Rainy Day In Kyoto

⌕ naruto: team kurenai • kiba.

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no need to tell me, i'm listening on everyone

Writing Notes: Detective Story

References (Elements; Subgenres; Tips; Some Vocabulary)

Detective story - one whose plot hinges on a crime that the characters investigate and attempt to solve.

Also called “whodunnit” stories or crime stories.

Most detective stories are written from the point of view of a detective.

5 Basic Elements

A Detective

Usually featured as the protagonist.

Spend time thinking about your detective’s personality, their motivations, their background, their strengths, and their weaknesses. You’ll want your detective to be unique among the other detectives out there.

A Crime

Most detective stories revolve around a central crime or string of related crimes.

Since the crime will be the catalyst of your short story or novel, it should be interesting, memorable, and seemingly unsolvable—that way, readers will be so tantalized by the mystery of it that they’ll need to keep reading.

A dead body is a very common crime in detective fiction, but there are plenty of other options—from robberies to disappearances.

Suspects

Many detective stories include an array of suspects that could have committed the crime (either they have weak alibis or have a history of lying).

Your suspects are a vital part of your detective story; they serve as red herrings (or distractions) that will direct readers’ attention away from the true culprit.

Some mystery novels don’t have any suspects—this is a deliberate choice by crime writers that serves to heighten the tension in the story, but if your story doesn’t have any suspects, find creative ways to keep the case from going cold.

An Antagonist

The person whose goals are in direct conflict with the antagonist’s.

Traditionally, the antagonist is the true culprit for the story’s crime (or crimes), but that’s not who your antagonist has to be; the antagonist of your story could be a police officer who wants to solve the crime first or someone who knows the identity of the culprit and is trying to cover it up.

A Setting

The setting is a very important part of any detective story because the action in most detective stories takes place on the streets of its location.

Therefore the stories are inextricably linked to the time and place they are set in and are memorable because of those details.

5 Subgenres

Here are just a few subgenres that fall under detective stories

Police-department procedurals. Focus on police work and often feature homicide investigators and other departments of a local police force.

Cozy mysteries. These have a lighter tone than traditional detective fiction and avoid explicit depictions of the murder. They are often set in a small town and focus on puzzle-solving rather than suspense.

Hardboiled detective stories. These stories are usually dark and explicit, featuring a veteran detective who treats violent crimes matter-of-factly.

Thrillers. Emphasize suspenseful storytelling, often featuring chase scenes or murder sprees that the detective must stop before the time runs out.

Locked-room mysteries. Feature crimes that, at the outset, appear impossible—for instance, a murder taking place in a seemingly locked room with no other way in or out.

5 Tips for Writing a Good Detective Story

Interesting Motivation

The motivation of the culprit is one of the most crucial and prominent parts of detective work—what readers want to know even more than who committed the crime is why they committed it.

Nothing spoils a good detective story more than an uninteresting or unbelievable motivation (for instance, a serial killer who is just “pure evil” and has no discernable reasons for murdering) or an unmotivated confession.

In the same vein, your detective should also have a strong motivation for being in this line of work—it’s not easy, and many people wouldn’t be able to stomach it.

Learn about Detective Work

Readers want to feel immersed in the world of your detective story—whether it’s the world of the law or the seedy underbelly of a small town.

That’s why it’s so important to get the details right when crime writing—so you can keep the reader’s attention with believable plot points.

Do the research to make sure that you know who would be the first to make it to the scene of a crime, how detectives would go about tracking people down or questioning them, and what role forensics would play in your crime scene, so that your readers don’t spend any time wondering if what they’re reading is accurate to real life.

Too Easy

Readers pick up detective fiction because they want to be intrigued by a good mystery—so if your crime is too easy for them to solve, they’ll get bored and likely not finish the story.

Trust in your readers’ ability for logical deduction and don’t give too much away, leaving them guessing and really shocking them.

A Payoff

Try to avoid an outcome where readers will feel let down by the answer.

In the words of S. S. Van Dine, a famous mystery-novel-writing art critic, “A crime in a detective story must never turn out to be an accident or a suicide. To end an odyssey of sleuthing with such an anti-climax is to hoodwink the trusting and kind-hearted reader.”

By that same logic, try to avoid any “deus ex machina”— an impossible-to-solve situation is suddenly resolved with little or no effort from the characters.

Experiment & Innovate

Read lots of detective fiction and then subvert the tropes—

What if your main character is the person who committed the crime, and your bad guy is the detective or official investigator working to solve it?

Or what if your character’s love interest was the victim?

