#Yes my zacharie is trans

[n1ckelpistol]

AU thingy were the batter's carnage is stopped and he stays with Zach because hes the only one who isnt afraid of him (Makes absolutely no sense in canon, but. I feel like drawing something other than violence for once)

Coexistence is of course difficult for both and i have many ideas (evil laughing emoji) Hopefully i can expand on this eventually!!

#Yes my zacharie is trans #and so is my Everyone else #does it count as a redemption au if the actions are prevented instead of forgiven? #i still gotta tag it something #off flatmates #that'll do #off game #off au #off the batter #off zacharie #art tag

[youofsomesong]

Friends Describing Starkid Characters (part 4)

(There will be spoiler pictures from Nerdy Prudes Must Die, so look at your own risk. They show up after Curt)

james

typical nerd

he has a letterman (i mean its in the photo)

this looks like the harry potter one (yup)

this information does not help me at all though (yes it does!!!)

gregory (front) and william (back) (noooooo)

they are in a relationship (oh 100%)

the gun in the underwear is for later tonight theyre spicing things up

(i have the better picture of peter, dont worry. but i wanna see if theyll realize its the same character)

montgomery

nerd but he knows your name, address, social security number, and credit card information and it not afraid to use it

megan

tired barista (SAME)

good at names and faces (not same) (same bestie)

knows martial arts

quincy francis iv

a cowboy with absolutely NO cowboy skills

saw a horse once and went “cow!!”

oh theyre also gay gay homosexual

nobody knows about their relationship though (well...)

elizabeth (left) and grace (right)

theyre into cosplay

businessman businessman businessman

slightly below average at his job but covers for it by being likeable and social (jfhkjasdhf thats not true)

his name is ronald

marco

theatre kid

rebecca

a proud trans woman who will take no shit

OH MY GOD WAIT

THATS UMBRIDGE ISNT IT (...maybe)

jafar (whats with my friends and thinking achmed is jafar???)

tried to sneak in an aladdin picture with the starkid. im onto you (youre not though cause thats achmed, not jafar)

bridget

likes reading

not very popular but a nice person

patricia

she has a pufferfish on her head

shes a strange one

still kind of popular though??

jasmine and jafar (this one im 87% certain) (youre half right bestie)

they pulled a switcheroo

that other one was aladdin and i was wrong (you were wrong but youre still wrong)

rachel

big fan of the little red riding hood story. made it her entire personality (jksdhfjdksh bestie)

thats a classic jack right there

total asshole (a bit, yeah)

sells drugs to minors (but he doesnt. he loves hannah like his own kid)

that previous guys brother but this ones a good person and keeps getting pulled into his brothers crap

his name is riley

definitely has pronouns

not straight (oh he 100% is not straight)

generally well liked but has one specific enemy (more like we love him but we hate him)

looks like a noah to me

self proclaimed “party animal” (everyone hates him except like one person whos pretty neutral about him) (lies. we all love him)

name is... liam (derogatory)

andrew garfield in disguise (askjfdhakjs)

thats all

“tall dark and handsome” (has platforms in his shoes)

daniel

NERDY PRUDES MUST DIE PHOTOS!!!! CONTINUE AT YOUR OWN RISK

thats a whole zombie fr fr

name was revoked

but his name WOULD have been zachary

watched “the last of us” and liked it way too much

became his favorite character

straight man (derogatory) (kajfhasdhf i dont believe max is straight AT ALL)

the woman is bi (grace is repressed bi, what did i tell yall?)

her name is haley his name is michael

he needs to put his shirt back on (no he does not. he is hot)

goshdarn jessica

Mean Girl ™️ (i mean...mariah was regina george...she was in mean girls...)

manny

generalized anxiety disorder (if he wasnt first labeled as obnoxious teen i would say yes. but he did have that whole waiting for hot chocolate line(s). oh and xe did not connect that the petes were the same character. i did not tell them that either and idk if i will tell him)

MARKIPLIER?

thats it

dyed hair and pronouns

quinn

at this point in time i did tell them that nibbly and blinky were not female even though both are played by women (and the fact that i hc nibbly as agender)

thats a rowan

absolutely slays

also has pronouns

liked wreck it ralph

naruto fanboy

his name is blake but he asked people to call him by the name of his favorite character

(nobody does)

this one is a big fan of sonic

has a sonic themed backpack and lunchbox

morgan

jeremiah

i see an anime shirt hes an anime stan (well thats obvious)

has at least two twitter accounts dedicated to anime (honestly wouldnt be surprised)

#starkid #team starkid #starkid black friday #black friday #a very potter sequel #A Very Potter Series #the guy who didnt like musicals #the trail to oregon #Firebringer #twisted #twisted the untold story of a royal vizier #spies are forever #nerdy prudes must die #nerdy prudes must die spoilers #npmd #npmd spoilers #tin can bros

[birdylion]

20 questions for fic writers!

@annerbhp said she tagged anyone who wants to do this.

How many works do you have on ao3? 26, of which 15 are in English

What’s your total ao3 word count? 50,585

What fandoms do you write for? I have written for Mass Effect (Trilogy + Andromeda), Harry Potter, Rivers of London, Firefly, The Memoirs of Lady Trent, Rogue One, … mostly a small number of fics each, it seems that I'm a fandom hopper. I can't say what I'm working on at the moment, for reasons of (exchange related) secrecy, but my other WIP that I can talk about is for this one German crime TV show that's got a new episode upcoming soon, Tatort (the Saarbrücken version).

What are your top five fics by kudos? HP: What we're made of, my trans Viktor Krum/Hermione Granger fic Good Omens: Sleepless Night, my Ineffable Husbands insomnia comfort ficlet Rogue One: The Darkest Prison, my Baze/Chirrut during imperial occupation fic Rivers of London: Bintumani, my Elsie Winstanley in Sierra Leone adventure fic The Memoirs of Lady Trent: Studying Dragons, my fic about a queer subculture in the flying university

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes, I usually respond to comments, but sometimes they sit for a (really long) while in my inbox before I answer because I want to look at them in the preview of my unread comments. Why do I answer? Always in the hopes of awesome dialogue :D but also to show my appreciation for the commenters

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? My first impulse was to say that I don't do pure angst without happy endings, but that's not true: I've written two Mass Effect fics that fit the bill. One is wistful and introspective about a failed relationship between Ryder and Reyes Vidal, but the other is more angsty: "under the burning sun", a story set between ME1 and ME2 in which Shepard & Kaidan return to Virmire to grieve Ashley. It's a story about grief and doesn't have a happy or even hopeful ending. They lost someone they didn't want to lose.

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I'm not sure it's the happiest, but my fluffiest ending is in "Spürst du die Funken", my (German language) Dean/Seamus getting together story with gay Seamus & grayromantic bi Dean that I'm still meaning to translate into English some day.

Do you get hate on fic? I've never gotten hate on fic. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Do you write smut? Not until recently, and I haven't published anything yet. One of my Tatort Saarbrücken fics is going to be very smutty though. Like, pure smut with a side order of character development.

Do you write crossovers? I haven't published any crossovers yet, but one of my WIPs is a Rivers of London / The Old Guard crossover in which they're in the same world, and Peter becomes the same kind of immortal as the Old Guard.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? As far as I know, no.

Have you ever had a fic translated? No, not so far.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yes, it's one of the Tatort Saarbrücken WIPs! With @shakespearerants . We're kind of stuck on the editing though because I can't find the time for getting back into it.

What’s your all-time favourite ship? I'm a multishipper (multiple ships even for the same character), how am I supposed to have an all-time favourite? Also, since I'm not that prolific and I'm a fandom hopper, there aren't many pairings for which I've written much. I guess Ron/Hermione is the pairing I've written the most? But that's, like, 3 oneshots.

What’s a WIP you want to finish but probably won’t? I haven't given up hope for any of them. There are some I don't want to finish because I've lost interest, but for the rest, I'm still keeping up hope. There is one that has a low priority though, and that's a fic for the book "Firebrand" in the Green Rider series in which Zachary and Estora have consensual but very bad (and from Zachary's side unwanted) sex. I started it because their dynamic was so uncomfortable in that book, everyone acting as if everything was alright, even Zachary himself, and I wanted to explore what I felt was an approach more true to the emotional reality of the situation.

What are your writing strengths? Introspection and emotions. Also, landscapes and travel logistics, I think. But I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on that, obviously.

What are your writing weaknesses? Dialogue. I'm used to writing introspection. I love lingering in the internal thoughts and feelings of my POV character, and since that's the kind of role play writing I've done for almost 10 years now, I'm good at it (and in German, I can do it subtly). But it doesn't lend itself to the rhythm a good dialogue needs to have, so I always struggle with that. I should try to get more into theatre.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I'd do it if it fit my story, but I have strong feelings about how to do it. It has to fit the situation and the characters, and having dialogue in another language than the fic is a stylistic choice that tells us something about the POV character and the other characters. So you'd have to do it very deliberately. Also, I'm particular about bilingualism and accents. Mostly, I don't show accents in written speech, especially when it's not something the characters would notice. A good example of how I use other languages and accents of other languages in fics would be "What we're made of", my trans Viktor Krum story. I wrote it from his point of view, so of course he doesn't notice his own accent in English, how his pronounciation differs from, e.g., Hermione's. In his dialogue, I write him making grammar mistakes I think a native speaker of Bulgarian could make in English (extrapolating from my experience of Bulgarians speaking German, adapted to English grammar), but in his internal thoughts, I use normal English grammar because he thinks in grammatically correct Bulgarian, even though I don't comment on it.

