Crumbling

reblog to send your mutuals a hug. maybe just the thought is enough to cheer them up 🥺

Welcome to the first '24 Days of Christmas' event for the Creators’ Club. Every holiday, we plan to have a custom event planned. For Christmas, we are hosting a prompt event.

Prompts:

Day 1:

Holiday Words: snow, reindeer, fireplace Holiday Phrase: "All is calm, all is bright."

Day 2:

Holiday Words: mistletoe, stockings, cocoa Holiday Phrase: "Home for the holidays."

Day 3:

Holiday Words: garland, sleigh, twinkle Holiday Phrase: "A winter wonderland."

Day 4:

Holiday Words: chimney, bells, frosty Holiday Phrase: "Silent night, holy night."

Day 5:

Holiday Words: candy cane, ribbon, wreath Holiday Phrase: "Deck the halls with boughs of holly."

Day 6:

Holiday Words: eggnog, Santa, frost Holiday Phrase: "Naughty or nice?"

Day 7:

Holiday Words: nutcracker, sugarplum, scarf Holiday Phrase: "‘Tis the season to be jolly."

Day 8:

Holiday Words: sleigh bells, gift, evergreen Holiday Phrase: "Over the river and through the woods."

Day 9:

Holiday Words: carolers, snowflake, gingerbread Holiday Phrase: "Do you hear what I hear?"

Day 10:

Holiday Words: poinsettia, icicle, peppermint Holiday Phrase: "Walking in a winter wonderland."

Day 11:

Holiday Words: elf, chimney, mittens Holiday Phrase: "Underneath the mistletoe."

Day 12:

Holiday Words: ornament, pinecone, sleigh ride Holiday Phrase: "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."

Day 13:

Holiday Words: candy, cocoa, snowfall Holiday Phrase: "Rockin’ around the Christmas tree."

Day 14:

Holiday Words: holly, lights, cheer Holiday Phrase: "It’s the most wonderful time of the year."

Day 15:

Holiday Words: ribbon, present, sparkles Holiday Phrase: "Have yourself a merry little Christmas."

Day 16:

Holiday Words: star, tree, joy Holiday Phrase: "Peace on Earth, goodwill to all."

Day 17:

Holiday Words: tinsel, cookies, glitter Holiday Phrase: "Oh, what fun it is to ride."

Day 18:

Holiday Words: wrapping paper, icicle, marshmallows Holiday Phrase: "On a cold winter’s night."

Day 19:

Holiday Words: snowman, jingle, candy cane Holiday Phrase: "Making spirits bright."

Day 20:

Holiday Words: lantern, cider, log Holiday Phrase: "Bringing tidings of comfort and joy."

Day 21:

Holiday Words: snow globe, sled, chocolate Holiday Phrase: "Under the sparkling lights."

Day 22:

Holiday Words: angel, melody, starry Holiday Phrase: "A child is born."

Day 23:

Holiday Words: gingerbread, carol, magic Holiday Phrase: "Let your heart be light."

Day 24:

Holiday Words: holly, miracle, velvet Holiday Phrase: "As the world awaits Christmas morn."

Guidelines Under the Read More

The 24 Days of Christmas Writing Challenge will officially run from December 1st to December 24th, giving participants the chance to immerse themselves in a festive creative journey. To provide a head start, participants can begin brainstorming and drafting as early as November 18th, though official entries will be accepted only during the event dates.

All submissions must include the hashtag #cc24DaysofChristmas to ensure they are recognized as part of the event. During this time, there will be no regular Creators Club events, allowing members to fully focus on this unique challenge.

Submissions must be entirely original, as AI-generated content is strictly prohibited.

Each day, a new prompt will be shared, offering participants inspiration to create something festive and engaging. While writers are encouraged to follow the prompts in order, they may use them as flexible starting points for their work.

While there is no strict word limit, all entries should demonstrate thought and effort.

Collaborative entries are welcome, provided all collaborators adhere to the same guidelines.

If you have any questions, please feel free to send @creators-club a question.

