#it’s just that damn artistic integrity

[genericpuff]

alright so this is a post I've been wanting to write up for a little while now, but I was waiting on permission from a third party to post DM's (censored, of course). That permission has since returned with a yes, soooo

LET'S TALK ABOUT RACHEL'S HIRING PROCESSES-

okay this isn't gonna be as comprehensive as I'm making it sound BUT I've mentioned before on this page (albeit briefly and it's long since been buried) that I actually applied to be a background artist for Rachel a couple years ago, I think it was around the midpoint of S2, and it was (obviously) before I turned to the dark side of crit-n-shit-posting. I never got an email back, so that was that. I'd like to think there's a parallel universe out there where instead of joining the antiLO/ULO community, I became an assistant for Rachel and remained a fan. Enjoy that fridge horror thought.

That said, while I didn't get a response, someone on reddit mentioned that they did:

And they were kind enough to share further details with me in DM's.

Right off the bat, I'm fairly certain they were applying to the same ad I was (as it was a posting that Rachel had made on Twiter and the approximate years line up).

All that aside, considering what Rachel's process is like with her assistants (from what we've discussed here in GREAT detail), it's not shocking in the slightest that the vibe of working with Rachel from the very beginning was "IDK what I'm looking for".

Buuut that's not the end of the exchange because it gets better.

Mind you, this was back in 2019 and it was the experience of one user, so it doesn't necessarily reflect every assistant on the team or how Rachel does things down to the last detail. But it's pretty damning enough that you can still see the evidence of this kind of workflow in current LO 4 years later. If anything she's continued to operate with a rapidly declining pipeline because the art just keeps getting worse and worse.

Part me of wants to say that this could be on Webtoons, as they don't offer support to creators to have assistants. Creators have to pay for their assistants completely out of pocket, split from the income they make from Webtoons. This is why so many creators often don't have assistants or their 'assistants' are also their co-creators (see: Nevermore, which is drawn and written by two people working together).

But Rachel has an average of four assistants per episode, sometimes as many as eight in some cases (though it's been a while since that's happened so I won't really count it for this post).

That means Rachel's team is typically made up of five people, including herself, and that's not including the recent addition of copy editors (but that balances out with the times when Amy Kim isn't contributing , she tends to pop in and out).

Now, she's not the only person on WT with a team of this size, there are others with comparable teams if not bigger ones, but NONE of them seem to operate with as much inconsistency as LO does, and that's not on the assistants, that's on Rachel. She's said in interviews that she always wanted to be a director and that making LO on Webtoons was her way of achieving that, but she doesn't seem to have the integrity or leadership skills necessary to take charge when the team isn't working in sync. You don't see any of these insane art art inconsistencies in webtoons like The Kiss Bet or Tower of God (though they have their own problems, the art isn't one of them), and there are webtoons operating without a team at all that are drawing circles around LO right now, like Nevermore (which is, by the way, also edited by Bre Boswell, same as LO).

Now, that's not to say there isn't struggling underneath the surface, the creators of Nevermore have stated how difficult it is to work for Webtoons as it is, especially as creators who don't have assistants. But how is the #1 comic on the platform failing to meet the standards that come with its labels and awards? Why are the exceptionally better comics being drawn by 1-2 people not getting the attention or opportunities they deserve from the platform? And why does Rachel Smythe, one of the highest paid creators on the platform, still seem to struggle with managing a team of artists after five years of publication on Webtoons? Why does she choose to have a large team if she can't pay them adequately? Why have a large team at all if she's not going to utilize their skills properly? To further lighten the load of work onto others?

Really, it just goes to show the lack of care and respect all around - for the self, for the work, and for those who are pushing out the work and meeting the deadlines, whose reputations and potential are being dragged down with the comic itself.

#lore olympus critical #lo critical #antiloreolympus #anti lore olympus

[dramioneasks]

Can u please recommend some full length rom-com style dramione

Random recs:

Benefits By: artemisgirl - M, one-shot - “I’m trying to make a case for why she should marry me,” Draco told him, scowling as Harry started laughing. “If I want an upgrade from ‘friends with benefits’ to 'husband with benefits'—” … When Draco Malfoy realizes that 'friends with benefits’ just isn’t enough anymore, he begins to strategize on how to get Hermione to commit to more.

Hot for Teacher - MotherofBulls - E, 26 chapters - Draco is a single dad trying to raise a teenager on his own. When he notices his son’s newfound interest in girls, he takes it upon himself to give him some fatherly advice. Little does he know that his son’s crush is none other than his own childhood nemesis, who has taken up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts. Draco tries to juggle awkward situations, parenthood, and his own budding interest in Hermione Granger. Part 1 of “This Is Everything” series. COMPLETE!

The Bargain by Lincolepog - M, 29 chapters, Words: 102,657  - Heading back to Hogwarts for his 7th year, Draco Malfoy is given a very interesting deal from Hermione Granger; to play the role of her fake boyfriend. As time goes on, they learn to get passed their differences, but is it enough? What will it cost the two of them?

Starving by CharliPetidei - E, 5 chapters - Hermione has everything figured out. Sex is like food. Club nights are far too expensive. And men belong in the category of 'things that are more faff than they're worth'. You know, like hair straightening charms, lingerie, and mathematical integration. This is a story about food and sex, though not at the same time. Winner of best fluff, best smut, and runner-up for best use of prompt in the Dramione Fanfiction Forum's 2020 'Sounds Like Dramione' comp.

Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love by isthisselfcare - E, 36 chapters, Words: 199,584 - Hermione straddles the Muggle and Magical worlds as a medical researcher and Healer about to make a big discovery. Draco is an Auror assigned to protect her from forces unknown – to both of their displeasure. Features hyper-competent, fiery Hermione and lazy, yet dangerous, Draco. Slow burn.

Bad Books and Second Looks - GracefulLioness - E, 10 chapters - Hermione has not been lucky in love. When a break-up forces her to find a new flat, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot. Until she realises that she might just be falling for her new flatmate’s boyfriend. Perhaps when Ginny lends her some of her steamy romance novels, her luck will change.

You Make Me Shiver and Shake by Stargazing121 - M, 16 chapters - Draco is an artistic genius, Hermione a budding art agent. But once they start to work together, will they be able to resist the growing attraction between them? “I’m not going to take you on as an art client!” Hermione scoffed. “Why not Granger,” he said. His tone was silky, like the sound of fine cloth running through your hands. “You know there has always been something between us.” “That won’t work on me,” she answered flatly. “Ok, I admit that was pushing it.” He shrugged, “But pushing against beautiful women is what I do best Granger.” “Not that either.” “Damn it, I forgot that trying to flirt with you was like flirting with a slug. Actually, I think I’d get more luck with the slug.” “You’d make a lovely couple. You’re certainly as slippery,” Hermione said. “I can think of someone I would rather form a partnership with,” he said, his voice low and almost a whisper.

Clueless - jacemorgensterns - T, one-shot - Draco is a college student living in an apartment with his roommate Theo. He occasionally gets into trouble and always gets away with it. When his luck is threatening to turn on him Hermione comes to to the rescue and an agreement between them forms that eventually spirals out of control. A Dramione romcom AU with as many romcom tropes I could fit in from Draco’s point of view. One-shot.

Fate Has It In For Me by jigglyjelly28 - T, 39 chapters, Words: 196,573 - “Seeing as you two have driven me half-mad over these few months with your Veela heritage problem, I thought that it would be perhaps, in Pureblood politeness, that you at least give a suitable explanation of what you’ve been doing.” Draco was told he was a Veela years ago but forgot. He’s been told again and has a year to find his Mate.

Accidental Proposal - CJRed - M, 36 chapters, Words: 108,673 - Hermione finds out that she is really a Nott, and there are so many rules to being a Pureblood, too bad Draco Malfoy seems to have forgotten one of the most important rules of all! Hermione/Draco. Theo and Hermione are siblings. Ignores epilogue and off canon in some other places as well. Set in 8th year. Language, Fluff, and Lemons. Complete.

-Lisa

#anonymous #romance #humour

[dragonnarrative-writes]

WIP Wednesday

I have so many ideas for this OC, but none are cooperating with me.

Meet Bricks!

Simon notices, immediately, when the American girl enters the bar. First of all, she’s loud. Announces her arrival with a blast of laughter that rings through the room, for all that she’s surrounded by a group of rowdy people. Secondly, she’s dark-skinned, voluptuous, and seems to want everyone to know it. She’s dressed for the clubs more than a side street bar. Two guys she’s arrived with are obviously vying for her attention, but she floats over to one of the active pool tables and immediately starts flirting for the next game. Simon’s not immune to a soft woman with miles of leg, so he can’t blame any of them for welcoming her and her posse.

“Damn,” Kyle mutters, giving her an appreciative once over from his seat.

“What?” Johnny asks, looking over his shoulder like a fucking muppet. “Oh, damn.”

Price arches an eyebrow at Simon. “That good?” When he gets a nod, he turns to look. “…Damn.”

She has to know that everyone at the bar is looking at her, but she doesn’t seem to care. Just talks and laughs, flirts with the men and women around her like breathing. Simon never loses awareness of her. She’s in his sight line. But eventually, he’s integrated her into his awareness of the space. She’s a bright spot, but not rowdy enough to cause issues.

And then she passes their table on the way to the bathroom with her friends. She meets Simon’s eyes, gives him a quick up and down look, then winks with a little smirk as she disappears from view.

“What about you, LT?” Johnny’s voice breaks in.

Simon replays the conversation in his mind for a moment. Recruit performance. Lance Corporal Bennett. “Don’t much care for him. ‘S cocky and mean.”

“Good scores,” Kyle points out.

“He talks shit about the others,” Simon counters. “Good scores don’t mean shit if no one wants to work with him. We’ll see how he does with coordinated drills.”

“Now, Bakshi,” Price says, “he’s got promise. Scores are decent, and I can’t find a single person to say anything bad about him. Except Bennett.”

Johnny snorts. “Except Bennet.”

Simon lets the conversation fade away again. The pool tables are getting a bit rowdy without the American and her girl friends to dilute the testosterone. A couple of the boys over there are from the base, and they keep throwing glances over to the 141s table, and a table of other officers across the room. They’re keeping things cool. For now.

Just as chests are starting to puff enough that even Johnny and Kyle are paying attention, the girls reappear and diffuse the tension. The American says something that knocks the wind out of one boy’s sails and laughs as she takes his pool stick. She buzzes a kiss against his cheek, then playfully shoves another guy to rack. Just like that, the energy settles.

Simon lets himself be coaxed back into the discussion, especially now that the topics have strayed away from work. He can’t turn the hyper-vigilance off, but he likes going to the bar with his team. Likes talking books and TV shows with Price and mocking Johnny’s taste. He likes listening to Kyle talk music. He’s entering an artist’s name into his notes app, which is why he doesn’t notice the American strutting over until she’s right between Johnny and Kyle.

“Hey guys,” she says with a grin, leaning onto the table. “I thought about asking if any of you have a light, but my friends are leaving to get laid and the pool boys are boring. Can I hang out here until they lose interest? I’ll buy you a round.”

Price snorts into his whiskey. “They stop buying you drinks, then?”

“All they want to buy is drinks,” she laments, fluttering her eyelashes and pouting. “I’ve had three, but they’re not getting any more interesting. I’d rather have some fries and sit and chat.”

“Pull up a chair, bonnie lass,” Johnny says, which predictably gets the girl cooing over his accent.

She introduces herself as Ericka, an American student working on her Masters. She talks with her whole body, and doesn’t seem to know how to have a conversation without flirting. She hates the gym. She likes riding horseback, and winks at Simon when she mentions it. She “kind of pegged you guys as military. It’s the muscles.” She prefers whiskey over scotch, and her friends were supposed to take her clubbing tonight.

“But Tracy’s boyfriend hates going dancing, and she’s got a spine of a jellyfish,” she says, rolling her eyes. She’s waving a fry for emphasis. “So of course, we ended up here after I dressed up-up. Trust me, I know this is not a casual night at the pub type dress. I didn’t get the change of plans until the uber dropped us off out front. But I guess it turned out alright. I have no idea what kind of music I’d have been subjected to. Devon has shit taste, so I probably dodged a bullet.”

Even with as much as she’s batting her lashes and sending him interested glances, Ericka doesn’t try to make Simon talk more. With the rest of the table, she’s an excellent conversationalist. As he scans the bar again, he listens to her pick up the music topic with Kyle, drawing Price into a light hearted disagreement. Turns to Johnny with a pout for a tiebreaker. Which somehow gets them all into discussion of the best rock and roll genres. She talks, she listens, she engages. It’s refreshing. Most of the Americans they have to deal with are pushy and self-important officers and mercenaries.

Simon’s not above admitting that it helps that she’s beautiful.