First fandom you wrote for? The very first I wrote for was some horse girl book I had as a child. The first I published were for Harry Potter.

Favourite fic you’ve written? To Serve the Sacred, a very niche Mass Effect Andromeda worldbuilding fic from the POV of a Kett soldier, a view into the internal politics and religion of the Kett, which are the (on the surface generic) bad guys of the game. There's a lot of implied lore, and I'm exploring that. I still want to write an continuation of the game in which I'd explore it even more, as I have a big interconnected headcanon for why they are the way they are. Anyway, that fic has 21 hits and 3 kudos, but I'm immensely proud of it.

I'm tagging @shakespearerants @freizusein @hermitknut @astronicht and @weatheredlaw - and as always, anyone who wants to do this! Seriously, I mean it (as you can see from the fact that I wasn't tagged personally, either).

#birdypersonal #fanfiction #my stuff #a game is on

[sysba]

same anon here! and yes to the book recs. we seem to have similar taste in genres so i would love some recs. ive been looking for some new things to read. 👀

💖💖💖 I've been on a little reading spree lately and all the books I got are worth recommending so absolutelyyy!!! it's gonna be YA books mostly ngl they heal the soul ok

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao; i cannot stop screaming about this book. first of all it was pitched by the author themself (who is a very cool person btw) as 'pacific rim meets the handmaid's tale' so it got my attention immediately. i'm just gonna link this post about it because it says it all but anyways. read this it's pure gold. also the sequel is out next august and i'm already screaming.

Gearbreakers duology by Zoe Mikuta; yet another book who counts pacific rim as inspo. it's another YA dystopian story, only this time the ones who pilot the giant mechas are evil. enemies to allies to lovers trope AND make it sapphic. i cried so many times,,, the writing is good af and the story switches povs between the two main characters, i love that because they're both such vivid characters,,, don't think i've read anything like this ever since the hunger games, in terms of concept and themes. 11/10. also there's an eldest sister character, i have to stan.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas; for the series "books that had me giggling every 5 minutes". literally the most meet-cute of all, this teen brujo accidentally summons a ghost and oh noo the ghost is cute af!!!! there are human sacrifices involved yes but it doesn't matter because. the boys. they're most beloved 🥺 latin culture written by a latine author, everything feels so vibrant/vivid i love the writing, also! trans characters who don't pass but are still validated in their identities is something that can actually be so personal... anyways. this one has an eldest brother. he appears for like 2 seconds but it doesn't matter he's still my fave.

The Croaking by Megan Grey; not a book, but this is still my favourite webtoon (i even bought the physical copy, i had to) and i must recommend it. something something bird-people, corruption, military academy kind of evil idk, everyone almost dies twice a day. check it out check it outtt

MORE RECS

these didn't make me scream as much as the ones i mentioned BUT they still made me scream (affectionate) so i'm rec'ing them<3

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

#answered #anonymous #book recs #also gonna be my annoying self and say: if you're into manga or you want to start... read jujutsu kaisen xoxo

[buriesitsteeth]

Get to know me

Was tagged by @onlymeandlife - tysm I’ve never done one of these before!!

1. Are you named after anyone?

yes? kind of? I was obsessed with the Off game as a young teenager just when I was figuring out the trans thing and Zacharie was my fav character so that was the first name I chose back then. I’ve been through a lot since but have recently come back to it and find a lot of comfort in it!

2. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday if a few tears counts as crying. But I don’t do it hardly at all since starting T whereas I’d cry a lot before so.

3. Do you have kids?

Absolutely not and I don’t have any younger relatives either.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

All the time! I’m very sarcastic and very dry with my humour which can cause a lot of problems.

5. What sports do you play/have you played?

I’ve done a few. Football/soccer as a young kid, swimming which I was quite good at and miss a lot, judo for a few years which I also miss. I haven’t done sport in a long time now though because of dysphoria but I’d love to do it again.

6. What's the first thing you notice about other people?

Their eye colour! If you ask me anyone I’ve met I can usually recall their eye colour even if it’s been years since I’ve seen them. Just an odd little trick I’ve always been able to do.

7. Eye colour?

Very dark brown / black! In the direct sun, though, they’re more of an amber sort of colour.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Oof. Both? Neither? It depends on the film. I don’t need a happy ending but I also don’t need to be on the edge of my seat all the time. Now a happy ending with a horror movie slasher? I’m down lmao

9. Any special talents?

Does not having a sense of smell count? It’s a bit of a superpower at times! I can also play the drums and percussion but that’s not particularly special afaik? I’m also a fast reader!

10. Where were you born?

England.

11. What are your hobbies?

Drawing, bleach painting clothes, photography, listening to music, reading (especially interactive fiction,) gaming, vulture culture stuff, going to museums and antiques shops, collecting sea glass and fossil hunting too!

12. Do you have any pets?

Three cats!

13. How tall are you?

5’7

14. Favourite school subjects?

High school: English, art, music, history

College: criminology, English, photography

University: art

15. Dream job?

Concept artist!

Tagging:… whoever wants to give this a go!

#first tag game as far as I can remember? #v v fun thank you! #also to everyone who has followed me for years #hi! (finally)

[rabbitrah]

The Worst Kind of Movies

When people ask me what kind if movies I like, I have a hard time answering because I like every single genre. Obviously an individual film can be good or bad on multiple axis (script, acting, visuals, concept, presence of bigoted shit or lack thereof) but there's not a single genre I would throw under the bus. Except one.

Movies That Make Me Want to Fucking Die 🤪

This isn't a formally recognized genre, but I think it should be, so I could avoid it better. The reason that I think it's a genre rather than a quality is that these films can be well-written and well-acted and well-directed (or not) and that has no bearing on the fact that they make me want to Stop Existing. In fact, I feel like these films were intentionally designed to make people hate life and being alive. I evaluate movies based on how well they achieve their goal, and I think the goal of these movies is to cause misery and a hatred of life itself. I am NOT talking about sad films or tragedies or bad-ending horror or distressing documentaries. Sobbing etc is different from wanting to Leave The Planet. I've tried looking for lists of movies that people say make them want to die and they're never what I'm talking about. Not Dear Zachary, not American History X. Ultimately those films made me sob uncontrollably and go "shit's fucked up" but they didn't extinguish my will to live. What I'm talking about is like the exact opposite of a ghibli film. There Is No Hope There is Nothing. Anyway, here are the films that have made me feel this way:

The Great New Wonderful (2005)

This is the most misleading poster I've ever seen in my life. It's not a comedy. It's about 5 people all living out different horrible little scenarios. It's a post 9/11 reactionary thing but not in the normal way. Watching this destroyed a part of my soul.

Carriers (2009)

This was a straight-to-dvd movie I watched with a friend because we were baby trekkies and its staring Chris Pine. The whole time I was like "Why no theater release? This is a perfectly acceptable apocalypse flick." And then the ending happened and I wanted to fucking Die. Looking at the wikipedia page, apparently it's had a resurgence of popularity because of covid? 😐

House of Sand and Fog (2015)

This one gave me a panic attack in front of my entire religion class so that Sucked. Interestingly, I think this was also a piece of post 9/11 reactionary filmmaking so maybe that's a running thread.

Transamerica (2005)

This one is an outlier in that it made me want to die and then was able to rub some aloe vera on the wound before the credits rolled, allowing me to crawl away with my will to live intact. I've never talked to other trans people abt this movie so idk what the general trans opinions are but it made me feel Bad and Gross and the fact that it's a trans-centric story meant that I was associating Bad and Gross things to a trans narrative at a time when I was trying to figure out my own gender stuff so.... Yeah. Feels bad man.

Circle

The fact that this movie is objectively just kind of bad actually made it affect me way less than the others. I was able to shake it off easier as a "well that sucked." Had it been higher quality but followed the same narrative strokes, it would have crushed me like a bug.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

This was a shock for me because I really like the Coen brothers. Dark, yes, but not "I want to kms." Full disclosure, I couldn't finish it. I am old enough and wise enough now to see "Oh, this is one if those," and turn it off before the feeling gets Deeper.

