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goldsbitch · 3 months

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That next Christmas flight

epilogue p.1 to That one Christmas flight

summary: Few months down the line, Y/N is getting onto the same Christmas flight as a completely changed girl.

warning: cheesy af, swear words I guess, cliche probably, typos most definitely

Another Christmas flight. Traditions linger long and strong no matter how much one tries to resist. It's been a year precisely since the last flight that had turned her life upside down and Y/N found herself standing at the same airport where she shared a first kiss with Lando. Except this time she was thrown off for a completely less glamorous reason, sitting all confused and looking at the cancelled note next to her flight number on the departure board. She was just one of the other anxious annoyed passangers, trying to figure out how to get to Japan on time. Her mom hated when people were late. And she was sure she'll find a way to blame it on her. Bad planning, she'd always say. Love comes in different flavors to anyone, Y/N sighed, looking forward to seeing her mom after so many months, which had brought a rollercoaster of unexpected emotions.

She has had the summer of her life, hard to imagine something topping this one. The ultimate love affair - exciting, sweet and eye opening. Made her question everything she thought about adult life. All those love song suddenly made sense. She understood why people do crazy things for love. There wasn't a cell in her body regretting getting her summer and early September got stolen by one guy. It would not have mattered if he was a server from a local café or a tattoo artist, he just happened to be one of the most famous racing drivers on the planet. She had followed him around his trips as long as her school schedule allowed, making new friends in the process and generally exploring a different way of life. Sometimes, she had to stop in order to take it all in, because his world shined just a little too bright. It took all of her free time to keep up. Once summer rolled to its very end, it started being harder for the pair. Coming back to the school environment was somewhat of a culture shock and suddenly her having her own life was making it harder to drop everything and meet him at yet another race track around the world. Their schedules seemed to be working against each other. Late night cuddles turned into late night / morning calls. Summer romance got a real hard test that October and was forced to mature real quick. And sadly, very few love affairs manage to survive this leap.

There are little things that people in love do for each other. One does not often realize that the other person had been doing these mundane gestures until they are out of sight. Lando would always put Y/N's airpods on the charger when they were together, because he knew that she would just never do that and then would complain about it endlessly. He was even looking forward to the annoyed text she'd send him two days after they parted, almost on the clock. Y/N never learned. Nor did she want to.

Y/N airpods were sitting in the pocket of her coat. Fully charged. Lando and Y/N had never spent more time together than this winter break. After few rough weeks, they got used to the changing tone of their relationship. She finally met his family and spent few very fun days at their house. Lando made fun of her afterwards, because she had been so nervous to fuck it up. He never doubted that she would do a good impression - he loved too much to think that.

Pair of hands hugged her from behind and the familiarity kicked in.

"Thought you got lost, honey," she greeted her boyfriend and potentially the love of her life (spoiler alert - yes, he really was).

"I actually kind of did, I'm sure there must be a bathroom closer that all the way back that hallway," he said, kissing her cheek softly. She was taking him home to Japan to get him introduced to her mom, which made him the proudest guy at that airport. He was worthy of getting introduced and to him, that was the biggest compliment one could give. It had been quite a hectic Christmas break for Lando so far, if he were to be honest, he was happy to get few hours alone with Y/N. On the outside, he was this cool racer chill dude. But he was also a sappy romantic, absolutely insisting on having them celebrate their anniversary on the same flight. Y/N grounded him, kept him at bay in the best way possible. He felt like the best version of himself. Which was also what he told her when they almost broke up over the phone one confusing November night. Their relationship was cut with difficult conversations and the need to untangle things, but it was strangely something Lando loved about their relationship. No stones left untouched, caring so much about each other that any shift in energy was a signal to the other party. Y/N taught him to notice things. He pushed her into making her feelings known.

"My love, our flight is cancelled for today," she said softly, not really knowing what to do. Lando usually had his travel booked by the team, so he was surprisingly not very skilled in booking things anymore. But he longed for any possibility to be the hero that saved the day, so he got to the counter and got them on tomorrow's flight, with an overnight at a hotel.

Y/N let out a sigh once he told her that there is currently no other option. She just wanted to be at her mom's place and show Lando off, like a proper proud girlfriend she was.

"I'm sorry, honey," he said, caressing her cheek. "I'll make sure you have an absolutely amazing evening with me, ok? Honestly, getting to spend an extra night with you alone is the best thing I could wish for." She looked at him and there was not a single cell in her body that would doubt what he was telling her. Even after months, every time Lando looked at her, her heart skipped a beat. Every time he embraced her, she completely melted. His skin still felt like the softest thing on this planet. His eyes were the bluest of green that had her mesmerised whenever he shared a glance at her. "There is nothing better I could wish for Christmas either," she said, kissing him softly. "Let's get to the hotel, give your mom a quick call, order a champagne and cuddle without letting anyone else know we're still in England," he whispered like a little devil on her shoulder.

"Hm, maybe we can cuddle like really fast," she insunuated, setting Lando's imagination on fire.

"I have many ideas, honey."

"Good, write them down."

"This will hardly ever skip my mind," Lando laughed lightly and the pair took off, with him having his shoulder around her, both of them hiding their faces under a cap. They soft launched their relationship in the middle of the summer, but there was still a cloud of mystery around Y/N, as she had made sure to set her socials on private. No more of a little secret hidden in a hotel room. Still, privacy was an important thing to the pair, that's why there was a whole fake social media trip happening for Lando right now to redirect attention.

So there they were, toasting with the same champagne a year later, lives intertwined and with their own set of Christmas traditions forming. Two young people with souls still undamaged by the tragedies of life, two young people not realizing how light and magical part of their life they got to call today and tomorrow. Next time you're flying somewhere, don' be a chicken and talk to your hot neighbor on the plane. You never know.

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personal note: thank you so much for all the support you guys gave me for this one, it has grown into my favorite story so far - mainly because I got to put in my own memories and feelings from when I accidentally started dating a semi famous sports guy while having no idea who he was, lol. it was in no way lando level kind of famous, but still, it is a great memory, so thank you for reliving it with me.

there will be blurbs of these two coming in the future, but i wanted to tie the main story to an end. but I can't wait to write more, so i'll be more than happy if you come back for some snap shots of their little moments. thank you - smutty epilogue p2. is on the way

Tagged all those who like to suffer: @prudyhoo @anuksunamon @sagestack @esquerkaren @ushygushybaby @ilove-tswizzle @thehufflepuffavenger1 @superlegend216 @mehrmonga @lovely-blackinnon @mylifeihate1029 @lausdigitaldiary @tswizzleismother @goldenharrysworld @llando4norris @classiclitfreak @ophcelia @leclerc13 @starmanv @k4r1402 @biitch-with-wifi @drunk-teens-doing-drugs @starmanv @formulaal @scenesofobx

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malacandrax · 25 days

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Hi I just wanted to say I love your art sm and you actually helped me get back into drawing a ton, for a while I had this weird idea in my brain that I HAD to draw semi realism/realism otherwise every man I drew would be horribly twinkified and I'd never be able to draw the characters I liked, but I just drew my first ever man I'm happy with in a style that isn't semi realism and a lot of it was inspired by the way you don't always close your lines w lineart and don't use a ton of pen pressure sensitivity and your art comes out incredible. Those were things I always did but would try to stop doing because people told me they were stuff you "weren't supposed to do" and it just ended with me being frustrated whenever I drew and hating my art. But seeing you do it and make absolutely gorgeous stuff really gave me that confidence to just say fuck it and do it anyways and I'm starting to actually get in the flow of drawing again, so thank you :)

This is so so cool! I struggled for About Ten Years with not being able to line in a way I liked, and I’m so glad that my way of doing it is inspirational to someone else! I hope you figure it out faster than I did haha.

Style wise, it kinda just happens, I don’t think many people fit super neatly into boxes anyway, so don’t stress over it, I definitely don’t know what my style is defined as haha! I thought it was semi realism til I googled it HAHA. I copied artists like makani and coey, reapersun and loish when I was a teenager and it definitely swayed my style!

Also I relate extremely to not really vibing with how other artists do lines. For me personally I THINK its because I think in shapes and not lines, and I started out painting and working in tone. Like real life doesn’t have lines, and when you paint it’s generally just varying between soft and hard edges, using the colour and tone to do the lifting for you. It’s way harder to figure out where to put a line, or what things need a line and what doesn't, if you’re not used to thinking that way.

I definitely ink more like I paint, kind of thinking about planes and shadow or overlap more than the outline? Like I draw the top curve of the cheek, then the jowl, then the chin, it kind of feels like cutting a 3D shape out in the space…? But I think that’s why mine are often choppy haha. In traditional art I always preferred a square brush, which carries over to my preference for minimal width variation on tablet.