Common Terms in Detective Fiction

Establish a working vocabulary will help improve detective fiction writing

accusation - statement that places blame on a specific person or persons

alias - an alternate name used to conceal identity

alibi - an explanation that removes a person from the scene of a crime when it occurred

angle - specific strategy or way of looking at facts as employed by the detective during an investigation

autopsy - the medical examination of a corpse to determine cause(s) of death

booking - the process whereby a suspect is officially arrested and charged with a crime

case - the investigation of a crime from the time it is reported/ discovered until it is resolved (closed)

charges - specific crime(s) a person is accused of

circumstantial - indicative but not conclusive

clue - anything that sheds light on a particular case

collar - the actual arrest by a police officer

corpus dilecti - the actual body that proves a murder has been committed

crime of passion - a crime committed in a rage of anger, hatred, revenge, etc.

culprit - the “bad guy;” criminal

D.A. - district attorney; works for the government

deduction - conclusion reached through a logical progression of steps

defense - the argument made to show the innocence of the accused person

evidence - material that will prove innocence or guilt

eyewitness - someone who actually observes a crime and/or criminal

felony - major crime (i.e., armed robbery, murder, rape)

foil - the detective’s “right hand man;” he/she is usually quite different in nature. Ex: Holmes/Watson; Nero Wolfe/ Archie Goodwin

frame-up - deliberate trap set to lay blame on an innocent person

habeas corpus - accusor has to produce a body in order to hold a suspect

homicide - the act of murder

hunch - guess; instinct

informer - relays information to police/detective for money (usually)

inquest/inquiry - legal questioning concerning a particular event or action

lead - something/someone that may help move an investigation to a solution

malice aforethought - criminal was already considering a hostile act before the crime occurred

manslaughter - accidental killing

misdemeanor - minor offense

modus operandi - method of operation (m.o.) that a criminal employs during his crimes

morgue - city government building where dead bodies are kept during investigations

motive - reason for committing a crime

perpetrator - offender; criminal

post mortem - the report from an autopsy

premeditation - deliberate intent to perform a crime before it occurs

private eye - private detective

prosecutor - attorney working for the District Attorney; person trying to prove guilt in a courtroom

red herring - a false clue that usually misleads the reader (and often the detective)

set-up - a trap that is designed to catch a criminal or victim

sleuth - detective

statement - official document containing information supplied by witness, suspect, or any other person involved in an investigation

stool pigeon - informer

surveillance - constant visual or electronic monitoring of a person’s activities

suspect - someone who may have reason to have committed a specific crime

tank - jail cell

third degree - intensive questioning of a suspect

victim - person who is hurt or killed as a result of a criminal act

Sources: 1 2 Writing Notes: Autopsy ⚜ Word Lists: Forensics ⚜ Law-Related

marketing promotion are literal hell, esp you're introvert. wdym i need to chat, call with everyone, and adapt to their interest. *sigh, get up, open sns and still done it*

my biggest awooga

best friends to lovers — werewolf edition!

important content warnings: 18+ MDNI, monsterfucking, friends to lovers, unestablished mating bond, mutual pining, college/modern AU.

pairing: werewolf!bsf!kiba inuzuka/fem!reader

divider credit: cafekitsune

↳ finding peace in the spontaneous wild (26.2k) — when an accidental encounter with your former childhood best friend leads you to agree to a one-night camping trip consisting of just you two, you discover that there’s more to your friendship than initially meets the eye.

↳ a friend, a mate, and all things in-between (22.8k) — after finding out the truth about the role you supposedly play in kiba’s life, you settle on a compromise of taking things slow and seeing where the wind takes you while you’re at it.

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⌕ naruto - kiba.

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༘⋆mon's 500 followers special.ᐟ.ᐟ 500-word prompt roulette⟢

🍓┆a taste of jealousy

choi san x gn! reader

│synopsis: the one with the confession

│genre: fluff, friends to lovers

│trigger warnings: mid jealousy

│ prompt 25 + san + strawberry

Another midweek game night with your friends to unwind from your hectic schedules. Tonight, you'd volunteered to prepare snacks for everyone. The soft melody of a lo-fi playlist hummed through the speakers as you moved around the kitchen.

"Need some help with those?" Wooyoung appeared beside you, eyeing the pile of ingredients on the counter with a mischievous grin.

"Thanks," you smiled, sliding a cutting board his way. "These finger foods won't make themselves."

As Wooyoung began chopping vegetables beside you, he leaned in closer than necessary, his shoulder brushing yours. "You know what they say about the way to a man's heart..." he teased, winking at you.

You couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Is that what I'm doing? And here I thought I was just making snacks."

Wooyoung reached across you for the salt, his hand settling briefly on your waist. "Kitchen's small," he explained, "Need to get around you somehow."

"Somehow indeed," you replied with a raised eyebrow, but didn't move away.