Beatriz at Dinner (2017)

Honestly the movie was objectively high quality in every way, it just made me want to fucking die 😖

ANYWAY this post is part warning, part "is it just me?" and part open invitation to tell me any movies that fall into this character so I can avoid them and continue to want to live 😌🙏

#suicidal ideation #<- implied though not fr fr #like yes these movies DO make me want to die but not in a literal dangerous way just in a #alright im gonna head out #way #film #txt #long post #negative

[soulpart]

I like to be called: zacharie / zach

One thing you should know about me: i have good old 80HD that makes it virtually impossible to focus on actually writing sometimes so instead i barf up 896543895 ooc posts between replies or some random meta. because i also have the adhd/autism combo . so i am physically incapable of shutting the fuck up about things i like. this happens in normal convos too. i will randomly infodump. i am so sorry

also i love you

One thing you should know about RPing with my character(s): he’s trans and he’s gay and you’re gonna like it. but uhh... i guess one thing is that i focus a lot on themes of love in all its forms and hope and healing from trauma etc etc in my writing, especially with characters like ardbert. he’s very stubborn but he’s also very sweet and just... depending on your character he might try to reach out to them to make some sort of bond. how he does this really depends entirely on who you write LOL.... be his friend

First language: english and only write in english unless yall suddenly learn latin

Age range: under 13 | 14–17 | 18–22 | 23–25 | 26–29 | 30+ | 40+ | 70+

Am I okay with NSFW?: yes | no | some nsfw (only comfortable writing sexual nsfw with ship partners but i’m always down to just shoot off random nsfw hcs every now and again)

My favorite/most common thing to rp is: angst | fluff | smut | crack | action | plots | AUs | Violence | Darker themes (this does not include filthy fucking depraved degenerate pedo/incest/rape bullshit though)

Canon Character RP Friendly?: yes | no

RP blog: does contain ooc posts | doesn’t contain ooc posts | occasionally contains ooc

tagged by. @moogleborne sort of

tagging. you:)

#ooc.

[howldean]

42, 21, 31, 12 for the fandom askssss uwu

Totally McGoatally! Thanks nonny

42.  List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing: Oh god, only 5? Ummm ok let’s see (oh god this is hard)

@jawnloxk / @sahloo-folinaa Ash is my absolute king. Their writing is amazing, and their brain it large and powerful

@insertmeaningfulusername *wistful sigh* oh to be as spectacular as Steph. (My brain: KcchhhchhhHHHH! Me: No, come on, say something intelligent like how great their fics are!)

@consultingcriminal JJ MY DARLING absolutely iconic, amazing, spectacular gremlin with great ideas and great fics

@hellfre surprising literally no one: Syd. Because honestly, what more do I have to say, than Trans Charles Xavier  *simps harder*

@consultingking I’ve finally gotten around to starting the Grosvenor Gang, 8 chapters in and it’s *chef’s kiss*

BONUS: YOU!!! Yes, you, if you write, you’re amazing

21. What was the first fanfic you ever wrote?

The first think I’ll admit to writing (and the first thing I actually completed) was a Loki platonic oneshot because I was lonely and want them to be my best friend and spouse. It was actually kind of cute. 

31.  What’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about your writing?

I’ve had some really good ones! It makes my heart go *blep*  The reassurances from betas and friends are immeasurable, and the comments I get are spectacular, here are some favorites:

This is so fucking cool oh my god, thank you for this awesome piece of writing! 

- part of the first ao3 comment I ever got! This miiiight be my favorite, because it was the first support I got from someone I didn’t know (at the time- hi zachary) and that made me feel so amazing

you talented whore shut the fuck up

Ash, beta reading for me like a king 

Why doesn't this have more kudos? This is perfect! *showers this place in kudos*🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 ALSO HOW DARE YOU?! I STARTED CRYING MIDFIC!! THIS WAS PHENOMENAL?! WTF IS GONNA HAPPEN NEXT!? IM SO FWUCKEN HYPED?! PLEASE LET MY BABIES BE HAPPY BEE!

...JJ 

I. LOVE. THIS. AND. HOW. DARE. YOU. BUT ALSO. SEBBY. SAD. MAKES. BRIAN. GO. BRRR. Your writing is amazing luv, keep on going, this is wonderful, you captured their relationship in a single one shot and I congratulate you!!!! I love the way you made them. They're so fwucking adorable!! My heart can't take it. Goodbye world. Bee's talent killed me.🖤🖤🖤

aaaaand JJ again (seriously honey I adore you and you bring me so much joy)

HOLY FUCKING SHIT WOW thats amazing. im very proud.

loki-is-alive-and-gay (on wattpad and insta) I love her dearly

I’m just going to stop there before I paste every single comment I’ve ever gotten. Because they’re all my favorites, and EVERY SINGLE ONE kills me with love

12. Who is your current OT3?

GOOD ASK NONNY, GOOD ASK I’ll always adore the (John centered, V group) Sherlock, John, and Mary polycule, because I love how chill Mary was about her husband’s boyfriend coming back from the dead. And she KNEW not to make him choose between them, and Sherlock-Mary solidarity is the best.

That’s that! Thanks again, sorry for babbling for an unnecessarily long period of time <3

#bee says things #ask box games #answering anons #writing

[thequimmqueen]

is Anastasia the only trans in Future AU? If yes,which else nextgens are associated with sexualities? For example,um, you said Lynn is pansexual.

Here's The Whole list of My Nextgens That are Related to Sexualities. (Half of Them are not mentioned Since they're not Allowed to date Yet xD)

Lynn💘 - Pansexual

Raymond📰 - Heterosexual

Sarah🔎 - High femme Homoflexible

Jamie🐦 - Bisexual

Maya💮 - Asexual Bi Romantic

Rolland🍕 - Heterosexual

Hollie🍍- Queersexual

Dannah - Heterosexual

Savannah💅 - Femme Heteroflexible

Cairo/Sandy🍉 - Genderfluid

Russell🎣 - Heterosexual

Coralina🎏 - Butch heterosexual

Burnett🚒 - Pansexual

Axel👔 - Heteroflexible

Zachary🚧 - Bisexual

Ámbar✳️ - Soft Butch Homoflexible

Marianna🚔 - Bisexual

Gavin🍷- Trans Man

Kōi🐠 - Gay

Carlotta🍜 - bigender

Bento- Heterosexual

Haley🔬 - Asexual

Becky💄 - Androgyne Bisexual

Stella📷 - Asexual Bi Romantic

Matilda🏈 - Bi Romantic

Arthur📽️ - Bisexual

Brandon📚 - Pansexual

Anastasia🎬 - Trans Woman

Kellen📹 - Pan Romantic

Randall🍠 - DemiBoy

Sargiene🎮 - Bi Romantic Butch

Pilar🏵️ - DemiGirl

Adonis♦️ - Metrosexual

Diana♥️ - Pan Romantic

Carrie🐈 - Heterosexual

Bloom🍀 - Asexual bi Romantic

Buttercup/Arán🌰 - Demi Man

Autumn🍁 - Heterosexual

Helena💐 - Agender

Fawn💍 - Agender Bi Romantic

Snow❄️ - heterosexual

Maru🐚 - Heterosexual

Hara🌠 - Soft Butch

Tanner🎼 - Bisexual

Megan💼 - Sapiosexual

Cassidy🥇- Heterosexual

Créme🍬 - Gay

Gelatta🍭 - Femme Homoflexible

Tulip🌷 - Asexual

Leandro💉 - Gay Demiboy

Eliana🎭 - Heterosexual

Jhonnen🏍️ - Heterosexual

Whitney👻 - Queersexual

Jennifer🔧 - Bi Romantic

Eijirou👾 - non binary

Adella🛍️ - Lesbian

Izabella B🎋 - DemiGirl

Deckard B🎧 - Demiboy

Kate🥋 - Butch Lesbian

Diego💌 - Metrosexual

Paula⚾️ - Butch Heterosexual

Jazz🏆 - Non binary Butch

Xefferson🤹 - AroAce

Xanna💥 & Romeo⚗️ - Asexual

🍀Jerry and Betty☘️ - AroAce

Petra☀️ - Butch

Kumako🥊 - Lesbian

Ryu🎐- Demi Boy

Haru🕹️ - Non binary

Michael💙 - Bigender

Nina🍊 - High Femme lesbian

Wendyl🔩 - Closeted Gay

Roger GearSpeed🏁 - BiCurious

Magenta👗 - Asexual

Josefina🎒 - AroAce

Allison💰 - Butch Bisexual

Johann✒️ - Androginous Sapiosexual

Kuro🍋 - Gay

Shard🃏 - Sapiosexual

Fila📚 - Asexual

Toasty Coconut🍨 - Asexual

Gala Donut🍩 - Lesbian

StarDust🎆 - BiCurious

Terrance Milch🍡 - Gay

Cranberry Jelly🍓- Lipstick Lesbian

Susie☎️ - Agender heteroflexible

💜Pines and Payne💙 - Pansexual

Annana💛 - Trans Girl

Radetta💗 - BiCurious

Gabriel🎩 - Gay

Rodrigo🤓 - Sapiosexual

Railey🛎️ - Butch Heterosexual

#Mannie

[stevenuniversallyreviews]

Episode 121: Rocknaldo

“I don't love that. I don't accept that.”

Ronaldo Fryman has always been annoying.

From his first speaking role in Cat Fingers, and his first starring role in Keep Beach City Weird, this has been obvious. He’s selfish and insensitive, dominating every conversation he’s a part of and refusing to respect viewpoints that differ from his. He works well in small doses, where his grating nature can be properly diluted, so it’s understandable that an entire episode of Ronaldo at peak Ronaldo is not a widely beloved entry in the Steven Universe canon. But even though I can’t stand watching Rocknaldo, I actually, uh, kind of love it.

