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starry-bi-sky · 3 months

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fast food is the best course of action after causing a scene. ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴʏᴀʟ ᴀʟ ɢʜᴜʟ ᴀᴜ

(First Post Here and Second Post Here

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Danny finds Sam easily.

She's right where she said she was over the phone: standing outside on a balcony, in Gotham, at Father's many charity functions.

("Would you still be willing to fly over to Gotham, Danny?" She asks, her voice ringing clear through the speakers. Danny is already climbing out his window before she even finishes her sentence. He was just about to settle down for the night, his ghosts would know better by now than to disturb him at this time. The Box Ghost not included.)

("Of course." He says, sounding more confident than he feels. Sam was one of his best— closest friends, he would do anything she or Tucker asked. Even if it means stepping foot into his Father's city. He drops down silently, and walks through the house's ghost shield. "Would you like me to bring you anything?")

(Sam sighs through the phone, relief leaking through. "One of the veggie burgers from Nasty Burgers would be great, with their new ecto-fries. Extra salt. I'm sick of all this rich people food.")

(A small smile pulls across Danny's face, tilting at the corner as his living form falls away to his ghost self. "Alright," he says, and kicks himself off the ground, "I'll be there in a few minutes.")

("Thanks, Danny.")

He had the bag of food with him, stored in a container he had to run back to the house to get that would prevent the food from cooling during his flight over. Clutching it in hand, he floats down behind Sam and sheds his invisibility.

Being visible and being invisible always felt different, but in a way Danny can never describe, no matter how many times he tries to think about it. It's like a gut-feeling, a sixth sense, he always knows when he's visible and when he is not.

His ghost form burns away like steel wool being lit, and Danny drops the last foot to the ground silently. In his other hand lies his thermos, but filled with plain ectoplasm — lazarus water. "I have your food."

(He brought the thermos for himself — his side was still healing from his last fight with Technus. The ghost impaled him with a broken pipe, and Danny returned the favor by wedging his sword into his chest. Technus had been quite offended by him ruining his favorite coat.)

Sam jumps a foot into the air, and her hand slams across her mouth to muffle the shriek she lets out as she whirls around. "Danny!" She hisses, her voice rising in pitch, and her eyes narrow at him into a glare. "Freaking-- Tucker's right, we seriously need to put a bell on you."

"You have been saying that for years," Danny grins, sharp-toothed and jack-knifed, and passes the container over to her. "And yet I've yet to see any kind of bell." He was going to start getting disappointed at this rate.

As Sam takes the container, Danny hops up onto the railing and looks around. He hadn't seen any of Father's other children lurking around the building before he revealed himself, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. He wasn't going to fool himself into thinking that their stealth skills were poor.

He wasn't that arrogant.

...Anymore.

"Oh you will." Sam threatens, unzipping the container and grabbing the takeout bag. "I'll get you a collar and everything, we can start calling you Catwoman." When she pulls out her fries, Danny snaps forward and steals one from the box, ignoring her indignant yell as he pops it into his mouth.

"I spent my own money on these fries, Sam." He sniffs, leaning away from her with a stifled huff of laughter as she swats at him. "So they are technically my fries. And also, Catwoman would be a poor thief if she wore a bell."

Sam grumbles at him, and takes a bite out of a handful of fries. "I'll venmo you money." She says past a mouthful of food, Danny would have been disgusted in the past, when he was still new. But he's gotten used to this... normality. So he makes no reaction to it. "How does three hundred bucks sound?"

Danny immediately frowns.

"Did you have a fight with your parents?" He asks, eyes glancing to the doors. Doors that are covered heavily by curtains and blurred heavily, decadent music passing through in muffled sounds. He shifts himself away from the light. "You only spend that much money when they've pissed you off."

Sam's chewing stops, and her annoyed expression falters into one Danny knows well -- hurt, furrowed brows, a small frown, disappointment -- and she turns her head away from him. She swallows. "Yeah." she says, quiet.

Oh.

Danny knows that tone too.

Guilt settles like a rock in his chest. He leans forward, "Was it about me again?" He wasn't blind to the disdain Sam's parents had for him, far from it. This wasn't the first time Sam had gotten into a fight with them over her friendship with him and Tucker. But especially him. He unsettled people, even after years of observing his age-mates and trying to mimic their behavior, and anyone who knew him in middle school knew it was an act.

Sam's silence gives him all the confirmation he needs, and the guilt heavies itself with the weight of the sky. Danny's never much cared about others' opinions of him -- he is (was?) an Al Ghul, they never heed to mind what the weight of a simpleton's thoughts.

But.. he cares a little a lot when it hurts his friends like this. He presses his lips together into a thin line, and forces the words out through his teeth. It sounds robotic. Al Ghul's do not apologize. "I... am sorry." But this one does. It doesn’t come easy.

Sam sighs through her nose, and turns to roll her eyes at him. "Don't apologize on their behalf when you won't even apologize for your own; their assholes." She says, and goes reaching for more fries.

It's a sign, a signal. A silent word for the conversation to move on, to change. A distraction. Danny grasps it with both hands, and makes an offended noise in the back of his throat. And like he has learned, puts a hand to his chest like a scandalized American southern lady. "I apologize! I apologize plenty."

She snorts. "Only when you think it matters." And pokes him in the ribs sharply with her fry. He withholds a wince and snatches it out of her hands. "You're about as unapologetic as they come, Danny J. Fenton. I've seen you look more sincere when you're trying to drive your sword between Vlad's ribs."

"Stabbing Masters is a very important task for me, Sam." Danny says in only partially faux-seriousness. Masters has yet to realize that Danny had no interest in becoming his son, but he had to (reluctantly) admire his persistence. "Of course I will apply myself to it as best as I can."

He grins triumphantly when Sam laughs, and she reaches over to shove him square in the chest. He barks out a laugh of his own as he grips onto the balcony railing and catches himself at an angle.

"Quit with your method actor talk," Sam retorts, grinning sharply while Danny twists himself back up elegantly. "I know you can talk like a normal person, I've literally seen you do it."

Danny sniffs, and snatches more fries from the carton as revenge. "I'm not entirely sure what you mean, Miss Sam." He says, grin-twisting when Sam rolls her eyes. "My speech has always been this way. This 'normal' you speak of, I do not know it."