Saying that, I *do* sometimes work more with width, though it's still messy and choppy haha. my trick with those is that I always choose a brush that has a fairly consistent minimum width, I can draw with a fairly fixed line, but also press down a little to get the variation when I want it. (As opposed to brushes that kind of go really thin and really thick with little effort, like a brush pen, I just don't have the control...) Below are my main blobby inkers, I can pretty comfortably draw a fixed width face, but I can make it wider if I want.

Anyway I went off on a tangent, I hope you can make art in ways that feel natural to you! And I hope making art brings you joy!

Some artists I love the lines of are linnea sterte, steven sugar, momopachi, jadenvargen, artharakka, beidak-art, pien-art, wombrion!

#mal talks

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not-goldy · 3 months

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It's time we lay this to rest. Might be a tough pill to swallow, but accepting Jikook are close enough to do this enlistment together every step of the way, should be the final straw. Went through an hard process, when they knew they could do other things, enlist separately, enlist with others, choose different units alone, but didn't. It should be everyone's cue to back off & stop spreading different narratives & lies to cope. Do you really want to do this for 17 more months, cause Jikook aren't gonna separate confirmed, for a fact, in writing.

Do you truly know your favs? Do understand how close you have to be to consistently drop all honorifics daily, the way Jikook do? Do you realize Jimin's been there for every graduation of JK's? At each other's side when the other is sick. Made a major life decision together & enlisted together. Even went to the doctor & had their covid vaccine together, cause why not. Their parents cook traditional soup for the other's bday & judging by Hobi & Tae's face, that alone should tell its not a normal occurance for her to do that for others or even at all. They spend bdays, holidays & couple days. Together alone when they made #1 as group together for the first time. Planned & gone on many private trips together over the years & before enlisting when they should've spent those last days with partners or family. Spent 8 years choosing the other, riding together, hang in the others room for hours doing nothing, go out & do things together and when they did do separate things & went out with other friends, the other was still on their minds & they let us know it publicly. Only saw each other over their breaks, while other members were living it up alone. Jimin allowed Jk on his personal album, when he said he wanted no members as features cause its about his personal life/his story & JK was allowed to be part of that. Always together behind the scenes. Knowing ones passcode to their studio & using it & the other knowing ones passcode to their home & letting himself in & making himself at home. No matter what kind of relationship you think they have, its special, its close, its mutual, its unbreakable. One day you'll get it & I hope for Jikook's sake its soon, because they deserve nothing but love, support & respected, like any other duo of BTS.

If you believe even a tiny bit Jikook are fanservice, you're saying Hybe, JK, Jimin, the Government, their parents & bts are all in this cover up together, playing along with fanservice & for what? To bring more hate on their children, their artists, their soldiers, their members? Does that make logical sense? Jikook have nothing to gain from fanservice. All they've gained from being close it hate, bullying, harassment & yes you are part of this problem, if you ever helped spread this narrative. They give you all their love, the least you can do is support & respect their decisions as adult men. Think for yourself, believe what you see, not what you're told by blogs who gaslit, manipulate, lie & you blindly follow, boosting their hate blogs & egos, while you hurt your favs you claim to love. Think for yourself & you'll finally gain some peace. I promise.

And the fact Jikook just don't care too😹😹😹

They living their best life whether they scream yell or wail nobody can tell them nothing 😹

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lunarblazes · 2 years

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okay i really hate to do this so soon after my last escapade into My Blog Being On Fire but. we need to talk about fan skin artists.

fan skin artists (and fan modelers!) are integral to a lot of the glitz and glam of a minecraft series, in particular, empires smp and the minecraft championship event, though hermitcraft is also bleeding into this lately. skin making to the level you see in videos and streams is really hard! i’m a skinmaker myself, actually, and my current default mc skin took me about six hours total to make, not including recent tweaks to the design, and on average my skins take me three hours each when they’re edited and five and a half hours each when they’re original. i’m also learning blockbench modeling, and though i’m very much a beginner, it doesn’t take much more than a beginner to tell you what kinds of techniques they use to get the models on empires and hermitcraft.

“well, luna, if you’re a skinmaker, why don’t you make fan skins? you clearly really like these series! it would probably be fun for you, right?” i hear you say, for the sake of my post flow.

you’re right, random citizen! i would love to make fan skins and fan models! it would be very fun for me!

however. there is a horrifically bad problem with ccs not asking permission to use people’s skins or flat out not giving credit for their skins at all. this is straight-up art theft, and it’s not okay. some of these artists already have online followings, and that’s the only reason i know who has made certain skins. ccs are notoriously terrible with affording skin artists and modelers the same respect they do with traditional fanartists (even if they pay modelers, it is my belief they should still be credited).

now, some ccs make their own skins! that’s great! but i genuinely cannot tell who has made their own skin and who has used a skin from someone else because nobody ever draws a distinction. i know a few ccs are typically really good with crediting artists in their videos—pearl, in particular, has a skin artist whom she credits often—but in events like mcc contestants often forget to credit their artists, and i’m left a bit skeptical if they asked to use the skins in the first place.

so. yeah. skin artists and modelers need to be given the same credit rights as fanartists. minecraft skins are just as much fanart as a painting someone put a lot of effort into. please, please, please always credit your artists.

#discourse #empires #i could make this post longer but i figured this was a nice readable length #so. yeah #just. ugh. please treat skin artists like their work has meaning #i’m not mad at the ccs to be clear. like i still love their content and they’re not bad people for this #but i would really really like to see better credit given yknow

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pixelatedraindrops · 2 months

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Hello everyone!! Today I grow a year older :3 (and I hate it lmao) FEEL FREE TO REPLY BIRTHDAY WISHES IF YOU WANT :3

So, over the time I've come back here, I've become pretty confident and proud of my once hidden passion about sick characters, sickfics and sick comfort/whump... 🌡️

And you all have been so supportive and sweet despite my weirdness so I thank you for that. You helped me feel more confident in my otherwise weird fixation <3 So, for my birthday I thought I'd try and make up a little drawing challenge for anyone who wants to give it a try... There are soo many talented artists on this site (and in this fandom)

So... It's your turn to target your faves now. You will see how fun it is and hopefully understand why I love doing it so much. 😈🌡️

(plus it's my birthday and I require some sustenance LMAO JKJK)

But yeah anyone can join in. This is just for fun though! You don't have to if you don't want to! I think its okay to ask for some food on my birthday though...right?? X'D So if you wanna do sth for my birthday...then... 👉👈 💦

CHALLENGE BELOW~

DRAW YOUR FAVE ON A SICK DAY CHALLENGE🌡️😷🥵🤧

~~~~

(Mmmmkay, I am lying to myself when I say this isn't mostly aimed at the RainCode community... X'D Can't help myself. But anyone can join regardless of the fandom!!)

So here's the challenge and the rules!! (featuring my two main lil targets ofc :3)

Regardless of who it is, put your fave through some sickness hell >:3c I'd love to see it! Make em' as miserable as you want!

destroy them 😈 jkjk XD

If you're in the RainCode community you can target anyone, but as you know, my main targets are Yuma and Makoto. If they're also your faves and who you decide to use, that will make me extra happy!

Some tips for anyone new to drawing a sick day scenario art. A few things that make it look convincing are the following:

Pajamas or Loungewear

Messy Bed Hair

Fever flushed face w sweat or at least a red nose

Tired Eye bags

Shivery body

Ice Pack or a Compress on the head

Thermometer sticking from their mouth

LOTS OF BLANKETS

Tissues or medicine surrounding them

Tea or Soup (or both)

Those are just to name some from the top of my head. If you'd like some pointers on how to make a character look ill, check out my Fever Coloring Guide. This is for digital artists but traditional artists can try it too!

You can add injury or angst to the scene but I'd like illness to be the main focus of it.

The scene can be anything you want to, it can be fluffy and wholesome (with a caretaker) it can be angsty, or it can be silly. Its all up to you! Do it for the sake of fluff! Caretaking scenes are the best for any kind of relationship >w<

Either way, have fun with it!! I look forward to see what people make if they decide to give it a try! It doesn't even have to be a full on picture! Doodles and sketches are fine too! Just show me something >w<

(feel free to tag me and say happy b-day and mention my challenge, I am proud to be known for this and would love for many to participate :3) I wanna see you take a go at it :3 Show me your style! :D

~~~

(wow look at me misspelling the word writing on text when I did it fine with my own hands lol)

Now, I know not everyone can draw...