"Open up," he said suddenly, plucking a grape from the fruit bowl and holding it to your lips. "Quality control is essential." You laughed again, opening your mouth as he popped the grape in.

What neither of you noticed was San standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the intimate scene. The comfortable gray hoodie he wore looked soft against his skin as he shifted his weight, jaw tightening at the sight.

As Wooyoung fed you another grape, his hand still casually resting on your waist, San cleared his throat loudly.

"Sannie!" you called, brightening at his presence. "Perfect timing. We're almost done with the snacks."

But his usual playful smile was missing, "Looks like you two have it handled," he said, voice neutral. "Yunho's setting up the board game." Before you could respond, he turned and disappeared back into the living room.

"What's his problem?" Wooyoung whispered, raising an eyebrow but still not moving his hand from your waist.

"I don't know," you frowned, gently stepping away and wiping your hands on a towel. "He's been weird all week."

Wooyoung leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Well, I'm not sticking around for whatever that was. Take these chips out when you go—and good luck." As Wooyoung slipped away to join the others, you arranged the last snacks on a tray.

When you entered the living room, San was sitting cross-legged on the floor by the coffee table, shuffling a deck of UNO cards with more force than necessary. You set the tray on the coffee table and looked at him, noticing the tense set of his shoulders as he continued to shuffle the cards. The others were engaged in conversation, seemingly oblivious to the tension between you and San. His eyes briefly flickered up to meet yours, and in that fleeting moment, you caught a glimpse of hurt. He quickly looked away, focusing intensely on the cards in his hands as if they held the answers to questions he couldn't bring himself to ask.

"Can we talk?" you finally asked looking attentively at his expression, heart racing as your eyes met. Without answering, San got up and took your hand leading you down the hallway to his bedroom, closing the door behind you both.

"What's going on?" you asked softly, noticing how he couldn't quite meet your eyes.

San ran a hand through his hair, tension rippling across his shoulders. "Can we just be direct with each other?" You nodded in answer, waiting for him to continue. "What's going on with you and Wooyoung?"

"Nothing's going on," you replied honestly, your voice softening. "Wooyoung is just being... Wooyoung. You know how he is."

"He was touching you," San stated plainly, the words hanging heavy between you. A small, conflicted frown crossed your face. This side of San was something new.

"Yes, he was," you admitted, "But he was just being playful," you continued, stepping closer to him. "San, why aren’t you looking at me?" You reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers with his, feeling his reluctant grip tighten around yours.

He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes finally meeting yours. "I..." he started, then shook his head, his grip on your hand tightening. "I can't stand watching him touch you like that," he finally confessed, words tumbling out.

You blinked in surprise, "What are you saying?"

"I didn't mean to—" he started, then stopped, looking almost defeated. "I like you," he blurted out, then immediately backtracked. "No, that's not right. I really, really like you. Have for months now, actually."

Your heart fluttered in your chest as his words sank in. "San..." you whispered, moving closer to him.

"I know he's my best friend," he continued, words rushing out now that the dam had broken. "And I know I have no right to be jealous, but I can't help it. Every time he touches you, every time you laugh at his jokes..." His voice trailed off, eyes dropping to where your hands were still intertwined. "I-I know you probably don't feel the same way. I see how you and Wooyoung get along so well, and he's funnier than me anyway, and probably better looking, and—"

"San—" you tried to interrupt, but he was on a roll.

"—and I totally understand if you want him instead. He's my best friend, and he's great, so I get it. I just couldn't keep pretending that I don't feel anything when I'm around you, and I'm sorry if this makes things weird, but—"

"San!" you tried again, louder this time.

"—I promise I won't make it awkward if you reject me. We can just forget this ever happened and go back to—"

You'd had enough. In one swift movement, you grabbed him by his hoodie and pulled him down to your level. "Kiss me and shut up," you commanded. For a moment, San froze, his eyes wide with shock. Your lips pressed against his, but you felt no response—just the stiffness of surprise as he stood there, completely stunned. You pulled back slightly, his mouth hung slightly open, his breathing shallow as he tried to process what had just happened.

"Did you just...?" he whispered, his voice trailing off as his fingertips touched his own lips in disbelief.

"Yes," you replied softly, suddenly feeling vulnerable. "Maybe I should have waited for your permission first," you finished, heart pounding in your chest with uncertainty. For what felt like an eternity but was barely a second, San remained motionless. Then, slowly, his eyes softened as he leaned in. His hands gently found your waist, touch feather-light and hesitant. When his lips finally met yours, it was tentative at first—a whisper of a kiss that asked a question. The sweet taste of your strawberry lip gloss lingered between you as he pulled back slightly, searching your eyes before continuing. His second kiss was more certain but still gentle, a tender exploration filled with relief and longing. You sighed against his lips, your fingers lightly gripping his hoodie as warmth bloomed in your chest.

