This Is The Hardest Part Of Writing! Especially If You Do Something Like, Casually Make The Antagonist

This is the hardest part of writing! Especially if you do something like, casually make the antagonist a background character in the main character's every day life! Like, yes, this barista never gets MC's order wrong or name misspelled, but it's for REASONS!!!

Or, yes, this seems like such an innocent friendship now, but they don't understand the politics and the machinations around them and neither do you, reader! You will weep later!

it’s so hard to post a snippet and refrain from adding 500 words of context. the need to explain is so strong

No, but this is how you find the other player characters in the world! Legitimately!

So, no offense to anyone, but I have trouble caring about every person in the world - I don't have the energy or emotional bandwidth for that. So people I love and care about and vibe with are "real", they're player characters. Everyone else is an NPC, and I'll mind my manners and be friendly and I hope they have wonderful, fulfilling lives that are as gentle and kind to them as possible, but they aren't real to me they can't be. I can't handle it.

So when you write the stories you want to read - the characters that are brave the way that makes you feel alive, the scenes that crush your soul and break your heart, that's how you find your people. The folks who swoon over your words and weep for your characters, those are your people! They'll understand you and they'll speak your language and they'll accept you in a way that will leave your hands trembling and your face hiring from his hard you're grinning.

Everyone else is just an NPC, the trolls and even the folks who just don't get it.

So yeah, write to discover yourself, bc you will, and write to heal yourself, bc you will - but don't stop sharing your writing, don't stop opening up, bc someone else will discover parts of themselves they never realized were there BC you shared your words. And they'll love you for it.

The problem with writing romance, and not specifically romance where the sex happens, but any romance is...

Whether you intend it or not, you're interests are in there. Your desires are laid bare. What you lust for, perhaps, what attracts (and doesn't) certainly but more what you long for in a relationship and what frightens you away from one.

Everyone who reads it will know more about you than you probably want. You will learn more about you than you probably want.

This is true for all writing, but for some reason the intimate nature of relationships (both romantic and not, because you'll find those out too) is a bit more painful to broadcast.

And I am not simply talking about stories where romance is the entire point. I mean any stories with relationship dynamics to deal with.

You smash those dolls together, you have fun breaking hearts, but just remember what little doors in your own you are opening as you do.

Or the realization that you are what you write is going to hit you like a brick.

i am an advocate for Big Dumb Man rights and i will not take this blatant erasure by the anime twitter users

Nico "Echo" Silva

(The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game by Massive Attack)

Nico "Echo" Silva is a 32-year-old non-sanctioned super living on the fringes of San Padua's underworld. He's a solitary figure known for his work as a shadow operative - a man who can get things done efficiently and discreetly, no questions asked.

Nico's most defining feature is his unique power of echolocation. This ability allows him to navigate and "see" using reflected sound, creating a constant overlay of sensory information that blends with his normal vision. This power has shaped both his professional life and how he perceives and interacts with the world around him. This power is always active, providing a constant stream of sensory information, appearing as a translucent, shifting web of lines and shapes that outlines objects and people in his environment. The echolocation imagery becomes more pronounced in noisy environments, obscuring his normal vision. In busy streets or crowded places, Nico sees a chaotic, pulsing landscape of sound-generated shapes overlaying the visual world. In quiet environments, the echolocation overlay becomes subtler, allowing Nico to see the world more normally. This leads him to prefer quiet spaces and times of day when there's less ambient noise. Nico's perception is a blend of sight and sound; his unique powers no longer allow him to separate the two senses fully. Still, they compensate for this by giving him an acute awareness of his surroundings, including objects and people out of his line of sight. This is how he "feels" the space around him, even with his eyes closed. In particularly noisy environments, Nico experiences sensory overload - the cacophony of visual noise, making it difficult for him to focus or navigate. Over time, though, Nico has developed control over his power, learning to focus on specific sounds or filter out others. He refers to this as "tuning" his perception, like adjusting the dial on a radio. In his work, Nico uses his echolocation to navigate in complete darkness, detect hidden threats, or eavesdrop on conversations from afar. Nico's unique way of perceiving the world contributes to his feelings of isolation. He also perceives people differently based on their voices or the sounds they make. A person's laugh and the cadence of their speech create distinct, recognizable patterns in his echolocation overlay. These two factors help explain his attraction to Mia's voice - her singing creates beautiful and soothing patterns in his echolocation vision.