Well never fear! I accept writing as well! ✍️✍️✍️

(hi vivia lol sorry for giving you a cold, at least you have an excuse to read and do nothing now haha x3)

Sickfics are one of the biggest things I live for! Any little drabbles or full fics with more than one chapter are welcome! Again target who you want any fandom you want, but I'll def be super happy if you make a RainCode fic. And even happier if you target my faves as well, but again, anything will do! Just make a cute story about your fave being miserable and being tended to! Trust me, it's super fun!

You can add injury or angst to the scene but I'd like illness to be the main focus of it.

Feel free to post your writing here and tag me or mention my AO3!

If you need a start to your fic, look on my blog for illness prompts! Maybe it can help give you a good start or give some inspiration! (thats why I share 'em :3)

I look forward to anything you try to write!

That's about all!! I hope you decide to participate! ✨

Good luck, have fun, and godspeed you future whumpers! 😈

(nah jk XD)

AGAIN THIS IS FOR FUN! NO PRRSSURE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO!

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olderthannetfic · 6 months

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https://olderthannetfic.tumblr.com/post/733576716259377152/my-big-pet-peeve-fandom-stating-something-as-fact#notes

I feel like this abt the term "queer icons", why are you calling a cishet person a queer icon? Even if queer people are fans, how does that make them a QUEER icon? It feels misleading.

I hate it even more when it's a person who's never been anything but cishet, and people are still like "but maybe they're still queer!" like them having that hope the person maybe being queer is enough? If they're queer then they're queer, but if they're cishet they're cishet, this isn't some show character who might be revealed to be queer next season this is a human being.

Like I don't wanna exclude closeted people either, but tbh I feel like queer icon is just "anyone popular" regardless of how clear they've made it how cishet they are, who some queer people like. Like even some queer actors and singers never get that much attention as queer people, let alone get called queer icons even though they're actually queer, or LGBT if that's their identifier whatever Idc and openly show it and advocate for queer people.

Yeah I've had to told that queer icon doesn't mean the person who's the queer icon has to be queer, actually it has to be the fans being queer, but that just feels stupid? Yeah the person you're calling a queer icon doesn't have to be queer, what's next is they don't have to be an icon either.

Uh... anon... as a middle-aged queer, I am sorry that you don't actually understand what this term means, but you don't.

A queer icon is an icon to the community. This is just the definition.

There's something about the sensibility in their artistic work that reads as queer and/or they've been open about their support, but they're not necessarily queer themselves.

That said, the traditional examples are the kinds of people where 50% of the drag queens at a parade will be dressed up as the same icon. We're talking major cultural significance over a period of time. Madonna, Cher. Major, major, major.

I sometimes see people on social media trotting out some recent celeb who is just not that influential in offline queer communities on an ongoing basis. One wave of tiktok fad does not an icon make.

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leanderfields · 10 months

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I hope I’m not reading into this too much, but the way that the Touchstarved logo (with the characters) on the Red Springs Studios website and in the PV trailer is set up makes me think it’s not just an artistic choice. I know that the characters in the image have been rearranged in a different order for certain promotions, but I just want to talk about why I think the characters in the main logo are set up that way and what it could imply about Touchstarved’s routes.

As seen above, Ais is in the center with Leander on his right (our left) and Mhin on his left (our right). Behind him, there’s Kuras and Vere. Ais is obviously the poster boy for Touchstarved. He’s usually in the center for their promotional images and merchandise e.g. the game’s loading screen, the pins and the tote bag. The devs themselves have said that Ais was the first character they created and that they built the world of Eridia around him.

There’s lots of theories floating around about Leander’s design which features Ouroboros, his eye bags, motifs of life and death, his white lilies, and lots of other things. His belt in particular features a triple goddess symbol which represents stages of womanhood as the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. The Maiden is associated with beginnings– so things like (re)birth, youth, exploration, etc. The Mother is associated with, well, motherhood but also power and stability. The Crone is the opposite of the Maiden, being associated with death. I’m sure there’s already theories on his belt and this symbol, but I think personally Leander only represents one of them in the grand scheme of things.

I think Leander, Ais and Mhin respectively represent the Maiden, Mother and Crone. Despite Leander’s death motifs, I feel like him being the Maiden is fitting because of his personality and character design. His coat is green and so are his eyes and magical flowers. Green is the color of life. Though his flowers are typically used for funerals in some cultures, flowers themselves are full of life. He even comments that they don’t last long, but they’re beautiful nonetheless. As life is. Secondly, Leander’s personality is, perhaps, the liveliest among the cast. He’s always upbeat and smiling (or blushing) which is why I think he represents the Maiden. He’s what you’d think of when you think of youth. He’s partying, drinking, performing magic tricks, has a club/the Bloodhounds and he seems to be having fun all the time.

As for Ais, I feel like it's pretty understandable that he is the Mother. He’s marketed as powerful, violent and intimidating. He loves bar brawls and hates easy fights. Additionally, it’s implied that he used to be a leader or at least in a gang. Red is a predominant part of his character and design. The Seaspring is red. So are his horns, eyes and the accents on his clothes. Red is, well, a powerful color. It represents powerful, strong emotions like love and anger. And emotions are a big part of Ais’s character. They’re his fatal flaw!

And finally, Mhin is the Crone. I was actually debating whether they were the Maiden (and Leander would be the Crone) since they were fairly new to Eridia like MC… like a new beginning in a new city? I’m going on a tangent here, but I think it may be deliberate on the devs’ part. Leander and Mhin could possibly represent the Maiden and the Crone because life and death are intertwined. Mhin has a celtic knot/triquetra on their cloak’s clasps. The triquetra is used to represent three things that are deeply connected e.g. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In pagan traditions, it’s used to represent the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone… like the triple goddess symbol on Leander’s belt. Anyways back to Mhin, I think the Crone suits them the best. Their supposed monster form is either a crow or a raven. Black feathered birds are associated with bad omens. Moreover, crows and ravens are associated with death thanks to pop culture and media. Our first encounter with Mhin was when we were at death’s door. They also shroud themselves with a cloak, have white hair and are extremely pale when compared to the rest of the cast.

The way Leander, Ais and Mhin are set up in the logo makes me want to believe that they’re representing the triple goddess symbol and that at least story wise, they may be the most important routes. They’re placed at the front and all three characters have something to do with curses. Leander knows his way around curses. He might be cursed himself. His eye bags are pointed out by MC and he doesn’t seem to be that fond of sleep either. Ais technically doesn’t have a curse, but the last two lines of his character introduction are “He’s beginning to suspect that he may not be in control of his powers as he thought. Can you save each other, or will he drag you into the abyss with him?”... which sounds like a curse to me. And aside from Leander, is also the only one to know about MC’s curse. Then, for Mhin, they also have a curse of their own and have been seen sneaking around the Senobium… possibly for a cure of their own?

This isn’t to say that Vere and Kuras aren’t important and relevant characters. It may just be the typical thing with otome games where certain routes have more lore than others and it’s recommended to save them for last. It’s usually the poster boy’s route. In this case, Ais’s.

#touchstarved game #touchstarved theory #mine:rambles #leander #ais #mhin #is this a hot take?#lol maybe #i just needed to get it out of disc now that i have a sideblog #i actually have something for kuras and vera but i need to finish writing a fic first haha

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hedghost · 11 months

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Blurb idea: learning how to paint nails just to do lessi’s (and being teased about it) and it being a tradition since unc days. I rule simpland

magic hands / alessia russo

you’d never been one for the feminine things in life. shunning pretty dresses, manicures and makeup in favour of a more masculine style. your girlfriend, on the other hand, loved it.

alessia loved to get dressed up, loved her heels and short skirts (which you absolutely weren’t complaining about), and most especially, she loved her manicures. as long as you’d known her, she’d always had her nails done, setting herself time aside when she could to splash out on a little well-deserved pamper session.

you loved how she looked after them - what with you being engaged in your own little love affair with lessi’s hands. you loved how they felt in your own, loved how she’d play with your fingers when she was upset, or tired, or anxious. you loved stroking her soft palms as the two of you lay entwined in bed. you loved the way her long fingers caressed your face when you kissed, loved how her nails were the perfect length to scratch your back to send you to sleep.

and you especially loved how they’d rake through your hair, when things got a little more heated, loved how they’d trail downwards, loved how their motions told you exactly what lessi was after. loved how they wrapped around your waist, how they splayed over your hipbones, how they dipped beneath the waistband of your trousers, and everything that they did after. yeah, those hands were magic, and they deserved to be looked after in the best possible way.

a few months after the two of you moved to unc though, alessia found herself too busy, too wrapped up in juggling all the facets of college life, to set the time aside.

the two of you were lying on the bed in your dorm, winding down after a long day of training and lectures. you were absentmindedly stroking lessi’s arm as you watched the show playing on your laptop, but alessia’s attention was elsewhere.