After a couple of hours, it’s nearing 1am. Right on schedule, Kyle yawns. “Sorry, sorry. Not a night owl like some.”

“’S late,” Price admits. “Should probably head out. You have a ride home, Ericka?”

“Yeah, I’ll call a car,” she says, easily. “Thanks for hanging out with me, I’ll have to come back some time.”

“If we’re in town, we’re here,” Johnny says, grinning.

Outside, Erikca’s car gets delayed a couple of times, so Simon sends the boys ahead home and stays to wait with her. Price claps him on the shoulder and Johnny gives him an exaggerated wink. Ericka rolls her eyes and shoos them away when their car arrives.

“So,” she says, when it’s just the two of them. “Was I too subtle before, or are you interested in coming back to my place?”

“Barely spoke to you all night,” Simon points out.

“Come over and you can tell me about your tattoos,” she purrs. Then she smirks. “Or not. Up to you. But I figured I’d shoot my shot.”

[Super sexy sex happens here. Probably.]

Monday morning, Ghost sips a fresh brewed travel mug of tea and listens idly to Soap’s chatter on the way to one of the smaller briefing rooms. He’s looking forward to seeing Laswell, who’s on their side of the pond for a change. It’s always good for him to lay eyes on allies and confirm for himself that they’re alive.

It’s a shock, then, when he and Soap open the door to be greeted by Kate in deep discussion with Ericka.

Soap, of course, is more than happy to say what they’re both thinking. “What the fuck?”

When Ericka looks up and sees them, she grins. “Hey there, boys.”

Price and Gaz, when they arrive, are similarly gobsmacked. Once everyone is settled Lazwell stands.

“From your faces, you’ve all met,” she says. “So I won’t beat around the bush. Say hello to your new infiltration asset. Meet Bricks.”

All of them are speechless as Ericka lays four gray USB sticks on the table. They’re all the ones Price had distributed Thursday, with instructions that the keep one on them at all times. Plus an extra one. If Simon had to guess, Gaz was the one to have a decoy on him.

“Bullshite,” Soap says, pulling an identical USB stick from his pocket. “I’ve had mine on me the whole time.”

“Decoy,” Ericka, Bricks, says. “Slide the port out, you’ll see a pink dot.”

Simon pulls his from his pocket, pushes the little slider. Faded, but present, there’s a pink spot of permanent marker. “Fuck.”

“She’s one of the best infiltration assets we have,” Kate goes on. “She’ll be joining you to get information from Jacó Barboza. We have reason to believe he’s the link between Moscow and Rio, which opens the door to Bogotá.”

#dragonnarrativewrites fanfiction #wip wednesday #manic pixie dream ghost #all 141 of them #watcher one kate laswell #oc: bricks #that lady's stacked #also - subtle as a brick to the face #laurence this one's for you #(posting to remind myself that i don't have to be perfect)

[s-milesart]

this text might jump around a bit logic wise but lmao this is a BLOGSITE NERD GET READING MY BLOG

I,,, I don't really get having a fursona. Like, really.

I wish I really got having a fursona. they're pretty damn integral to the community but,,, like, I'm kinda lost?

Is it the concept of the you, you wish to be? is it you, truly on the inside? Just like, a furry version of you - like a caricature?

I know it's like a spectrum kinda thing, that diff people feel diff things for their own fursonas (plural of fursona? fursonai? fursonae? hnmrnmm), but I just never got it.

I draw furry animal women with massive boobs as my job, paying my bills, stacking racks drawing racks; and yet I still feel outside, or distant from a bunch of furry concepts.

Only a couple months ago I found out that nazifurs existed as an actual thing and that blew my fuckin MIND dawg. like what????? fuckin neo-nazis in fursuits? fuckin WILD!

I just, idk, y'know? I draw all these furry characters, try my hardest to build a community pushing dang near 20k followers on bird hellsite and yet,,, I just don't really feel connected.

I've never gone to a furcon, never talked to anyone who fucks with my work on the furry side instead of the artistic side, and heck, i've never even been to like, a furry dedicated disc server, yknow?

disconnected. a lack of connections. and it's weird.

Despite all the accounts I follow, despite how many people like my work and everything, I'm just,,, not connected. not really with my artist side, and def not with the furry side of myself.

making friends is easy. but it's that seeking connections part that always fucks me up. I don't know.

I'll try and get better, but I'm wondering if that's a lie I'm telling myself.

man why can't I just one of those parasocial relationships with a slightly racist white girl anime vtuber with zero self-awareness

[eruden-writes]

Scent Match - Part 2

(Note: Started with an anon asking for the phrase prompt, "Oh. Oh.")

Summary: When Amber Dyer decided to attend a Creator Con, she never expected to run into Of Wolf and Blood lycan hearthrob, Augustine Prime.

But, there he was, stooping over her table, asking to buy the unflattering drawing of his character. Valuing integrity over taking money from a celebrity and running (though she was sorely tempted,) Amber finishes the sketch and delivers it to Augustine.

However, he continues to doggedly pursue her and entwine their lives.

All because of her scent.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Previous | Masterlist

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Hours later, Amber found herself sitting on a bench in the corridor that led to the VIP section. It had to be a large meeting hall, she decided, after a bit of watching. Con staff flew in and out of the door, some bringing in food and drink while others checked papers on clipboards while appearing stressed. Thanks to room dividers expertly placed just inside the doorway, no wayward fans could even glimpse the bigshots inside.

Anxiety clawed up her back as she stared down at the sketchbook laying atop her thick thighs. For now, it was closed, but she could feel the damned drawing burning a hole in her sense of propriety. She really should just forget about this. Augustine paid upfront and likely wouldn’t even remember her or her silly little art. 

“So are we going in?” Next to Amber, Addie piped up. She twirled her bright pink curls - a voluminous wig - around her index finger while noisily snapping her gum. Beside her friend, Amber felt a little dull in her jeans and tee-shirt and hoodie. Addie had brought her A+ cosplay game with the low-cut and high-hemline intricate dress of a popular character from a dating sim.

Closing her eyes, Amber took a steadying breath. Her friend refused to be left at the booth while she made this particular delivery. Which meant Amber had to wait near Artist Alley closing to give Augustine his… commission. Though she couldn't blame Maddie for her disbelief. Amber barely believed her story herself. “Give me a minute.” 

“This isn’t helping your credibility, Amby," Addie giggled, a wry grin curled at her lips. 

When Amber's eyes opened she shot Addie a frown. This had been a repeated topic of conversation since Maddie heard what happened. “How else do you think our cashbox was so much heavier?” 

“Good question." Addie leaned back, making a show of considering Amber's words with a chin-stroking hand and over-the-top hum. With a snap of her fingers, she grinned at Amber and wiggled her eyebrows as she guessed, “Maybe you did do a commission for someone while I was gone, but not for Augustine Prime. Did you take my advice and start taking NSFW comms?” 

“No, I haven’t.” Not that Amber hadn't considered that potentiality, but it wasn't exactly something she wanted to discuss in the middle of a busy hall.

That was the kick in the pants she needed to get moving. Pushing herself to her feet, Amber strode to the attendant near the door, Maddie trotting behind her.

The con staff by the door was a burly gargoyle, expression seemingly in a perpetual state of 'extremely not impressed.' They watched silently as Amber approached, only inclining their head as they asked, “Name and reason for entry?” 

“A-Amber Dyer. I have a commission for Augustine Prime.” Trying not to feel like she was raising a shield, Amber held up her sketchbook. She immediately regretted that, as well. It was like a prop for a weak lie.

The attendant raised an eyebrow. “Do you now?” 

Amber pressed her lips tightly together, before raising her chin. “Yes.” 

Evidently put out, the gargoyle sighed and held out their hand. “We will make sure he receives it.” 

“Fine,” she said after a beat of thought. They likely had to deal with all sorts of fans with harebrained schemes to get in and see their favorite stars. There was no point pressing the issue. If they throw her drawing away, she had already gotten paid, as well.

Having already paper clipped the drawing to a receipt and one of her business cards, Amber held the small stack to the attendant. “Can you please give him the art and his receipt?” 

With a heavy sigh and a roll of their eyes, the attendant glanced down at both the drawing and the paper. Their expression pinched at the sight of the less-than-flattering caricature of Mr. Prime’s infamous character, their gaze flickis back up to Amber as if to gauge if this was a joke. She steadily met their eye, somber expression relaying that no, it wasn't a joke. 

With a shake of their head, the attendant disappeared into the VIP Lounge without another word to Amber. 

— 

Inside the VIP Area, it was like an indoor caravan camping out under fluorescent lights. On the outer edges, cabana-like tents lined the walls. Each housed whoever had been wrangled into coming to the convention. TV show and movie casts, TouYuber celebrities, influencers from an array of social media, voice actors - who most often dipped from one cabana to another - and some notable pillars of various nerd communities.

In the middle of the large room, catering had been set up. Cellophane-wrapped sandwiches, rows of soft drinks and water, decadent cupcakes or other treats, plus a few tables from popular eateries. Screens in the corners of the room blared the schedule, which had mostly completed by this point of the day.

In the OWaB camp, Augustine currently sat in a chair, one leg thrown over an arm as his back leaned against the opposite side. “Do we have any media obligations tomorrow?” 

“Our big one was done today. Showrunners and writers have a few panels or workshops tomorrow, I think,” answered Delilah, the actor that played the battle-hardened lycan protagonist of the show, stretched across a loveseat. Her sharp blue eyes angled to Augustine, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Don’t you have that charity auction?” 

“Fuck, you're right. Winner gets to have dinner with me.” Augustine groaned, head flopping back against the chair’s arm. In a fit of theatrics, he threw his arm over his eyes for good measure.

“Why so bummed about it? Usually you enjoy being fought over.” From their own spot on the floor near an outlet, Camry shot Augustine a curious look. In their hands they held their tablet, currently plugged in.

“If that artist came by, I was hoping to ask them to dinner.” He sighed, slumping further in his chair as he slid his arm off his face. 

Thinking of their face, eyes wide with shock and a pinch of a blush on their cheeks made something in his chest twist. The memory of their scent - indescribable and warm, twanging at something in his chest - coupled with the awry curiosity of how they’d feel under his palm. Though they had been sitting and somewhat obscured by a hoodie, he was aware enough they were curvy and round, certainly soft and warm. His fingers flexed, his imagination feeding him phantom sensations. “Guess I could ask them out tonight.”

Just as he finished, Theo entered with a tray piled high with catered food in hand. The human actor gave a knowing snort as they inclined their head to Augustine. “Talking about the smelly artist?” 

“They’re not smelly. They’re fragrant. And you wouldn’t even be able to scent them.” Playfully, Augustine tossed a pillow at Theo. It had been a careless and sloppy throw, since the other man merely turned aside to block it from hitting his face.

“I’m pretty sure they’re not coming, Auggie.” Delilah hummed as her castmate shot her a dirty look. She gave a defensive shrug, her voice softening an iota, “From the way you tell it, I think they were off-put by you.”

“Easy $200 for them, that’s for sure,” Theo laughed as he settled down in an empty chair, placing his goodies on a nearby end table. 

Augustine grumbled to himself, eyes glued back to his phone. He really should have dallied longer at the table and paid more attention. There was probably plenty there with their name or even online handles. He'd been flustered after finally locating the scent that had been plaguing him since arriving at the convention. He didn't know what he expected when he finally found it. Realizing it belonged to someone versus something just hadn't occurred to him.

“Mr. Prime, an artist dropped this off. Claimed it was for you.” 

Those words made his head snap up so fast, his eyes apparently intense as the staff member nearly stumbled backward at his expression. Before Augustine could jump up and snatch the paper from the employee, one of his co-stars beat him to it. 

“Oooh, I see what you mean," chuckled Theo, holding the paper at arm’s length while fending off Augustine with his other hand. “They definitely have a talent for catching your essence.” 

“Lemme see!" Camry jumped up from the floor, making grabby hands at the innocuous piece of paper. Theo dropped it to them and they snatched it up like a monkey stealing fruit. As soon as they glimpsed it, a cackle escaped their lips.

A flare of heat licked up Augustine’s body, his wolf ears pinned back against his head and bristling tingles spread down his back as he lurched for Camry. “Oi, I should be the first one to look at it!” 

Alas, he was too late as Delilah plucked the drawing from her shorter co-star. Sticking her tongue out at Augustine, she grinned and held it away from him, “Shouldn’t have been so slow about it.” 

Glaring up at Delilah - usually his height, but currently given a slight advantage with her heeled boots - Augustine had to swallow down a frustrated growl. She smiled viciously down at him, blue eyes almost glowing with a challenge. The chemistry between Montos and Laira, in-show, was aided by the natural playfulness between the actors that often transmuted into challenges. Not to mention the fan-made enemies-to-lovers content that plagued the fandom sphere.

