#that kind of work sounds scary to me but I'm glad there are people out there who do it

[cerise-on-top]

Hi❤️

I was wondering if u could write about how you think Laswell, Rudy, Alejandro, and Valerie whould react to having a spouse who works in the funeral business (or more specifically a mortician) Thank you!! I love your stuff btw!!!

-🍒

Hello! Sure I can! Thank you for the request! In all honesty, I did not know exactly what a mortician actually does, but I tried to research it! Sorry if it isn't as accurate, I tried! And thank you for the compliment!

Alejandro, Rodolfo, Valeria and Laswell with a Mortician!S/O

Alejandro: Alejandro has a deep connection with his culture, meaning he also has a fair amount of respect for the dead. He’s not particularly religious, not Catholic and not a follower of Santa Muerte either, but he does hold certain beliefs since that’s what was ingrained into him from his parents. He has an even higher opinion of you once you tell him that you’re a mortician. You dress the dead, you embalm them, you make sure they’re well taken care of before they’re being bidden farewell to by their friends and family. That’s one of the highest honors anyone could ever achieve. He’s lost far more people than he would like to admit, but sometimes he would comfort himself knowing that you might be the one to tend to them, making sure they would be well respected and would reach the afterlife in more than just torn rags. He’s well aware you’re not the grim reaper and won’t transport the dead to the afterlife yourself. Still, he knows your job is also a rough one and that one must be talented in many fields in order to work as a mortician: You need to know how to work with finances, you likely need to have a good immune system, you need to not be squeamish around the dead, you need to have a degree, you need to agree to work during odd hours and so on. He’s well aware of all of that, but he also knows that working with the dead can take its toll on you when grieving families tell stories of their deceased ones. Alejandro will do what he can to support you, he’ll let you vent whenever you need it, be your support system in general. There’s barely any job holier than yours, so whatever it is you need, you have his full support and his full respect.

Rodolfo: In all honesty, Rodolfo would not know what exactly it is that you do. He’d have a general idea, yes, but you’d have to tell him. It’s not like you won’t ever have the opportunity to do so, though, since he’ll be more than happy to ask. How was your day today? What did you do? Anything interesting happen? He’ll listen intently and try to figure it out from there, but if he has questions he will ask them. In all honesty, he’s not the biggest fan of corpses since they’re usually a bad sign, especially on the battlefield, so he sometimes does wonder how you do it. Working with corpses every day? Touching them like it’s nothing? He can do so too, although he gets a bit queasy when he has to touch one with his bare hands. Especially one that has been dead for a while now. That’s why he has a lot of respect for you, you have a tough job but you do it well, and for that he applauds you. If you ever need some advice or just need someone to vent to, he’s more than happy to be of help. He’s really not bad at finances and it isn’t that easy to shake him anymore either, so you can tell him whatever you want. No judgment from him either. He supports you and will listen, but you might not want to go into excruciating detail about how you replace the blood with formaldehyde through the arteries. Something like that won’t leave his mind for a while, but he appreciates the honesty and another learning opportunity. He still has some ties to his culture, but not as much as Alejandro. Your job is formidable and potentially dangerous, but he won’t romanticize it. Will ask you if you’re doing well, though. Although it’s not as likely to become sick as one might think with the right equipment, he’ll always worry about you potentially catching some sickness. Would jokingly ask you whether or not you’re afraid of zombies.