god, my nails are a state

you looked down at her to find her examining her hands, peering critically at her nails as she turned her hands over and over.

they look fine to me, i thought you were getting them done this weekend?

had to cancel, i’ve got too much work to catch up on

she looked up at you then, eyes hopeful and a little sly.

will you paint them for me?

you swallowed. you wanted to, always willing to do anything to please her, but there was a large problem, in that you absolutely could not paint nails. you’d tried once before, and it had been very apparent that your creativity on the pitch did not extend to any sort of artistic skill. you hated to let her down, but there was no way you were going to do anything to mess up those beautiful hands.

i can’t lessi, i’m shit at it, why don’t you paint your own?

alessia honest to god pouted at you, and you pressed your lips to her hairline in apology.

no, i always mess up my right hand - it’s okay, i’ll just have to wait until i get some free time

you nodded, kissing her forehead again as she turned her attention back to the laptop. this time though, it was you who’s attention was elsewhere, as you begun to hatch a plan.

you pulled aside one of your teammates before training the next day. you’d had to think long and hard about who to ask - it would’ve been lotte, but she was about as clueless as you when it came to nails - so instead you settled on one of the juniors who you were friendly with, and who always had perfect acrylics.

you swallowed your pride a little, before you told her your plan, ending with a desperate plea for help. you knew you were subjecting yourself to teasing, with you already being on the end of a lot of friendly fire about how soft you were for lessi. sure enough, you had to face a bit of banter, including a lengthy mime of a whip cracking, before she gave you some tips and a list of the best nail polishes to buy.

you felt a little bad blowing off alessia’s request for you to join her in her room, but you had an important mission. and so that evening, you found yourself alone in your dorm, only a few bottles of nail polish to keep you company.

your first attempt was a mess. you’d rather cleverly neglected to buy nail polish remover, and, having chosen to practice on yourself for the sake of secrecy, you now had a rather untidy set of bright pink nails to show.

luckily, you didn’t have any classes with lessi the next day, meaning you’d have time to go out and get stuff to clean it off before you saw her. on the flip side, you shared your morning classes with a lot of your teammates, who were quick to notice it.

what the fuck is on your hands?

ooh very pretty y/l/n!

did you get molested by a barbie doll?

you groaned and folded your hands under your desk, knowing you were never going to live this down.

alright, alright, thank you - i’m, uh, i’m trying to teach myself how to paint nails so i can do lessi’s - but it’s a surprise so do not tell her

god you’re so whipped

that’s kinda sweet though, but yeah, these are fucking awful

right we’re gonna help you - but please let me take a picture first

you groaned again, putting your head in your hands. you didn’t realise your mistake until you heard your friend’s camera click, followed by peals of laughter. you grinned up at them, flashing an exaggerated model pose with your hands, before very exuberantly flipping them off.

your nails were thankfully bare by the time you saw alessia at training. she wrapped you up in a quick hug, having missed you the night before, but her attention was drawn away by the whispers and laughs of your teammates. news of your efforts, it appeared, had spread, and you spent the whole session trying to divert alessia’s attention from the many vogue-esque hand gestures the whole team were making at you whenever less wasn’t looking.

you spent the next few nights diligently painting your nails, as well as half the team’s - who had made it their mission to be your practice clients. with their tips, and with a lot of repetitions, you managed to improve greatly, until one night they decided that you had officially passed as a nail technician. as an added bonus, they’d managed to keep lessi in the dark, although she did question why almost the entire team showed up to the match with matching nails.

after the game, you told lessi to meet you in your room. she accepted your invitation readily, having not seen much of you this week. so here she was, perched on your bed, and a little perplexed at why you seemed nervous.

okay less, close your eyes - i have a surprise for you

alessia’s confusion deepened, but she hesitantly did as you asked.

should i be worried?

maybe, alright open them

you stood hesitantly in front of alessia, a little worried of how she would react - what if she didn’t want you to do her nails any more? what if she’d already booked a new appointment?

she looked down from you, to see the spread of nail-related paraphernalia you’d laid out in front of her. over the course of the week, you’d really gone all out - a huge variety of shades, various nail files and cuticle kits, a full manicure set, even massage oil and fresh hand towels.

i’ve been practicing, can i?

alessia smiled up at you, and the look she gave you nearly made you fall in love all over again. she nodded, and you sat down in front of her and set to work.

you started with a hand massage, having been assured by your teammates that they felt very good. you took your time as you gently worked the oil into her hands, admiring each long finger individually as you continued. you started out a little nervously, constantly checking up on her that it was okay, but soon enough the smile on her face let you know that this had definitely been a good idea.

then you moved onto the manicure, working slowly, taking your time to make it perfect. alessia relaxed into the familiar feeling of her hands in yours, and you got into your rhythm. she watched you as you held her hands in yours, eyes full of love as she observed your expression, full of deep concentration as you took great care at every step.

alessia loved getting her nails done, but this was a whole other level. it didn’t go unnoticed to her how much care you were taking, and how much effort you must have put into learning this - just for her. suddenly your absences in her room this week made sense, as did some other things.

is this why all the girls had matching blue nails earlier?

you laughed and nodded, eyes never leaving your work.

yeah they’ve been helping me - a few of them even tried to make bookings for next week

i can see why

well i told them no - this is just for you

at least we know you’ve got options if you ever quit football

i’d smack you if i wasn’t worried about messing up your nails

she laughed, and the two of you fell into comfortable silence as you finished up. when you were done, you sat back, admiring your work. alessia held her hands up to peer at them, before nodding resolutely.

A-plus babe

you like them?

she nodded again. before she leaned forward to peck your lips gently.

very much, thank you baby - i’m going to have to get you to do this every time

good, because i spent a fortune on this nail stuff

true to your word, you kept it up. you did the occasional one of your friend’s nails when they asked, but your main priority was alessia. it became another one of your things. every time she needed to de-stress, or relax, or you just wanted to show her some love and tlc, you’d pull out your nail kit and get to work.

over the years your skills got better and better, until you were borderline professional, learning to do french tips and even acrylics, but to alessia, every time felt like the first, taking her back to the days at unc when you were young and dumb in love. and each time, she fell a little more in love with you, and your magic hands.

#alessia russo x reader #blurbs #lessi blurbs #can you tell i’ve never had my nails done lol #alessia russo imagine #muwfc x reader #engwnt x reader

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bloodddrunk · 4 months

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tw blood! that us my killjoy oc sriracha (idk why he doesn't know too) and he's such a rat goober

i hate being a traditional artist bc how do you take pictures of your art

#killjoy oc #mcr #my art #danger days

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grumpy-aino · 9 months

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✨Little S2 Musical Analysis✨

You guys remember when Aziraphale forgives Maggie's debt in the first episode in exchange for some records?

Those records are by none other than Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and I know LOTS about this man (and why the choice to include him may have something to do with Aziraphale's character arc in s3!)...

Shostakovich's life is usually characterised by his tricky relationship with Stalin. During the 30s, the musical freedom enjoyed by Russian composers came to an end, Stalin clearly preferring more traditional classical music. Although Shostakovich had been criticised for his more adventurous works in the late 20s, his 1936 ballet, Lady Macbeth of Mstsensk got him officially denounced by Stalin's official newspaper (Pravda).

Composers who refused to comply with the standards were denounced as formalists (including Western elements in their art) and risked deportation to a remote area of Russia, imprisonment and even death.

On to the record in question! The Symphony No. 5 was written after this denunciation. It was a success, being to Stalin's liking and praised as a "Soviet artist's practical and creative response to just criticism". Shostakovich was back in Stalin's good books.

Who else do we know to be once denounced and hated by a regime who has just recently got back into their good books?

This might just be a neat reference to Shostakovich's life in comparison to Aziraphale's, but Shostakovich's story doesn't end there: In 1948 he was denounced a second time for his Symphony No. 9, which was promised to be large and triumphant to celebrate the USSR's victory in WWII, but was completely the opposite - playful and cheery, mocking Stalin.

The second denunciation was in a way more serious than the first. Shostakovich (and other composers who were accused of formalism) were made to give quite a public apology. Many of his works were banned and he was expelled from the Leningrad Conservatory.

Although he was put to use again by the government in 1949 at a New York press conference, it had been remarked upon by Nabokov that Shostakovich was "not a free man, but an obedient tool of his government." Even after Stalin's death, Shostakovich still had a strained relationship with the government. They still largely controlled art and in 1960, Shostakovich was devasted when he joined the communist party.