His gaze shifted from Delilah’s gaze to the paper, quietly agonized by the slight crumpledness after exchanging so many hands in such a careless manner. Not to mention the artist’s own scent being lost, obscured by his crewmates’ hands. 

His pride was no match for the desire clawing at his thoughts. Ears and tail drooping, Augustine’s lips pursed as he held out his hand to his colleague. “Please, I don’t want it to rip.” 

One of Delilah’s eyebrows jumped up, her ears flicking forward in quiet interest at his reaction. Her grin grew, flashing sharp teeth as she held the paper out to him. “Fine, fine. Put that diabolical pout away.” 

Augustine had to temper his eagerness as he took the piece of art from her. Looking at it, it was much like how he remembered, except a little more refined. Overall, it was a wonderful caricature of Montos in his second season grimy glory, dirty and in tattered slack with a furred cloak. Mid-shifted his wolf ears peeked out from the mass of chaotic hair that haloed his head.

A beard stretched around his large sharp-toothed - if goofy - smile as he reached out to the viewer. Near his head, a line of fan favorite dialogue and oft-used nickname for Laira hovered: “I’ll give you a bone, Little Bitch.”

Indeed, in his slacks just before the image cut off, there was a hint of an excited bulge. Or maybe it was just a bump to let viewers infer Montos’s - ahem - size. Regardless, there was the implication of stuffing having been utilized, considering the edge of a coin sack stuck out from his trouser’s waistband. 

His eyes continued to scan the drawing until he found what he had unconsciously been looking for. A scribble of a signature adorned an empty space near the bottom of it. Narrowing his eyes, Augustine realized it was too difficult to decipher. Damn.

“Bummer that they didn’t come in though, right?” At his elbow, Camry piped up, peering at the drawing once more with an amused smile.

“Yeah,” Augustine glanced up at the staff member who still lingered close, perhaps surprised by the delight over the unflattering and crude drawing, “Why didn’t you escort them to me?” 

“They, uh, they weren’t on the list,” the gargoyle stammered, lifting their clipboard as if to provide evidence. 

“Shit.” Augustine stared at the signature on the drawing, but no amount of squinting could decipher the squiggle. His head snapped up, gaze landing on the gargoyle once more. “Were they out in the hall when you came in?” 

Relief fluttered through the attendant’s voice as they answered, “Yes, I can-” 

They didn’t have a chance to finish as Augustine tore off for the exit. 

— 

Amber and Addie stood by the door for a few minutes, waiting for the staff member to return and formally dismiss them. At the very least, if Augustine did not accept the drawing, Amber wouldn’t have minded having it back.

Eventually, Amber sighed with a shrug, condemning herself to the thought of the drawing being pitched into a trashcan. “Guess that’s it.” 

“I suppose so.” Disappointment made Addie’s demeanor slump a little. Trying to rally some humor, she shot Amber a teasing smile. “Still doesn’t prove he actually paid for it.” 

“I know,” Amber groaned, her shoulders slumping as she exhaled and started down the hall. It didn’t really matter if Addie was believed or not. She herself knew the truth. Of course, that didn’t keep her friend from ribbing her, all the same. 

There were a few moments of quiet as the two strolled further down the hall. Since they had packed up the booth early and now Artist Alley would be closing in fifteen minutes, there was no point in heading back. 

“So, what should we do for foo-” A sudden commotion from behind interrupted Addie’s words. Alarmed, both women turned to spot whatever chaos was happening behind them. 

A searing tingle shot down Amber’s body, watching as Augustine - with full almost-a-beard stubble already -  approached while waving her drawing over his head. 

Relief fluttered through Augustine the second he spotted them. They'd gotten aways down the hall, but not so far that Augustine couldn't shout at them. “Mx. Artist, your handwriting is terrible. I cannot make out your name!” 

Movement at his feet caught her eye and she was startled to find him partially tangled in a curtain. She quickly recognized it was one of the room dividers. Her eyes flicked back to the door to the VIP section and, sure enough, staff were desperately trying to gather up the fallen pieces of the divider’s frame. One even tailed after Mr. Prime, weakly calling after him.

Had he seriously barreled through privacy screens just to catch her?

She watched as he kicked off the curtain - to which the con staff member gratefully collected the fabric - and trotted the rest of the way to her. Dazedly, Amber mumbled, “My business card is attached to the receipt.” 

Augustine blinked, glanced down at the paper in his hand, then flipped it over. Indeed, stapled to the back was her business card. For overlooking that, he'd blame his co-stars and their teasing. He plucked it from the paper, careful to not completely ruin either receipt or card, before peering at it. 

AMBER DYER She/Her/They/Them Artist - Writer Creator of Hell’s Promise

As he scrutinized her business card, Amber dutifully ignored Addie’s bugged eyes and barely contained excitement. It was harder to ignore the buzz around her or now the other woman grabbed onto Amber’s arm. It didn’t help that a flush threatened to burn over Amber’s cheeks every time her friend’s big eyes jumped from herself to the actor. 

Something in Amber's chest jolted as Augustine looked back at her, that damn charming smile on his lips. “Ms. Dyer, please come back. My co-stars want to meet you.” 

“Why?” Taken aback, Amber wasn't even able to censure herself. 

Her seeming surprise at simple actions tickled at Augustine’s senses. It was charming, he thought. In response to her, his smile tilted crookedly and he brought his hand to his chin. “They said you captured my essence perfectly.”

“You showed other people?” Amber blanched as her checks heated up. The drawing hadn’t even been her best work. Hells, it had been subpar and kind of mean, if she was being honest! Did his reportedly tight-knit castmates want to rake her across the coals for it?

She was certain he was just low-key harassing her by asking for the drawing. Other than it being some weird powerplay, what explanation was there?

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” A breathy chuckle escaped him as he shot Amber a curious look. Was it so hard to believe he’d want to let others see it? “That’s the point of art, right? To show people.” 

Oh, this way something her brain could understand. Amber latched onto his flippant words, eager to gain some footing of understanding in a world that made nose sense. “I mean, there’s other reasons. Why we make art is a philosophical-” 

“Ugh, don’t start in on that boring stuff!” Addie finally butted in, shaking Amber's arm dramatically. She flashed a delighted smile in the actor's direction as Amber was startled into silence. “We’d love to come meet your co-stars!” 

Still smiling, but blinking blankly, Augustine registered the other person's presence for the first time. They were shorter than the artist and seemed to be wearing a cosplay he couldn't place. Generically attractive, with a round face and full lips upturned with vague amusement at the corners. Pleasant to look at, but something in the air around them put him on edge. 

Tilting his head to her, his own lips mirrored her faint grin. “We?” 

“I’m Addie Kline, she/her! Amber’s friend, roomie, and the one who talked her into even coming to the con." Addie's chest puffed out as she stepped forward, hand jutted out in a demanding request for a handshake. A sly expression crossed her features as she eyed Augustine. "If it wasn't for me, Amber wouldn't even have attended!"

“Ah, well, the more the merrier.” Augustine's expression brightened, now silently thankful to this previously ignored attendee. He took her hand, giving it an enthusiastic shake. “Are you a fan of the show?” 

“Big OWaB fan since day one! I can’t forgive the writers for leaving us on such a heinous cliffhanger last season.” Addie released Amber’s arm, stepping closer to Augustine. Her voice dropped low, into faux inconspicuous territory, as she asked, “Between you and me, care to share what might be in store, Mr. Montos?” 

He made a show of glancing around and Amber had to bite back a smile as overt eagerness radiated from Addie. When the man stooped closer to the other woman, Amber involuntarily held her breath.

“There are too many prying ears here,” he growled, using his character’s lilt. The corners of his lips twitched a little as his attention flicked to Amber, watching her expression carefully. 

“If you two wish to accompany me…” He let the pause languish as he curled a lip in a mean smile, running his tongue over his sharp teeth before finishing with a bit of gravel, “Perhaps I can be persuaded to talk.”

He couldn’t actually reveal anything, but talking around the questions was something he had learned for media interviews. 

Amber bit her tongue to keep from reacting to his eyes gliding over to her. The way his tone shifted, becoming more like Montos, sent shivering sensations over her body. Judging from the way his smile twitched, she thought he knew she was reacting like that. Which only convinced her to batten down against the sensation more. 

It didn’t help that others were stopping and staring, snapping photos with their phone and whispering. That realization sent another sizzle of heat through her.

He offered a hand to the bubbly woman, who delightedly took it, before offering his other to Amber. At the very edges of his awareness, her scent taunted him. Despite the relatively scant distance, the urge to bury himself against her throat burned at his thoughts.

She stared at his appendage like it was a venomous snake. A quick glance to Addie, noting her smug look and slight nod as she leaned into the man’s side, finally convinced her to give in.

With a sigh, Amber Dyer took Augustine Prime's hand, happy to be led somewhere less public.

Hopefully, she could get her head on straight by the time they made it to meet his co-stars.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

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#exo writing #exophilia #werewolf #lycan #monster lover #monster fucker #werewolf x human #monster x human #romance story #monster boyfriend #monster himbo #himbo #this is going to get wild so please engage your suspension of disbelief #lol #I didn't realize I named so many characters with an A so... I'm sorry

[nevarroes]

Helloo ‘Hot piece of Dorito’ Anon again!

To clarify, when it finally hit me that Casim was YOUR baby I was FLOORED. I found it so remarkable that he melded with Gort so well from his vibe to his costume and everything in between.

So yes, 1000% it’s a good thing, because god DAMN do I think it’s a gift when artists can integrate their characters into the storyline/ vibe so well that an outsider looking in just UNQUESTIONABLY says ‘yep! He’s canon, I can’t wait to meet him!’ Def a big goal of time when I’m making OC’s for fandoms.

thank u for returning hot dorito anon I was still thinking abt it sometimes to be honest🙏 and thank u so much in general, I’m very glad you think so🥺💗

I’ve honestly always intended Cas to not look like a tav/durge/mc or whatever design-wise cause he’s just not that to me, if you gotta associate him with the game already at least think of him as some npc villain instead please🔥

#blakemail

[timotey]

Ficlet: Of a Ridge and a Valley

The Sign. Phaya/Tharn, Yai. What-If. Unbeta'd.

A bedside vigil and a plea.

(I'm in no way a medical professional. Something off? Hand-wave it as artistic licence. That one covers all!)

***

The medical machines hiss and hum, blinking away quietly. Except for their soft noises, a constant whisper in the background, the hospital room is quiet. Eerily so. Dimly lit and empty but for one bed with a body lying in it, a man, pale and unmoving, and a chair next to it, with another man sitting in it, also pale and unmoving. 

“Shit, Phaya,” Yai says quietly, his voice breaking at the end. He leans forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees, and hides his face in his hands.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

When he finally looks up, his eyes, bloodshot and weary, seek out his friend. Phaya is so damn pale, almost gray in the face, a fucking machine helping him breathe. 

“I’m so, so sorry,” Yai whispers in a voice that’s wet with unshed tears. “I promised Tharn I would help him protect you and… I failed. And I’m so very, very sorry. So sorry, Phaya.”

He rubs his nose with the back of his hand, then he presses the heels of his hands into his eyes. “You have to wake up, you just have to, you have to come back, you–”

Yai cuts himself off. He falls silent.

Because he knows how hopeless his wish is. He was there when the doctor talked to Phaya’s grandmother and his sister, he heard the man lay out his concerns about the amount of time that Phaya spent under water, about Phaya’s brain activity, about… coma and brain damage.

Brain damage.

Yai was there because Tharn was there. And Tharn heard it too. And it broke him. Yai had to help him sit down or he would’ve fallen down. It broke Tharn. Yai has seen Tharn sad and depressed and grieving, first hand, he was there, right there, by Tharn’s side, way back when… But he’s never seen him looking like this. Something just seemed to have died in Tharn.

Sand and Tharn, they are the two people enclosed in Yai’s heart, the two people Yai loves more than anything else in the world. Sure, he likes all his friends, he likes Phaya so damn much because he is brave and good and he has so much integrity and he… he loves Tharn. For that, for that Yai likes the guy so much.

But now they’re here. Just the other morning, they laughed and joked and they were so damn happy and Tharn, Tharn was so happy, finally, after so long. But all that now seems so far away, as if it happened in another life, as if it happened to someone else entirely.

Yai reaches out and takes Phaya’s hand in his. It’s callused and warm and yet, it doesn’t really feel alive. Still, he squeezes it tight, staring down into Phaya’s slack face, half hidden behind an oxygen mask.

“Phaya,” Yai says imploringly. “Phaya, you have to listen to me, okay? You have to hear me. You just… you have to. And you have to come back. I don’t know how, I wish I knew, I wish I could help you but I can’t. Still, you just have to.”