Physically, Nico is an imposing presence at 6'2" with an athletic frame honed by years of combat and survival. His olive-toned, sun-weathered skin bears the marks of his dangerous lifestyle, with various scars crisscrossing his arms and torso. His face is strikingly handsome, with sharp cheekbones and a strong jawline, though a crooked nose hints at a violent past. His chestnut brown eyes are always alert and wary, constantly scanning his surroundings. His black hair is kept short. His hands are calloused and scarred, with long, dexterous fingers equally adept at wielding a weapon or picking a lock. His movements are fluid and purposeful, every step calculated and nearly silent. Despite his attractive features, an air of danger about him tends to keep others at a distance. His default expression is guarded, bordering on grim, with a tension in his jaw and shoulders that speaks of constant vigilance.

Born to Brazilian immigrants, Nico Silva's unique echolocation abilities manifested during a traumatic household accident when he was 8 years old. During a season of heavy rains, a flash flood hit the community of South American immigrants where Nico's family lived with a powerful rush of water that destroyed both properties and lives. Nico's powers allowed him to navigate through the murky water and find an escape route, while his parents and neighbors struggled in the fast-moving currents. His ability to "see" using reflected sound undoubtedly saved his life that day, but it came at a steep cost - his parents were gravely injured and never looked at their son the same way again. As a child, Nico was shunned, called a freak, and treated as an outcast in his neighborhood. The isolation and anger bred a fierce self-reliance and combative nature that landed him in juvie repeatedly as a teenager living on the streets. It was there that he first learned how to weaponize his powers for personal gain and protection.

Before encountering Mia, Nico lived a life of detached professionalism. He prided himself on his ability to remain emotionally uninvolved in his work, viewing attachments as dangerous liabilities. His reputation in the criminal underworld was that of a reliable, efficient operative who could be trusted to get the job done without unnecessary complications.

Nico's personal life was sparse and transient. He indulged only in fleeting physical pleasures, never allowing anyone to get close enough to breach the walls he'd built around himself. His apartment, while comfortable, was more of a base of operations than a home, reflecting his nomadic and guarded lifestyle.

Despite his hardened exterior, Nico adhered to a personal code of ethics. He avoided jobs that involved harming children and had a particular distaste for those who preyed on the vulnerable. This moral compass, however subtle, set him apart from many of his peers in the criminal world.

Professionally, Nico was at the top of his game. His unique abilities made him an asset to various factions in San Padua's underworld, allowing him to choose his jobs carefully and maintain a degree of independence rare in his line of work.

However, beneath his carefully constructed facade of detachment and control, Nico carried deep-seated emotional scars. Years of isolation and the nature of his work had left him feeling disconnected from the world around him. He had long since resigned himself to a life lived in the shadows, never expecting to find any form of genuine connection or emotional fulfillment.

Nico notices Mia when he overhears her singing one night as she's cleaning up The Edge after closing. He's enchanted by her voice and quickly develops intensely obsessive and possessive feelings for her. This obsession starts three months before the start of the story.

While he would never harm her, and he considers her health and happiness his highest priority, he has become jealous and protective of her to an alarming extent. When the story begins, he's comfortable, sometimes even eager, to violently punish those he deems a threat to Mia. He hasn't revealed his feelings to Mia yet, but he has been following her, protecting her, and otherwise discreetly invading her privacy. He's also become a regular at The Edge to get closer to her, and Mia knows him as Nick when he's there. In Mia, Nico hears the tenderness and beauty he's been so starved of - a resonance that echoes into the dark crevices of his calloused heart. For the first time in a long while, he feels genuinely compelled to use his gifts for something other than self-preservation. Mia represents light in his perpetual darkness; he'll risk everything to keep her safe.