Of course, all of this information could be completely irrelevant and it could just be Aziraphale buying some classical music. especially because the Symphony No. 5 is NOT 21 minutes long like Aziraphale implies (in fact, it's a little over an hour). But so much of this media is intentional and the PARALLELS are insane.

The second denunciation could mean a whole lot for season 3. Aziraphale is probably likely to 'go along' at first with Heaven (Shostakovich wasn't really on board with the heroic nature of his symphonies - the 5th, according to one musicologist, is a love symphony), but might be plotting something. This second denunciation appears like it could be entertaining.

What's more! Shostakovich also had a best friend who died before they could have their post-war reunion (as Shostakovich talked about it his letters). Honestly the whole thing's really tragic and hurts to think about; Shostakovich promised he'd never write another note again after his friend's death, but instead wrote his incredibly painful Piano Trio No. 2.

✨Anyway hoped you liked that✨

tagging @neil-gaiman bc why not?

#good omens #good omens 2 #good omens season 2 #good omens 2 spoilers #aziraphale #crowley #aziraphale x crowley #good omens season 3 #good omens theory #good omens thoughts #good omens spoilers #good omens shitpost #go2 #neil gaiman #shostakovich #classical music #classical composers

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fuwahua · 4 months

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New Traditions

WC: 2.3k

Happy birthday Zhongli! May you enjoy the year of the dragon with your hubby 💕

Established relationship, fluff, (one sided) tickle fights, lots of flirting

“You know, it’s your birthday. We didn’t have to come all the way out here.”

“It is precisely because it is my birthday that I’d like to spend it with the family of the one I love.”

Zhongli chuckles as Ajax’s mouth flaps open and shut, a fish out of water. He’s not the only one to take amusement in the action— Ajax’s siblings giggle at him as well, and his mother partakes in a shared glance of fond amusement. Despite being a guest at this household, they’ve already taken to him with familial warmth.

Then again, perhaps that’s how most families are when their child brings home a lover.

Zhongli takes his time through his birthday dinner, though it is not a particularly luxurious meal. In comparison to the exorbitantly priced dinners at Liuli Pavilion he’d taken Hu Tao to in the past, the rather plainly plated, mildly seasoned platters Ajax’s family had set out before him are simple. Yet there is warmth beneath the spices: time, set out in the early dawn for a father and third eldest son to catch fish together, an evening of marinating lamb with rambunctious children, a night time’s worth of lullabies and whispered promises as the sweet scent of cinnamon and jam wafted from the oven. It is simpler food, yes, prepared by amateur hands that have never studied in crowded kitchens and before renowned chefs.

But it tastes of home, inviting and kind; for that Zhongli swears it is one of the loveliest meals he’s ever had in his life.

“I’m surprised you ate everything,” Ajax tells him well after the plates have been collected and their hands have grown wrinkled from washing. Most of his family has retreated, his mother to retire their youngest and the elder siblings departing to give the couple privacy. Even his father, who Ajax had described their relationship as tenacious at best, had given Zhongli a warm hug in celebration of his birthday. “I thought you hated seafood.”

Zhongli grimaces. Ajax laughs, a delightful ring of joy, and his grimace melts into a smile. “I… harbor a dislike for it, yes. But it is not as though I cannot consume it—and your mother spent so long preparing it, wouldn’t it be rude to leave it uneaten?”

“You say that, but you leave my seafood meals uneaten all the time.”

“I was only saving them for someone who would enjoy them more. Who would I be to deny my lover his favorite meal?”

“You’d be a great con artist, you know that? Slippery bastard.”

Ajax dramatically huffs and Zhongli smiles as he opens his hands in clear invitation. The false anger only lasts a moment before Ajax relents, rolling his eyes, and slides into Zhongli’s hug. “You can’t just offer people hugs every time they point out your flaws.”

“Why not? It’s seemed to have worked awfully well for me so far.”

“Oh? Are you hugging anyone other than your fiancé?”

Zhongli’s cheeks warm despite himself, and this time Ajax is the one to squeeze him with a grin. “You shouldn’t be too mean to your fi-an-cé, you know? Or who knows, I’d bring someone else home…”

“Ajax, I hate to inform you of this, but you have few friends. Fewer who would travel to Snezhnaya.”

“What—hey! I could totally invite the traveler!”

“Ah, so my competition is only one after all.”

The punch against his arm is little more than a playful gesture; Zhongli chuckles as Ajax attempts to wriggle out from his hug. “I jest, I promise. Please don’t go: It would be too cruel to leave your fiancé on his birthday, wouldn’t it?”

“It’s not even your actual birthday!” Correct. Even so, Ajax relents in his escape efforts, sagging against him. The sudden increase in weight means little to an Archon, but it is the trust beneath the shift that has Zhongli faltering, heart loud. “Just you wait, I’ll figure out your real birthday eventually.”

“We’d already told your family today is my birthday. Adding another day would make little sense.”

“You think they care? The more birthdays to celebrate, the better.”

“In that case, why not celebrate everyday?”

“Okay, not that many. It’s like…” Ajax trails off, humming in thought. Zhongli soaks in his concentration with affection, leaning his head against Ajax’s shoulder as he waits. It’s not often he’s allowed to witness the more calculative side of his fiancé despite the many years they’ve now spent together, largely due to the fact that Ajax insists on keeping his work and personal life separate. At home, he can relax and leave most of the decisions to Zhongli: a decision made from both their preferences and comfort.

Still, he savors moments like this, where Ajax is deep in thought. Calm, peaceful, and in the arms of the person he’s come to love the most in the world. Free to do little more than stare at the face of his beloved and take in all the features he so little has time to appreciate.

“… it’s hard to think when you’re staring so hard at me.”

“Forgive me, but between the snow and my love, I’d much prefer looking at my love.”

“You’re just—“ Ajax’s complaint fizzles as soon as it begins, eyes full of fond exasperation. It’s an expression Zhongli would have never thought he’d be the culprit of as Liyue’s Archon, and yet, he’s come to treasure every glance Ajax sends his way. “Does Xiao know you’re actually a little shit? Because I think he should know that.”

“I’ve done nothing to be referred to in such a way.”

“And a liar. You know, in Snezhnaya we used to lock people up for that.”

Impossible. Such a law would be much more suited to Fontaine than Snezhnaya, where falsities and secrets are deeply intertwined with the intricacies of romance. Yet Zhongli hums rather than correct.

“I’ve not lied at all today. Do I lack so terribly in expressing my love for you ordinarily that you think my truthful confessions are lies? Would you rather I kiss you every morning as you set off to work, and take you every night loud enough that there will be no doubt of our—“

“OKAY! Okay, okay, shut up, I get it!” Ajax’s cheeks flame as he interrupts, a warmth that creeps from his neck to his ears. Zhongli laughs, bubbling mirth escaping him, while Ajax pinches his cheeks. “Why do I feel like you’ve been laughing at me all day?”

“I’ve little idea of this accusation.”

“You’re laughing at me right now.” Is he? Zhongli raises a hand to his face, failing to hide his still wide grin of amusement. Ajax’s eyes narrow. “Stop that.”

“I’ve hardly done anything.”

“Really? You want to play this game?”

“Game?” Zhongli huffs, transferring his hand from his face to Ajax’s cheek, patting it playfully. “Is that how you refer to spending time with me?”

“Oh, you’re just asking for it.”

“Asking for what?”

Admittedly, he was probably “pushing it” as Ajax would say, but Zhongli would like to contest that claim with the very cute evidence of Ajax’s slightly irritated gaze sent his way. He could hardly help it!

Though, Ajax wouldn’t accept such reasoning. If anything, the sudden mischief sparking in his eyes…

“Asking for this!”

“A-Ajax! W-waihahaaht!” Zhongli startles with a giggle at the sudden move of fingers against his waist, squirming at the ticklish sensation. Ajax grins down on him as his hands skate along his torso, teasing.

“Wait? You sure didn’t wait to tease me, why should I wait for you?”

“I wasn’t! Ehehe, I was telling thehehe! Ahaha, pause!”

“Excuses, excuses!”

If he weren’t so distracted, Zhongli would scold Ajax for interrupting another in the midst of their sentence. Unfortunately, he’s rather busy with trying to grapple at Ajax’s wandering fingers along his sides, sweeping up to poke at the divots between his ribs. Curses his perfectionism while crafting this human form—he could have simply left out the ribs, couldn’t he?

But he hadn’t evidently and now, he had to suffer the consequences.

Zhongli shakes his head as he laughs, successfully grabbing one of Ajax’s wrists only to lose it a moment later when the other hand jumps into his armpit. His giggles rise in volume and pitch, an unruly mess of jumbled syllables; his cheeks redden at his own laughter as he protests.

“A-Ajahahahaax! No, hehehe, it–it’s rude!”