That’s a hard “uh, kind of” though. It’s tough to separate my emotions about this one, because I respect such an incredible portrayal of toxic fandom, but I hate toxic fandom so much that I don’t enjoy spending time with it, even as parody. This isn’t an episode I’m ever in the mood for, but it’s just so good at what it’s doing that I can’t stay mad at it.

Ronaldo’s propaganda is first played for laughs, with Steven’s bewilderment at what he’s reading (“They’re adding mind-controlling minerals to our water suppl—they hate men?”) and the vaudevillian back and forth of Ronaldo’s Rock People talking points and Steven’s quick and absolute dismissals. Ronaldo’s embarrassment is a bit of a surprise considering he’s never seemed capable of such a sensation, and his willingness to admit he’s wrong seems like a good sign, but oh boy does that attitude not last.

The mindset that led Ronaldo to make his bad faith arguments in pamphlet form (which he calls Ronalphlets because heaven forbid we get the idea that it’s not about him) persists, and it’s so much worse in conversation than as printed media. It’s not enough that he impedes on Steven’s personal space, but he checks off multiple key items on the Pathetic Internet Troll I Find Useless List (or “PITIFUL” if we’re using proper jargon). He’s casually sexist. He negs Steven into accepting his intrusions. He gatekeeps the concept of being a “true” Crystal Gem, which is lousy in a bubble but so much worse in practice because he’s doing it to an actual Crystal Gem. He gaslights by stating his incorrect views as obvious facts, complete with his own lingo, to make Steven question his own validity. And perhaps worst of all, he takes advantage of Steven’s empathetic nature to pretend that a tolerant person must accept abuse.

On the one hand, Ronaldo’s extreme behavior can be chalked up to severe sleep loss; that’s certainly the angle the episode goes for. But on the other, his toxicity begins well before he decides to stop sleeping, and as someone whose record for consecutive waking hours is an inadvisable thirty-six, fatigue will make you cranky, but it won’t make you more conniving. In cartoon world it’s a clean device to up Ronaldo’s awfulness in a way we can walk back from, but ugh he’s still a trashfire. Zach Callison always deserves kudos, and Rocknaldo is no exception, but Zachary Steel wins out here for capturing such a loathsome version of his character.

A key ingredient for Rocknaldo is timing. Steven just had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, and this is our first glimpse at how it’s changed him, so what better way to test our all-loving hero than to pit him against a black hole of selfishness? He’s grown a lot since Keep Beach City Weird in a way Ronaldo hasn’t, and while his instinct is still kindness, now there’s a welcome dose of teen moodiness mixed in. 

It takes a while for Steven to realize it’s a grift, but beyond this slowness being a necessity for the conflict of the episode to work, it makes sense for where he’s at this point in the show. Again, kindness is an instinct for this kid, and even when Ronaldo starts getting infuriating, we’ve seen Steven be patient with him before. He’s also got that martyr complex revved up: this isn’t the first or last time he’s been willing to suffer to make someone else comfortable. He knows how much it sucks to be called the wrong name by now, so he’s the only person who consistently calls Ronaldo “Bloodstone.” And considering Rose Quartz wasn’t what he thought, he now feels that he must double his efforts to be his best self to compensate.

Also important is Steven’s willingness to defend his friends from the start, calling the term “Rock People” offensive and defending the Gems’ decision to leave Ronaldo behind on a dangerous mission. He can take Ronaldo’s lousiness all day, but finally snaps when Connie’s worthiness is insulted. It’s sweet that he sticks up for people, but it’s a bummer that he probably would’ve put up with Ronaldo even longer if the only one suffering was himself. Steven would do anything for his friends, but he’s not doing much for Steven.

This is why Ronaldo is the ideal antagonist for an episode coming off Steven’s space adventure. Steven’s selflessness contrasts perfectly with Ronaldo’s selfishness, but instead of a story about selflessness being good and selfishness being bad, we see how selflessness isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Yes, it’s good to care about others, but it’s also important to have boundaries and enough self-respect to defend yourself; this isn’t even the first time we’ve gotten this message, but it bears repeating. There’s are limits to tolerance that trolls will always exploit (“White Nationalists aren’t welcome here? So much for the ‘Tolerant Left!’”), and on a show about empathy we need for Steven (and the audience) to see that empathy doesn’t mean being a doormat.

Steven’s patience fuels the episode, but the wheels are greased by the Amethyst and Pearl’s disdain. It’s a minor part of Rocknaldo, but I’m not sure I could survive how grating Ronaldo is without some backup from the Gems.

Garnet may lead a slow clap at Steven’s rousing speech on the nature of acceptance, but Amethyst is happy to crack jokes at Ronaldo’s self-seriousness, down to that perfect impression near the end of the episode. Meanwhile, Pearl openly hates the guy. We don’t even get Sassy Pearl (perhaps the greatest Pearl of all), she’s just bluntly dismissive as a refreshing antidote to Steven’s hospitality. She doesn’t bother to remember his ridiculous new name because she refuses to humor the notion that he’s a Gem, and it totally works for me; misnaming is played for drama when Steven is concerned, as befits the trans allegory that comes to a head in Change Your Mind, but Ronaldo is a human belittling Steven’s identity by pretending he shares it, so “Bloodstone” isn’t worth getting right to her (it helps that “Fryrocko” is also a delightful thing to call somebody). This jokey take on names works in the moment, but more importantly primes us for a more serious take in our last scene.

The final conversation, after a rare time jump, does salvage Ronaldo somewhat. He apologizes and admits he was acting like a jerk, and remains dedicated to helping the Crystal Gems in his own weird way. But the root of his problem isn’t gonna up and go away, and that root, again, is selfishness. He doesn’t fit in because he would rather the world adjust to meet his whims than take a single step towards self-improvement, so he chooses to see himself as “the ultimate outsider.” I guess it’s nice to find a positive spin on qualities you’re not great at, but it reeks of self-importance in a way that’s true to the character but is still frustrating to watch. Ronaldo is very good at being who he is, but I just don’t have much patience for intentionally annoying characters.

Still, we get that lovely moment of Steven talking about his name; it’s not a big revelation that folks only call him Rose Quartz when they’re mad at him, but verbalizing it shows that he’s aware of the pattern. The issue of his name will pop up more and more, becoming a cornerstone of both the Season 4 and Season 5 finales, so it’s nice to discuss it in a calm moment so we can keep Steven’s opinion in the back of our minds when things get messy. Ronaldo, to his credit, asks permission before sharing this story on his pamphlet, and evokes fellow emotionally-challenged antagonist Zuko in his attempt at solidarity. (Fun fact: in no other way is Ronaldo similar to Zuko.)

Moving from Zuko to Zuke: I don’t know where Rocknaldo’s production lined up on the timeline of the Steven Universe fandom's worst elements harassing Jesse Zuke, but I hope Zuke got some level of catharsis in portraying such “fans” in this pathetic manner. Speaking as a guy with a blog, calling Ronaldo “just a guy with a blog” is perfect putdown for a loser that makes himself feel big by pretending to know how to run a ship better than the captain. Imagine if I spent every post saying how much better of a storyteller I am than this crew. Ugh.

Fandoms can do great things, but man are they pros at doing horrible things. During the week that I wrote this review, a 15-year-old Super Smash Bros player got yelled off the internet for beating an established player in an incredible fashion, because while the community adores a young upstart, they can’t stand when that upstart is a girl. And no, I’m not saying the entire fandom did it, just as the entire Steven Universe fandom didn’t target one of the show’s best boarders (note that this article was written when Zuke still went by Lauren), but there are more than enough Ronaldos in every community, and it’s up to people who comprehend the basic tenets of empathy provided by a show they claim to love to stand up to such bullies.

If you don’t like Rocknaldo, that’s just fine. Because you shouldn’t like how Ronaldo acts in it. Liking something doesn’t give you the right to harass people, so do your part in shutting that nonsense down. 

I’ve never been to this…how do you say…school?

Just give us an episode with Peridot, Yellow Pearl, Peedee, and Ronaldo trapped in a room already.

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

I hate watching this episode, but that doesn’t mean I hate the episode. It does its job very well, which is worthy of admiration even if I’m probably never going to watch it again now that this review is done.

Top Twenty

Steven and the Stevens

Hit the Diamond

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

Last One Out of Beach City

The Return

Jailbreak

The Answer

Mindful Education

Sworn to the Sword

Rose’s Scabbard

Earthlings

Mr. Greg

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Beach City Drift

Winter Forecast

Bismuth

Steven’s Dream

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Ocean Gem

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Warp Tour

The Test

Future Vision

On the Run

Maximum Capacity

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Joy Ride

Keeping It Together

We Need to Talk

Chille Tid

Cry for Help

Keystone Motel

Catch and Release

When It Rains

Back to the Barn

Steven’s Birthday

It Could’ve Been Great

Message Received

Log Date 7 15 2

Same Old World

The New Lars

Monster Reunion

Alone at Sea

Crack the Whip

Beta

Back to the Moon

Kindergarten Kid

Buddy’s Book

Gem Harvest

Three Gems and a Baby

That Will Be All

The New Crystal Gems

Storm in the Room

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Open Book

Story for Steven

Shirt Club

Love Letters

Reformed

Rising Tides, Crashing Tides

Onion Friend

Historical Friction

Friend Ship

Nightmare Hospital

Too Far

Barn Mates

Steven Floats

Drop Beat Dad

Too Short to Ride

Restaurant Wars

Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service

Greg the Babysitter

Gem Hunt

Steven vs. Amethyst

Bubbled

Adventures in Light Distortion

Gem Heist

The Zoo

Rocknaldo

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

Say Uncle

Super Watermelon Island

Gem Drill

Know Your Fusion

Future Boy Zoltron

No Thanks!