"You're being ridiculous," you murmured against his lips. "I've never wanted Wooyoung."

San pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his breathing ragged. "You don't?"

You shook your head, smiling. "How could I want anyone else when you're all I think about?

"Really? You mean it?"

You nodded. "You're the only one I want. The only one." His face softened in a way you'd never seen before, dimples appearing as his smile widened. Gently, he cupped your face with both hands, thumbs brushing over your cheeks as if you were something precious. The tenderness in his eyes made your heart skip a beat as he leaned in to kiss you again, this time with all the certainty in the world.

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Romantic Student Things

Locking eyes in the hallway like it’s a damn movie scene, except the only soundtrack is the sound of someone dropping their binder and cursing loudly in the background.

Scribbling little notes in the margins of textbooks, but instead of love letters, they’re inside jokes and sarcastic insults that somehow make them fall harder.

That moment when they both reach for the same book in the library and freeze... her fingers brushing his, the air between them suddenly too much and not enough all at once.

Staying up way too late to study together, but absolutely failing because they keep finding excuses to talk about literally anything else except what’s actually on the exam.

Leaving anonymous notes in each other’s lockers, but instead of sweet nothings, it’s absolute nonsense like “Your hair looked aggressively good today” and “You’re dangerously close to making me fall in love with you, stop it.”

Sitting next to each other in class, acting completely normal, while their knees are pressed together under the desk and their hearts are losing their minds over it.

Having full-on mental breakdowns over finals together, only for one of them to randomly say, “I think I might love you.” Because academic stress and emotional realizations go hand in hand, apparently.

Passing handwritten notes in class, except they’re not just notes, they’re confessions hidden inside random doodles and lyrics that will mean nothing to anyone else but them.

Accidentally falling asleep next to each other while studying, and waking up to realize their hands are still tangled together like some kind of cruel joke the universe is playing on them.

Finding the one place on campus where they can be alone, an empty classroom, a forgotten stairwell, a rooftop and making it theirs. Because stolen moments always feel more real than anything else.

That absolutely insane moment when they see each other outside of school for the first time, no uniforms, no backpacks, just them, and suddenly, they’re seeing each other differently.

Staying after school to “work on a project”, but the only thing getting worked on is their ability to pretend they’re not completely, recklessly, falling for each other.

Supporting each other during nerve-wracking presentations by holding eye contact across the room, because if one of them crashes and burns, at least they’ll have company in hell.

That heart-stopping moment during graduation when they realize this might be the last time they ever get to see each other like this, in this life, in this stage, before everything changes.

Finally saying screw it and kissing in the middle of campus, because the real test wasn’t their exams, it was this.

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kids interaction pack + homework override

download on patreon (early access)  (public release - 04/25/25)

this mod adds four new interactions between a child and an adult, featuring custom animations blended from various in-game clips.

base game compatible requires the xml injector

1. go over schoolwork / ask to go over schoolwork

actors: both child and adult category: friendly interactions requirements: – the actor must be sitting on a couch! (similar to the “cuddle” interaction) – the adult must be a family member or a good friend of the child

effects: – improves school performance – increases parenting skill for the adult – increases the child’s mental and social skills – increases responsibility for the child

2. check homework / get help checking homework

actor: both child and adult category: friendly interactions requirements: – the child must have 100% completed their homework – the adult must be a family member or a good friend of the child

effects: – increases parenting skill for the adult – increases mental for the child – increases responsibility for the child

3. complain about feeling bad

actor: child only category: complaints under friendly interactions requirements: – only if the child is uncomfortable or has illness-related buffs from get to work – the adult must be a family member or a good friend of the child

effects: – slightly boosts all of the child’s needs – if the child has an illness buff from get to work, the interaction works similarly to taking medicine

4. beg for a day off school

actor: child only category: complaints under friendly interactions requirements: – only if the child is uncomfortable, stressed or sad – the adult must be a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian

effects: – gives the child a one-day sick day – the child may lose some school performance

known issue: the "go over schoolwork" interaction may glitch slightly when starting or exiting. unfortunately, it's based on the "cuddle" interaction, which has built-in issues i haven’t been able to fix :(

i’m so sorry for being away for so long. i’ve actually been working on mods almost every day, but kept running into problems that forced me to scrap everything and start over. it’s been a really frustrating experience — but i’m so happy i finally get to share this one with you 💛

the mod has two download options:

v1: the first version uses the default ea homework design;

v2: the second version uses books with my custom homework texture (you can also download the homework override separately). i took the university notebook texture, modified it, and added some fun stickers.