.
i got my OTP in a lootbox :O I’m just like really tickled pink by this screen in particular because even though her stand is pushed back some, it still looks like she’s really tiny compared to McCree…thus confirming my headcanon of mcsombra being a total t0l and sm0l coupling 😛 💖
I really ended up liking this one, too! 😍 Fair warning, it’s got just a little bit of spice thrown in there! 😳💦 Ao3: Chapter | Story Tags: Alternate Universe – Domestic / Modern / No Overwatch, Newlyweds, Light Mature Themes – Jesse’s never been one to rush his way to consciousness after a good night’s sleep but this morning is an exception. He stirs, breathing in deeply and feeling a warm body cuddle closer to his bare chest. There’s a pleasant ache running through his body from the previous night’s activities but he thinks he’ll manage. Looking down, he sees his beloved’s dark hair frame her sleeping face. One arm is wrapped firmly around her slim waist, pushing her closer as his free hand moves to trail a finger down her soft cheek. Her closed eyelids twitch, slowly fluttering open to reveal the iris-colored eyes that drive him to his knees every single time.
She smiles lazily, dipping her head to place a kiss to his chest before she moves up, the sheet falling away from her body and giving Jesse the best morning view he’s ever had. She leans in, her long, thick hair draping around them both like a curtain, making her sweet kiss all the more intimate.
“Buenos días, Mr. McCree…” she mumbles with a smile against his lips.
His hands grab hold of her arms, returning her kiss before slowly pushing her back down onto the bed so he’s kneeling over her. She brings a finger up to her lips, biting coyly at her manicured nail, grinning at him all the while. He catches sight of the glint off the silver, diamond-encrusted band she wears on her finger and his heart swells up.
Rumbling deep in his chest, he dips his head forward, he kisses her, hands cupping her face until he lets them roam down her bare shoulders and her sides, their mouths moving together all the while. He trails his hands upwards once more, grasping and groping at all the places he’s memorized from the night before along the way, greedily swallowing all her gasps and whines. When his hands return to their original place, cupping her cheeks, he breaks the kiss, letting his forehead rest against hers and smiles.
keep drawing. keep writing. keep making what you love. keep loving what you make. whatever you create is probably what the world needs right now, no matter how different or unusual it may seem
Gladiolus is a writer, prominent with his works within the King’s Knight fandom and even starting to write his own book with followers and supporters promoting his work. He does a great job at it, getting quite a bit of online fame for his work while simultaneously making sure that he can keep up with work and his social life with his three other roommates.
But one fateful day, a writer like Gladiolus got the ultimate gift any fic writer and novelist could ask for: fanart of from their writing. The beefy writer was overwhelmed with excitement, sharing the artwork, promoting it, even going so far to have gotten a print of the work, which he keeps tucked away for safe keeping whenever he looks for inspiration.
The trade of fics and art continued for quite some time, but writing and replying back to the mysterious artist only grew harder when the boys adopted a new roommate, the mysterious Ravus. He figured that with their new roommate coming into the house, it’d just be Ravus keeping to himself and that would be the end of that. But no. Ravus was an asshole. There was just something about him that rubbed Gladiolus the wrong way, especially with how Ravus always was looking at his phone as if something else in it was more important than doing the dishes. What did this guy even do anyways…?
But nevertheless, despite the big change, Gladiolus and the online artist continued to keep in touch, sharing work with each other until one day, Gladiolus received an odd message.
A confession of how infatuated the artist was with the writer. And a desire to one day be able to meet such the muse that inspired the artist’s work.
[ We’re in the same town, right? Let’s get coffee together. Wiz’s @ 3? ] [ Yes. That sounds like a plan! 🙂 ]
Now that would be something. The thought alone made Gladiolus smile at his computer for a good hour before late night hunger struck.
So in contemplation of his plans to meet with the artist he had become enticed with, Gladiolus meandered to the kitchen, tapping his phone on his chin in thought while still reflecting on the messages. He just sneaked past the sleeping Ravus, whom rested his head on his arms at the dining room table amongst the disarray of papers. Lazy asshole… The more Gladiolus thought about it too, he didn’t know what exactly kept Ravus busy so often. Locked away in his room for what seemed like days, only ever leaving to take care of ‘business,’ and returning back late at night when the others were still asleep. Sans Gladiolus, of course, for writers never rest.
Gladiolus took a sip of his coffee as he glanced down at Ravus, though he did have to pause as he noticed the papers that were spread out over the table. He recognized what one of the pages said, for it was something that Gladiolus had written in one of the chapters of his story. Huh… Didn’t know Ravus was a fan. He scoffed a bit as he took up the paper, but paused when he noticed the sketchbook with an oh-so-familiar art style within the pages.
And scribbled into the corner of the page: ‘Wiz’s @ 3.’
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