Valeria: Might disguise her genuine question as a joke, but she would ask you if you also cremated people. Naturally you do, it’s part of your job. Say yes and she’d ask you how booked you are. She is serious about having you cremate some of the people she gets rid of, in all honesty. So if you ever have too much work, it’s likely because of her. Tell her to slow down and that a cremation machine can’t burn that many bodies in a day and she might listen to you, from time to time. You’ll still end up with extra work, but it won’t be as severe as before. She has a weird fascination with your job. Tell her all about it, she’ll genuinely appreciate it. You can even tell her the most disturbing things. Plus she’ll eat up the weird things as well, such as you hearing strange noises at night as you put on the makeup of a deceased woman. Will crack jokes about how it’s the dead haunting you in particular just to see your reaction. The stronger you react, the more likely she is to continue. Her favorite part of your job is the cremation, actually. Fire is nice, fire is passionate, fire leaves little trace. Isn’t above sponsoring your funeral home either, buying you a nice and powerful cremation machine to make the process go faster, gas costs and consequences be damned. While she does have a pretty good grasp of what you do, you can expect her to sometimes ask weird questions. Have you ever cremated someone alive? Do corpses stink? How long would it take for an embalmed corpse to be broken down? She doesn’t particularly worry too much about you getting sick, she knows your equipment is there to handle most of the things that might be considered dangerous, but if you ever complain about it, she’s more than happy to find more useful equipment. Not the best at listening to you vent about how rough your job is, but she tries. She’s great at finances too, so you can always go to her as well, but she doesn’t do as well with the emotional part. The people lost someone? Let them be sad for a few days, it’s got barely anything to do with you. She’s not the most empathetic towards people she doesn’t know or care about.

Laswell: She’s worked with quite a few morticians throughout her life, mainly to get a good look at a corpse and see if there are any clues left that might help her. It’s usually the job of someone who performs autopsies, I know, but sometimes you just need to do the job yourself if you want it done right. She knows fully well what you do at your job, she knows many people, after all. Although she does find it interesting that that’s the job you want to do for the rest of your life. You could be anything, yet you wish to work with the dead? It sounds a bit macabre to her, but she respects your decision. Not at all squeamish around the dead, she’s probably had to handle a few corpses herself throughout her life. Whether it was with gloves or not she’d rather not tell. Although she knows a whole lot about your job, she’ll ask you anything and everything about it either way since you seem fairly happy whenever you get to talk about it. You’re a skilled person in many regards, which she can definitely respect. If someone she knows well or likes dies, then she’ll likely refer the immediate family to you, she knows you do your job well and with lots of love. That way you can keep your job and always keep the money coming, but you’ll also never run out of anything to do anyway. If you ever find yourself in need of a good and trustworthy pastor, she can refer you to one. Laswell knows all kinds of people, plus she’s more than happy to help you out whenever you need it. She’s well aware you did your studies well to be where you are right now, so you’ve more than earned that support. But, like all the others too, she’ll also support you emotionally. Being a mortician can be draining, so she’ll listen to you whenever you need and, if it’s what you want, give you some advice. While she’s not always empathetic towards people, she can be, but most importantly, whatever helps you is good for her soul as well. She does want you to flourish in your job.

#cod #cod x reader #alejandro vargas #alejandro vargas x reader #rodolfo parra #rodolfo parra x reader #valeria garza #valeria garza x reader #kate laswell #kate laswell x reader #I've been seeing a lot more requests for mortician!readers over the past few years #must have become a fairly popular job then #I'm glad since morticians are always needed! I can respect them! #that kind of work sounds scary to me but I'm glad there are people out there who do it #morticians are so cool!

[atskiruma]

Chatty Medic

expl: after meeting and patching up Soap on a dangerous mission, simon takes an interest in your conversational personality during your service

a/n: hi, second person writing, gender-neutral reader, mw2 settings, reader is implied to be a little short, sfw, reader is mentioned to have hair, 1,855 words

When you were first approached by your sergeant about loading onto the Spec-Gru plane to assist an injury, it was definitely nerve-wracking at first. To be on board with immensely important generals, lieutenants and captains was a scary thought with how low ranking you were in the medical field. Nonetheless, you obliged and with your medic bag in hand you began to board the ship.

The first thing you saw as you descended up the stairs of the military plane was Captain Price standing at the top with a smile. You had known Price previously when he visited the medic facility and was nice enough to start a short conversation with you. His eyes grinning as he greeted you stepping onto the plane.

"It's good to see you," He spoke, "I'm sorry that this request is so short notice, if we'd known the medic we usually had was already boarded on another plane I would of already notified you."

You smiled at his kind gesture, "No problem, I'm glad to help." In response, he smiled a little more.