     6. Horror Club      5. Fusion Cuisine      4. House Guest      3. Onion Gang      2. Sadie’s Song      1. Island Adventure

#rocknaldo #steven universe #su #steven universally #review

[sheanam]

Outliers Who’s Who!

Actually you know what, it’s been a long time since I talked about my characters to any degree at all, and I’ve seen friends make fun posts about their own crews lately, so between all the goofy random doodles I do with little explanation and my webcomic Outliers being on hiatus for several months due to unavoidable irl circumstances, I feel it’s probably a good time to introduce all you lovely recent followers to the people I like to draw all the time, and also give a refresher to the awesome patient folks who’ve been following for a while! And properly introduce a couple new faces I’ve only just started drawing!

Outliers is a romantic slice-of-life focusing on Walt and Chary, a long-time gay couple, and assorted other characters doing their best to live their lives in a world full of superpowers and aliens and magic and other comic book cliches; it follows them through the years and there’s all manner of life events and such. Shit Happens now and again, but there’s lots of positivity and cute people and occasional goofiness. And date nights. And bird monsters.

The following are (plot spoiler-free!) blurbs on the two main characters of the comic, plus several assorted supporting characters, some of whom I don’t draw as much as I should but are important and who I’m fond of, and some who won’t actually show up in the comic for a looong time but I love them very very much and can’t stop drawing and thinking about them. There are other background characters, lots of ‘em, but (most of) these guys are the ones you’ll see me draw the most often on this here blog!

Zachary ‘Chary’ C. Milford

One of the two mains. A big, chubby, gentle guy with sleepy sad eyes who’s genuinely a nice person, occasionally grumbly but soft-hearted to a fault. Indiana Hoosier and midwestern as hell, raised by a single mom. Loves dad jokes and puns, cheesy ties and collecting records, is bi and has been dating Walt for the better part of a decade. They’re pretty damn inseparable at this point. A few years back was horribly injured and left disabled and scarred after getting caught in a terrible supervillain attack. It can be tough, but he tries not to let it slow him down. Is the good sort of lawyer and rarely swears, radiates pure Dad Energy at all times.

Walter T. Corvi

The other of the two mains. Short-ish, slender, swears like a boatload of sailors. Currently identifies as a gay nonbinary man and uses he/him and they/them pronouns, is pretty feminine in most of his presentation choices, going between fashionable as hell and frumpy comfort depending on mood. A middle child, hails from one of the rich parts of Long Island, but it doesn’t take much for him or his large Italian family to sound like extras from The Nanny. Is a metahuman with the superpower to turn into a big ‘wereraven’ type bird monster, which runs fairly commonly in their family, but chose to stay out of the hero business. Works as a cook and is great at it, it’s a passion of his.

Hoshiko ‘Iko’ Nieri

Iko is of mixed race, but primarily identifies as Japanese. She’s also a lawyer, tough as nails and also the good sort, and Chary’s co-worker and friend. She’s cis, but prefers and feels happy not being particularly feminine most of the time. Works out a lot and has a mean right hook and a delightfully obnoxious laugh.

Keeg-Ok

Keeg’s a weird huge gargoyle monster dude from a magical pocket dimension who got dumped out into the ‘main’ one. Exceptionally friendly and sunny, he adapted to modern everyday life quickly, building a career as a cook (he loves fancy cooking) and a family of his own. Walt’s co-worker and friend. Your best spiky friend if you let him be.

Mary Hell

The young daughter of a human man and a demon from ‘down under’. Cheerful, pleasant, and eager to please, she’s taking steps to become a fully licensed superhero and use her powers for good. A member of the metahuman support group Chary and Iko support as its legal team. Yes, her name’s a pun.

Edmund Irving Rudyard Hawke II

Edmund 2.0 is probably more accurate, honestly. Edmund Hawke Sr. was your standard evil comic book CEO, like Lex Luthor or Kingpin, and when he died heirless he had his organization make a clone of him to inherit and take over the company and continue their work. It was very successful...except that in terms of personality and morals, Ed turned out absolutely nothing like him. Excitable, eager to please, anxious, lonely, slightly flamboyantly gay and full of all sorts of emotional and mental and existential issues, Ed does his very best to be his own person and be more than a figurehead puppet, using his resources and power for good. Was ‘born’ in the US but has a British accent from being ‘tweaked’ to better match the original Edmund. Lacks context for a lot of things and imprints on people who are nice to him like a baby duck.

Dustin Smalls

Somehow fell into the position of being Edmund’s personal assistant, a position of unexpected power and influence. Mostly runs around keeping Ed out of trouble and educating him on things, and protecting him from people taking advantage of or outright abusing him. To his surprise, wound up becoming super best friends with Ed, which evolved into a complicated but deep queerplatonic relationship. Tired Trans, actually has albinism to a small degree but he doesn’t have cliche red eyes so it surprises people. Cranky, loves shitty memes and video games, hates ‘You’re killing me Smalls’ jokes and will tell you exactly why The Sandlot is problematic shit. His other best friend is Pam, his wife who he’s in an open relationship with.

Pamela Flores

Wife and other best friend of Dustin. They’re nesting partners; it’s a very well-functioning open marriage agreed to by both parties, she has a girlfriend who’s her primary romantic interest, and Dustin dabbled around now and again before meeting Edmund. Also trans; the two actually met at a fertility clinic where they’d both gone to freeze some of their DNA. Sweet, supportive, can be deadly serious and firm when the need arises.

#outliers #chary #walt #iko #keeg #mary hell #edmund #dustin #pam #long post #original characters #character list #VERY long post

[iris-writes-things]

Two Guys and a Baby: Day 5

Read on AO3, FF.net or under the cut, or read up to 2 chapters ahead as a $1 Patreon patron!

“I swear, Ezra, he talked!” Crowley said with some exasperation in his voice. Ezra raised his hands in self-defense. “I believe you, dear,” he said in a tone Crowley knew was designed to calm him down.

Or, a lot of talk of talking, but no actual talking occurs.

Chapter 7 of 20 Ongoing 2199 words Romance/Humor

‘Anthony dear.’ 

Crowley hadn’t been called that in a long time. No one had called him by his first name since he started carefully avoiding Ezra, but once he apologized to the man for almost kissing him that one time, there it was again, awakening things in him that he’d painstakingly kept dormant, even with their now-increased contact.

And he said his eyes were beautiful.

Now, that was another can of worms on its own that awakened things in him which he would have a hard time pushing down. In fact, there wasn’t much of anything more cheesy, tropey, borderline romantic one could say to someone they liked, and Ezra had gone and did it.

He’d laid awake for hours after he had come home and tucked the already sleeping Adam into his crib, mulling over what all of it meant. Ezra Zacharie Fell was not exactly a paragon of subtlety, but what it meant- no, what it could have meant, was simply too good to be true. Crowley had done nothing to deserve something like that. After all, he was always on the verge of fucking something up one way or another and this couldn’t be an exception to the rule, he felt. 

Speaking of which, his morning was going far too smooth.

Adam wailed from his crib in the living room. There it was. At least it was better than being left alone with his thoughts any longer. He got up from his bed, pulled his ‘86 Magic Tour T-shirt over his head and slinked over to the crying baby, who was standing and hanging onto the edge of the crib. The kid calmed down slightly when Crowley came into his view. He stopped screaming and looked up at the man with tearful, blue eyes.

“What’s up, Adam?” Crowley asked casually, not expecting an answer in return. 

Instead, Adam made grabby hands at him, which could only mean one thing. 

“Up!” Adam said.

Crowley frowned. “Up?” he asked.

“Up!” Adam repeated.

Lucy hadn’t mentioned anything about Adam speaking, however small or simple the words might be. The man immediately rushed back to his bedroom to grab his smartphone, pulled up Whatsapp on his way to the living room, almost walking face first into a narrowly avoided doorpost. He opened his chat with Lucy and pressed the little microphone.

“Can you say that again, Adam?” Crowley asked expectantly, smiling in encouragement.

Instead, Adam looked at him with his big eyes and made a gurgling sound instead.

“Work with me here, Adam, I just heard you say it. Come on, you can do it.”

The boy’s little face scrunched up as he seemed to give this due consideration. 

“What’s up, Adam?” Crowley repeated, in an attempt to garner the same reaction, but nothing came. He sighed in disappointment and laid his phone down in the crib. “Okay buddy, time for breakfast.”