She waves her hand dismissively at him. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. But if you keep talking like that, I'm pushing you off the balcony."

"Such violence, Sam."

He gets a laugh again, full of disbelief without any of the annoyance. "I'm gonna be the one that stabs you, oh my god. Pot meet kettle." She looks at him again, smiling.

Danny smiles back, and with a flick of his wrist pulls out a kunai from his sleeve. It was one of the few weapons Mother was able to pass on to him whenever she made her scarce visits. He cherishes it well, along with anything else she was capable of giving him.

He holds the handle out to her, and watches her face shift from disbelief to shock, then back to disbelief. "Then you're gonna need a weapon to do that."

"Of course you have a pointy object on you." She mutters, and takes the kunai and puts it in her purse. Danny makes a pleased hum, it resonates low in his core, and drops his hand. "When do you not have a pointy object on you?"

As if to make her point, Danny's hands twist near his side, and he holds his palms up to her, revealing the shobo he had also hidden on him. He gives her a shit-eating grin. "Never." He lowers his hand, and pockets the small weapon once again.

Sam huffs, "Of course," she repeats, "thanks. I was gonna bring a knife but..."

Danny finishes the sentence for her, kicking his feet idly and knowingly. "The security at the door?" He'd seen them on his flight over the building. It wouldn't do much in the face of the Rogues, but at least they were good at keeping appearances and keeping out the smaller threats.

He rolls his eyes and turns his head away, looking up to the ugly, smog-covered skies. There was no bat signal in the air, and while that was a good thing, Danny almost wished there was. He wanted to see it. "I saw, and I would’ve called Father foolish if he hadn’t hired help. He attracts trouble almost as badly as I do."

"Maybe it's hereditary," Sam jokes, laughing under her breath. With her fries finished, she started on her veggie burger. "At least your dad isn't a vigilante like you are."

Danny smiles wryly. It felt nice to be able to talk more freely about this. That he didn't have to hide the fact that his father was Bruce Wayne, now that Sam knew it from her own accord. Maybe he could have conversations like these more often. Even if it was limited to Bruce Wayne only.

(Even if it felt a little terrifying to know that his father was so close by, close enough that Danny could reach out and touch him. To speak to him. But how would he explain that? And with an audience?)

(He’s wanted to see him since he was a kid, and he still does. It clings onto him like a cough that doesn’t go away after the cold already has, and while it has faded over the years, it clings. His mother’s words still ring in his ears however; it’s not safe. It’s not safe.)

(And isn’t that why he faked his death in the first place? So that his little brother would be safe? Why he gave up the heirship, his home, his Mother, Damian, and his chance to meet his Father? Going to see Father, even now, would be throwing that all away. He has to stay away.)

(Why is Damian with Father if staying with Father was unsafe?)

He just needed to tell Tucker. Danny wouldn’t keep him out of the loop, he was just as much as his friend as Sam was. His eyes draw towards the door, where the golden glow of lights was still pouring through, where music was playing loudly. "Yeah, fortunately."

They fall into a comfortable silence after that, and Danny finally cracks open his thermos. The pipe Technus impaled him with was covered in a goo that Danny didn’t recognize, but whatever it was, his injury was taking its time healing. The ectoplasm was speeding it up.

He isn’t sure what the difference between the ectoplasm that Drs. Fenton collected and Grandfather’s Lazarus pools is, but there’s a difference. He swirls the thermos slowly, watching as the ectoplasm inside twists into a small whirlpool sluggishly.

When left alone, it thickens into a consistency similar to egg whites, or perhaps a thick smoothie, but reverts back into a water-like substance when moved and swirled. It was strange; unexplainable. He can understand, to an extent, why the Drs. Fenton are so obsessed with studying it and the dimension it comes from.

Sam watches him idly as he brings the thermos to his lips and drinks from it. The effect is instantaneous, a sense of relief washing over Danny as if someone had put a soothing balm onto an injury. It buzzes down to his fingertips, and when he lowers the thermos, he licks his lips and watches the tips of his fingers burn green like frostbite.

“Your hair turned white again.” Sam comments, her hand reaching out and touching the hair on the nape of his neck. While it’s not the first time Sam’s touched his hair, it still makes him tense up with her hand so close to his throat. Instinct. dan

He ignores the urge to bat her hand away, humming thoughtfully. “I’ve noticed it does that.” He says, pulling down his bangs to see if they’ve also turned white. No, still black. He lets go. “Let me guess; my eyes are green too?” He lifts the thermos again and peers into the chrome casing.

Sam nods, “Yep, but it’s only the, uh.” She makes a circle around her eyes with her finger. “The iris part. Everything else is fine.”

Danny can see that. The faint reflection on the chrome casts back an intense green. He takes another sip. It chills the back of his teeth, and he can feel his canines warp and sharpen. He runs his tongue over them, and swallows.

Sam is still watching him, her fingers drumming against the balcony railing. “What’s it taste like?”

“Carbonated.” He says dryly, before taking a large swig. He couldn’t name a specific flavor if he tried, it changed every time he took a sip. The only thing that stayed consistent was that it tasted carbonated. And slightly sweet. When he pulls the thermos away, Danny twists his body towards her and offers it out, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Want to try?”

Her reaction is immediate. Sam’s nose scrunches up and her mouth twists into a smile, and she makes a huffing-laugh sound. “No, thank you.” She pushes it away lightly with her fingers, “I don’t know how to explain to my parents why my hair is white.”

Right. Danny pulls the thermos away and puts it down beside him, straining his eyes to see if the rest of his hair has changed colors. Even just his first sip would take half an hour to fade back to its normal black, and he was a halfa. He had no idea how long it’d take to fade on Sam, who was human.

There’s movement from the corner of his eye, and Danny snaps his head towards the source. There’s a figure, small, a boy, trying to hide behind one of the curtains at the door. His form just barely peeking out from the angle Danny was sitting at. He wouldn’t have seen him if the boy hadn’t moved.

His fingers curl tightly into the railing, and he breathes in sharp. Sam’s smile crumbles away and she turns to see what he’s looking at. “I should go.” He says, and reaches for his thermos. “There’s someone spying on us. Don’t say anything, just look at me.”