It’s of little use. Ajax’s fingers continue to wander, prodding all of Zhongli’s weak spots, pressing ever closer even though there’s no space left between their bodies. When Ajax’s hair brushes his nape, he squeaks.

“Rude? You’re calling me rude?”

“Nohohoho! This-I-I—not there!”

Zhongli’s words dissolve into embarrassing noises as Ajax’s hands roam downwards to his hips. The actual act of tickling and of being tickled by his lover isn’t something he particularly dislikes: the familiar exploration of Ajax’s hands and the almost determined, grinning face that peers down upon him, if anything, warms his heart. But it is the principle of the matter—that he is a guest at Ajax’s home, generously welcomed as his lover, and rather than setting the family peacefully to sleep he is instead laughing his head off at the hands of the man he is meant to trust the most, at a surely obscene time of the night.

Succinctly put, it’s incredibly rude to be so loud in someone else’s home. Even more so when his laughter echoes in his own ears, wild and desperate at the way Ajax knowingly digs his thumbs in little circles at the center of his hips.

“Naa—AhahaHAHAHAJAHAHAX!”

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

It’s too much, not enough, the feeling of his lover’s hands mapping out familiar patterns along his body; Zhongli’s heart thrums in his chest, both hungry for more and aching for a rest. His fingers grapple with Ajax’s, pulling at the bullying hands prying desperate giggles from his throat, but they only dig in deeper with every attempt. “EnouGHAHAHAHAA! STAHAHhahahap!”

“Wellll, I don’t know, should I stop~”

“YeheHEHEHEHEHES! NOHOHO MOOHEHEHEHRE!” Laughter leaves him dizzy when the hands crawl downwards teasingly, pinching his hips and then his inner thighs as he squirms; mercy comes at last when his legs give out beneath him, sending them both to the ground. They don’t crash, luckily, Ajax’s arms crossing around his chest protectively and landing them comfortably on the carpet instead. The contact is still enough to have him giggling, shoulders twisting inwards to protect himself from further tickling.

“Waiahait… Ehehe, stahahap!”

“I’m not even tickling you anymore!” Ajax’s hands rise from his torso to his shoulders, tugging Zhongli back until he’s leaning against his chest, Ajax’s knees rising up to form a protective barrier around his own. Blue eyes enter his tired vision, a hand cradling his cheek as Ajax furrows his brows. “You okay?”

He chuckles again, this time quiet and of his own volition. Ajax’s gaze softens, sweet, and he silently thanks the fact that his thrumming heart could be associated with the tickling attack and not the fervent urge to pull the other down into a kiss. “Ahahaha… Rather odd words from the person who’d chosen to render me in such a state.”

“Hey, this was much needed vengeance after what you’ve put me through today!”

“Was it?” One would think that he’d have learned after Ajax’s “vengeance” about prodding a sleeping narwhal for fun, but Zhongli had been honest when he said his teasing only came from sincere adoration. He leans into Ajax’s palm, nuzzling it before pressing a kiss against the bare wrist and smiling as Ajax’s eyes follow the motion. “Is that all the vengeance you wished to enact on me?”

Ajax swallows. His mouth parts, tongue swiping his bottom lip and leaving it glossy. “Well, I—”

“Do you two have any idea what time it is?!”

Ah. Right. They’re still in Ajax’s parent’s house.

“M-mama! I wasn’t—we weren’t—um, well…!” Zhongli blinks upwards as Ajax all but whole-body flinches away, mouth sputtering as Ajax’s mother stares down at them. Her kind smile at the dinner table remains fixed, but her eyes are…

Even an archon has things they know to fear. Celestia, Descenders, mother-in-laws, to name a few.

“Save it,” she sighs, pinching her nose in exasperation before moving her gaze to Zhongli. “Take him to bed, will you?”

“Wha—hey, he’s the guest!”

“And who was causing all that ruckus?”

Both of them, technically, but it’s clear the madame of the house (understandably) has little patience left for any antics. Ajax bites his cheek as Zhongli chuckles; he rises to his feet, steady now after resting in Ajax’s arms, and pulls the pouting ginger up with him. “My sincere apologies for the ruckus. We’ll be in bed shortly, I promise.”

“I’d hope so,” she says, her gaze returning to Ajax. They stare at each other a moment, her eyes shiny, before she nods. “Good night, you two. And,” her eyes return to him. “Happy birthday, Zhongli. I hope we can celebrate it again next year.”

Next year. He returns her kind smile, squeezing Ajax’s hands. “I’ll be sure to return.”

He waits for her footsteps to recede before Zhongli turns to Ajax, triumph flashing in his gaze. “It appears that I’ve left a successful impressi—hm!”

Ajax’s lips leave him far too quickly only to return again, persistent, hands pulling him into another. They’re quick kisses, breathless and giddy, filling each other’s spaces only long enough to leave them longing for more. He chases after Ajax, maybe, or it’s Ajax who chases after him. They meet in the middle regardless and Zhongli smiles into the kisses that follow.

Perhaps Ajax had a point about the second birthday. He’s already looking forward to the next.

#genshin impact #zhongli #childe #zhongchi #chili #tickling #happy birthday Zhongli #fluff #my fic

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bananaproved · 3 months

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Top 6 shelved dramas that I would still really like to see

Ranked in no particular order, selection based on my personal tastes.

1) The Prisoner of Beauty

Plot : Adapted from the novel "Zhe Yao" by Peng Lai Ke, it tells the story of the arranged marriage between Wei Shao (Liu Yuning) and Qiao Man (Song Zuer). The fun thing about this marriage is that they both hate each other for complicated family reasons (in the novel Qiao Man's family is directly responsible for the death of Wei Shao's father), so they start they relationship by trying to make the life of the other a living hell. Ultimately, their relationship will develop as they are impressed by each other's ingenuity and discover common interests. There is also an important "let's protect the empire and the common people" plot behind the romance.

Why I wish I could see it : It looks good !! The main duo of actors are both really good looking, but the production in general looks really high budget, with good costumes and sets. I would love to see that. Just look at this trailer !

youtube

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : Song Zuer :/ bestie :/ tax evasion is bad !!

Can we have some hope ? : Not really, at this point of time, no c-actors caught for tax evasion managed to make an actual comeback in the industry (even really popular ones like Deng Lun or Fan Bing Bing). Song Zuer is still being investigated, so maybe we can hope to see her name cleared but it's a little unlikely because they don't investigate people just for fun. However Song Zuer was involved in a lot of high budget projects so I am sure a lot of people are really motivated to try to airdrop at least some of her projects if they have the possibility.

2) The Fated General

Plot : Classic high-budget historical drama telling the story of real life historical figure Huo Qubing (Zhang Ruoyun) during the Western Han Dynasty. It follows his military feats that got him the reputation of being one of the best military generals in the history of China.

Why I wish I could see it : First, the cast is incredible. We have Zhang Ruoyun (famous for being really good at choosing his scripts), Mao Xiao Tong, Bai Yu, Li Hongyi, Xu Yue, and others. It's really an all star cast except the drama was shot in 2016, before some of them became really famous, so it can be really interesting to watch ! Plus it's a really high budget drama, most of the outdoor scenes are shot in real landscape and not in a studio and it globally looks really good. For a better impression, look at this nice looking MV based on the different trailers of the show :

youtube

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : In 2019 (I think ?) the censorship rules changed concerning historical dramas and established the fact that dramas were forbidden to "distort" certain historical facts. This kind of put an end to traditional historical dramas as they became a way more risky investments, and stopped this one from airing as it already took some liberties in terms of storytelling. Huo Qubing is also a semi-controversial historical figure so it is not helping.

Can we have some hope ? : It's been 7 or 8 years and the regulations concerning historical fiction only got more restrictives in China so I would say no.

3) Immortality

Plot : I'm sure everybody knows the plot of Erha so I don't need to write it but just in case the important tags are : xianxia, dangai, shizunfuckers, reincarnation, blood spitting, stairs, ...

Why I wish I could see it : Outside of the obvious reasons (gay people on my screen, Luo Yunxi spitting blood), it's also produced by the same people involved in the production of Till the End of the Moon and Shui Long Yin, so I have I hopes for the artistic direction of the drama. Also for dmbj fans : did you know Liu Chang played a guest role in this drama ? Idk what he is doing here but I would love to see it.

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : We are all aware of the famous 2021 dangai ban, but in general the chinese government is not a big fan of massive and really agitated fandoms (in the way The Untamed fandom was), so Immortality is in a pretty bad position.

Can we have some hope ? : Yeah !!!!! Hyx TOMORROW !!! Believe in your dreams !!!