*

“I swear, Ezra, he talked!” Crowley said with some exasperation in his voice as Adam explored the ground floor of the bookshop again and, per the older man’s request, his sunglasses now rested on his hair instead of on his nose. “Man, I wish I could have just recorded it for Lucy. She’d love to hear it.”

Ezra raised his hands in self-defense. “I believe you, dear,” he said in a tone Crowley knew was designed to calm him down. “At this point, it’s important that you keep talking around him and to him. Ask him questions, so he can start associating words with people, objects and actions.”

Crowley nodded. “Duly noted,” he said curtly and he tried not to think of the day before. About the way Ezra had looked at him. Had talked to him. “So, what do you suggest we do?” he soldiered on.

Ezra shrugged. “Just talk to him constantly, don’t even think too hard on it, but do make sure you articulate. Oh, and you could read him bedtime stories.”

“Oh, I’m very good at that,” Crowley grinned. “I used to read picture books to Anathema every week.”

“Then you best get into practice again. I know I’m not a library, but you can borrow some of the picture books I have stocked here,” Ezra said as he got up and beckoned for Crowley to follow him, which he did closely. 

“That’s actually very generous. Thank you,” Crowley whispered.

“You almost sound surprised,” Ezra smiled softly as he looked back at him. “Just kidding, you’re welcome, Anthony,” he added. His eyes sparkled with… something or other. Mischief, probably. Pride, more likely, as no one in London believed in carrying out the seven heavenly virtues more than Ezra Fell and his family. But the sparkle, the smirk… suddenly, there wasn’t a single holy thought left in Crowley’s mind. Gaping like a fish out of water, his mouth abruptly felt very dry. If he was staring, Ezra didn’t seem to mind. But in due time, he turned away from Crowley and back to the matter at hand.

The children’s section of the bookshop was next to the staircase that went up to the second and third floor of the shop, and the apartment attached to it, was stocked with brightly colored, hardback picture books, as well as novels and informative books for young readers. It was decked out with colorful little flags and bean bags. Years ago, Ezra had the idea of organizing reading afternoons, where volunteers would read to visiting children while their parents shopped. It never caught on.

“Is there anything you’d like to read to Adam in particular?” Ezra asked as he crouched by the bookcase that contained the picture books. Crowley followed suit.

“Um,” he started. “I don’t really know any of these new ones. You’re the owner, what do you recommend?”

“A lot of the little kids that come in here are particularly excited about Rainbow Fish, because of the shiny bits, but I think the Very Hungry Caterpillar may be a better jumping off point. Oh, and Dick Bruna’s Miffy books are a personal favourite of mine. They have a very good sense of rhyme and rhythm.”

Crowley took the book Ezra held in front of his face, Miffy at the Zoo, let himself fall into one of the bean bags and opened the book to a random spread. With practised ease, Crowley found his storybook voice and read aloud:

“‘They must have traveled for an hour but now they’re here, you see and Father Bun steps out and says come Miffy, follow me.’ Oh, that’s cute. I’m sure he’ll like that,” Crowley noted as he looked back up to Ezra, who pointed to the space just beside his head. When he turned around, he found Adam watching over his shoulder, enraptured with the bunnies on the page. “Did you like that, Adam?”

Adam looked at him with bright blue eyes, a broad smile on his face and gave them a resounding “Bun!”

*

Ezra sat behind the counter as he listened to Anthony read three more books to Adam from his perch in the windowsill. He found his eyes closed and any tension left his shoulders as Anthony’s voice filled the shop. His reading voice was smooth, steady and well-articulated. That this was soothing, to say the least, reflected in that halfway through the third book, Adam had fallen asleep against his chest.

“You know, my dear, if there’s anyone you should call ‘angel’, it would be Adam. As someone who has worked with children in the past, I can guarantee you that children, much less babies this well-behaved are very hard to come by.”

“Ngk,” Anthony choked. “I really hoped you would have forgotten by now.”

“You seemed to make a point of repeating it, so no. I didn’t forget.”

“Right.” Anthony sat up straighter, but kept Adam securely cradled to his chest as he laid the book down.

Out of Anthony’s sight, Ezra’s hand still laid upon the magazine.

4. He acts differently around you. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you...” Ezra tried, but he found that the words he originally intended to say drowned in a flood of doubt. He frowned, looking at Anthony, who looked at him expectantly, if a tad uneasy. “If something were, so to speak, ‘up’... you would tell me, right?”

 “‘Course,” Anthony said almost hastily. He got up and walked up to the counter, still holding Adam like the most precious thing in the world. He looked up at Ezra, amber eyes piercing blue. “Ez, you are literally the best friend that I have, I can promise you that if something is up, you’ll be the first to hear.” There was an almost pleading quality to Anthony’s voice as he said that and a frown made deep creases in his forehead. 

“So the reason you’ve been acting so off lately is…” Ezra asked.

Anthony paled. “I…” he said, glancing down at Adam as if he would provide a well-timed distraction, as he had before, but the boy stayed soundly asleep. “I’m just… figuring stuff out, you know?” he finally admitted. “But like I said. You’ll be the first to hear.”

“When you figure it out?”

“When I figure it out.”

Ezra nodded. “That seems reasonable enough. And if you ever feel like you want to talk about whatever you’re figuring out—”

“I’ll know where to find you,” Anthony smiled apologetically.

“Good.” Ezra said with an almost satisfied nod. “And just for the record, I don’t mind if you want to call me ‘angel’. It’s just that no one’s ever bothered to give me a nickname before, is all. Especially one as ‘blasphemous’ as ‘angel’.”

“Well, like I said, it suits you. And you know I’m all about blasphemy according to your family, with my radical views on the world, what with that trans people should be able to transition, and same gender couples should be able to get married and whatnot.”

“Yes, well…” Ezra mumbled with a pout. He didn’t particularly like it when his family was brought up, especially when they’d been having fun before. He quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, it had me wondering what I should call you,” he tried. That ought to steer this conversation elsewhere.

Anthony chuckled and smiled his lopsided smirk. Ezra couldn’t help but gaze at his lips as he said, “I think I’ve told you upwards of a thousand times that you can just call me ‘Crowley’.”

Ezra’s cheeks heated up. He blinked hard and shook his head. “Well yes, but I don’t want to. That’s your family’s name, it’s not your name. I was thinking something more along the lines of—”

“Of?”

‘Handsome devil’, Ezra would have liked to have said in that moment, or ‘silver-tongued demon’, perhaps, but he quickly found that any such courage escaped him. He glanced away to the counter. “I forgot,” he lied, softly. “But I’m sure I’ll remember sooner or later. It’s a shame, though. It really suited you.”

Anthony smiled and hummed in amusement. “Sticking to ‘my dear’, then? For the time being?”

“I suppose so…” Ezra mumbled as he slid his magazine further under the counter. 

*

“Dearest ms. Device,” Ezra mumbled as he tapped the buttons on his cellphone repeatedly to get the letters he needed. It was the middle of the night, and as such, he lay curled up in his bed as he typed the electronic letter. The lights in Ezra’s room were still on, which bothered him, but the screen of his cell phone wasn’t backlit and had to be illuminated somehow. “It has come to my attention that your uncle Anthony has been behaving rather strangely as of late and I was hoping you could give me some insight into the situation, as he appears to be sending me rather mixed messages. One moment he’ll be borderline flirtatious with me and the next, he’ll be denying any such thing. It’s becoming rather frustrating, but I don’t know what to tell him. Thank you in advance. Yours sincerely, Ezra Fell.” 

He gave the string of three SMS messages another quick once-over before finally pressing the button to send them. Anathema was very wise for her age. Surely, she would know what to do. He put his cell phone down on his night stand and got up to turn off his lights when suddenly, his phone started buzzing frantically for what felt like an eternity. With shaking hands, he picked up the device and read its screen. “Ten new messages?!”

“He’s in love with you.”

“Like, head over heels.”

“I don’t think he knows how to tell you.”

“Or maybe he’s still in denial about it, tbh idk.”

“No wait fuck, he said he didn’t wanna ruin your friendship.”

“Obviously he loves you enough not to want to risk what you have.”

“While he definitely has trouble, you know, not acting on his feelings.”

“Which is kinda sweet but painful to watch.”

“But you didn’t hear that from me.”

“Love, Anathema.”

“Thank you,” he replied. Turned off the lights and his phone and crawled into his bed. “Obviously he loves you enough to not want to risk what you have…” Ezra sighed. Tears pricked behind his eyes. That wasn’t reassuring at all.

#fanfic #EN #Good Omens #Ineffable Husbands #Human AU

[joie-university-rp]

Dear SYLVESTER PILLSBURY-SCHUESTER,

It is with great pleasure we invite you admission to Joie University! Welcome to the Thunderclap family!

–

Congratulations, ZACK! Please be sure to check the New Members’ Checklistand send in your character’s account within 24 hours from now. We cannot wait to see all that you will bring to this roleplay! We love you already!