@bardic-tales @megandaisy9 @watermeezer @littleshopofchaos

@kricketbee

@themaradwrites @pinkevilwriter

@serenofroses @asirensrage @aalinaaaaaa @goldenlilium-ocs @glbettwrites

@wyked-ao3 @badscientist @thebadphilosopher @andromedalestrange

@fantastictrashpolice @seastarblue @happypup-kitcat24 @chickensarentcheap @allaboutmagic

@ryns-ramblings @kathaliabloodyrose @riemmetric @andromedaexists @kckramer

@tales-from-nocturnaliss @pastelpinkhobbies @idonthaveapenname @the-bar-sinister @rosesonkittens

@bloodred2023 @kanobarlowe @aquixoticwrites @new-royston-cursebreakers

@rosemirmir @salmonandfox @fablesandfragments @paganmindidnothingwrong @elshells

@viscerawrites @ellowynthenotking @dawsonskyelar @greenapplespider

@edupunkn00b @the-duke-of-nuts @exclawshou @karkkidoeswriting @meerawrites

@theglitchywriterboi @mayarab @memento-morianon @mrsmungus

@pebblesfromtheshore

@kuebiko-writing Thanks for the tag! I'm not sure if I'm doing this right, but here we go.

My favorite books to read are about messed up people trying to be better for either themselves or for someone important to them, while everyone expects the worst of them, and the world just decides that it has no intention of giving them a break.

My favorite books as a writer (that I attempt to write)....

Honestly, it's hard to boil what I like to write down to a favorite, but I do enjoy writing stories about people who have been dragged into bad situations and try to keep their lives and sanity intact with varying levels of success. Not everything works out for them, but sometimes I give them nice things.

I have a question for everyone who would like to answer:

What are your favorite books as a reader and what are your favorite books as a writer?

I went to an aquarium today and got to do a bit of sketching. Wish I could have had more time/motivation, but I'll take what I can get.

Heads up 7 up 

Thanks for the tag @wyked-ao3 !

A bit about Owen, he’s really good at treating people, but because of his upbringing and lack of common sense with most things, He has certain misgivings about people and their reactions to medications. This isn't helped by the strange company he keeps.

A screech of rage pulled him from his dreamless sleep. It sounded strange and garbled, but Tori wasn’t in the vicinity so there had to be another explanation for it. It was then that Owen remembered a key detail that he had up until now misplaced, Maren had been drugged for a significant time and while he didn’t know the type of drug used, there was always the unlikely possibility that it could have been something addictive. 

No pressure Tags: @renasdoodles @kuebiko-writing @laisley-writes @leahnardo-da-veggie ,

@creatrackers @somethingclevermahogony +Open tag

What inspired the spirits in your wip?

Thank you for the ask! Sorry I'm a bit late responding. It's been a crazy week.

I had a mythology book when I was young, and it had stories from various cultures. Several stories discussed the veil between the spirit world and reality and how it would become thin during all hallows eve. Additionally, there was always the potential for things to slip through cracks in the veil if they weren't too powerful.

The idea in mythologies that natural phenomena and fluctuating conditions were due to invisible interference from higher powers gave me the idea to have them fight every 500 or so years to explain seasons of prosperity and destruction in the world.

With all of that in mind, I divided the spirit's into 8 great spirits representing earth, wind,fire, and water for both chaotic and good. Under them are other spirits who are either weaker or overall uninterested in the conflict.

I originally had designed one creature known as Null to be the only supernatural being that I focused on, but once the others came into play I knew that he needed to be incorporated in an off the wall manner to fit his character. So I them made it that if a spirit of similar element was killed before the 500 years, then the one who killed them had to take their place. With that in motion, it was only a matter of making Null a glutton who had no interest in spirit politics, then I had him "accidentally" eat the light water spirit right before the 500 years were up again.

Null was the original base of the entire story, so in everything, I needed him to be preserved. As for where he came from... I used to play a mobile game called The Battle Cats and he was inspired by a combination of different creatures in that. (They have something pretty fun character designs in it) Another point in the early draft if the story was that he would pop up I random places appearing as an inosenct animal at first before distorting his features and revealing his pseudo humanoid form playing into his chaotic side.

Thanks again for the ask!

Two of the inspirations for his main design.