For real : Two options. 1) On a random morning of the year 20XX you wake up to danmei fans in your tl losing their marbles bc the 6 first episodes of hyx were randomly airdropped during the night with no promotion and no warnings. You cry some tears of joy and immediately go watch Luo Yunxi spit some blood on screen. 2) After many years hyx is still not out but there were so many leaks that the fans managed to recreate the entire series from scraps and now you can watch it in full. Look, they already started :

youtube

4) Night Wanderer

Plot : Zong Yin (Ni Ni) is a forensic expert living in Shanghai in 2021. She met, in her own apartment, a man, called Sheng Qing Rang (Deng Lun), claiming to be the owner of this apartment but in 1937. Together they discover that they can travel to their respective time periods through their shared apartment and start to develop a strong relationship, first as confidence and progressively as lovers. However, the situation get complicated as the Battle of Shanghai broke out in 1937 putting both of their lives in danger.

Why I wish I could see it : First, for lesbian reasons as I would never miss an occasion to stare at Ni Ni for 36 episodes (Wang Yuwen also has a supporting role here and I really like her ! Double win !). Second, it's actually a really nice and original plot for a CDrama and I have full confidence in both actors' capacity to pull off a really good performance to go with it. Look at this trailer ! It looks so promising !

youtube

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : Deng Lun !!! Tax evasion is bad !!

Can we have some hope ? : Even less than for The Prisoner of Beauty as Deng Lun is 100% proved to have committed tax evasion. There is often rumors about him coming back to acting but it's unlikely.

5) Winner is King

Plot : Based on the novel "Sha Po Lang" by Priest, set in a steampunk version of the Liang Dynasty. It tells the story of Chang Geng (Chen Zhe Yuan), a young man living in a random countryside village, who discovers after a raid on their village that the closest people around him were hiding a big secret about his identity. He also discovers that the people around him are not who they pretend to be, especially his yifu (adoptive father, played by Tan Jianci), and realizes that his life will never be the same.

Why I wish I could see it : Outside of the reasons already mentioned in hyx's case, Winner is King is also directed by the same director as Guardian and a Journey to Love. I really like his work and he proved that he was able to do really good things even with a really low budget, so now imagine with a decent amount of money ? It could be great. Also I really like the idea of an ancient china steampunk but I am too lazy to read the book.

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : Same reason as hyx and all the other dangais </3 Also I am not sure of how advanced the production was when it was stopped, because I feel like there are not as many content leaks.

Can we have some hope ? : If we can manifest hard enough the end of the ban, it is possible.

6) The Love of Hypnosis

Plot : During the end of Qing Dynasty, a (patriotic) young man named Yen Shen (Jing Boran) meets a fragrance shop owner named Lu Man Sheng (Liu Yifei). Man Sheng has the special ability/ mission to relieve the hearts of people suffering because of love, but it does not mean that her own romantic life is easier to deal with. Together they fall in love and have to navigate the really troubled times of the end of Qing Dynasty.

Why I wish I could see it : If you are familiar with Liu Yifei and Jing Boran acting I'm sure you can see the potential of this pairing ??? Just the poster has more on screen chemistry than some pairings have in 40 episodes. At this point the plot could be written by a cat walking on a keyboard and I would still have hope for a good chemistry. Also the drama has Liu Mintao in a supporting role and I am in love with her so it's a plus.

Why I am not seeing it any time soon : First, there are some copyright issues with the original manhwa author. Second, the second male lead, Zhao Lixin, got more or less canceled a few years back for political reasons (sorry I don't have the details).

Can we have some hope ? : I would say maybe a little. Copyright issues can be solved and I've heard that Zhao Lixin is still shooting in dramas, meaning that there is hope for some of his stuff still being released.

That's all <3

Sorry for depressing information maybe ? Next time I promise I will make a post about dramas I am looking forward to and that are likely to be released sooner or later.

#cdrama #the prisoner of beauty #the fated general #immortality #hao yi xing #night wanderer #winner is king #the love of hypnosis #hitting my head against the wall

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smokeypeaches-and-honeyplums · 1 year

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Could you do a request with mk, redson, sun Wukong and macaque where the readers family doesn't support them. Maybe in monkey kings and macaque case the reader family saw what the monkeys did in the past and don't trust them and like that?

Been dead. Dying. Deceased. Sorry just been juggling a bunch of shit irl and only lego monkie, demons and delivery men are the cure

Note 1/25/23: lol so I’m gonna be finishing requests while recovering, long story short, keeping myself sane while my body does the opposite, sorry like ALL the requests are as late as they are

Reader is Gender Neutral by default

MK/Qí Xiǎotiān (Monkey Kid)

MK means well, he really does!

It's just that

When your family saw him on the news looking extremely intimidating and given he has a tendancy to STEAMROLL the city,,,,

He's not the most trustworth

I mean, he destroyed the city playing PING PONG of all games while BLINDFOLDED

BLINDFOLDED

PING. PONG.

MK couldn't really,,, give himself the best of images if he tried now could he

It's PIN-

Anyways

Your family is VERY disapproving of the most destructive 'hero' beside monkey king that they've ever met/heard of

Makes him being the Monkey Kid all that more ironic in the worst ways for them

You're an adult though so it's not like they can control who you date like they could/would when you were still a minor

You both of course still continued to date but it did still sting to know your parents didn't approve of MK.

He was a wonderful guy! He made you laugh, he was really caring and made sure you were safe and okay. And he can surprisingly cook!

So you thought maybe you needed to have them figure that he's as great as you see him

Not doing a dinner because that's a one shot kill with any sort of chance-- it will so quickly become awkward especially given MK's nature

He's not really a traditional guy

You talked to MK about it and suggested taking it one step at a time, not like you wanted to rush this anyways. You wanted your parents to like him!

Doing it one at a time with your parents and doing it in small doses did something. They didn't shoot a killing glare at him anymore at least

They still didn't approve of it, but at this point in your relationship, you weren't going to relent from being with MK, so they threw in the towel. Plus, he’s beaming sunshine, it’s hard to hate him

They warm up to him when they stop trying to cherry pick, but it's still VERY gradual

In the meantime, he stays very respectful and tries to tone down on his usual choatic behaviour, taking in the fact of just how important it is to you that they like him/get along with him

He takes note of what they like and don't like, and given his artistic abilities, tries to make something for them as gifts!

Eventually he's treated like a part of the family, even if it took a while

In your eyes, it's all worth it

Your mother(s)(ly figure(s)) dote on him

Same with your father(s)(ly figure(s))

It eventually gets to the point they start teasing about marriage, which is easy to fluster MK

All in All, he's accepted and cherished by your parents, and you couldn't be happier, most positive note out of the four

Redson

Ok so like

This is more granted because it is literally a demon, nevertheless the son of THE Demon Bull King. I doubt anyone who remembers about the legends and then what happened to the city like. Twice by his hand wouldn't be standoffish

So when your parents catch wind about your going ons with Redson, they're,,,,

Less than excited to say the least

They try to keep you away from him, thinking that there has to be some double meaning to why he would want to date you, what it might be was up in the air

When Redson found out about that though, he was quite irritated

Though giving it some thought (and some calming down from you) he thought it made sense from a protective parental figure's POV

It still didn't feel good to be deprived of his lover more often than he would like, even with their reasons

It's harder to get into their good graces compared to MK, given he's terrorized the city more than once and made his face known for it

Sure MK is,,, MK but at least he's doing it to save everyone and stop the threats to the city, albeit very recklessly

Redson has been mostly known to be the cause of that in the first place

So with your help (which is mainly to keep him from burning anything) you decide to speak over dinner

It's awkward at first, especially since your parents are not quite hesitant to throw shade at him, but his way with word and bit of charm does get the ball rolling in the right direction

The dinner ends off with a nice note, despite the rocky start

It helps ease them up enough to Redson to be able to tolerate seeing him with you

But they are still cautious

Knowing how prone he is to his literal flaming outbursts

You can come to an understanding about it, given how infamous he made himself out to be

But you try to assure them to the best of your ability that all is fine and you are fine

He treats you pretty well, and is very sweet. A traditional sweetheart given his long period of living which tugs at the right heartstrings

Like MK, they come to terms with the demon, given just how much you cherish him and him to you

Which, gives you the first glimpse at a relatively publicly giddy Redson

Sun Wukong (Monkey King)

I think this one is a

given

I mean like

Sun Wukong is known for being really fucking unhinged

Even when he isn't being unhinged

So when your parents catch wind, they are LIVID

He's disgraced everything in his path at least once when he was younger, so it's only natural that even if he's 'wiser' your parents are far from buying it

I mean he's Sun Wukong

He picked a fight with Buddha frame 1

Who knows what he might do

Unlike MK and Redson, Sun Wukong isn't as inclined to try and get in their good graces

Sure he'd do things relatively traditional, but he's more loose about it than the former two

He also would suggest to let your parents come around naturally instead of intervening, thinking that his image is as tainted as it could possibly get

”Besides, I am THE Monkey King, they’re bound to come around!”