OOC INFORMATION:

Name/Alias, pronouns: Zachary, he/him

Age, Timezone: 23, GMT +1

Activity, short explanation: Same as before

Ships: /Chemistry

Anti-Ships: /Forced

Triggers: RFP

Preferred photo for Character’s ID (please give a link):

Anything else:

IC INFORMATION:

Full Name: Sylvester Peter Pillsbury-Schuester

FC: Timothée Chalamet

Age/Year at University: 18, Freshman

Birth date: 25 July

Hometown: Littleton, Colorado

Gender/Pronouns: Demiboy, he/him or they/them

Sexuality: Bisexual

Major(s): Criminology and French

Minor(s): Dance (ballet)

Housing request: Preferably a single suit

Extracurriculars: LGBT+, parkour

Greek Life Affiliation: N/A

CHARACTER PROFILE:

Bullying tw, drugs tw

Sylvester was the kid who dressed up as Spider-Man for months in pre-school, leading to a meeting with his parents, the teacher and the headmaster as he refused to take his mask off in class. Eventually, he allowed the mask to come off, but it definitely wasn’t willingly. He just… preferred to be someone else, never quite feeling like the kid everyone seemed to expect him to be; it had never seemed to match the kid he actually was.

The first few years of school were fine, he supposed. They weren’t good, but they were okay. He had a couple of friends, and the rest usually let him be. But when middle school came along, it all changed. School was hell, and it didn’t help that his answer to the bullying was to fist fight them… especially as he often lost, often a lot smaller than the kid bullying him. Towards the end of middle school, his parents saw no choice but to home-school him. If he wasn’t skipping school, barely able to get out of bed, there was always some event further affecting his mental health and sense of security at school. Especially when he, calmly, explained that he preferred the name Sylvester during class.

He didn’t really enjoy home-schooling that much, but he had to admit it was a better fit; it was easier to adjust with the bouts of depression, as hard as it clearly was for his parents. They didn’t really fully understand, but at least they knew what to try and understand once he came out as trans to them. It didn’t fix everything, but it was a big step forward.

Even if he was home-schooled, Sylvester had a solid group of friends; a bunch of daredevils who spent most of their time getting high – either by smoking weed or doing something exciting yet clearly dangerous. He has had his fair share of broken bones and concussions,

Sylvester is determined to have a good time at college, figuring it ought to be a better place than elementary school. Though, he isn’t quite sure Joie is the right choice – it was sort of the deal between him and his parents. His older siblings were already at Joie, and that was clearly all that mattered to his parents – the fact that their Criminology major was well-rated was more of an afterthought.

Ever since he saw Star Wars for the first time, he was hooked. Space was so strange, and there were so many more questions than there were answers. It intrigued him and seemed to consume as many books as tv-shows about science, or sci-fi. The only thing that ever got close was dancing – it started as something he did in his room, something that kept him in his own little world for a while. One of his parents must have seen him dance around his room, because not long after, they suggested dance classes – and Sylvester barely let them finish before he said yes. It was ballet that first caught his eye, but after all the broken bones and mental health swings, he took up hip hop instead – and it was a true match. He doubts that it’ll ever be more than hobby, but when he was accepted as a dance minor at Joie, he couldn’t help but feel quite excited.

His choice of major, however, is another interest; while perhaps not as passionate about it in the way he is about science or dancing, he can’t help but dream of joining the FBI – putting away bad guys, and maybe finally feel like his life matters.

STUDENT CENSUS SURVEY:

What made you want to attend Joie University?

I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I didn’t. My parents picked for me. But I’m not angry about the school itself, because the Criminology major seem to be really educating and fun.

What are at least 3 positive or neutral and at least 3 negative traits that you believe you possess?

I guess I’m stubborn, a bit hot-tempered like my brother and uh, passionate? I don’t know. If I’m into something, I’m really into it. Wait, those aren’t three positive traits. Passionate, loyal but not blindly so and like, agile. That’s a physical trait, but a trait nonetheless. I guess the bad ones are stubborn, hot-tempered and insecure.

Which of your traits do you value most?

My stick figure.

How can that trait benefit the University (or its student body) as a whole?

I’m small and twig-like, but fairly strong so at least the parkour club doesn’t have to worry about me dying.

What do you hope to gain from your experience at JU?

A fun… time?

What is a quote or song lyric that describes you?

“Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine.”

#Accepted

[foodieworldmelbourne]

Self-immolation and VR violence provoke audiences at Dark Mofo

Is that art, or something else? And is it safe? Dr Zachary Steel, chair of Trauma and Mental Health at the University of NSW, said exposure to depictions of violence was largely benign, particularly within the context of an art installation. However, he warned that individuals with a personal history of trauma could be triggered by viewing such works; children and "other vulnerable persons" may also be adversely affected. "It is appropriate therefore that information and notifications regarding the explicit nature of the material is provided," he said. Nobody can really give informed consent when they say yes to strapping on that headset. Real Violence comes with an 18-plus recommendation - not a restriction - and a warning of graphic violence. Another VR installation at the festival, by Paul McCarthy, warns viewers of sexual violence. But Professor Alexander McFarlane, director of The University of Adelaide's Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, argues that nobody can really give informed consent when they say yes to strapping on that headset. I base that on my experience of having dealt with people whove killed people in the line of duty in their role as a police officer or a military person," he said. Until theyve carried out that act, they have no idea what that's going to do to them. I think we are completely underestimating peoples desensitisation to killing, through what we see on the media and in video games."

Cassils' Inextinguishable Fire, installation view, Dark Mofo 2019. Credit:Dark Mofo/Remi Chauvin Canadian-born, LA-based artist Cassils, who has two works showing at Dark Mofo, has thought deeply about these issues. Four years ago, Cassils (who identifies as trans masculine and uses the pronouns they/them)set themselves on fire in front of a live audience in London. The 14-second full-body burn was filmed at a high frame rate and slowed down to 14 minutes to create a lasting cinematic work that toys with perceptions of violence. The artists intention with Inextinguishable Fire, named after Harun Farockis 1969 film about napalm victims in the Vietnam war, is to highlight the very concerns Mr McFarlane raises. I want people to become less numbed out to the barrage of violence that we experience in the day-to-day, which numbs us and makes us apathetic, they said. (The result of that live performance? "The audience wants to puke.")

Fire and ice: Cassils performing their second work at Dark Mofo, Tiresias, in which they stand against a classical male bust carved from a slab of ice.Credit:Cassils Cassils employed Hollywood stunt techniques and a rigorous training regimen to ensure they did not harm themselves in the making of the work. When they were on fire, it was "pure presence - the pure present moment", they said. Youre not thinking about trauma, youre not thinking about the pain in the world; youre thinking about, is that flame going to lick my face? Must I move my nose very subtly out of the way? [But] in terms of trauma, this is a work that speaks to the construction of images of violence. The film begins with a tight shot that looks like a blank canvas. As the camera slowly zooms out, flames appear in the frame, then the shape of Cassils body. Any terror the viewer might feel at that moment of recognition is fleeting: before long, a backdrop is revealed, then a fan, positioned to keep the flames off the artists face. By the end you realise that were in a studio and that the image that you initially thought was a traumatised body is an image that has been constructed to manipulate you into thinking that youre looking at a traumatised body, Cassils said. Dark Mofo curator Jarrod Rawlins said the festival had always been interested in exploring strong themes. Theres a lot of trauma in the world [already] and when Im thinking about a program Im not shy Im not going to hide in a bubble, he said. Everything in those works [that depict trauma] you could say is coming from trauma as well. Its not accidental - the artist has not just fictionalised something for the sake of it. What gives them artistic value, he argues, is that they reference and reframe the violence seen every day in mass culture. Theyre not accidental references, theyre derivative. Theres nothing happening in here that you wouldnt find in a collection of great 20th-century cinema but when we turn it into an art experience peoples expectations change. Violence ... is becoming more normalised. I think there is a great risk to us. Professor Andrew McFarlane, director, Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Adelaide McFarlane agrees there is a chasm between reactions to violence in mass culture and in art. Dark Mofo is not the first to depict violence in this way, he said, [but] I think its right for people to be concerned. He said there would always be a tiny percentage of people in the community who were profoundly perverted, though they might not know it until they see something that triggers them. It can create an awareness and an attraction and a fantasy - a bit like someone whos never tasted chocolate, he said. Once theyve tasted it

A still from Paul McCarthy's VR experiment Mary and Eve, showing at Dark Mofo 2019.Credit:Paul McCarthy/Dark Mofo I think it is critical to acknowledge the costs. Particularly with the use of amphetamines in our community, violence, in some ways, with the presence of the drug ice, is becoming more normalised. I think there is a great risk to us." Art was meant to test boundaries and provoke discussion, he said. "But if you put [Real Violence] to a medical ethics committee as a way of studying trauma, I bet you they wouldnt let you do it." Dark Mofo is on at various venues in Hobart until Sunday, June 23. Hannah Francis travelled to Dark Mofo as a guest of the festival and Tourism Tasmania. Hannah Francis is Arts Editor at The Age Most Viewed in Entertainment Loading https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/self-immolation-and-vr-violence-provoke-audiences-at-dark-mofo-20190615-p51xzg.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[exileoblivion]

all of the emoji's for the ask thingy!

oh gosh, thank you!! 🐰- do you believe in soul mates? hm, sort of? maybe?