Sam’s expression warps, twists. Her eyes widen, her jaw starts to drop before fixing itself into place, and her shoulders curl up and tense. She forces it all to smooth over, and she leans casually against the railing. There’s a tick in her jaw. “I see.” Her voice comes through teeth. “Do you think they saw you?”

“I am not sure.” Danny says. He keeps an eye on the figure as he twists himself over and grabs the Nasty Burger bag and the container. He tries not to look like he’s rushing. He is. How long has that boy been there? How much did he see? Did he hear anything?

“Father, fortunately, has privacy films on the glass. Nobody should have seen me unless they’re specifically trying to peep through the door.” He says. The boy seems to realize that Danny was starting to leave. And, his heart beginning to sink, instead of leaving, moves to grab the door handle instead.

No. No, no, no, no, no.

Danny’s breath catches in his throat, he’s hoping that isn’t who he think it is. But how else would he have not noticed an eavesdropper on their conversation unless it was someone who was capable of bypassing those skills? He told himself that he wouldn’t fool himself into thinking that his siblings’ had poor stealth. He got distracted.

Five years, five years. He refuses to let that go down the drain. He zips up the container and throws his legs over the other side of the railing, his back facing the door. He hears the doorknob click, and without a word to Sam, slips off down the side and down to the ground below.

Just in time. The once muffled music now sounds blaring as the door presumably is thrown open and the pull of invisibility washes over him like a second skin. He doesn't stay to see who it is.

#dpxdc #danny fenton is not the ghost king #dp x dc #dp x dc crossover #dpdc #dpxdc crossover #danyal al ghul au #older brother danny #first danny pov of the au! whoo!#danny's hair turns white if he drinks ectoplasm brrrrr and his eyes turn green. good for him #this sat in my drafts for the last few days until i finally finished it during class #it was a math class and i already knew the material so tis fiiiine. now i just need to finish my CFAU post rewrite :)#ectoplasm tastes like that time i went to go get pepsi from the soda machine and it was all out of the pepsi flavoring so instead i got a #cup full of carbonated liquid. it was disgusting. ectoplasm kinda tastes like that. sometimes.#danny smiles in this more than i thought he would but yk it fits. he IS more smiley around his friends and family.#ectoplasm is a weird non-newtonion fluid and danny is fascinated. its got the consistency of egg whites one minute and then water the next #its a water slime and then suddenly its as brittle as annealed glass. it heats up and rots like milk or it heats up and boils like water #it congeals. it thickens. it boils. it solidifies. it does whatever it wants. it gels and melts into a tar-like substance #how long has damian been standing there? good question. :) i almost had him open the door and make eye contact with damian before falling #backwards. i also almost had it be *bruce* and damian opening the door bc bruce found out that damian pulled a knife on sam and was gonna #have him come apologize. that would be a fun scene. prolonged eye contact prolonged eye contact prolonged eye contact #imagery brrrr. had fun playing with how danny's ghost form works. if anyone has seen a video of steel wool burning thats how i imagine #danny's ghost transformation to be like.#also ayyy balancing danny's dialogue be like “how fancy should he sound and how Normal Teenager Should He Sound”#when sam gets home she catches tucker up to speed about everything including the convos with the waynes she had and they both form the #'“Fuck Them Waynes” squad. Sam has jumped to the entirely wrong conclusion about danny's separation from his family but in her defense.#it is a pretty sound conclusion to jump to considering the lack of context she has from danny's prior home life. which is almost none at al #so to her it looks like danny got abandoned by bruce wayne

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worstsequence · 4 months

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suckable size

#U.S EXCLUSIVE (TURNS INTO A GLASS VASE THAT ANNEALED TOO QUICKLY AND SHATTERS)#🐯.archive

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ancientcharm · 18 days

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Roman glass bowl, end of 1st century B.C–1st century A.D

During the Roman Imperial period, the popularity of elite objects sculpted from colorful stones such as agate and onyx led to the development of a market in glass replicas. These affordable alternatives were cast or blown from multi-colored canes of glass and imitated expensive natural stones. Here, an ancient craftsman has created an abstract version of agate using brown and white glass.

To make the bowl, the artist heated a rod of multicolored glass and laid the molten glass onto a flat surface, spiraling it into the center in a serpentine pattern. While heating in a kiln, the glass would fuse slowly--each curve melding into the next--until it became one large, colorful disk. After brief cooling, the disk was placed atop a hemispherical mold and heated again, until it slumped into a bowl shape. In the final step, the completed bowl entered an annealing oven to cool slowly, a process that kept the glass from shattering.

Text by The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Public domain pictures. Getty's Open Content Program.

#roman glassware #archaeology #roman art

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8trackaxolotl · 6 months

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A Song of the Sea and A Song of the Stars inspired hand blown glass cups (finished and before annealed pictures)

Professor Layton never fails to escape my work, even the finer mediums

#professor layton #layton series #layton #eternal diva #professor Layton and the eternal diva #glassblowing #art #artist #professor Layton art

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americanhellkmart · 1 month

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not to split hairs on my own joke but the glass planes in the sting match were tempered glass and i'm pretty sure infamous backstage fight was over using annealed glass which would turn you into spaghetti immediately. as demonstrated by darby's fucked up back you still shouldn't crash into tempered glass unless you want to of course

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jitzlemonade · 1 year

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https://jitzlemonade.tumblr.com/post/680118986796630016/unnamed THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!!!! can we please have a part 2

UNNAMED PART 2

Finally got the inspiration to finish Unnamed Part 2 yay, but its more of a Zhongli's POV :D. I was quite surprise some wanted a part 2 bcs lol who hurt u. Anyway, enjoy.

Pairing : Zhongli x Reader (ft. Lumine)

Contains: Angst, heartbreak, not Traveller!Reader, assuming things, mental health issues (maybe?), etc

Summary:

We know your side of the story, but what about from the man himself?

Tell me, what exactly was going through your head? PART 1 PART 3 PART 4

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He finds himself wondering when and how did he fall in love with you. A petite, fragile person who somehow held all the good things in this world and became the morphine to all his pain.

Perhaps it was the way you light up with the brightness of the Sirius star itself when he comes near, or perhaps it was the way you treat him with such tenderness, the fondness flooding your eyes, that makes him swoon over you the way he does.