He swallows hard. “For Tharn. You have to come back for him. Because if you don’t… if you don’t come back, I’m afraid he won’t last. Phaya–” Yai’s voice cracks. “I’m afraid he won’t survive you dying on him. He won’t make it.” 

He takes a shaky breath. “I didn’t realize, when I pushed you two together, I didn’t realize that he would come to love you so damn much. It’s like he gave all of himself to you and there’s just nothing left over for him now that you are not here. He’s just so… empty.”

Yai gets up and leans over the bed, close to Phaya, and whispers urgently into his ear. “If you don’t make it, you stupid fool, if you don’t come back, it will kill Tharn, you hear me? It will kill him.” 

Then, raising his voice a little, Yai pushes all his pain and fear and despair into his words and snaps, “If you don’t wake the fuck up, Tharn will die!”

Nothing, for a long moment, not that Yai truly expected–

A beep. A flicker on the monitor. Something where there was nothing before.

A pause. Then another jump, a ridge and a valley, a bump in what used to be a flat plane.

It’s not much but it’s there. It’s a beginning.

And Yai cries.

#the sign #the sign the series #my fics #my the sign fics #mé

[viktorybell]

Tight Spaces

Jayce x Viktor x GN!Reader

Word Count: 3.8k (EXACTLY 3.8k I will never achieve this again.)

Warning: slightly suggestive at the end, but that’s it

Ask:  is it ok if i request some poly jayce and viktor x reader? if you dont do poly just jayce is fine =] maybe the reader is an artist and they love drawing their crush(es) but because theyre a journalist they cant normally show off their art, but while at the lab one day, the other notices their sketchbook and asks to flip through it - and reader, forgetting that its a sketchbook and not a notebook for articles, says yes. after that, everythings up to you >=]

You’ve always been good with tight spaces. It’s part of what makes you one of Piltover’s most prolific reporters. You’re willing to go places that the majority of the prim n’ proper Piltover journalists wouldn’t dare. Which is partly because you grew up in a shabby neighborhood on the edges of the Undercity and partly because you were just a damn good reporter.

Growing up in the Undercity was integral for developing your reporter skills. You didn’t have many toys or trinkets to fill your time with, so you found alternative ways for filling your afternoons as a child. Alternative ways meaning snooping. Creeping around the Lanes and finding new hiding places. Unseen and unnoticed places where you could camp out for an afternoon. Your favorite spot had been a gap in the wall behind Vander’s old bar. You’d sit there for hours, drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick while listening in on the dozens of conversations that felt infinitely more interesting than your life had at the time.

Your start in the Undercity also helped to endear you to a certain renowned inventor with similar origins. 

You were in his lab now, sketching out the shape of him and his lab partner where they’ve been hunched over a complicated set of blueprints for the last hour. This is usually how your sessions worked. With you wandering aimlessly around their lab while they bounced between assignments and answering your questions. The drawing was a more recent addition to the routine, though.

Viktor, who was from the Undercity despite the two of you having never met, was a dream to draw. For as much of a show he put on trying to scare you away during your first report, those sharp angles softened pretty quickly when he realized you didn’t startle easy. His long legs and messy hair just inspired the artist in you in a way that you hadn’t felt since you were young. It was like coming home after so long being stuck in the stuffy yet isolating atmosphere of Piltover.

Then there was Viktor’s partner, Jayce Talis. Jayce didn’t feel familiar like his counterpart, but was intriguing and alluring all the same. Where Viktor’s shape took form in sharp, wispy lines, Jayce’s were sturdy and bold. He was comforting and bright, like sunshine after a storm. And wasn’t that the most fitting way to describe it? Jayce had been full of apologies and little jokes during the first meeting between you three. Where Viktor was a little less than welcoming, Jayce doubled down on friendly smiles and encouraging pats on the back.

Not that either of them could scare you away now. You’ve moved far past the awkward first few interviews, your questions stilted and the atmosphere tense with the distrust coming off of Viktor in waves. It was hard to keep up with how many pieces you’ve done on these two so far, you stopped counting when you ran out of fingers to count them on.

Somewhere between your first article on an exclusive Hexbros interview and the piece you’re currently working on talking about the environmental benefits of Hextech technology, the three of you grew close. Viktor was comfortable, like sepia memories drenched in nostalgia. He was a man from the Undercity through and through, tough and resilient despite all the odds. Then there was Jayce, who was his opposite in every way besides how much he cares. He hadn’t needed more than a day to win your favor, it was like he always knew what to say to you. It did things to your brain. Hence why you’re sitting on the couch in their lab and scribbling down their likeness instead of pestering them for answers like you should.

“It’s been an hour and I’ve answered maybe a question and a half for this piece. Should I come back when you two come back down from outer space?” You call out just loud enough for them to hear as you put the finishing touches on your sketch.

“Sure, let me put a pin in our progress on life-saving, world-changing, investigative technology for your silly newspaper questions,” Viktor hums sarcastically, rummaging through his desk drawer for something. To his right, Jayce’s stomach growls loudly.

“Maybe a break wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Jayce grins sheepishly at you while you’re holding back a laugh. “Science can wait for lunch time, right?”

“How quickly you abandon our team when your stomach’s involved,” Viktor comments while moving over to rummage through Jayce’s desk now.

“Hey! I’m not abandoning anybody, ok?” Jayce scoffs, folding his arms defensively. “And besides, Y/N’s a part of the team too at this point.”

“For putting up with your never-ending appetite?” Viktor grins slyly at Jayce.

“I was thinking more for putting up with your attitude, but…” Jayce has to quickly dodge the balled up paper that Viktor beams at his head. It does nothing to dampen the goofy smile that’s burning your eyes from the sheer warmth and fond exasperation it exudes. “Hey! Stop screwing with my stuff!”

“I wouldn’t have to screw with your stuff if you just kept the lab tidy.”

“You’re messier than I am!”

“You cannot prove that.”

“You wanna bet?”

“Girls, girls! You’re both equally as disgusting as the other! Can we stop arguing now?” You groan, shutting your sketchbook and setting it on top of an identical notebook. Identical except for the paper inside that was lined instead of blank. You tried to keep your reporter’s notes and questions separate from the drawings you did as a hobby. Especially when your hobby mostly consisted of drawing the two other men in the room. “What’re you looking for, Viktor?

“My toolkit. The one I use for detailing,” Viktor huffs, knocking the desk drawer he’d been digging through shut. Both you and Jayce could tell in the tense line of his shoulders that he was actually getting frustrated now.

“Do you remember where you put it last?” Jayce asks, his voice softer as he steps closer to Viktor. You don’t think either of them even notice, but as Jayce moves in, Viktor unconsciously sways towards him. For as much as they bicker like an old married couple, they care deeply for each other.

Maybe it was your reporter’s habit of looking into things too much and drawing conclusions, but you’d thought the two were an item. FOR MONTHS. It’d been earth shatteringly awkward when you called Jayce ‘Viktor’s boyfriend’ in front of them and they had instantly stopped their playful arguing to stare at you, jaws dropped. You’d stopped talking outloud about the conclusions you drew from their behavior since then. For your sanity.

Which was probably for the best seeing as, despite their insistence that they were just friends, the two had obvious feelings for each other. It was clear in the way they spoke to each other, understood the other’s eccentricities and adored them for it. You got the feeling that the two didn’t get to fully be themselves often, making it that much more of a privilege that you can sit on their couch and be a part of it, no matter how minor. There was a sick jealous part of you that squeezed in on itself as you watched Jayce rest a hand on the side of Viktor’s arm. You weren’t sure who you’d rather be in that moment, as Jayce leaned in just that much closer, lowering his voice until it was soft enough only the two could hear it.

Notebook. Yes. Reporting. Mhm, yep. You were here to write a report about Hextech. You should probably stop gawking at the two and actually do what you’re paid to do.

Tearing your gaze away, trying to ignore the pit of longing in your gut and give the boys some privacy, you absently reach for your notebooks and pens and they topple to the floor. You roll your eyes as your favorite color pen rolls under the lab’s couch.

Figures.

Getting on your hands and knees, you stack your notebooks and set them back on the coffee table. Then the hard part. You try and slip your arm under the small gap between the couch and the floor. It’s dusty and you try not to think about what you’re touching until you grab something decidedly un-penlike. Wondering what sort of horrific artifact you’ll find under the couch that has clearly never been cleaned under, you’re surprised to pull out the missing toolbox.

“Good find, Y/N!” Jayce cheers, making you jump where you were still kneeling in front of the couch. Turning to look, you find both men staring at you. You hadn’t even realized they stopped talking to watch you fighting for your life trying to find your pen. Aw, damn. Your pen…that thing’s gone forever now.

“Go figure, looking for my pen and I found your toolkit,” You chuckle goodnaturedly as you stand up from the floor, dusting yourself off.

“Our little lab good luck charm strikes again, however can we repay you?” Viktor teases, him and Jayce headed over to your side of the room now. Whatever Jayce had said to him certainly seemed to put him at ease, your face going red as you played Viktor’s words over and over in your mind. You could think of a couple ways he could repay you. Shit, focus, they’re both staring expectantly.

“You can repay me by getting some actual work done while I grab us lunch,” You make a big show of rolling your eyes as you hand over the box. Viktor gasps in mock offense while Jayce makes puppy dog eyes at you.

“Aw, you’re leaving us?” Jayce whines. “But I didn’t even get to read through your notes yet!”

“There’s not even notes to look through yet, we haven’t gotten anything done this last hour,” You point out. Jayce sighs dramatically, his big, sad eyes still staring pathetically back at you. Incapable of resisting, you grab a book off the table and shove it into his chest. “Here, you big baby. You can look through my old notes while I grab you ungrateful wretches some food.”

Jayce flutters his eyelashes and hugs the book to his chest, “Awww, you always know just the things to say!”

Viktor glares over at Jayce, “What? That’s not fair, what am I supposed to read?” Your heart nearly leaps out of your chest as you watch Viktor swipe the other book off the table.  

Drawing Viktor and Jayce in the lab wasn’t just a random thing you decided to do today. Your sketch book was almost entirely filled with different sketches of the men from almost every time you visited the lab for the last six months. If either of them looked through your sketch book you’d probably have to quit your job, move countries, and then completely change your identity so nobody will ever know you’re the poor schmuck falling for the brightest minds in Piltover.

“Not that one!” You yelped, quickly trying to snatch the notebook back from Viktor. Unfortunately, Viktor shoots his arm out of reach lightning fast, filling you with dread. Both men look at you in shock. Which quickly gave way into the most devious smirks you’ve ever seen.

“Why? What’s in here that you don’t want us to see, hm?” Viktor practically purrs, half lidded eyes making you stutter over your words.

“What? Nothing! Give it back!” Making another grab for it, this time Jayce swipes it from Viktor and lifts it high up above his head. You could kill him.

“Hmmmm, I dunno, Viktor. Sounds like there’s something pretty important in here,” Jayce has his free hand on his hip, carrying on a casual conversation with his partner as you jump up and down. You’re getting nowhere with snatching your notebook back. “Maybe we should keep it safe while our darling reporter gets lunch?”

“Oh how kind, Jayce! You wouldn’t mind, would you, doll?” Viktor hums at you. He’s not hiding his amusement at your struggle at all as Jayce chuckles and wiggles the book out of your reach.

Your face is burning from the energy you’re wasting trying to jump as high as you can and also because maybe you’re a little flustered. You’d almost missed the pet names the two had given you. Almost. It wasn’t helping out with your situation at all, though. Focus, time to think of a different tactic.

Neither inventor was prepared for you to take a running start and leap onto Jayce.

“Woah!” Jayce borderline squeaks as he immediately lets go of both books to wrap his arms around you. His big, strong arms that are built with muscle from all the time he spends in the forge. Big, strong arms that are wrapped around your waist to stop you from slipping where you're hanging from his shoulders. You almost don’t even notice that he dropped your books, too caught up in the sheer heat radiating off of him. “Are you ok??”

This hadn’t been your plan.

Originally, you had planned to just climb him until you reached the book, but now with your notebook free and one of the two most handsome men at the academy holding you tight…could you really call it a failed plan?

Right. Jayce asked you a question. And he was staring at you in shock. Viktor was doing the same. OK, yeah, time to be normal. You could do that…right?

After untangling yourself from Jayce’s arms and hopping to the ground, you snatch up your notebook and give the boys a sheepish smile.

“Oh geez, no idea what came over me, guys! Probably just hangry, I’ll go grab that lunch now, enjoy the old notes!” You manage to just duck out of the room as both scientists open their mouths to say something. The bang of the lab door slamming shut has never sounded so sweet before.

It’s a herculean task to not replay that awkward interaction over and over in your head. Feeling tortured as it plays through again and again in your mind’s eye, but it almost feels worse when you try to think of anything else.