Unwanted Summons

***Chrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiissssssssss***

Margaret struggled to open her eyes, let alone lift her head from the countertop. She'd somehow managed to make it out of the shower and to the kitchen without killing herself, a miracle in and of itself.

Still, deep down, she had hoped to at least be semi-finctional before interacting with anyone from work today, but with the coffee machine still sputtering away, it seemed that she had used all of her luck safely reaching her current resting place.

They could just hang up? Sometimes, they did when trying to call her before she came in.

***Chrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiissssssssss***

...

***Chrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiisssssssssss****

*Tsk*

Looking towards her clock, Margeret frowned. It was only ten forty-eight. Why was he calling her so early?

"Hello."

Without the jumpstart from her usual dose of caffeine, her tolerance was about as presant as her father, but John knew the risk of calling her when she wasn't on the clock.

"Is this Mrs. Margret Moore?"

Straitening into an upright position in an instant, her mind began to run wild after registering that she didn't recognize the monitone voice.

"What do you want?"

Pacing over to the dripping machine, Margaret poured as much as was ready into her mug and shoved the pot vaguely back in place to fill more.

While the voice may have been enough to temporarily scare her awake, that rush would only take her so far. She'd learned her lesson the last time she had fallen asleep on the phone, and it was still too fresh in her mind for her to repeat.

"You are to report to Station Seventeen within the next hour to identify one John Moore. If you do not comply, an officer will be deployed to escort you to the station in accordance with the compliance act."

Margaret opened her mouth to respond when the call was unceremoniously cut off.

"Blast it."

Station Seventeen was fifty minutes away from her apartment, but with traffic picking up soon, it was a toss-up if she could make it before they sent someone to get her.

Pocketing her phone, Margaret made a dash for her car, still holding the mug firmly in her other hand.

Happy Birthday

Thanks for the prompt @flashfictionfridayofficial !

Couldn't resist writing a birthday song story with this prompt.

It's a little story from Hati's past. A very memorable birthday and very defining moment in his life.

Warnings: violence, tragedy, death, depictions of violence, trauma, survivors guilt.

He’d woken up from his nap to the sound of hushed excitement from the kitchen.

‘Mom?’

She’d turned to him bursting with excitement, presenting a cake just like the one he’d dreamed of, candles lit perfectly and everything.

‘I’m sorry if I woke you up, honey. I was just too excited to celebrate my little man’s birthday! I know it’s not the same with dad gone, but we can still have fun!’

She was sure they would, and that was enough for him. Would it taste as good as he’d dreamed? Haiti’s eyes sparkled in anticipation as his mother took a deep breath to sing.

“Happy Birthday to you…”

Within moments of the explosion, his mother stood over him. Her face was covered in blood, but her eyes were lucid, unlike the others. She could be saved? A smile flickered across her cracked lips as she knelt before him with a damaged paper package in her trembling hands.

‘I know we didn’t get to eat cake yet, but I wanted to give you your gift a bit early this year.’

He saw her smile and knew that he would make it through this somehow, his mother wouldn’t smile like that if there was no way out, he’d seen what it looked like when she gave up after all, and she was even taking the time to give him his birthday gift.

“Happy Birthday to you…”

’You got something extra special this year my sweet’

The forest green cap in her hands seemed to emirate a strange radiance that he couldn’t understand, but whatever it was, Hati was sure that it was special; no there was no doubt that this gift was extra special just like his mother had said.

‘As long as you wear it, the tech witches won’t ever be able to find you!’

She placed it firmly on his head and kissed his cheek warmly.

‘I love you Hati, never forget that.’

“Happy Birthday, my Baby…”

The sky burned as rays of weaponized light reigning down from above. Hati watched family and friends alike, burning under the scorching beams, but he stayed still as a statue, holding the cap to his head tightly. His face burned as tears rolled down his cheeks in silent lament. They never found him, like his mother had said, but he’d never stopped running just in case.

“Happy Birthday to you!”

Hati woke up in a panic while clutching the worn fabric of his cap until his fingers turned white and he couldn’t feel them anymore. Curling into a ball, he tried to make himself as small as he could. No one would find him then. His mothers voice still echoed through his ears as Hati cried himself to sleep like he’d done every year after escaping that hell.