Nico's central flaw is his belief that love and connection require control and invasion of privacy. He believes the only way to keep someone safe and show love is through constant surveillance and intervention, without their knowledge or consent. This stems from his own trauma and isolation, but it's ultimately harmful and unsustainable.

Mia Brooks

(Sleepsong by Bastille)

Mia is a young woman, about 29 years old, with no superpowers. She has lived in San Padua for about six months when "Mia's Echo" begins, working as a bartender at The Edge, a run-down dive bar in the Old Quarter.

Her appearance is striking but understated. She has olive skin, a light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheekbones, and dark mahogany hair that falls in waves past her shoulders, which is kept tied back while she's working.

Physically, Mia stands at 5'6" and is lean and toned from years of hard work and constant motion. She fidgets subtly when she's still and moves with a quiet determination, her gait purposeful but unobtrusive. She carries herself with a quiet, weary grace, and her posture is often slightly hunched as if ready to duck into the shadows. Her amber-brown eyes are alert and calculating, constantly scanning her surroundings. The dark circles underneath them hint at years of interrupted sleep and constant vigilance. Her hands are slightly rough, with short, clean nails, and littered with faded scars from rough living.

Mia's face bears the soft lines of youth, but her eyes tell a story of hardship and wariness. There's an underlying attractiveness to her features, and yet she's adept at blending into the background, at not drawing attention to herself. Her clothing is practical and unremarkable, chosen for durability and ease of movement rather than style.

Emotionally, Mia is guarded and keeps people at arm's length. She struggles to form deep connections with others, fearing that letting anyone get too close could lead to heartbreak or danger. Years of being on the run have made her incredibly resourceful and quick to adapt to new situations, but they've also left her constantly looking over her shoulder and given her a fear of staying in one place for too long.

Mia lives in a sparse, unfurnished efficiency apartment near The Edge. Her living space reflects her readiness to flee at a moment's notice - she sleeps on an inflatable mattress, keeps her clothing and personal items neatly stacked on the ground, and has a backpack always at hand, packed with necessities. Her food supply is minimal and consists mostly of items requiring little preparation.

To avoid drawing attention to herself, Mia strives to be the perfect employee, often taking on extra shifts or tasks to please her bosses. She carries unresolved guilt about leaving her parents behind, even though she had to for her survival, and has a cynical worldview, always expecting the worst from people and situations. Despite her hardened exterior, Mia has a soft spot for those who are struggling or downtrodden. She also has a hidden love of singing, which she only allows herself to indulge in when she's sure she's alone. She often unconsciously hums to herself when she's stressed as a way to self-soothe. This talent becomes a pivotal element in the story, as it first draws Nico's attention to her.

Mia grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where her parents' chronic gambling addiction brought her into contact with the city's powerful crime syndicate at an early age. Her mother was a beautiful woman who fell into a spiral of depression and alcohol abuse after a difficult childbirth. Her father worked multiple jobs, but could never resist the siren call of the underground card rooms and racetracks run by the syndicate's associates. As Mia grew older, she took on more and more responsibility caring for herself and her parents' home, watching her childhood slip away. The syndicate frequently sent thugs to collect on her father's mounting debts through intimidation and violence. As her 19th birthday neared, Mia's parents made a desperate deal - she would become collateral, forced to work for the syndicate until their debt was repaid through her labor. Mia spent months planning an escape, realizing her parents were too enslaved by their vices to ever break free. On her 19th birthday, she slipped out in the dead of night with little more than the clothes on her back. For years, she drifted across the country, taking odd jobs and constantly looking over her shoulder, the nightmares about being dragged back to that life always looming over her. Finally, she found herself bartending at The Edge in San Padua's Old Quarter six months ago.