You shake yourself mentally as you stand in line at the academy’s dining hall. Yes, you’re the world’s most socially inept reporter. BUT at least you grabbed your book and prevented the world from ending via your stupid crush drawings being exposed to said crushes. Flipping to a random page in your book, you nearly drop it when you open to lined paper and a paragraph detailing the top ten most unconventional uses for Hextech.

The book slams shut, your shaking hands doing so on impulse. Quickly you tear the book open to another page, maybe you were seeing things. It’s an interview on Viktor’s work ethic. Another page. A think piece on Jayce’s past and how it led to where he’s at today. Another page and another and another.

You grabbed the wrong book.

From behind you a student clears their throat, asking if you were gonna move up. The dining hall continued to slowly shuffle forward like your entire world didn’t just stop. On autopilot, you stumble to close the gap in the line, muttering some half-assed apology as your mind reels.

The notebook for your reports was here, which could only mean that your sketchbook was left behind with the last two people you’d ever want it to be left with. There’s no chance in hell they aren’t flipping through it right now and laughing over how hopelessly and desperately in love you are.

To your agony, the dining hall line was steadily shortening, even as you do your best to drag your feet the entire way. You were dreading coming back to the lab.

Maybe there was a chance they had opened to a life drawing of Piltover.

Yeah! Maybe they opened to a less damning picture and decided to respect your wishes for your sketchbook to remain untouched. You were worrying over nothing. It’ll all turn out fine in the end. Probably.

—

“Did you really draw all of these yourself??” You hadn’t even been back in the lab for five seconds before Piltover’s golden boy was in your face, holding a head shot of himself that you’d done in graphite last week.

“I quit. Find a new reporter who will pick up your stupid lunches.”

“Oh, Jayce, leave them alone,” Viktor looks entirely too amused where he’s sitting with his legs crossed. Jayce is leaning against the desk to Viktor’s right and flipping excitedly through the pages. “This is obviously personal to them.”

“What? My private sketches that I never let anyone touch? No, go ahead,” You shrug your shoulders, unpacking your bag on Viktor’s other side. The knowing look in his eyes was making you twitch, so you refused to look at either of them.

“These are incredible, Y/N. Seriously, I’m floored,” Jayce gushes, passing the book over to Viktor.

You fight back the urge to throw Jayce’s lunch across the lab and sprint out, never to return. “It’s just drawings, Jayce.” You mutter through gritted teeth. This was like torture. There’s no way in hell they didn’t know you had a crush on the both of them by now.

“Don’t sell yourself short, now,” Viktor hums as he thumbs through the pages and stops at the one you did today. Through the messy bits of his hair that are constantly falling into his eyes, he looks up at you. Almost right through you, honestly. It’s like he can see through your act, the way you play unbothered when you’re nothing but a hot mess inside. His golden eyes are piercing from this close, and when he points back to the drawing, you’re almost relieved at the excuse to look anywhere else. “There’s obviously a lot of passion that goes into these, hm?”

“Stop fucking with me, Viktor,” You grit out, not even pretending to keep yourself busy with the lunches anymore. In your ears you can practically hear all the blood rushing to your head. It’s fucking with your head, you don’t know what Viktor’s up to and you just want the games to be over with. You’re so busy glaring daggers at Viktor that you don’t even notice that Jayce has shifted from his partner’s side to right behind you until he places a gentle hand on your waist.

“Fucking with you? I’ve done nothing of the sort,” Viktor hums. The corner of his mouth twitches up as you jump at Jayce’s touch, and you almost don’t hear him add, under his breath; “Not yet anyways…”

“We just wanted to thank you for all the lovely art work you’ve made of us,” Jayce’s voice comes from directly beside your ear, and you absentmindedly sway backwards. Leaning into where you can feel the heat coming off of him in waves. Good lord, does he always run this hot? You feel like you’re melting. “That ok? You gonna let us thank you?”

“I - well, I wouldn’t say no, but-” It felt like your head was spinning. Jayce was practically snug against your back at this point, Viktor smirking in front of you while watching you slowly lose composure. You try to gather yourself enough for a full sentence, “Wait, I’m sorry. I’m confused. You guys aren’t…weirded out?”

“Of course not,” Viktor assures you as he takes one of your hands and uses the desk to help push himself to his feet. “I like getting to see this side of you. For someone who spends all their time digging into other’s secrets, you aren’t very forthright.”

“Although I kind of wish you had felt comfortable enough to show us yourself. I’m sorry you grabbed the wrong notebook,” Jayce says, pressing a kiss to the top of your shoulder. An action that nearly wipes every thought from your brain clean. There’s absolutely no way this is actually happening. You’re half tempted to pinch yourself.

“I wanted to,” You blurt out, the words surprising you with how much conviction you put into them. Once they were out in the air, you found that you meant them. The words came out easier this time, “I just didn’t know how. Honestly, I just felt like an asshole for assuming you guys were a couple and didn’t want to make things awkward again.”

You can feel more than hear Jayce chuckling behind you. In response, Viktor shoots him a fond look over your shoulder. You’re more than a little bit lost when Viktor makes a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat.

“Ehh, about that.”

“What. What?? Have you two been messing with me this entire time??” You try to turn around in Jayce’s hold, catching a glimpse of his red face before he turns you right back around.

“No, no! Nothing like that!” Jayce reassures you. Huffing and leaning back into where Jayce is standing sturdy and strong behind you, you raise an expectant eyebrow at Viktor. “We really were just friends when you asked if we were dating.”

“It’s just your little comment made the both of us realize we wanted something more than that,” Viktor is staring into your eyes again, although the golden hue’s less piercing this time. His eyes are full of intensity, but less like an interrogation this time and a bit more smug. Like everything was falling into place exactly how he wanted it to.

It took a large amount of restraint to hold back from yelling out a triumphant ‘I KNEW IT!!!’ Instead, you settled on “Oh? And where do I fit into all of this?”

Like a cat who got the canary, Viktor’s smirk widened. Apparently that had been just the right thing to say.

“Where you’ve been fitting in this entire time, my dear,” Viktor purrs, almost closing the gap between you two as he places his hand on your waist, opposite of Jayce’s.

“Right here next to us,” Jayce finishes Viktor’s thought, and you wonder if they rehearsed this beforehand. Not that you had much time to wonder after Jayce started placing a trail of kisses along your shoulder and up the side of your neck, effectively killing any and all brain function you had left.

Your head was still spinning but in some weird way you were growing used to it around your two muses. Fortunately, you’ve been growing fond of their brand of chaos. There wasn’t anybody else in all of Piltover or the Undercity that could leave you reeling like Viktor and Jayce. It was almost suffocating, the heat being generated from where you were stuck between the two of them, but you found yourself rather enjoying the feeling.

Afterall, you’ve always been good with tight spaces.

#viktor #viktor lol #viktor x reader #viktor x male reader #viktor x gn reader #arcane #arcane x reader #lol #league of legends #lol x reader #male reader #gn!reader #this piece is so goddamn rusty #im sorry yall i havent written fanfic in over a year #mr viktor writes

[cowpokeomens]

Ayfuckingo, who’s stealing work👀👀👀 (Who thinks stealing someone’s hard ass work is fun? Wtf)

Yknow I thought abt deleting this ask and my post but I’m feeling feisty and fed up today, actually! This is not directly specifically at you anon 🫶 anyways read at your own risk lol

I’m not dropping names because I’m not a gossip blog, but I think the tendency of certain celebrated “authors” to dip into other people’s creative endeavors for their own work is gross and completely diminishes the whole point of fandoms. Like, this is supposed to be a community. Instead it’s turned into a competition that literally no one wants to be a part of where people say “oh yay, another _____ AU!” Instead of “wow, that’s awfully hyper specific and pretty flagrantly rips off of soemthing I’ve seen before?”

I think we, as members of fandom, have become soooooo wrapped up in the culture of needing to “consume content” that we disregard artistic integrity. We don’t care that the idea is stolen because we love the idea so much. I’m not talking about tropes (ie; enemies to lovers, grumpy!character x sunshine!character, fake dating) I’m talking about the actual creative thought that goes into making a fic. I understand loving someone’s creativity; I’m an artist, and I am constantly absorbing and thinking about art from other people. It’s inevitable that some ideas will trickle into your own work. But there comes a point where there is a clear difference between “inspired” and stolen.

I’m not trying to say this as some kind of writing authority - there are SO MANY talented and hardworking writers on this platform who make beautiful work leagues better than my stupid horny rambles. And like I said, I’m not naming names- the plagiarizers are fully aware of what they’re doing. But the way in which y’all treat fic is really disappointing sometimes. It’s not all about the next update, y’all. This is someone’s art. It’s not just a “good idea” in public domain for you to pluck and use in your own work as you please. It is someone’s art.

I just can’t help but feel like it circles back to a deeply ingrained need to devalue artists. If there was any respect for author’s and their work, this wouldn’t even need to be a conversation. Don’t fucking steal from people. Why do you value the work of an author so little that you feel it’s okay to take something they’ve worked incredibly hard on? Obviously you like it enough to try and pass it off as your own, so why steal at all? There’s a reblog button, you can add comments to let them know how much you love it. What are you gaining?

I’m coming from the position of an artist, not just a fic writer. This has nothing to do with my writing personally (as far as I’m aware, no one is trying to pass off my ideas as their own.) But as an artist, I cannot put into words how saddening and downright violating it is to have someone look at a thing you made, something you put your experiences and thoughts and emotions into, and think “it’s completely fine for me to take this idea and run with it.” That is insurmountably shitty.

Y’all are too damn smart to not notice. I think too highly of y’all as readers and creators to chalk it up to misunderstanding. You probably already had a fic in mind as you were reading this! I think we, as a community, really need to work on our intentionality and integrity with regards to art making. Stealing ideas is not conducive to making art or maintaining any semblance of community in fandom. Anyways this was long, I apologize for nothing, byeeeeeeeeee

[lokiinmediasideblog]

I Intentionally Start Shit in the Loki Tag

If you complain about Sylvie being "harmful queer rep" BUT want "Lady Loki" in the MCU, which was Loki possessing Sif's body just to torment Sif, I need you to sit down and shut up. a. Genderfluid people don't go by "Lady " when they're femme or women. b. If you don't see the transphobic dogwhistles in the comics possession subplot, I don't know what to tell you... But let's say that hag that wrote those crappy books would love it. c. If you weren't aware about this, maybe you should read the wiki at least before giving uninformed opinions.

I definitely agree that they should not have led people on with the promise of genderfluid rep during the promotion of the series. But get mad at Disney/Marvel for that. Not at the writers or Sophia Di Martino that had to cave in to Feige's demands. That's literally what they have to do.

I really don't give a damn about the "autogynephilia" allegations, which again, is ALSO PRESENT IN CIS WOMEN. Like why the fuck should I care about someone finding themselves hot? There's fascists out there. AGP even if it was a trans-specific thing harms no one. The only harm said to come from it is DUE TO FASCISM because it plays into RESPECTABILITY POLITICS.

If you use AI to create a "proper" Lady Loki or love interest for Loki, you can't complain about the blatant product placement in S2. I am not a fan of product placement either and won't defend it, but those are the rules. Show some integrity. And before you ask, I have not given a cent to Disney since they pissed me off with attempts to trademark Dia de los Muertos for Coco.

If you complain about how being a "Loki" is not a role (unlike Spiderman) and how it should have been all 100% Tom Hiddleston, you don't get to call it selfcest as a gotcha, because you're already differentiating between the variants with different DNA. Like do y'all hate selfcest or not? Make up your mind. The series treats a Loki as an archetype of sorts, so it can be a role. Also, having the same name does not make you related because we don't know what Sylvie's parents are? And we don't even know if Sylvie is also a Jotun, a prop claims she isn't.

If you say you want Sylvie dead but claim to not be misogynistic, because you'd love if a specific love interest from the comics or mythology replaced her, STFU. You only like those because you can project whatever the fuck you want onto them.

If you claim Sylvie is a misogynistic depiction of women but salivate over characters written by cishet white men in the 1960s-1980s that made wanting to fuck Thor or being in a monogamous marriage with Loki their entire personality (there's so MANY OF THESE), STFU. Do you hear yourself? And no, it's not misogynistic of me, a woman, to criticize offensive depictions of women by cishet white men. They're not real.

Our MCU!Loki is not the young adult Ikol reincarnation currently. Of course 20-something Verity is not going to be there! The Loki show should be praise for having multiple female cast members around the same age as the protagonist and pragmatic clothing choices that allowed SdM to nurse her baby.

Selfcest isn't real and I cry tears of boredom whenever someone clutches their pearls over it.