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He is strong. He may have weakened after he lost his gnosis and renounced the title 'Rex Lapis', yet it was an undeniable fact. He isn't fragile like annealed glass, no, he was far from it. He was forged and tempered in the flames of brutality and war.

Even now when he closes his eyes, memories appear before him. They belong to the far, far past when fresh blood would stain his hands anew every day. The lives he had taken were enough to form an endless river, some were fair and some were unjust.

He would never deny that part of him, even as he indulges himself in wine and poetry. Instead, he delves deeper into weaving tales in an effort to keep their stories, the core of their souls alive. Stories that had long been buried in the dust, existing only in his memories.

Time is cruel, the brightest of legends would fade into a dull light. Even truths could be turned and twisted until nothing but lies and deceit are left. Time is cruel, to the worst and the best of us.

Erosion held Azhdaha in a vice grip, rendering his old friend into a rampaging monster. His mind, however, was still clear. He was cursed to never forget, to remember things that no one else would until the end of his existence.

If he looks at it from another perspective, perhaps erosion had left its own personal brand of mark on him too, but in a different form. Corroding his soul from the countless burden he has to carry, to remind himself of the sins he could never undo, and of the people he would never see again.

He doesn't need any delicacy, not back then and certainly not now. Yet why do your tender actions melt his heart so? Even as Zhongli, no one had ever perceived him as someone who needed protection, much less as Rex Lapis, the mighty god. It was the first time anyone had ever treated him this way.

And just like that, you occupied a special place in his heart.

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When you placed your hands in his, you told him in a light-hearted tone, “I'm giving my heart to you, you can do whatever you want with it.” The way you said it could be mistaken for a joke, but he knows you.

He knows clearly what this signifies for you, and he knows exactly what you're giving to him along with your heart. You will surrender your love, your life, your everything to him, free for him to break or make according to his whims.

You had given him the privilege of making you a monarch or rendering you into a beggar. All of it, with just one simple sentence.

How could he not love you? And so, protect your heart he shall.

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He remembers the beginning of your walks. Back then, you weren't his lover yet. Still, you draw him in like a moth to a flame, but you weren't scalding him, instead, a feeling of contentment swells within him like never before, filling up the cracks in his body and soul.

He loves your presence beside him, to be able to hold your hands and draw you in close, to shower you with all the good things in the world. He wants you to be closer to him, to see him as how he sees you. In hopes that one day, when his hand reaches out, you would gladly place your own upon his.

He wants to know you better, and he wants you to know him better too. After all, doesn't familiarity breed fondness, and thus love? Taking night walks together would be best, he mused, you could share your day about what happened and spend more time together.

Of course, the hint of privacy that the night provides would be appreciated as well. Thus, he tried his luck by extending an invitation to you.

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He could feel dread seeping into his bones when you stared at him with a blank stare. Ah, would you not accept it after all...? He thought the atmosphere was good enough that extending such an invitation would not be too sudden, but he was wrong.

The moment he was about to apologize for being too abrupt, your hands went to cover your mouth, face turning ruby red like glistening strawberries under the shade of the morning sun, tempting people to have a taste.

Before he could regain his rationality, you began speaking at a hurried pace, mostly from embarrassment.

“I— I— Is this a dream?? Am I dreaming—"

Your hand cupped your face, taking in a deep breath.

“Sorry Zhongli— ”

The word 'sorry' was foreboding. He felt downcasted once again, his hopes tarnished. The corner of his lips hook up weakly, what did he expect? That you would gladly accept his offer? Thinking about it now, that was a little naïve of him.

Seeing this, you panicked.

“—I mean I like you very much! Wait no, that's not what I meant to say, I mean, it's not that I don't love you, please don't get it wrong that way, I do love you but that's another thing for another time..”

By the time you realized you were rambling, you calmed yourself down by slapping your face. The effects were quickly apparent, your tone became calmer in a blink of an eye, but the red handprint on your cheek was blinding.

“What I meant to say is Zhongli, I would really like to go on walks with you..”

Wait— you like him too? It wasn't just his hopeful thinking? Like your actions aren't just you being kind and polite but that you actually like him? His train of thoughts was running at full speed, surpassing even light itself.

His line of thought was broken after you slapped yourself, he crawled out of the rabbit hole he was about to dive into, deciding to leave it for another time. Now, he was more concerned about whether your face hurt a lot due to how hard you slapped it.

However, your next sentence threw his worry out the window, his brain submerging itself with an overabundance of dopamine. Yup, he is not getting his reason back anytime soon. He could feel the blood flushing his cheeks and quickly covered the lower half of his face with his hand.

The palpitations of his heart were so fast he swore it skipped more than a few beats. His stomach feels funny, and he could remotely pinpoint said feeling was similar to the expression 'butterflies in the stomach'.

Ah, so this is love?

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He caresses your hand in his, the way his hands engulfed yours awakens his need to protect you from all the evil in the world. Humans are fragile, he thought to himself as he traced the delicate bone structure of your hand, it just means he has to protect you better.

He placed kisses on each of your knuckles as he looked at your face. Something else he realized was that he really adores the way your eyes flutter from embarrassment.

He gazed at you, a smile hanging on his face, unable to extricate himself from the fondness welling up in him. Getting to meet you was luck in itself, but getting to be the one by your side, to be the one allowed to love and cherish you, it was a blessing he couldn't be any more grateful for.

If everything he had gone through was all to lead him right to this moment, then it was worth it. He would do it all over again because you are worth all the pain. He wonders how lucky he must be to have met you.

Before both of you part for the night, he leaves a kiss on your forehead. Instead of moving away, he wavers, his hand enclosed around your waist tightening just slightly, dragging out each second. He doesn't want this night to end, he thought to himself. It was clear you wanted the same, the way your hands clutched at his clothes, reluctant for him to go.

Yet everything must have an end, they will come to an end, no matter what. His lips leave your forehead, but he proceeded to bury his face in your hair. He could feel your arms circling him, enveloping him in a hug. Just like that, the night drags on a little longer, with two lovers embracing each other under the moonlight.

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As Morax, he had dwelt upon this world for more than six thousand years. As Rex Lapis, he had ruled over Liyue for thousands of years.