Thanks for the prompt, @flashfictionfridayofficial !

6936

Another random story based solely on the prompt. I hope you enjoy.

Warnings: Referenced Infidelity and Gaslighting

The flowers bloomed too early that spring, and an unexpected chill froze the golden buds even as they swelled with life.

Trudy stepped through frozen blades of grass, her bare feet blue from the cold. She didn't notice, couldn't feel her blood turning to ice with every step she took. 

The house behind her cast a looming shadow in the half light of morning. It had made her happy once, knowing that the old building cared for her. It cared for him more, though, concealing him protectively as he ripped her heart out over and over again. 

She had awakened twenty years ago, her power a simple enhancement of the senses, so trivial that she had been embarrassed to mention it to anyone. Too embarrassed to mention it to him. Trudy now wished that she had, he might not have brought so many mortals to their bed while she carefully tended to their garden if he had known. 

She'd done her best to ignore it at first, thrown all of her love on him, because she had loved him dearly, but with every self satisfied look cast towards her by departing mortals, a piece of Trudy’s love had been chipped away. 

"They are on quests, dear. I'm sharing my wisdom, allowing them a place to rest. I couldn't stand if these weak creatures were without guidance like your brother."

He always used her brother, always trying to make her feel like she was overreacting. It had worked before her awakening, but after she learned of his betrayal, it just made her bitterness grow.  

Stepping to the edge of the shadow, Trudy breathed deeply and stepped into the light. Her skin cracked under direct exposure. Even today, he had asked her to tend to the flowers, even today he had defiled their wedding bed. The finality of the action tipped the scales in her heart, emptying the last slivers of love from her soul.

Trudy bent down and picked a small bud, half opened and covered in frost. She'd watched this bud grow from a seedling, nurtured it through every stage of growth. It had been so full of life yesterday that she had already planned where in the house she would place it. Now, it would rest in her hair. 

With one last look towards behind her, the ice in Trudy’s veins turned to fire as a manic joy flooded every fiber of her being. Trudy had come to the property line six-thousand nine-hundred and thirty-five times before this one, but some sliver of affection had always held her at bay. 

Today, she skipped over the line gleefully. Disappearing from the home she had known for almost fifty years, with a long dead sense of wonder now burning in her chest. 

one year of #FFF 🎉🎉🎉

so with this week's entry, i have participated in flash fiction friday for a whole year now, keeping up a streak of 52 :D and because i'm lowkey proud of that and also just love FFF a lot, i will yap a litte.

what is flash fiction friday?

FFF is a fun little event where the very cool people over at @flashfictionfridayofficial post a new prompt every friday at noon cet, then you have 24h to fill that prompt, and over the next week they will rb it to that official account and it gets put into a showcase post.

why is that so cool and why should you join?

for so many reasons!

first of all, the whole community (as in, the people usually participating, as well as "the bosses") is extremely nice and sweet and welcoming, and full of amazing writers. and it is alway such a varied mix of works! there's fanfics of various fandoms, ranging from more "popular" things to very niche, there's original works, both with people having their own ocverses/bigger works as well as just great little disconnected short stories, there's poetry, there's everything.

for me personally, the whole process is just very good and has so many perks: - one prompt a week, so there's a habit going on. even if i don't get my ass up for writing much all week, i can do a short friday bit, which means there's the accomplishmentTM as well as just keeping the writing muscle moving, so to speak - only a day time, so you can't overthink it too much, just hammer something out without fiddling with it forever (good for people with perfectionism-brainworms) - it feels kinda low stakes, but in a good way - that gives me the freedom to just try shit out. experimenting with style or pov, writing stuff i normally probably wouldn't (i did a random Saints Row fic because i was playing that at the time and the prompt fit so well - would have never written for that otherwise), or just producing random bits and backstory lore for my ocs (like, for example, fiona went from "has a name, died sometime in the past" to #fiona tag)

and of course, the rb comments on the official account are always SO NICE and SO ENCOURAGING and just... knowing that at least one person will read your stuff and comment positively on it - yea, that helps, lame as it sounds.

anyway, that's why y'all should join me and write :D

now what?

now on to the second year... :D no but seriously, i plan to keep the streak up. BUT ALSO over the next few day i will reblog some of this year's bits, with added author's commentary, just because i can. they're gonna be tagged #fff recap.

shoutout

as mentioned above, there's so many cool and talented people in that whole community, special mention of some of them - go read their things! (and i'm probably forgetting half)

@ineedaplacetostay @ruvastuon @aalinaaaaaa @zorilleerrant @ark-inkweaving @drowning-in-cacophony @hd-literature @starlightfireflies

the whole list

(incoming) special fff recap commentary is marked with "#!"