💌- diary or journal? Journal

✨- which fictional character (book, show, or movie) do you relate to most? Qrow Branwen from RWBY is like, me af. 

💕- are you crushing on someone? IRL, my one partner <3 Fictionaly...don’t laugh...but, I’ve had a crush on Larry from Sally Face for this whole year. The cosplayers make him SUPER cute and I....?! ahhhhhh I hate it alskdjf. Oh and since re-watching Avatar....my crush on Zuko has come back.....ahhhhh!! OH, and Lucio from The Arcana....OOF.

💋- kissing in the dark or kissing in the rain? Why not both though?

🐝- describe your aesthetic in emojis  (☆ω☆)  ♡( ◡���◡ )

🍼- what is your favorite memory? The week I spent with my partners when they came to Pittsburgh two years ago. My one partner and I shared this really close moment that is one of my favorite memories ever <3

🌸- what is your favorite flower? Black roses

💖- have you ever been in love? Yes! I’ve been in love for two years now, and it’s been amazing <3

🍰- Strawberry or vanilla? depends on the thing!

🍯- describe your favorite smell? Pumpkin, cinnamon, or lavender

🎂- if you had 3 wishes, what would they be? to have a male body, to have exact change in my pocket when I go to buy things, and for my partners and I to live happily ever after <3

🍪- cookie dough or cookies? cookie dough if it’s ice cream, but cookies overall

☕- coffee or tea? I prefer tea more, but I do also like coffee

🍃- would you rather live in a sea with mermaids or a forest with fairies? ohhh, that’s a good question...and really hard...hmm....maybe the mermaids

🍂- what’s your middle name? Zacharie-Tobias

💫- what is your sun, moon, and rising sign? No clue xD

🌧️- favorite thing to do on rainy days? Lay back and listen to it <3

🍭- how tall are you? 5 foot

💒- which show would you want to live in? Yuri on Ice, or some other sort of cutesy, gay, sports anime

🎄- what is your favorite holiday? Halloween!! Followed by Thanksgiving

🍦- what scented candle is your favorite? I have this one that smells like a campfire that is AMAZING! That, and anything pumpkin, cinnamon, or campfire scents are my faves

🎶- favorite song right now? The Drug in Me is Reimagined by Falling in Reverse

💘- 3 ways to win your heart? buy me food, pet my hair, and treat me like an equal/human being

🍩- current mood? Sleepy, but happy

❄️- what is your favorite season? Autumn

💍- your current relationship status? Happily taken! Just celebrated 2 years in March!!

📷- a photo of yourself I’ll make another post with one~

💅🏻- do you like being spoiled? when it comes to being spoiled like IRL, yes! when it comes to being spoiled on shows or whatnot, ABSOLUTELY NOT

🕊️- 3 habits you have? I don’t know what all is considered a habit lol

🦄- how do you perceive yourself? um, I don’t know?

🦋- how do you think others perceive you? not sure :T

🌈- things I find attractive in girls/guys: physically, I like flat tummies, small breasts, nice ass, cute smile, bright eyes. Non-physically, I like a sense of humor, someone who can listen well, good at cuddling, 

🍓- one secret about yourself: I have a disorder that I’ve never shared with anyone on most  social media, but I’m very public about it on Tik Tok

🍒- how do you act when you have a crush? Like a complete mess aslkdjf I still get all butterfly in the stomach around my one partner even after two years aslkdfj

💔- the reason behind your last breakup? He didn’t want to date a trans guy 

💬- what your last text message says? it’s a photo of me and my one partner from a party we went to!!

🎥- what show are you currently binging on? AVATAR!

⛅- what is your morning routine? Put on glassess, take meds, then put on my watch and then the rest defers from day to day

💗- who do you miss? my dad and my one friend back in PA

🥀- last time you cried? Not that long ago, maybe a week or so?

🎁- when is your birthday? Groundhog’s day!

🔪- scariest/creepiest experience? We almost got into a car crash a few days ago aslkdfj

💤- date someone younger, older, or same age as you? if I love someone, age doesn’t really matter

#Anonymous

[michaelfallcon]

Do I Need A Coffee Quarantini? Yes, You Do

It’s time. You know it, and I know it. It’s time for a coffee quarantini.

That would be the coffee version of the “quarantini”, which is another one of these new lexicographical markers of our strange shared moment, like “flatten the curve” or “Lattes Grandes.” A quarantini is a cocktail you make at home, using whatever you happen to have in the fridge or on your home bar. It can—and should!—be as diverse and personal as the individual who makes it, and reflect the stuff in your life that you really love.

We could all use one right about now. Heck, make it two. And if you don’t drink alcohol, that’s fine—a coffee quarantini can be happily non-alcoholic. What matters is that you make one that brings you joy, gives you life, and bolsters your wonderful self. (We’ve included a booze-free version below.)

This isn’t a contest; it’s an invitation. Make a coffee quarantini and post it on social media. Tag us and use our hashtag—we’re @Sprudge #Sprudge on everything—and we’ll reshare from wide and far. Coffee quarantinis for everyone. A drink for these times to share.

To spark your creativity we asked a couple of friends (and our founders) to make theirs upfront. They are delicious and delightful, and you should feel totally authorized to remake them in your own visage or develop your own totally unique drink from a completely different playbook. Riff boldly, quaff fearlessly, and post frequently.

Tag us. Drink up. Thank you for reading and enjoy these lovely drinks!

Your Fave Cousins  Michelle Johnson, Red Bay Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles

Your Fave Cousin by Michelle Johnson

1.5oz Hennessy One small bottle of Fever Tree tonic (6.8 FL) 1.5oz cold brew concentrate

Instructions: Combine the mixture, then serve over ice in a bougie $100 wine glass. Garnish with a grapefruit peel. This recipe was made using cold brew concentrate from the Go Get Em Tiger pantry.

Recipe notes: This is a brunch coffee cocktail. I’m on my second one!

Bangarang! Brandon Paul Weaver, Liberty Bar, Seattle

Bangarang! by Brandon Paul Weaver

1 oz Novo Fogo Cahaca 1 oz espresso .5 oz Averna .5 oz vanilla syrup 6 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate bitters 2 dashes Scrappy’s Lavender bitters

Instructions: Pull an espresso. Fill the large side of a Boston shaker tin with ice water and float the small tin in the ice bath. Put espresso in the small side to chill. Once espresso is cold, combine all ingredients into a shaker, add fresh ice and shake until frosty. Pour into your favorite glass and garnish with a few little coffee seeds.

Recipe note: “This is actually Liberty’s house espresso martini, called Bangarang! (The exclamation mark is important.) The original espresso martini was invented in roughly the same era as the film Hook, both of which have aged beautifully. This drink combines coffee and alcohol with the force of Robin Williams learning to use his imagination.

Classic Snack-quiri Michelle “MiMo” Tran, Sey Coffee, Brooklyn

Classic Snack-quiri by Michelle “MiMo” Tran

2 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum 1.5 oz Pomegranate juice .5 simple syrup (2:1 recipe) .25 lime juice (fresh squeezed) 1 tsp instant coffee

Instructions: Shake in a tin until it’s cold (around 20 shakes). Double strain into glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

Recipe note: Tastes like a sour red fruit snack!!!

The Good Egg Cream  Jordan Michelman, Sprudge co-founder, Portland, OR

The Good Egg Creme by Jordan Michelman

2 oz premium vodka 1 oz St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur  1 oz whole milk 2 oz seltzer

Instructions: Build the drink in a highball glass, adding the seltzer last. Froth the mixture using a small whisk or chopstick to develop a nice foamy head. Add more seltzer if needed, serve up.

Recipe note: Any good vodka works for this recipe, but I really like Pravda, Russian Standard, Belvedere, or the Our/Vodka bottling series. St. George’s coffee liqueur is excellent, but can be substituted for another premium coffee liqueur like Mr. Black, Conker Spirit, or this ridiculously good Barry Brothers & Rudd Coffee Liqueur. Use any available unflavored seltzer water for maximum fizz or a tightly carbonated mineral water like Radenska (from Poland) or Gerolsteiner (from Germany).

The Buzz Aldrin Zachary Carlsen, Sprudge co-founder, Portland, OR

The Buzz Aldrin by Zachary Carlsen

4 oz iced coffee concentrate 4 oz LaCroix NiCola Coconut Cola 1 tbsp simple syrup Juice of one lime Fresh lime garnish

Instructions: Brew an iced coffee concentrate. We used an AeroPress. Add lime juice and simple syrup to the concentrate. Pour into a fancy glass and add an equal part of LaCroix Coconut Cola. Garnish with lime.

Recipe note: This drink is named for famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who has been sober for three decades. Buzz Aldrin will take you to the moon and punch you in the face. Try it with Coca Cola instead of LaCroix (nix the simple syrup) and you’ve got yourself a Double Buzz Aldrin.

Now go make yourself a coffee quarantini! Tag us @Sprudge and #Sprudge.

Do I Need A Coffee Quarantini? Yes, You Do published first on https://medium.com/@LinLinCoffee