However nothing last forever, even the most fortified mountains can be eroded with the passing of time. Drop upon drop, it penetrates the crust and leaves cracks behind its trail. He only realized it due to that one conversation he overheard at the harbor.

"You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day."

Funny enough, how can a simple sentence evoke such profound feelings in him? He stood motionless among the crowd, the words loudly echoing inside his mind, resonating deeply in him.

He asked himself, "Have I already finished my duties?" He fell into a deep trance, pondering over relinquishing his role. It wasn't impossible, but was Liyue truly prepared to face the tribulations that will surely come after all by itself?

In this case, a test is needed to reveal the answer. His eyes opened to reveal amber orbs, knowledge, and wisdom always crystallized within them, but this time there was a hint of curiosity.

He wonders, what kind of Liyue would bloom after the upcoming tribulation? He finds himself looking forward to it.

His scheme starts from the moment 'Rex Lapis' fell from the sky. The falling exuvia was reflected clearly within those amber eyes, now, it was time for 'Zhongli' to play his part.

----------------

The result was so much more than what he expected. While Liyue is prosperous, he always felt something was missing. Now, finally, all the conditions and requirements fall into place, similar to a game of chess. Liyue had truly exceeded his expectations.

The lump of coal resting in the hands of the Geo Archon — Liyue — has become a dazzling diamond of a city. The corner of his mouth hooked up, and a sense of satisfaction arises within him. A sense of pride fills him like a parent who had seen their child grow up into a splendid adult.

They were no longer the people who begged him to save them in the distant past. They were no longer the citizens who could only rely on him to lead a safe life. Presently, they are more than capable of protecting themselves, fledglings that finally grew their own strong wings and took to the skies.

It was time for gods and adepti to step down and for humans to take the stage instead. Truly, the age of 'mankind'.

He never thought he would let go of Liyue which he poured so much of his blood, sweat, and tears into but life always has other plans. Just like falling in love, he mused to himself as you surfaced in his mind.

It was indeed time to settle down, he took a moment to admire the waves pulling to and fro the shore, how wonderful would that be? A life with you beside him every step of the way.

His time as Rex Lapis had come to an end.

Now, it belongs to 'Zhongli'.

---------------------

He wouldn't lie, the time he spent with Lumine was truly enjoyable. A bright lady who stands at the peak, one who had traveled across many different worlds and accumulated an abundance of experiences along with knowledge.

Conversing with her would enable him to learn more about mortal affairs, intricate details that he never considered for he was immortal.

It only helps that she came from an entirely different realm. Her adventures were eye-opening as well, and her having a good listening ear for his stories was just an extra bonus.

Most important of all was that she was someone he could talk with without taking anything into consideration. Lumine knows he once was Rex Lapis, thus he has no need to hide anything that suggested so.

He could share his vast knowledge without someone questioning the authenticity of it. He could share tales of his old friends in their true entirety, without painting them from the perspective of a storyteller.

For him, it was a time when he could be himself without the slightest pretense.

---------------------

He is— no, he used to be a god.

It was something he could never bring himself to tell you. How could he? Rex Lapis was someone who had almost single-handedly leaded Liyue to prosperity for many years.

Rex Lapis was so far high up, and power always attracts envy or jealousy. The people either devote themselves to him or detests him. There was one thing both had in common, however, was that they fear him. He doesn't want your eyes upon him to contain the same trace.

While the time spent with Lumine may be liberating, in no way could it compare to the time spent with his love. Lumine was someone he could confide in as a close friend, but it will never match up to what you offer him.

You were akin to an oasis in the middle of a desert, providing shelter to the unfortunate people that stumbled around the desert, lost.

You were the moon that hung in the sky, not as blinding as the sun, yet you give him an indescribable warmth. Your silence was enough to piece together the broken parts of his soul to become whole again.

With you, he truly felt at peace, the bitter memories of the past no longer clung onto him with a vice grip, and he could finally... relax.

----------

During his travels with Lumine, you never left his mind. Your presence and smile envelop him akin to the wind and sun itself, natural and comforting.

Breathtaking scenes and mysteries that one could never imagine filled his eyes, and all he could think of was how much he wished you were there to share it with him in its entirety.

It seems that the photos taken by Lumine would have to do in the meantime. He looked at the sunset, thinking of what you may be doing at this hour. No matter, he'll bring you here himself the next time. A smile appeared on his lips before he even realized it.

“Zhongli.”

Lumine called his name, and so he turned towards her with an inquiring gaze. She had a soft gaze when she looked at him as if she was reminiscing, or was it something else?

“You really love them, don't you?”

No name was mentioned, but there was no need for any. He knew well enough who Lumine was referring to, he felt his heart melt like snow in spring as he gazed back at the scenery once more.

“Yes, I do.”

Lumine smiled when she heard his answer. It was simple, but sometimes simple was enough to convey everything that are said and unsaid.

“I hope that after I have found my brother, I'll be able to experience a love like yours.”

Zhongli chuckled, his eyes curved into small crescents.

“I extend to you my best wishes then.”

He couldn't wait to go home to you.

Distance indeed makes the heart fonder.

-----------

The day you told him your apprehension, the worries that plague your mind, he felt his heart turn cold. He felt himself biting his lips until they bled. How could he have been so ignorant of your plight?

All he could do was hold you in his arms and placate you with words and promises he will fulfill. He felt how you cling to him as if it was cold winter and he was the only source of warmth. His heart tightens in pain as he littered kisses on your forehead.

Yet as much as he wishes to stay by your side, the contract with Lumine was sealed. He may no longer be Rex Lapis, still, he has to uphold his end of the contract, as Zhongli.

Still, he tried his best. Every day when he couldn't make it, he would send you letters telling you about his day, what he did, even enclosing things he encountered in the letter. A violet grass, a glaze lily, and even a piece of cor lapis.

He never had any letters from you though, but it was only reasonable. He was traveling, after all, it's ludicrous of him to think any letters sent would reach him when he doesn't even know where he will end up.

It's fine, he would tell himself, tomorrow is the last day. He will be free after that. He'll spend the days by your side, pampering you with all the love he could draw out of his soul. After all, that is what you deserve, he thought as he smiled.

------------

He came home not to laughter but to your sullen appearance, your face blank, deep in thought. He falters, his hand attempting to hold you in an embrace.