The comics aren't perfect. As much as I loved the recent Dan Watters run (and German Peralta's art), the comics art has some very questionable tendencies, especially regarding Loki's nose when she's femme. It's associated with how some kinds of facial features are considered masculine or feminine (and racialized). Noses have no gender, ffs! Women with nose bumps exist! For some reason Loki always has a tiny button nose when she's a woman or femme. There's also the BLATANT physiognomy that has ALWAYS PLAGUED Thor comics since their inception, and Loki's facial features as they've become more "grey" and less evil is an interesting study. Peralta's far from being the only artist with this problem, and is far from being the most problematic. For comparison from Loki (2023) run:

Loki from ye olden days:

#selfcest #mcu!loki #comics!loki #mcu!sylvie #marvel comics #loki series #physiognomy #queer rep #istartshit #hot takes

[chaifootsteps]

So, I caught sight of the ‘Jan 2024 release’ preview for Hazbin Hotel and here are a few things on my mind:

1. Amazon Prime… ugh! More money in another unscrupulous person’s pocket, aka. Bezos. I can’t be the only one who shrugs and never gets around to actually bothering with Prime to watch anything. Hazbin might actually just sit there for a few years more for me and not just because it’s on Prime. Because…

2. Is it just me, or has the quality of the animation gone down? I was impressed by the preview gif where Alastor is laughing because I loved the inclusion of the ‘mock-cel animation shadow’, but that little nod seems to have disappeared. The backgrounds in many of these scenes seem devoid of other beings, and that’s odd to say Hell is supposedly overcrowded. On top of that, the animation played a little oddly on my eyes in places - namely Charlie spinning Vaggie around and Alastor twisting to face Husk. It’s as if… the characters are off-model or something. Overall, watching it over to make sure I wasn’t going mad, it just seems like a mixed bag. But characters floating in large, unpopulated spaces really bugs me.

3. There’s a scene that really killed my eyes, and it’s towards the end where all the overlords are in a board meeting. We see Rosie, Alastor and some of the overlords from the pilot; including Carmine, the two women who collect angelic weapons, and the lizard lady from the bar (where the lizard guy says “Is this chick for real? She thinks, she thinks! Ha ha! She’s nuts.”), likely talking about getting more angelic weapons as there’s an anti-angel/extermination message on the board. The character designs in this scene are just so. Damn. Bad! I am getting major emo DeviantART in the early 2010’s vibes, and sparkle dog furry attacks, because every single one of them looks like an eye-sore OC that a teenage artist comes up with early in their artistic journey.

And then there are the voices from the leaks. I wish, so damn hard, that they were just placeholder voices, but why would you risk animating to the timing of a different recording? If Alastor and Lucifer sound that bland, something has died since the pilot. Probably quality… again.

At this point, I just think that Vivziepop is in her ‘peak period’ where she’s just lording over what she thinks is her having ‘made it’. But I swear, the way things are looking, it’s just downhill for her from here. The integrity is gone!

x Taxidermy Anon

That's really it at the end of the day...the integrity is gone, and maybe it was never really there at all.

The show we all loved wasn't the animation quality or even the story, but the end result of a lot of smaller artists and voice actors and even fan-animators bringing Hunicast scenes to life. It was the love that was there. Take all that away and you've just got Vivzie, a petty, cruel little person with a lot of money and rich grandparents who know people.

It won't last forever. It's just a question of when and how, and whether that downhill slide is something that's just started or something we're in the middle of.

#Anonymous #vivziepop critical #hazbin hotel critical #critical #actual blog post #taxidermy anon

[prismatoxic]

For the fandom asks: 4, 7 for chllchuck, 24 for mithrun!

4. Is there a popular pairing you don't necessarily dislike but aren't too invested in?

chilshi 😔 it does nothing for me. some of the art is really good but i just have a complete lack of interest in the dynamic. i guess it's too mild? i need some spice

7. Is there a piece of clothing you think [character] is particularly fond of/that you imagine them wearing a lot or like to draw them in?

well, we all know he's fond of the neckwarmer... i guess i'm more interested in talking about what i like him in. there's two things: those collared shirts he has open really far...

and for less canon outfits, skintight black turtleneck with cuffs that cover part of his hands.

i actually got the idea for this from some smut pogocats drew (poipiku link), but since then i've seen other artists do it too. i'm nuts about it.

24. What's your favourite thing about [character]?

GODDDD WHERE TO START...

i guess, above all, my favorite thing about mithrun is that he's deeply traumatized--both physically and mentally--and this disables him greatly, yet doesn't at all diminish his role in the story, or make him a less compelling character. he's not helpless, but he does need help. he's a badass, but he's struggling. he will need a caretaker for the rest of his life, but he will live, and he will find the desire to keep living. he's the best disability rep i've ever fucking seen and that post about him having a traumatic brain injury lives rent free in my head.

like... kui struck such a perfect balance between a character who is very disabled but is also an active, important, integral part of the story. he's not inspiration porn nor is he a burdensome accessory to the narrative (and i wouldn't expect either of those from kui anyway, her writing is too damn good). he's just a fucking person and he's hurting and you see him hurting but he will make it through. he will never be the same as he was before he got hurt, but he will make it.

#tox answers

[clara-maybe-ontheroad]

Only Friends's MBTI types - my guesses after episode 1

Let's associate one of my newest obsessions with one of my long lasting ones and guess our favorite group of messy queers' MBTI types ! Yes, all of Mew, Top, Ray, Sand, Boston, Nick and Chueam. I've done a lot of that at parties so I think I might be either good or terrible or average at it, I'm hedging my bets and promising nothing.

(btw I'm very aware of the problematic origins of the MBTI test, the ways it is often misused and how unscientific it is, please let me just have dumb fun okay ! Also I won't really explain that much what each letters actually mean bc it's more fun that way)

Anyway, going to rank the characters from the types I found the easiest to figure out to the hardest, this is after the first episode only so hopefully the next ones don't prove me wrong too much :

1. Boston : ESTP "The Entrepreneur"

E for extraverted, S for all the ssssensations, T 'cause he knows to hide what he thinks, P because that's what he's thinking with

Seriously though, ESTPs "tend to be energetic and action-oriented, deftly navigating whatever is in front of them. They love uncovering life’s opportunities, whether socializing with others or in more personal pursuits." They're unpredictable, always looking for the next thrill, charismatic, charming, quick-witted. They're also smarter than they look, can be calculating and rational, and use some of that cold logic to disregard people that don't suit them anymore to look for the next best thing. They're also the sluttiest type according to this Reddit thread I absolutely agree with.

Come on, don't tell me that's not Boston to a T !

Alternative typing : ESFP - but I think there's something less spontaneous and more calculating behind Boston's urges.

2. Sand : ISTJ "Logistician"

I for introverted because he's clearly tired of everyone, S for stubborn, T for those ethics, J for judgmental all day every day

ISTJ "pride themselves on their integrity. People with this personality type mean what they say, and when they commit to doing something, they make sure to follow through." They're hardworking strong willed and dutiful to a fault, honest to the point of lacking tact and hurting people, they're the type to care about people but also about order and about things being done "the right way", so they're kinda hard to befriend (and they don't necessarily want to be your friend anyway) but they make for extremely devoted partners. They value stability above all so they don't appear like the most sexually focused people but they reeeallly care about leaving their partner satisfied.

This type doesn't really do hook ups and I'm looking forward to how Sand is going to handle a FWB type relationship with Ray

Alternative typing : ISTP. I feel like a happy Sand with less money troubles could be an ISTP, able to express his artistic side and creativity, spontaneous, able to adapt, just still reserved. But the Sand we're shown so far is more rigid and less prone to risky behaviors than an ISTP would be.

3. Ray : INFP "Mediator"

Okay so this might be a controversial one, but listen, I know my depressed horny but pining romantics INFPs by heart, I love them to pieces, they're full of contradictions and I really see Ray as one of them.

Generally speaking, INFP are depicted as "quiet, open-minded, and imaginative", but most importantly and more essential to their nature, they live in a world of their own imagination. They're somewhat eccentric, witty, often have quite a few friends but always perceive themselves to be lonely, longing for a deep transcending connection that they don't actually try to get in real life because their self esteem is too low. They're smart but easily distracted and unfocused, passionnate and vulnerable but also self critical and desperate to please, empathetic and selfish, and just so damn depressed.

Alternative typing : ENFP / ISFP. Some people might say that Ray's adventurous and flirtatious side make him an ENFP or an ISFP, and I don't fully disagree : his apparent sluttiness is not very typical of an INFP. But ! it seems like his sluttiness is a coping mechanism to deal with his unreciprocated crush and low self worth, as is his alcoholism, and that sounds very INFP to me.

4. Top : ENTP "Debater"

We're getting into character I'm actually having doubts about, but I still think Top is an ENTP : E for extremely forward and extroverted, N for never backing down from a challenge, T for titillating and quick thinker, P for Popular for his P... sorry

No but really, ENTP are known to be direct, intelligent, charismatic and to "pursue their goals vigorously despite any resistance they might encounter". There, we've said it, do I need to further convince you about Top being an ENTP ? Yes ? Okay weird but sure.

ENTPs love to be surprised, they welcome unexpected situations as exciting challenges, which I find very close to Top's approach to Mew. It also means that Top's and Boston's type are very close (ENTP vs ESTP) which makes a lot of sense to me, with some fundamental differences being that an ENTP (Top) will focus on the big concept and long term vision while an ESTP (Boston) is both observant to small details and easily distracted ; an ENTP communicates more easily in a round about manner (ie Top's way of collecting information about Mew) while an ESTP is more literal and "often gives exact examples of events that have occurred in the past" (ie Boston's approach of Top at the bar and later in the bathroom)

Alternative typing : ENTJ - Maybe the differences between Top and Boston actually go deeper than that. ENTJs are considered the most natural leaders, loving being in charge, charismatic and intelligent. So it could also fit Top, but I'm choosing to believe based on what we've seen so far that Top is more adaptable and spontaneous (ENTP) than organized and consistent (ENTJ). Not 100% sure though.

5. Nick : ISFP "Adventurer"

Okay so we don't actually know Nick that well yet. He doesn't seem the most extroverted and can even be a bit shy when surprised, but is still fairly audacious and has an air of enthusiasm about him, so I think he is ISFP : I for introverted on first glance, S for slitherin in those nudes, F for falling head over heels for Boston, P for putting himself out there

ISFPs tend to be warm and creative people, the good friends who are always up for trying new things but would never pressure you. They're sensitive, passionate, curious, open minded but also easily stressed and often underestimate themselves. In romantic relationships, they tend to give all their focus to their partner's needs and forget themselves a bit ; they need excitement and adventure, but they're also very loyal, caring, they go with the flow of what their partner wants. They need a partner to show love through their actions ... Yeah we'll see how that goes with Boston !

Talking about ISFP-ESTP relationships (Nick-Boston) : ISFP tend to be drawn to ESTP and their energy but also find them to be jerks are hard to settle down with, with many users on different Reddit threads describing a very push-pull dynamic. Ah, how surprising

(Btw, if you want a post about what the MBTI types of all these characters say about their relationships and what I'd predict based on that, let me know haha)

Alternative typing : INFP - Ya know, for those hopeless romantics vibes ! But Nick seems too forward and go with the flow to me to be an INFP (see INFP Ray who's actually a lot more slow build in his relationships with both Mew and Sand, though maybe not that slow, just by the show's standards lol)

6. Chueam : ESFP "Entertainer"

Okay I'm actually struggling with Chueam but I think my verdict for now is ESFP, which gives her at least two letters in common with every one on this list except Sand (edit : and Mew surprisingly), and I think it makes sense because she does appear to understand everyone else in the group while being the life of the party. ESFP in her case would stand for Extroverted Sensation Focused Partier - yes these acronyms are getting worse, sorry.

Really though, ESFPs are described as the type to "break out spontaneously into song and dance" : they live life to the fullest, always excited to embrace new experiences. They're bold and a bit messy sometimes, they're easily bored, but they're also sweet, friendly, observant and have great people's skills. They're popular but conflict averse and don't like to think too much about the future which certainly gives them some blind spots. To me, it sounds like a great summary of how Chueam seems charming, super fun to be around, caring for her friends but also a bit too focused on pleasure to the point of ignoring red flags (*coughs* Top)

Alternative typing : ESFJ - Chueam's optimistic vibes and how people oriented she is in a way that is certainly a bit chaotic but not actually messy gives me the impression that she could also be an ESFJ (if we think she's a bit more organized and good at planning)

7. Mew : INFJ "Advocate"

Surprise, surprise, the guy who is arguably our main character is the hardest one for me to type. I think that it might be because since he's the narrator of his own story, he's unreliable about everyone obviously, but probably even more unreliable when it comes to himself.

What do we truly know about Mew ? He likes his friends but is more introverted, doesn't mind going out but avoids drinking so he can stay in control. He likes books because they allow him to explore the world without actually venturing too much outside of his comfort zone ; he's a bit of a romantic but also pragmatic about his own emotions ; his life has a routine and an organization that he finds grounding.