"Great, just follow me, he's down here." Price spoke while turning to make his way through the plane. Following him closely, you couldn't see much with his tall stature blocking the view, but nevertheless you examined what you could beside you. Being as this was your first time in such an expensive and high-class aircraft, the numerous equipment was fascinating.

Finally making it into the main compartment, Captain Price stepped out of the way to give you view of the problem. 11 people sat on each side of the plane while 1 laid in the middle on a stretcher. A couple of the members looked towards the 2 people entering and the eye-contact made you a little nervous.

"Sergeant Soap, or Johnny, was hit by a bullet near his torso." Price said as you watched Johnny lift a weak hand in the air comically. You nodded at his words and walked towards Soap laying on the stretcher. A couple more eyes followed your movement but you kept yours set straight.

"Hello Johnny, how are you?" You spoke softly as you set your bag down and began to put gloves on for the procedure. He smiled up at you and spoke, "Doing well, until now, you?"

Smiling at his little joke, you spoke, "Fine, until now, but once we get you all fixed I'll be feeling a lot better." Giving him a soft smile before turning to adjust your tools. Soap also smiled bigger when you spoke such kind words to him.

As you began fixing up his wound and cleaning the blood, conversation began to start between the two of you. Although it wasn't common in the medical field, you enjoyed talking to whomever you were helping.

"You're quite talkative for a medic." Johnny stated as you were threading the sutures in his stomach. Without looking away at your work, you spoke, "Well wouldn't you wanna get to know the person digging into your skin right now?" He blinked a bit at your words before laughing, "You're not wrong!" Little did you know a second pair of eyes was peering in on this conversation as you were having it.

This calm atmosphere continued until you were finished and the plane had finally reached it's destination at the Army Facility. While most of the members in the ship started to get up and leave, you stayed behind to organize all the tools you used for Johnny's injury.

The sound of footsteps behind you stopped your task and forced you to look, seeing two men standing behind you, Captain Price and another man with a ghost mask. Price spoke up first,

"Thank you again for the service, I'll make sure to note your superior of what a good job you did just now." His smile was calming to look at, and you could tell why this man was given the role of Captain just by his serenity. The man in the ghost mask however just continued to stare you directly in the eyes without saying a word. His presence seemed heavy and dominating as he didn't blink nor look away.

Giving Price a smile and a few quick glances at the ghost-masked man, you nodded your head and spoke, "I appreciate it, sir. Feel free to request me anytime." After that, both men left the plane and you followed shortly after to head back to the office.

-

When you were approached for the second time by your sergeant about helping another high-ranking officer, you didn't expect it to be the notorious staring masked gentleman from last time. It had been a couple weeks since you had taken on the big role of helping Spec-Gru and since then you haven't given it much thought.

Until now, when you walked out of the office and into the medic hall, seeing the tall, frightening man sitting on one of the small medic beds. Nurses passing by gave him glances as he sat staring at the floor, others turned towards each other and fawned over him.

Putting on your best smile, you walked over and greeted him. "Hello, how are you?" You spoke, watching as his eyes lifted to look at yours and continued to stare for a while. Clearly not a talker, you stated in your mind. Blinking and reaching for the clipboard placed on the small table next to the bed, you continued, "It's okay if you're not up for speaking, almost everything I need to know is here anyways."

After reading his file, you smiled again and looked at him, he was already staring at you before you spoke, "It's nice to see you again Simon, I know we met a while back when I patched up your friend Johnny." His eyes never left yours as you tried to spark a conversation between the two of you. Nonetheless, it wasn't sparking at all, it was more like trying to start a fire in the rain than anything.

Deciding you'd have to talk for the both of you, you continued to chat with him about little things. How the weather was, wondering what they'd be serving at lunch for today, if he enjoyed the lunches they did serve here. Fortunately, he wasn't deaf, because when you asked for him to lift his sleeve in order to see the damage he obliged.

"That must of hurt," You said as you tightened your gloves and held his arm with one hand while picking around the wound with the other. "I know that you're not much of a talker Simon but if anything I ever do hurts feel free to pull away in order to show me."