The wooden board creaks beneath him and you flinched, startled by the sound enough to pull you back into reality. You greeted him with a soft smile, but he felt something was off.

Whatever is it that has you contemplating, it is weighing upon your mind heavily. Thus he does what he does best, inviting you out for a late-night walk. He hopes this will make you let down the walls in your heart, so you confide in him once more.

The truth was the thing that burdens you was baffling to him. The fact you even asked whether he loves you was so outrageous that his brain couldn't comprehend it. How dare you question that when there's nothing else he could be more certain about?

He loves you, and he loves you so much that you may never comprehend it. He would tread through the coldest of winter and the deadly heat of the desert for you, even facing against Khaenri'ah if it means protecting your honor.

He would gouge his heart out for you, letting his blood dye the land and the sea a bloody red similar to rubies and roses, so they would serve as an everlasting memento of his love. He would prostrate before your feet, kiss the instep of your foot and worship you, for you were his salvation.

He would adorn your body with gold and jewels, while only the finest of silks would clothe your body, he is confident that even then, all that glamour would pale in comparison to the beauty of you and your soul.

Alas, he was no longer Morax, he was just Zhongli. A mortal man like Zhongli could not lavish you with such riches, and that was his regret.

Looking at your distrustful eyes he sighed, how could he ever let you understand the depths of his feelings towards you? He was tired and angry, and he could tell all of it stemmed from his sadness. He promises you forever and forever is the only road he will and could ever walk.

The next sentence that slips out your lips sends him spiraling into the abyss.

“This isn’t Romeo and Juliet, this is real life and I can go on without you.”

The love you shared with him of course wasn't Romeo and Juliet. They were a pair of ill-fated lovers, destined to part. Juliet was not you, and he was not Romeo, your love was meant to last, even if the sun itself ceased to burn one day.

He has given you his everything, yet you believe you had nothing at all. How can he stand it? Especially when you had no trust in him? When the gravity of his feelings was easily dismissed by you as nothing? He bit his lips, feeling his own tears welling up in his eyes.

Yet he could not let out his frustration at your inability to trust him, how could he when you look so dazzling under the moonlight? The way your features soften, and how the silvery hue compliments the tears that glisten on your face.

Then you suddenly fell. The panic overwhelms him, unlike anything he had experienced before. He rushed out towards you. All his bitterness seemed so childish now. He should have done better, he should have because you deserve all that and more.

He wonders how could he have been so foolish in the first place. He dashes towards Bubu Pharmacy as your body feels strangely cold in his arms, the warmth he always felt absent.

Please, let everything be alright.

PART 1 PART 3 PART 4

#zhongli x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin zhongli #angst

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cassolotl · 43 minutes

Text

Blown Away (Netflix)

This season is HOT and FIERY and DANGEROUS and we have a HUGE HOT SHOP! Our contestants are here to compete for some prize that none of the viewers really understand or care about! This is... BLOWN AWAY

[interview clip, Contestant A:] I'm here to WIN

Judge lady: Hi everyone, here's our guest judge, Dr Sandy McGlass from Fancypants University

[they walk in]

Contestants: WHOAAAAAA *nudge, gasp, knowing nods*

Viewers: I have no idea who this is

Guest judge: In my job I like/do things like this, so you better impress me

Judge lady: Your job is to make a piece based on this theme, and then we're gonna judge you

[interview clip, Contestant B:] I'm gonna take it right to the final

Generic presenter: Your time starts... now!

[shots of molten glass getting rolled around in colourful sugar crystals, people breaking up giant crayons, etc]

Contestant D: [drawing on something with chalk] I'm just doing this for my kids, you know?

[interview with contestant E:] I've done a lot of glass and I really like it, so I'm making this cool thing

Contestant A: Blowing guy, blow into the tube

Blowing guy: [blows into the tube]

Contestant A: Stop that

Presenter: What's your favourite topical item?

Judge lady: Probably this thing, hahahaha

Guest judge: ????? I guess??

Contestant F: [just, putting a stick into a fire hole to scoop up some gloop] I'm in this minority group so I'm making something to represent my culture

No one: The final winner will definitely be a cis white person though

Contestant C: Making caaaaane~

[interview clip, Contestant D:] I'm clearly the best, but I am worried about [contestant who is clearly the best], though

Contestant F: [glass falls off stick and smashes on the floor]

Assistant: [puts on a bomb suit and picks up the smashed thing and runs and puts it very carefully into the magic cupboard]

Presenter on the observation deck: Annealer... isn't that like, a species of mammal that eats insects?

[interview clip, contestant F:] Glass breaks a lot

[interview clip, contestant C:] Glass breaks a lot

Judge lady to presenter: Glass does break a lot, yes

Contestant A: [sweating all over the place] I started out doing this other job, but then I started blowing glass and never looked back

Contestant B: [squidging some 1,000ºC molten glass about like it's toffee, you want to eat it] I'm just doing this for my kids, you know?

Judges: We're all very concerned, Contestant D is really good at glass but also really bad at it. And Contestant A is really bad at glass, but also really good at it. Do they have what it takes?

[several shots of contestants being really sweaty and sticking glass together with other glass]

[interview clip, Contestant C:] I'm here to win

Contestant B: [bashing glass with hammer] I just really love glass

Judge, from observation deck: Contestant A is good, but also bad

[some guy out of shot rolls a die to find out who should shout about time remaining]

Judge/presenter/contestant: X UNITS OF TIME LEFT, PEOPLE!

Contestant (any): What, there is less time left than before?????

[interview with contestant who blatantly displays 3+ ADHD symptoms in one sentence]

Contestant E: Okay, let's put this hot glass thing in a place/position

[it breaks]

[interview with Contestant E:] That was the main part of my piece and there are literally x units of time left, I do not have time to make another, I'm just going to have to wing it

Presenter, from the observation deck: That's tough, man

Judge lady: It is, yes

Random inhabitant on the shop floor: TWO MINUTES LEFT, PUT YOUR GLASS IN THE ANNEALERS!!!

[much running around in bomb suits putting things in magic cupboards]

[peaceful twinkly music, and a slow shot of each piece in the gallery with a description/explanation. Contestant E's has a broken item in it.]