So that means Mew is definitely an I for introverted bean, F for Focused on his Feelings, and J for Judgment and Just doing things the proper way. I'm also going to assume that he's more focused on the bigger picture and conceptual ideas - meaning he's going to think he's smarter than he is and ignore some details and find that out the hard way - and while he likes pleasing people, he has no issues stating his boundaries - as seen after he invites Top in his apartment. All of this gives us an INFJ.

INFJ are described as deeply thoughtful and with very rich inner lives, they're usually considered pretty rare, and are very aware of how unique they are, often making it part of their "branding", a core element to how they think of themselves. They're all about self perception, self awareness ; they're highly observant and good at analyzing other people, empathetic and caring, they give good advice to the point of appearing almost psychic but are actually quite self centered because they're so focused on achieving perfection and avoiding being ordinary. They are truly very smart and charismatic in an understated way, but they can also look down on others as shallow and have a bit of main character syndrome. See also @heretherebedork's post on Mew's potential as a manipulative virgin demon that I very much agree with.

Now, it might sound harsh, but I think that describes Mew quite well. I might be projecting a bit though (I may or may not be an INFJ myself, oops), but I truly think that my feeling of both liking Mew a lot as a character and fundamentally wanting to punch him in the face might be due to us being the same type lol

Alternative typing : ISFJ / INTJ - The preference of Mew for things to be done a certain way could extend to a resistance to change and an attachment to a sense of higher duty, making him a bit more of an ISFJ. But also, if he's actually less focused on his emotions and a lot more calculating and guided by his pure logic, he might be more of an INTJ.

So yeah, that's it, I spent way too much time thinking about this. Any opinions and comments are VERY WELCOME, please let me know how wrong I am haha and we can improve this together !

Now I'm going to not so patiently wait for episode 2 to be released lol

#only friends the series #ofts #sandray #mewtop #bostonnick #thai bl #bl shows #mbti #mbti types as #current watchlist #character analysis #analysis is a big word for what is truly shitposting #ao3 #only friends meta #forcebook #firstkhao #neomark

[i-bring-crack]

What are your headcannons about solo leveling characters?

Damn I have too many! Will probably condense it or just make it a series at one point, maybe after the anime and the game drops so I have ALL the info MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA—

Anyways:

And sorry for the late post.

Sung Jin-Woo

He always like to play games, referenced by the fact that he would often go to game cafes with his sister and even in the next timeline he would do those kinds of things too.

Pretty sure he also like to speed run things rather than focus on the lore of the game, so maybe he like first person shooter games or arcade like games.

He loves to cook because it takes his mind off the hunting job.

Cooking was probably one of the only hobbies he had after his mother fell to the eternal slumber.

He tended to work 3 kinds of jobs before he reawakened (in the game's dossiers he said he worked for a moving company of sorts, and also other kinds of part time jobs, so this is like half head half canon)

In the dossiers he also seemed to have a vision of his dad. I like to think that the moment his father met the Rulers, he asked them to give them some of their powers to let his son be awakened and be strong enough to pull himself through what ever crisis they be going through.

That or maybe Il Hwan actually had the power of a ruler to the point where he could grant an awakening to others.

I like to think he always cuddled with his sister after he finished each raid, like just to make him feel safe and happy to have come back alive.

He likely also had a huge fight with Jin-Ah before going to his first raid, it was so bad that he couldn't even focus as much on the raid at all and it's the main reason why he got lost in the first gate he entered.

He can't love other people past the ones he already knew in the other timeline and had gotten close to him.

I think that time when they really destroyed his human heart, they also might have literally destroyed his human side as well.

He does still love people, but I don't think he might be capable of finding more love than the one he already has.

Which is why Jin-Woo decided to keep Hae-In as his wife since it was the only romantic love of his past life.

And his closest friend like Yoo Jin-Ho is the one he decided to bring into the family since he couldn't really feel capable of letting other people inside his circle of love.

Others like Woo Jin-Chul and Lee Ju-Hee were probably still on his mind but he didn't try to get them close, which probably meant the Ashborn inside of him didn't know whenever Jin-Woo really loved them enough to integrate them into his family or just let them go.

Which is why he also didn't push Woo Jin-Chul out when he recalled all of his memories.

Like I really love to think about the implication that Human Jin-Woo no longer exists, just Ashborn with the memories of Jin-Woo and vice-versa.

Yet due to the constant battle in the dimensions I think the human side has faded almost completely and now Jin-Woo is empty of what he once used to feel.

(Also, did you know that the whole 'Jin-Woo slowly looses emotions' was actually a manwha only adaptation? Yeah I didn't expect that shit to come at me while I was looking back at the light novel)

E rank Jin-Woo was likely also jacked. I mean we see it in the side stories with Antares, but I didn't think it was THAT kind of jacked, rather more of a has a good physique but it doesn't show as much.

He taught Suho how to draw

He is probably a horrible artist (meanwhile his son is getting an art degree lmao)

(Another fun fact: Chu-gong creator of the Solo Leveling light novel actually has the same degree as Suho)

He likes scifi shows and movies, especially horror scifi.

Cha Hae-In

She likes to jump a lot, when she is happy she tends to jump her feet up a little.

She doesnt like to stay in one place and tends to move around.

She probably has like one extroverted friend in her track and field club that lets her feel at home in the club.

She is horrible at baking and not a picky person at all

There was at one point were i did think she was probably an orphan, which i do have a lot of headcanons about that idea too. I mean it probably came from the fact that we know nothing about her family, like not even the tiniest bits of her taste too, what she likes what she doesnt. And she is like one of the most important characters 😭🤌. I mean she doesnt have to be an entire wikipedia but like, at least something girl.

So I tended to think she was an orphan or homeless for a lot of the time. And this will get even more farstreched as i got a bit more into ~fanon~ headcanon. I wont put itnall but you know, just some bits

She did have parents at one point but her mother left, meanwhile her father almost never appeared in her life, she couldnt even their faces at times.

When there was a loud crash at her home she would often hide and wish she could run away from things, or at least fight back. (Got that headcanon due to the CJI dossiers saying that their powers come from their greatest fears)

She one day looked for a way to escape and just, ran.

It made her feel alive and as though she finally got a fresh breath of air. Now everytime after school she ran as far as she could and came back late in the night so that she wouldnt have to deal with anything at the orphanage or with her new, again, foster parents.

Then there was a time she got caught running on video, and it eventually went viral. Since the orphanage didnt want to deal with her escapes anymore, they put her on a new school to compete with the other athletes.

The training was horrible but she managed and eventually she wanted to be better than everyone else. The fact that for once she felt free from everything as she ran made her more emotions and adrenaline ghan everything in the world. So she kept running and running until one day she was unable.

At school it was hard for her to have friends since either they wanted fame or she never actually felt any connections with any of them, she couldnt even understand most of their problems at face value, it made her field so lonely for years that she rather decided to focus on her studies.

I wouldnt guess she would be bullied, but more of just ignored, completely.

Once she started to recuperate she wanted to go back to running but she couldnt win from before.

This is pre rewind so most of her life felt lonely, post rewind she definetly had her first friend and a better life (cough JinWoo) but pre rewind it felt like she had nothing and stuck herself to almost never talking. Maybe she would have a friend or two but she also moved schools due to the foster parents not liking a kid that ran away, literally, everytime she had problem or a fight.

Um sadness aside

She likes candy and ice cream

She hates bad smells due to her good sense of smell.

She also doesnt like strong perfume scents.

Hae-In grew up to me more matured mentally due to all the things in her life, but she still kept her moral compass as much as she could, mostly because she didnt want to deal with more problems in her life.

She likes bigger clothing, big sweaters, kimono pants, especially those who have big pockets.

Her ringtone is a cute pop song (like Omae Wa Mou(deadman), Dandelions(Ruth B) or Crush(tessa violet) lmao idk why i have this headcanon

She accidentaly cut her hair too short one time and decided to just go with short hair so that no one would notice.

Imma stop or she is gonna go through an angst arc bc of me

Woo Jin-Chul

He doesnt like coffee at all lmao, not even energy drinks, but he deals with the taste bc there isnt a lot of good drinks out there that can getvhis energy up in the mornings.

He has a sweet tooth too. And a spicy (tooth?) Taste bc his mother always did kimchi since he was young.

He likes thriller movies ever since he was young, he also liked to dig himself in data about crimes and murders.

His mother was a huge part of his life, the father somewhat too but his mother often took a big role in his moral compass and the way he looked back at things.

His father was a police officer.

He had a good life, the best from all of them, all things considered.

His innocence though... well he had been exposed to a lot of crime and violence since he liked to watch the news (his Tv didnt have a lot for him to watch and he didnt have any devices growing up bc his mother thought it was a bad idea to get him one so young)

(She was right, this man is now twice as workaholic)

He likes coffee shops due to the aroma and the sense of relaxation.

The people at the nearest cafe to the asossiation know his name.

He tends to be really strict with others but at the same time do other people's work.

Post rewind he had a diary of all the Evans that happened in the story, and I mean ALL the events from the start of the monarchs to Jin-Woo's eventually saving the earth.

He likely was always making theories and trying to find out more about this vague world due to all the information Jin-Woo gave him.

I think he would also like to invent some materials in the mean time. Those that use magic crystals or other kinds of magic to enhance people's lives or amplify their power

Lee Ju-Hee

Girl has a good memory of literally everyone she comes across

Ju-Hee would often confuse Jin-Woo because of her Busan dialect

Ju-Hee wasn't scared of the blood itself, she was actually quite fine seeing those kinds of thing.

What she was scared about was dying In a brutal way.

She would often step back and let the others handle on raids

Her fears kindo of passed away every time she was with E rank Jin-Woo, since if he could survive so many harsh things so could her

She didn't like him at first too but I think she then became his first and only friend throughout those four years of his life.

She liked to exchange things about her family but the other didn't say anything.

Yoo Jin-Ho

He hated being called a chaebol, kinda like a silver spoon child in our lingo, nepo baby, stuff like that so he often tried to hide his wealth

But at the same time it was very obvious.

And he suffered a bit of lack of friendship because of that.

He tried to get friends and they would all try to get him for his money or his fame

It was hard, he really just wanted simple things in life.

He even got his driver's license, some part time jobs and went to public schools because he wanted to experience a more casual life.

Since I think he would have felt really lonely inside his home where his father praised his two oldest sons but not him as much.

Sung Jin-Ah

Jin Ah is very greedy when it comes to everything honestly.

If she wants it, she would likely get it, but not out of someone's help rather her own accord.

For example she would have an interest focus on video games because she wanted to beat her brother all the time in the cafes.

And she would have an intense focus on medicine because she wanted to give her mother a chance to come back again

I think she even studied a lot of magic apart from medicine due to the new gates coming out of nowhere

Once her mother woke up she didn't stop though but she did go back to playing video games

And she noticed a few patterns withing those things that kinda looked the same as the monsters that invaded this world.

But she couldn't tell anything about that because all the sudden she lost all of her memories.

Although post rewind it would have been fun to see Jin Ah studying up on the lore of the monsters and making new medicine from the medical and magic knowledge beforehand.

Oh she is absolutely a fan of Kpop bands.

She has a poster of them. That's canon.

Choi Jong-In

He was once saved from a burning building by Yoon Ho, thus exposing him to his first gay panic when Yoon Ho introduced himself.

He likes spicy foods and warm meals

Yes even in summer

He has a very bad distance vision which is why he always tries to wear glasses even when he is fighting.

He doesn't like eating too much (part of childhood I will not explain now)

He likes to eat some lolipops to deal with his smoking addiction.

He had a white tiguer plush animal that he was fond of during his childhood, it was destroyed in a fire when he turned 15.

He wanted to make Hae-In fit in with the rest of the hunters so he gave her a modified handkerchief that covered the smell of mana.

He often learned how to sew because Hae-In was really reckless with her suit at first.

He and Hae-In have a lot of disputes of the money spent on the guild because Hae-In thinks the way he pays S ranks is too much whereas he thinks it's only acceptable to get this much due to their work.

He won't admit it but He sees Hae-In as a little sister. He will even look out for her image and stop a lot of rumors going around. Although Hae-In is too embarrassed and says he wants him to stop.

He still goes on to validate her efforts in the guild and everyone that he works under.

He absolutely has a side shift on inventing gigs to help enhance the powers of a person

You see those headgear Hae-In has? He invented it to attract more beasts to her surroundings.

He made some modified rings for him to enhance his fire resistance too.

Baek Yoon-Ho

He bought one ring from the White Tiguer guild, and never let go of it. No one noticed that since he always had a lot of handy rings on him.

Bro is allergic to dogs.

The first person to have laughed in his face in his tiguer form was Jong-In.

He often had a lot of help from Jong-In to establish his own guild, he always thought it was because at that time Hunter's and Reapers were in a battle of whose more powerful.