This one-sided chat continued on for 30 minutes as you assessed the damage and patched him up, frequently sharing little bits of your life to keep the fixing process less boring. Just as you finished you decided to speak again, "Feeling better? Anything else you need from me?" Simon looked at you and shook his head, finally speaking with a rough British accent, "No, thank you." Was all he said before he stood up and left the wing.

The interaction was odd, but not too odd, because you could tell while he definitely wanted a large wall between him and strangers, he kept a very respectful manner regardless.

-

You saw Simon again on Sunday, when last time you saw him was Tuesday. He was back at the medical center again and requested your service as well. When told he was waiting in the wing for you, you put on your best smile and approached him again. This time, his eyes were staring straight at the hall you were coming from before you turned the corner.

"Hello Simon, it's good to see you again, how are you doing?" You spoke as you smiled at him and turned to grab some gloves to put on. This time, he responded.

"Doing fine, thank you." His gruff voice spoke out, a small smile made its way onto your face at his response.

"I'm glad, I'm sorry you're hurting today but I promise to do my best to fix that." You tried to soothe the possible ache he was feeling somewhere and comfort his worries if he had any at the same time.

Simon nodded at your words and stared at you as you examined the clipboard with his problem. A small gash in the arm, simple. You then proceeded to explain the type of ointment you were gonna use to numb the pain and pressed to advise you if it hurt anywhere.

Again, you started to speak of plain conversation starters and this time Simon either nodded or actually blinked when you spoke towards him. Progress is progress, you told yourself as you finished bandaging his upper arm and making sure no other injuries were present.

Seeing as he requested for you twice when aiding an injury, you began to wonder if he was enjoying your little chats. Deciding not to get ahead of yourself, you told him he was all better and wished him a goodbye on his way out.

-

Thursday rolled around and you were again, called to go check up on Simon in the medical wing. This time around though he seemed more interactive than usual. When you first stepped out of the hall and walked towards him, he spoke before you.

“I like what you did with your hair today.” He said, as he stared directly into your eyes. The compliment shocked you but nevertheless you smiled anyways and replied,

“Thanks! I tried something different today. What seems to be the probl-“

He interrupted you before you could finish, “You should wear it like that more often.” His eyes continued to hold yours as the awkwardness set in from his words.

“You think?” You spoke, as you lifted a hand up to twirl a piece around your fingers. “It wasn’t that difficult to do,” You continued, “Maybe I will, if I see you sometime this week I’ll make sure to wear it like this.”

Your eyes followed to the table next to bed, expecting to see a clipboard but instead it was empty. “That’s odd..” You trailed off, “Did nobody examine you before you came in?”

Turning to him again, for the first time since you met him he avoided eye contact. “Simon?” You questioned as he kept looking towards the ground.

“M’ not injured.” He mumbled, still avoiding your eyes. Your eyebrow rose as you held a concerned look on your face from his sudden change in personality. Instead of speaking, you waited to see if he’d continue his reasoning.

“Was wondering if you wanted to do something, sometime.” He spoke, giving you a quick glance here and there. Your confusion was still evident on your face. “Never done this before, think you’re pretty.”

“Oh,” was all you said as your cheeks dusted a light pink color. Simon looked as if he was trying his best at the proposal, so you tried to ease the stress. “I’d love to, when are you free?”

~

#simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #simon riley x you #modern warefare ii #ghost x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #simon ghost x reader #atskiruma

[venusoracle]

pac: winter wishes from your future spouse

this winter, what message does your future spouse have for you? pick a card for a message and chanelled christmas song from your future spouse <3

take only what resonates, this is a general reading

reblogs and likes would be really appreciated! :) i would love to hear which one you picked!

PILE 1

♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ come out and play - billie eilish

hi, my love. how are you? i wanted to let you know -  i wish you could see your full potential. your shyness is cute and i love that you’re introverted because we get along so well (and i actually keep imagining us going on dates and your cheeks being all flushed... so cute) but i wanna encourage you to be more confident sometimes. you are beautiful and strong and i love you. i understand that when you were younger, people were harsh to you when they spoke to you, but i want you to know that it’s okay to stand up for yourself. i’m proud of you and i’m proud of you for wanting to heal your inner child. i know it’s scary and it feels difficult to face your fears… but i promise that your life will change for the better. don’t be intimidated and don’t listen to other people, you’re stronger than you think. i love you, you’ve got this, hang in there, the cold will be over soon.