Mia's biggest regret about her life on the run is losing touch with Emma Tanner, her childhood best friend. Emma's life wasn't easy either, with a single mother who worked too many jobs just to keep the two of them afloat, but she was bright and cheerful, stubborn in a way that kept hope alive in Mia's heart. No matter how bleak Mia's home life became, Emma never quit believing that Mia would find a way out and make a better life for herself. Whenever the bleak realities of spending too much time on the run threaten to overwhelm Mia, she turns to her memories of Emma, finding refuge in the friend who never let her give up.

Mia's sharp observation skills mean she's aware that Nick, a newer regular at The Edge, watches her sometimes. Although she was wary when she first realized it, his calm, quiet presence and respectful demeanor have slowly won her over. She appreciates that he tips well, too. The fact that he's handsome, with sharp features and intense eyes, doesn't hurt, either.

At the beginning of "Mia's Echo," Mia's central flaw is her belief that she doesn't deserve happiness or stability and that caring for others (or letting others care for her) is dangerous. She's convinced herself that she can only rely on herself and that letting anyone get close will only lead to pain and betrayal.

At the story's start, Mia is unaware that her past is catching up with her. She's still haunted by nightmares and the fear of being found by the Fayetteville crime syndicate she escaped from nearly a decade ago. She's also oblivious to Nico's growing obsession with her, setting the stage for the dramatic events to unfold.

Tobias "Viper" Maretti

Backstory:

Tobias Maretti grew up on the rough streets of Fayetteville, and became involved in the city's powerful crime syndicate at a young age. With a natural talent for cruelty and viciousness, he rapidly rose through the ranks, earning the nickname "Viper" for his venomous tactics and ruthless ability to eliminate any opposition.

At 42 years old, Viper is now the syndicate's most feared enforcer, tasked with handling their most difficult jobs and retrieving high-value targets. He takes a sadistic pleasure in hunting down those who have crossed the syndicate, relishing the opportunity to make them suffer.

When Mia's parents failed to pay back their gambling debt, the syndicate leader ordered Viper to take their daughter as collateral. However, Mia managed to escape before he could apprehend her. This infuriated Viper, who sees her act of defiance as a personal insult to his prowess.

As Viper searches for Mia, he refers to her as Songbird. His search is quiet and subtle, but he does offer a significant reward for accurate information about her.

For years, he patiently followed her trail, expanding his network and influence until he could pick up any crumb of knowledge about her, no matter how small. Recently, he uncovered a lead on her whereabouts in San Padua, Texas, and has been dispatched to retrieve her at all costs. Not only is it a matter of pride for both himself and the Fayetteville syndicate, but Viper also intends to make an example out of Mia to reinforce the syndicate's unforgiving stance on disloyalty.

Personality:

Viper is an obsessive and vicious man who revels in inflicting pain and suffering. He is cunning, patient, and views his targets as nothing more than prey to be toyed with before the kill. Arrogant and cruel, he believes himself to be untouchable and unstoppable.

In contrast to his brutal nature, Viper maintains an outward appearance of refinement - always impeccably dressed in fine suits with slicked-back hair and a bemused smile. This superficial charm adds an unsettling element, as it's never clear when his façade will slip to reveal the monster lurking beneath.

While not a super himself, Viper employs a small team of non-sanctioned mercenaries with various abilities to augment his ruthless tactics. He is an expert at exploiting others' powers for his own gain through manipulation, coercion or brute force. His crew's fear of crossing him is only eclipsed by the thrill they get from the vicious jobs he assigns.

With each new assignment, Viper seeks to outdo himself, making his revenge on Mia a priority that will surely live up to his blood-soaked reputation. Her continued evasion has become an obsession that he will stop at nothing to resolve, no matter how many bodies he has to leave in his wake.

Physical Description:

Viper is a study in contrasts - outwardly impeccably dressed in bespoke suits with slicked-back silver hair, but his cold, lifeless eyes hint at the vicious monster lurking underneath. At 6 feet tall and solidly built, he moves with a deliberate, coiled menace like a serpent about to strike its prey. Viper's ageless face is locked in a perpetual bemused smirk that's more unsettling than comforting.