Thomas Andre

He had a lot of panics over trying to appear like a normal person that he tried to hide most of his emotions in case one of them would turn him into a monster

Pre rewind, IL Hwang had stood out in his life, he alway kept his words of encouragement with him.

He started to get a better public light after he helped rescue all of the inhabitants into Jeju before the ants tried to kill them all.

He and Eunsuk, the S rank that died in the third jeju raid, were the best of friends. He was a happy go lucky guy that also gave Yoon Ho a lot of encouragement in being a cool white tiguer who saves people!

He also had a really strong sense of Justice which is why he didn't retreat in the third raid and began to save the rest until at the end he was eaten in front of Byung-Gyu and Yoon Ho

It solidified Yoon Ho that he must never get attached to a lot of the hunters, even the S ranks. He was fine with being friends with Byung-Gyu bc he was willing to retire, but not the rest.

He started to also create a huge distance with Jong-In because of that. Jong-In didn't know why he suddenly started to act out that way which is what led to their constant fighting and bickering.

He is soft to a lot of things.

He likes puppies and kitties and gives the strays a lot of food. You can find the guildmaster just feeding kittens and dogs outside of the guild's building.

Jong-In has some blackmail material of him.

Liu Zhigang

He was born somewhere in the western region of Europe, but his family immigrated to Florida which is why he doesn't have a lot of those European traits on him.

His parents were very religious but his mother was lax about it, like she didn't care when he turned atheist.

He met Laura when they were teens.

Laura was his first friend when she brided him that she will help him with his school work and in turn she will be safe from bullying all toguether.

Thomas had a love for wrestling and sports.

Thomas liked to go fishing and often dragged Laura to those trips, as well as camping, hiking and skiing in Colorado one time.

Thomas has a collection of racing cars

Thomas goes every weekend to Norma's house to eat her cookies.

He sent a small gift (expensive and huge by everyone else's standards) to Lennart after finding out he had saved him.

Has a little sister that escaped from North Korea, she too became an S rank and is the viceguildmaster of Zhigang's guild

He tries everything to maintain his hair as long as possible.

And as pretty as possible

He was an wuxia actor before he got his awakening

He likes historical dramas

He likes to fight with a double pair of blades

He has a gigantification skill.

Shadows

Beru has a Netflix account and watches dramas with Jin Ah and post rewind with Hae In

Igris tends to haunt the libraries just to read the books in them

Igris likes math and science

Beru likes to play with the sand and make burrows for himself when he was still young and alive.

Igris was very hardworking kid when he was alive

Igris liked angels a lot and had a lot of fascination with Bellion when he got to meet him.

Kaisel cuddles Tank when it gets too warm

Kaisel is female you can't take this from me.

Kaisel acts like a huge puppy.

Bellion has sensible wings

Bellion likes to eat cookies, why? Idk.

#solo leveling #solo leveling manwha #sung jin woo #solo leveling spoilers #cha hae in #lee ju hee #woo jin chul #sung jin ah

[hopeymchope]

Do you think you can help me out? I don't understand why everyone loves Ibuki so much. I mean, I don't want to hate her, but the one thing I don't like is her music. It's been bothering me ever since I learned that she's a fan favorite, I want to know if anyone doesn't like Ibuki because of her music. I get that her popularity has to do with her jokes and fashion, but some of it feels like dark humor to me. You can read my blog for more info if you want (some of it doesn't make sense though).

I don't think anyone likes Ibuki's music aside from Hiyoko, lol. (Unless, of course, you're talking about that amazing fan recording of what "I Squeezed Out the Baby But I Have No Idea Who the Father Is" could sound like, which I would say is an absolute jam.) Just look at everyone else's reaction to it in-game! So you're definitely not alone in such an opinion; I'd be stunned to learn if ANY fans legitimately liked her in-game/in-anime music, actually. I always thought the whole POINT was that it's supposed to sound like a cacophony of garbage. But having some crap musical preferences isn't usually enough to hate OR love somebody, y'know? Whether they're real OR fictional.

(But please, y'all: If any of you legitimately love — or, like @dangan-kagura, totally hate — Ibuki for her.... eccentric musical style, I'd love to hear about that. I want to know you exist!)

But ultimately, I think Ibuki is beloved by the DR fanbase because of three main reasons:

A) Yes, she's funny and cartoonishly positive and speaks in the third person, but she also runs deeper/smarter than she usually acts. We do tend to really dig characters with layers to them that run deeper than our first superficial impression.

B) We also love someone who is relentlessly individualistic and shows no signs of caring what other people think of her. There's an admirable quality to her, particularly in how she's pursuing her music when we meet her.

C) A character with queer undertones (overtones?) is always a character that fandoms will gravitate towards.

Let me go a little more in-depth on those points.

Regarding point A: Obviously, Ibuki acts like a goofball a lot of the time, which can be endearing. But she also surprisingly pulls her weight in the class trials by catching others in lies, pressing people for answers, reporting on exactly what sounds/voices came from where at what points during Chapter 1's murder, and so on. She can be quite insightful — remember that in DR3's Despair Arc, she's the only person in Class 77-B who points out that there's something between Fuyuhiko and Peko — that they're clearly closer than they pretend to be. All of the above speaks to how lowkey observant she is, which supports how she can drop some legit wisdom, such as her mini-speech about "finding oneself" during her final FTE in Island Mode.

Regarding point B: As we gradually learn her background in-game from various conversations and FTEs, we find that she once wrote and co-performed a song with her Light Music Club that became a top-charting single. That fact combined with her incredible guitar skills helped her get scouted by Hope's Peak as the "Ultimate Musician." Even so, she ditched her club and quit pop music so she could make the heavier, harder music SHE wanted to make. And... it's not exactly being well-received, but she doesn't seem to give a damn. She left behind the easy route to praise and loads of cash so she could maintain her artistic integrity and do what she's passionate about and loves doing. That's easy to admire.

Regarding point C: At the end of Island Mode, if the player/Hajime suggests they could now be "lovers," she rejects that notion with a strong "DENIED!" Plus she talks about her heart pounding hard when she sees the other girls in their swimsuits. And there's her request for Mahiru to take picutres of Mikan in compromising positions when poor Tsumiki falls in Chapter 1. And, y'know... the infamous "Welcome to the world of girl love!" quote. All this together has made her be popularly believed to be gay or at least bi/pansexual, and characters with those kinds of hints just always get a lot of love from fans. Geeks do love their slash.

I hope this helped you understand why people are fond of her — including myself. I'd probably put her anywhere from tier 1 to tier 3 of my favorite characters, depending on the day. She's not a lock for the top level by any means, but I'm still a fan and enjoy her presence.

#danganronpa screenshots #danganronpa #ibuki mioda #asks #dr2 spoilers

[girlreviews]

Review #113: The Queen is Dead, The Smiths

Morrissey really turned out to be a disappointing and vile piece of shit, and it’s a damn shame. Went from being this quirky, pretentious, off-beat guy that you sort of tolerated because it was funny and the music was so damn good and you could let go of his holier-than-thou shit because you could never really tell if he was being totally serious, and every now and again the internet would gift you with a picture of him with a cat on his head. You were like “OH Morrissey, what are you like?!”, but over the years it got a darker and more insidious until it became abundantly clear that we weren’t dealing with some performance artist who liked to play with irony and push boundaries – we were dealing with a hateful man. The dude supports a political party that is too far right for Nigel Farage. I hand on heart did not know such a thing could exist, which is truly disturbing, but Farage himself described “For Britain” as “made up of Nazi’s and racists”. To be fair, Farage didn’t actually qualify that he thought that was a bad thing, so maybe Morrissey is still in appropriate company with that sorry excuse of a human.

Thankfully, The Smiths isn’t Morrissey, and Morrissey isn’t The Smiths. The other members have distanced themselves and made it clear that they don’t have any tolerance for anything center-right, let alone anything that flirts with fascism. One of my favorite moments in British politics is when then Prime Minister/Head Doofus David Cameron tried to be a cool dude in front of his in-bred private schoolboy cronies and said The Smiths were his favorite band. I assume he was not expecting the pure and utter humiliation of Johnny Marr, founding member and legendary guitarist of The Smiths publicly forbidding him to like The Smith’s music and instructing him to “stop saying you like it, no you don’t”. I believe I laughed for a solid 15 minutes. You can have all the power in the world (or the illusion of it), and someone can still just destroy you like that because you’re a fucking dillhole with no integrity, no spine, no chill and everybody knows it.

Anyway, we’ll get to the record and the songs in a second, but circling back to the time in life before we all had to really accept just how much of a turd Morrissey is, you know, we had this sort of whimsical Eeyore crooner type character that was pretty entertaining, truth be told. I had a friend that used to sing Happy Birthday in the style of Morrissey and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look forward to it every year. There’s a particular delight in singing along and doing your best Morrissey impression or going all in on the “aaaah!” in This Charming Man. We’re grieving that Morrissey. But he’s gone, if he was ever really here. I actually saw him at the Ryman, and there was still some semblance of the witty weirdo that we put up with. He came on stage, took his shirt off, said in his ridiculous voice, “I wuff you!” and launched right into How Soon Is Now? It was pretty great. It really was. But still, fuck that guy, he doesn’t deserve to perform at the Mother Church ever again.

So if I’m being completely honest, I think I’ve gotten to know The Smith’s haphazardly over the years not through their “true” albums. They put out a few compilations that could have fooled me into thinking they were albums (and did), and so I do not believe I ever listened to The Queen is Dead from start to finish until now. It really epitomizes what people mean when they’re like, ugh, The Smiths are so depressing. I’ve never really felt that. I always found them to feel very upbeat, despite the content being undeniably steeped in misery. I always found that very funny and assumed it was intentional. But a lot of these tracks are just straight-up downers (I Know It’s Over, Had No One Ever). It really takes me back to this time, where we had not lived in England too long. We didn’t know anyone yet, and weren’t all that settled – for those of you who have never moved across an ocean to another country, which I’ve now done twice – that shit is hard and it takes so much longer than you realize to feel like you have any sense of belonging or feeling of being home. I knew that even though I was three, because on Sunday we would just aimlessly drive around in my Dad’s company car and try and find a pub that welcomed children (that was not the cultural norm in England in the 90s), and that was even open on Sunday at all. Often we would just end up driving around the countryside or going to a hardware store. This is likely why I associate both Sundays and hardware stores with immense existential dread. I totally knew we were lonely and outcasts as a family unit. It was also so grey and rainy looking out the car window and The Smiths was often the soundtrack. Bleugh.

Bigmouth Strikes Again changes the pace and gets to that upbeat misery that I referred to earlier. A song can get you up and moving even when it suggests that “you should be bludgeoned in your bed”. When I still lived in East London, my friends and I used to frequent this very funny club night, dubbed “Feeling Gloomy”, that was entirely dedicated to dancing your ass off to miserable songs that were catchy as fuck and had a great beat. It was rife with moody 80s serious synth music, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, it was one of my favorite places to go and let it all out. It was my happiest place to be miserable.

Once, after a particularly heavy weekend, I was in my office alone, not getting a lot done because I was… Struggling. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. This wasn’t a glamorous or stable time in my life, and I did my best all told. As mentioned previously, I had some very unsympathetic and problematic upper management that imposed bans on my music habits. One of my three bosses was a half-decent human being and found my antics sort of endearing. He came in that day, and found me in a very sorry state. I was attempting to eat a banana, curled up on the floor, with There Is A Light That Never Goes Out meekly playing from my shitty laptop speakers. He laughed, shut my laptop, made me a cup of tea, and said “listen girlreviews, we’ve talked about this, you can’t listen to The Smiths when you’ve had a big weekend”. We laughed. On a separate note regarding this song. One of my closest, dearest, and oldest friends assigns this song to me, my life, and our relationship with each other:

“Take me out tonight

Oh, take me anywhere, I don't care

I don't care, I don't care

Driving in your car

I never, never want to go home

Because I haven't got one, la-di-dum

Oh, I haven't got one

And if a double-decker bus

Crashes into us

To die by your side

Is such a heavenly way to die

And if a ten-ton truck

Kills the both of us

To die by your side

Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine”

Make of that what you will. It’s complicated, deep, and beautiful. The strings that accompany these words are complicated, deep, and beautiful as well. I don’t know what it is about this song but it captures a gratitude and a melancholy. Something that is, but also cannot be. It’s very special and I cherish it. I think it’s too easy to get stuck on the morbidity of it without realizing what it’s really saying: I’m so grateful to be here with you in this car. Even in the face of certain death, you make me feel safe. You’re the home I don’t have, and I love you. What a wild thing for two people to share. How fortunate am I to know and love someone like that, and know that they know and love me like that right back.

#album review #music #music review #rolling stone top 500 #the smiths #the queen is dead #morrissey #johnny marr