It reassures you a little, which WAS the main goal anyways

He brushes it off and makes jokes about it like he does everything else, so you consider his advice

Though, you aren't completely opposed to nudging your parents in the direction you want, just enough to not make it so obvious

You want your parents to be involved with your life to at least some degree, so having them at least tolerate your relationship would ease you a good deal

It takes some time, given nothing being direct and Sun Wukong being... Sun Wukong, but you manage

You do get your parents to tolerate it the relationship, but years of detestment and vitriol isn't that easy to get past

You know what battles to fight, so you throw in the towel in terms of your involvement. You got at least one milestone out of the way so that's all that matters in the long run

Unlike the other two, Sun Wukong and your parents' relationship is on a bittersweet note, more bitter than sweet.

Sun Wukong respects your wants, but being rational foronce he insists to let things run their course

Especially when, between him and Macaque, he’s the more respectful simian

"Besides, we have plenty of years ahead of us! We'll take it one step at a time."

Yeah

One step at a time.

Six-Eared Macaque/Liù ěr míhóu

He's a trickster

Manipulator

Bastard™

So it's understandable that your parents feel the way they do about Macaque

He's not hung up about it either

If anything, it doesn’t bother him at all!

Though, with this being Macaque, that worries you more than it reassures you

He would be a self admitted asshole and wear it with pride even, so some comments from some less than influential people (to him at least) would be nothing more than dust off his back

He technically didn’t live as long as Sun Wukong and was in a form of hiding soon after revival, so his track record isn’t as disastrously long as Sun Wukong’s to hold over his head and remind you of

Still bad though

And, Macaque having that beloved sass of his, makes his lack of care known, whether or not your parents are nearby at first

He slipped up once about how “Your parents have a stick so far up their ass you’d think it was Wukong’s staff.”

Ok that at least got a chuckle from you

But, you still scolded him, telling to at the very least tone it down when they’re around, especially when you’re also around

He agrees to the terms, although reluctantly with much hesitation at first on the brink of refusal

But you ARE the least toxic thing/the person who cares about him the most in years, and with walls being broken and in no mood or state to build them back up, he’ll at least TRY for your sake to keep you around

It’s an effort you really care about, so he’ll so some care for the sake of you than anything else

Though, despite all of this, the relationship between your parents and Macaque would probably be on the worst note out of the four.

He’s soured by the sands of time and you had to pry his heart open with a crowbar. So he’s not going to be kind or complacent. At least so easily if at all, and that comes in degrees

And how he sees it, if your parents don’t plan to extend the olive branch, why reach for something that ain’t there

You feel bad about it, and Macaque reassures you best he can, but now you know, firmly, there’s no way Macaque and your parents would ever be in an actually positive relationship

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calebwittebane · 7 months

Text

the use of "everyone can make art" specifically to deny people tools that make it possible for them to make the art they want to make, really gets me man. i think its cuz i am a huge proponent of the sentiment in many ways, i am very invested in the idea, that yeah everyone can make art and everyone can explore it and being Good At Art really shouldnt be about any one designated area such as drawing people. but it feels like in the case of people using it to make an anti-ai "just because you physically cant hold a brush/pencil/pigment/whatever doesnt mean youre allowed to bypass that! look at [disabled painter]!" its all limited to "everyone can make art so long as their method of choice doesnt threaten me and doesnt make me feel like the effort ive put in is No Longer Special And Exclusive". because if someone can use a tool thats accessible to them that wouldnt make them have to suffer, then that makes our own effort and suffering null, right? god. repackaging of "why did i even learn all this anatomy stuff if someone can just paint a square and they put that in the museum?" but with an ableist condescending spin. do you really want everyone to make art if the "everyone" in question should by default be barred from certain types of expression, and certain areas of art should just be Off Limits to anyone whos not willing to suffer and prove their merit in a very arbitrary exclusionary way?

and since people like to include an "i'm X and i do Y, you guys have no excuse" type disclaimer in such statements--i'm a traditional & digital artist whos been doing this for most of my life and managed to get a degree in easel painting (and almost died several times in the process) and who puts a lot of effort and studying into this shit, and who suffers from bouts of complete aphantasia due to brain damage lol which makes creating visual art difficult, but i choose not to use ai as an artistic tool because idk thats just not what i do and i personally dont find using it for art enjoyable or inspiring. so those are my Qualifications before someone unfamiliar with above information is like 'why do you hate Real artists' or 'you just defend ai to make yourself feel better about using it'

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izunias-meme-hole · 11 months

Text

My Top 5 Favorite Zelda Villains (outdated)

Number 1. Ganondorf/Ganon - Honestly after so many years, Ganondorf still holds up as a villain. Ganon was the biproduct of a curse created by Demise to ensure that his hate is reincarnated just so he can destroy Link and Zelda’s descendants, and Ganondorf himself was born as the only male in a desert that belonged tribe to warrior women known as The Gerudo, eventually ending up as their king thanks to Gerudo traditions. Ganondorf had a huge presence in Ocarina of Time, manipulating you into locating the Triforce and immediately took over Hyrule during your time skip. In Hyrule Warriors, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and A Link To The Past, he adapts in some form either that be because of genuine character development, an ego increase, or a desire for revenge. However in Breath of the Wild, the end of all three timelines, he fully succumbs to Demise’s curse and uses his hate to create an entity known as Calamity Ganon. In short, Ganon started out as an intelligent and ambitious king, a man to be exact, but eventually he turned into a beast fueled by hate. Then in Tears of The Kingdom he returns, and not only so we learn that he DIDN’T succumb to Demise’s curse after all, we learn that 1,000 years ago, he reincarnated and began to EMBRACE it becoming the new Demon King in the process, and he came back to life to continue his reign. Overall Ganondorf is a surprisingly versatile and interesting take on a evil king, combining power with intellect, tragedy, anger, class, and pure EVIL which is why he’s the greatest villain in gaming history and fiction in general.

Number 2. Majora - When Nintendo was making Majora’s Mask, they KNEW that they couldn’t just make Ganondorf the villain again, so the developers cooked up a pretty great and just as iconic substitute. A batshit insane and mysterious mask that wants to hurl a moon into the planet and cause chaos! Majora is basically a childish eldrich abomination, and much like Ganondorf, he appears rarely throughout the story, yet we see the damage he’s pretty much caused to the land of Termina. Overall this insane cryptic is deserving of the number 2 spot on this list.

Number 3. Vaati, The Wind Mage - The king of underrated villains. Vaati could easily be compared to Ansem/Terranort from Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2. A young, ambitious, and curious apprentice explores the darkness in the hearts of men, becomes power hungry, and then becomes an insane creature of darkness. He’s also the only major Zelda villain to canonically appear in 3 games, a feat not even Ghirahim has achieved. Also I find it hilarious and sad that he basically went from “I need power” to “Hmm, I shall kidnap maidens and the Princess.” Bro really became lustful after he got his ass bear and lost his mind! In all seriousness though, Vaati is a Ganon tier villain, and I wouldn’t mind seeing him again. Such a shame that Nintendo ignores thie guy.

Number 4. Yuga - Yes, I know this guy is Lorulean equivalent of Ganondorf. Yes, I know that he hijacked Ganon instead of it being the other way around, but if I’m being honest… Yuga is a breath of fresh air when it comes to the classic timeline games, both as a concept and as an actual character. A Link Between Worlds is nowhere near perfect, but Yuga was an excellent villain, purely because he’s basically Ganondorf without the status as royalty, muscle to back his mind, commanding appearance, or the overwhelming power he’s known for. Yuga is a simple sorcerer and an “artist” who looks like a clown. The only things they share is they’re both manipulative, cunning, ambitious, and pure evil. In short, Yuga is a perfect subversion of Ganondorf, while still carrying that same sense of danger, and in terms of 2D Zelda villains he’s great.

Number 5. Ghirahim - The only Zelda villain who won succeeded in carrying out his plans, and it had serious consequences for the rest of the series. Ghirahim as a character is vain and flamboyant, but he is not a pushover in the slightest, which makes sense since he’s the literal sword of Demise! Still the fact that he did indeed free his master is impressive, and the best part is that is feels earned. What a magnificent bastard.

#ganondorf #ganon #Majora #vaati #yuga #ghirahim #the legend of zelda #legend of zelda #ranking #(one behind the mask) Mun Izunia

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