[judges look at each piece]

Judge: This is pretty good

Other judge: But is it also bad, though

Judge: I guess, but is it also good though

Presenter: I would eat that

Judges: Lol

Presenter: Let's go hear from the contestants

[cut to clean tidy hot shop. contestants walk in in slow motion and face the row of judges]

Judge: Contestant B, tell us about why you made this sucky choice

Contestant B: [something about their kids and/or how much they love glass, determination, etc.]

Judge: Thank you

Contestant B: *nods*

Other judge: Contestant E, I noticed that part of your piece was broken, talk to us about that

Contestant E: I broke my piece but then I decided that it's meaningful actually

Judges: *nodding*

Judge: Contestant D, do you think your piece is enough to take you to the next round?

Contestant D: I'm just doing it for my kids, you know?

Presenter: Okay, we'll go and talk about you behind your backs now

[cut to interview with Contestant B:] I'm not ready to go home, you know?

Judges and presenter: They all were good, but also they all sucked; but were they actually good, do you think?

[cut to the hot shop face-off again]

Presenter: Just a reminder of the prize that has been repeated 17 times so far and that none of the viewers remember or care about

Judge: Our top best favourite is

Judge: Contestant C.

Presenter: And one guy [gn] is going to be leaving the hot shop today. That person is

[shots of individual nervous contestants]

Presenter: Contestant A

Contestant A: [nods, smiles, hugs everyone on the way out]

Presenter: Everyone else rules. All of you remaining white people will be going on to the next round.

[interview with Contestant A, wearing the same outfit as the interview at the beginning when they said they were here to win:] At the end of the day I came here to have a nice time and/or do it for my kids, and I think I can go home proud, I basically won

[end credits]

#Blown Away

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0perfectimperfections0 · 11 months

Note

What if Lou painfully, desperately, and forcefully went through the portal, how would all the the other dolls react to this.

So, I'm gonna switch this up a bit if that's okay (and if not...oops)

I love the idea of Lou being able to go through the portal, really, I do. HOWEVER, it wouldn't be as effective for his backstory. Like, at the point that the Uglies get to the factory (and long before then, really) Lou is in a mental state where he is willing to do ANYTHING to escape this prison he's in. Even as far as conforming the prison into an empirical hierarchy of supremacy for himself. So, even if he were able to go through the portal -- with the only risk being unbearable pain to touch it/go through it -- Lou would not think twice about going through anyway. He would deal with any pain if it meant getting to the Big World.

This is why I'm twisting this prompt around:

<><><><><><>

The crack in the portal ripped its way across the diameter. The light flickered, tinting an opaque red where the crack sliced through. LuckyBat had sprung up in front of Lou just as he bolted forward to make the final incision. The tip was pushed back and Lou's feet skid across the ground at the loss of momentum. Lucky--now empowered by his sudden burst of courage and the surprised look on Lou's face--slung the prototype across the ground. Lou rolled and staggered to his feet. He was in front of the portal, dangerously close to touching it. He glanced behind him toward his feet, seeing the few inches between himself and the portal.

There was little time to jump out of the way before another strike hit his side. Light flooded his vision as the right side of his body finally made contact with the portal. The blue light glitched and melted into red as Lou screamed. Moxy and her friends skid to a halt from where they had been rushing to help LuckyBat. Pulsating waves of red light -- like a heartbeat -- glowed and Lou collapsed to the ground, his back still touching the portal. Lucky shook his head from his empowered daze and dropped the needle. He made half a step toward Lou before hands pulled him back.

Wage grabbed the bat by the wings and veered him back quickly as the crack in the portal reached across the entire diameter.

"Lou!" Ox's voice rang through the clearing and he panted to get back to the portal. The prototype's eyes glitched between normal to a solid glow of red across the entire expanse of his scleras.

The electric shock coursing through Lou's body made his heart race painfully. He couldn't do anything but lay helplessly as his body spasmed against the portal. His heart quickened in pace as the portal neared complete destruction. The glitching in his eyes escalated and his screams became distorted like feedback from a radio. Ox was cut short in his pursuit of his brother when the portal finally imploded and sent a shockwave through the vicinity. Ox was flung back along with many of the closer dolls.

Shards of the annealed glass scattered, mimicking a glittering ring throughout the Institute.

It was silent for a long minute once all the shards had quieted and the portal was now a hollow void. What fragments hadn't been discarded across its radius were left sticking out of the edges in jagged, piercing forms. The dolls gaped at the destruction.

Ox spared barely a glance at the ruins before looking across the stage. He pushed himself onto his feet and ran toward the center of the devastation. A few shards stuck into his feet, but he merely pushed through the pain. His friends called out to him to stop, but he didn't listen. Lou was nowhere to be found. Ox's breathing picked up speed as he turned in quick circles to try and find the blond.

"Over here!"

The bunny looked across the wayside and saw Nolan kneeling down beside the prototype.

He wasn't moving.

"Oh doll." Ox felt weak in his knees and his ears fell back limply behind his head. He hurried, jumping off the platform and narrowly skipping over what shards he could spot before running up on them.

Lou was completely limp while Nolan held his torso in his arms. Lines of fabric had been torn from stray shards hitting Lou's face and all over his body. One shard was embedded deeply into his neck. Ox, with shaky hands, cupped one paw against Lou's face while the other gingerly tugged at the glass. It sparked and Ox let go on instinct as it zapped him. It clattered against the ground. The place of insertion sparked and red streams of light flashed like lightning in Lou's neck.

There was no rise and fall motion of his chest. No twitch in his body. Nothing. Lou wasn't responding and by now the crowd had gathered, raising Ox's anxiety. "G-Get one of the robots!" He flung a paw out urgently, not taking his eye off the unconscious doll. Unconscious. Not dead. Lou couldn't be dead.

Squeaky wheels rolled up beside the three. A blue light cascaded over Lou's form and the robot beeped and registered the information. "Model 12 Prototype: Not Confirmed. Chip inactive."

"I called ya over here to help!" Ox's fur bristled. "Fix 'im! Help 'im! Do somethin'!"

"Prototype Model 12 is no longer in service." It answered monotonously.

Ox's breathing was ragged. He swallowed, looking at Lou and then at the robot. Breathlessly, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"In layman's terms, Prototype Model 12 is dead."