#252 spill the tea: what's a chicken? (fnv)

#253 pushing up daisies: pushing up daisies (fnv)

#254 horizon line: just one more step (fnv) #!

#255 in the heart: doing the right thing (fnv)

#256 muted colors: un-muting the colors (fnv)

#257 count the days: 4261 days (ocverse: daria) #!

#258 milky way dreams: mojave night sky (fnv)

#259 house of cards: wildcards (fnv)

#260 fear is a sickness: how to live your life without breathing (ocverse: july)

#261 maybe one more: nuka cola quantum (fnv)

#262 run far and fast: he runs and he runs and he runs (ocverse: gabriel)

#263 in the meadows: accidental baby acquisition (fnv) #!

#264 counting clocks: six damn clocks (ocverse: mika) #!

#265 galaxies away: this is my human costume (ocverse: el & quinn)

#266 great expectations: no one sleeps when i'm awake (ocverse: mika & aaron)

#267 gifted violets: viola sororia (ocverse: july & daria)

#268 fractured forms: picking up the pieces (ocverse: gabriel & kat)

#269 living weapon: can't win them all (fnv)

#270 lights and sirens: can you feel my bass (ocverse: valerie, annabelle & eli)

#271 tantrum entrance: pastry bribery (ocverse: mika & gabriel)

#272 change in tone: and let me sing forevermore (ocverse: aaron & mika)

#273 invisible guest: and there are days like this, too (ocverse: daria & fiona) #!

#274 empty house: the hills have eyebots (fnv: courier mags) #!

#275 full moon frenzy: low ebb tide and high full moon (ocverse: fiona)

#276 dark and stormy night: drift, drift away, into now (ocverse: fiona)

#277 silver sparks: jury rigging (fnv)

#278 singing in the candlelight: ever-drifting smoke (ocverse: fiona)

#279 warm hands: that familiar smell (ocverse: mika & gabriel)

#280 seek for insight: well, just you wait (ocverse: el & quinn)

#281 ripple effect: ripples (ocverse: july & daria)

#282 out of love: the el-question (ocverse: el & quinn)

#283 calling, calling home: mommy issues (ocverse: fia) #!

#284 noticing small things: all those little details (ocverse: mika & gabriel) #!

#285 how it begins: loud lights (ocverse: helena)

#286 anything could happen: any way the wind blows (ocverse: july, mika & aaron)

#287 i can’t stand it: good taste and where to buy it (ocverse: mika & quinn)

#288 loud lie, quiet truth: hard-hitting confessions (ocverse: mika & aaron)

#289 blinding gaze: first impressions (ocverse: fia & helena)

#290 midnight distractions: midnight creature feature (ocverse: mika & gabriel)

#291 stuff of legends: celestial love triangle (ocverse: fia & helena)

#292 paper promises: dear daria (ocverse: daria & fiona)

#293 unbridled rage: burn it down, baby, burn it down (saints row) #!

#294 cursed trio: what's in the cards (ocverse: daria & fiona)

#295 help not wanted: lonesome road (fnv)

#296 before the party's over: men of few words (fnv)

#297 like a weed: the legend of the courier (fnv)

#298 hidden chemistry: mmm... mentats. (fnv) #!

#299 stranger than fiction: something's missing (misc) #!

#300 let me go: shadow-maker (ocverse: daria & fiona)

#301 what happened here: the trouble with eyebots (fnv: courier mags)

#302 talk to me: foreboding silence (ocverse: mika & gabriel)

#303 out of the box: chess pieces (ocverse: fia & helena)

stats

ocverse: 33 fallout: 17 other: 2