"Screw you," Ox turned his back on the robot. "If you won't help 'im then I will."

"Ox," Moxy said softly.

"No. He ain't dead." Ox shook his head defiantly. He took Nolan's place holding the blond. "C'mon, Lou, wake up," he shook Lou lightly. No response. "Please...Lou!" He looked at the red streams of light emanating from the hole in Lou's neck. Why...why was it not normal stuffing? They've been torn many times before and it never...it never killed them. Why wasn't Lou waking up?

"Persistence is futile," the robot continued. "His creator will be notified and another prototype will be implemented."

This made the crowd call out in a frenzy. "We don't want another one of him!"

"Yeah! He's nothing but a liar!"

"He kept us from the Big World!"

The robot's eyes blinked as it registered the heated statements. "That is not possible. The Institute requires a prototype to maintain it from the inside."

Ox whirled on the machine. "We don't need another one! Get Lou back! Fix 'im!"

"As I said, that is not possible. He is no longer in service--"

"He's. Not. Dead," Ox growled. "He...W-We just need to get 'im stitched up and he'll be fine." The bunny was more or less trying to convince himself of that.

"Stitching will not help. His microchip is destroyed."

"What microchip!?" Ox felt like he was going to lose it. Moxy put a hand on his back to try and calm him. He took in a shaky breath. "I'm fine," he whispered to her briskly.

"All prototypes are made with a microchip that is the source of their functioning. Model 12 Prototype, as you call, Louis, can not live without it."

Ox blinked and slowly looked back down at the blond. A thumb brushed over the open wound. A small fragment of red fell into his paw and he held it up to get a better look. It had small lines of red streaming through that were abruptly stopped when it reached the fragmented edge.

A blue light cascaded over his paw, making him startle. The robot finished its scan and responded. "The microchip is unsalvagable. A new one will be made for the next prototype." It rolled away, not giving them the opportunity to speak again.

Ox's chest tightened and he felt the air being knocked out of his lungs. He stared down at Lou. Nothing, still. It didn't make any sense. Why would Lou not tell him something so important? It was never mentioned when he first arrived at the Institute. He knew nothing about this crucial source of life inside the doll.

The crowd exchanged looks awkwardly. They didn't like Lou...but...

"We didn't need him anyway," one of the dolls in the crowd spoke up. "We don't need another one, either. We'll be fine without some arrogant prototype." More dolls voiced their agreement.

Dolls don't need you or your training!

Ox swallowed hard.

He didn't get the chance to say sorry.

#ox #lou #character death #angst #ask #answer #fanfiction #writing

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faux-phallus · 1 year

Text

Safe Sex Toy Materials

Why Silicone…

There are a lot of things that go into making a quality product.

But first and foremost it starts with quality ingredients/materials. That is why we at Faux Phallus will only ever use bodysafe Platinum Cured Silicone and we'll explain why...

Unfortunately the industry to date is still unregulated. This is never more apparent than in the case of adult toys. Not worried yet? You should be, as long as sex toys are labeled as 'novelty items' big corporate companies can get around using questionable materials.

There are a long list of materials in sex toys that are a cause for medical and safety concern, even if your favorite toys are made of materials known to be safe. Some of these products can contain chemicals or oils that soften the material to make them more pliable.

There are still sex toys being produced that contain phthalates even though these have been known for years to cause issues, but phthalates aren’t the only harmful chemical being used.

There are sex toy materials that have never been proven toxic yet are still softened with oil (grades and types unknown), these materials can still break down and become unstable, and can still be porous enough to harbor bacteria, mold and transmittable viruses.

Even if the material is non-toxic when you first buy it, that may change over time as the material breaks down. Chemical changes can occur, oils can be released along with new odors, and more.

If your toy is not made of the materials listed below, then it can be potentially unsafe or downright toxic. Although some people may not notice any issue with using them, the larger majority can notice burning, stinging or other medical issues.

The list of the safest materials for adult toys would be...

Silicone Toys These come in two categories that refer to the curing agents used. they are either...

Platinum Cured Silicone “compatible for skin contact”

Tin Cured Silicone “is not compliant with food or skin”

If a company tries to call their silicone a “Blend or Mix”, be very cautious and ask yourself what its blended with?

Some of the other benefits of silicone are that it's allergy-friendly, nonporous, hydrophobic, phthalate free, durable, easy to clean and sterilize. It's odorless and doesn't suffer from shrinkage.

I myself have bought toys in the past that have shrunk in size (I'm talking inches in length and girth have been lost) when you buy a 9" toy and a couple of years down the track it is 7½" you know its deteriorating.

Wooden Toys can be very safe, if the finish is medical grade.

Stainless Steel Toys as long as they are medical grade stainless they're very safe.

Austenitic 304 and 316 stainless steels are considered surgical or medical-grade stainless steels

Glass Toys as a material is safe, but be aware of cheap brands that don't anneal, annealing is a long process that makes the glass extremely tough. Un-annealed glass won’t be overly fragile, but it needs to be handled with care. Cheaper brands may also paint glass which needs to be avoided unless you can verify the paint is safe.

Ceramic Toys are safe, so long as they are glazed and kiln-fired. The glaze keeps the toy non-porous. Although it is worth noting if the surface has a crack it can be porous and harbor bacteria so care needs to be taken with use and storage.

Out of all these materials silicone is the only one that is flexible, making inserting into the body the most comfortable experience, but by all means the other materials have their place in the industry. It'll all come down to your personal preference.

Casting…

It is defiantly worth noting... Silicone is a 2-part mix that needs to be well combined, after mixing a lot of air bubbles are trapped within the viscous material. To this end a reputable toy maker will use a vacuum chamber to draw all the air out of the silicone before it is poured into their respective molds.

In days past some makers would cure their silicone in a pressure pot, under 60psi of pressure to make these bubbles shrink down in size. Some have and still do unfortunately, let their toys cure without either of these precautions. But without these basic procedures, these air bubble pockets are somewhere bacteria and mold can be trapped and grow.

It’s worth doing your research to make sure your toy has been degassed.

#fauxphallus #adulttoys #fantasysextoys #spicy silicone #siliconesculpture #fantasytoy #bodysafe

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