PILE 2

♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ santa tell me - ariana grande

hey darling!! you’ve been working so hard recently and been so focused, i really admire it. but baby, please don’t get too obsessive with academic / work validation - you are so much more than that, especially to me. i feel like you’re my soulmate and i know that it’s part of my destiny to meet you, do i sound cheesy? anyways, you inspire me to keep working on my goals and to be resilient when i want to give up. your kindness and loving heart already support me during tough times. i can’t wait to meet you, i’ve been waiting so long and i’m so excited to build a future together with you.

PILE 3

♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ love to keep me warm - laufey and dodie

oh baby, i’m sorry that people have betrayed you in the past. you don’t deserve that at all. you’ve been manifesting me and i’m glad that i’ve been helping you in a way… when we meet, i'm gonna feel complete because i know we’ll accept each other for who we are. have you been shutting yourself off from meeting people, love? i feel like you are for some reason :( i know it’s daunting to think that you might get treated badly again but you are a beautiful person who deserves to make meaningful connections. don’t hide away, you’ve got this. also this is hella random but you remind me of a princess :) do i sound creepy? possibly but whatever, don't forget to wear your scarf.

PILE 4

♫₊˚.🎧 ✩｡ christmas tree farm - taylor swift

i feel kinda shy tbh… hello, i hope you’re doing well. i’m normally not an emotional person but i’m learning how to communicate better recently. i want to change myself for the better cuz firstly, i wanna be successful and also cuz i’m probably gonna have to fight for you lol. anyways, i’m not giving up. take care and stay warm, don't get sick and i'll see you around.

#tarot #pick a card #pick a card reading #pac reading #pick a pile #pick a pile reading #pac #pac tarot #tarot reading #tarot readings #kpop tarot

[eydi-andrius]

Ours, huh. (Malleus Draconia x Reader)

a/n: just an exercise after my long break. also, malleus was so adorable at the current event. where he came three hours early so he will not miss his first vacation outside briar valley

cw/tw: unedited, pure brainrot for malleus

🐉 🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉

"I definitely heard that thunder loud and clear." Cater nervously laughed and looked outside the window of the mirror chamber.

It was true though. The once beautiful morning slowly turns dim as dark clouds with lightning crawl out and hide the sun.

"Wow! I've never seen Tsunotarou make that kind of expression before. Look! He's turning really scary." Grim grimaced and made sure to move closer to you as he watched Malleus' expression turn darker and scarier. The more you stare at his hulking stature, the louder the thunder outside.

Jamil was not at fault though for making Malleus angry. A royalty without an escort to a public event will surely be a problem. A national security level of problem. You're actually weirded out that Sebek wasn't here wreaking havoc because Malleus will go out alone. Lilia probably has him on a chokehold.

"Why was that? Draconia has been here for three hours. I think he was that excited to join you today." Crowley, just like how useless he was, emphasizes how much Malleus has been looking forward to this trip, more than doing his job as a professor and interfering with the problem at hand.

You watch Malleus' mood turning sour, as he hears the professor's words, and Jamil trying his best to make his point across when you hear Trey coughed behind you. You looked back at him and Trey nodded at where Malleus was standing. A frown was your only response, wondering what he meant. His only reply was an exasperated sigh when you did not understand him. He then opened his mouth to speak without sound, mouthing about Malleus again but you're far too slow to understand that too.

Done with the way you and Trey danced with each other, Cater held your shoulders, and forcefully made you look back again at Malleus. As you turn, a loud crack of thunder hits near the school that makes you flinch. It took you awhile to regain your composure but once you got yourself together, you almost choked in fear on how furious Malleus is looking right now.

If he was in his dragon form, he probably would have eaten and swallowed Jamil – whole.

Not giving you enough time, Cater pushed you towards Malleus and you tripped in front of him. Good thing his reflexes were fast and he was able to catch you on time. The air of anger and malice immediately vanished and his eyes softened as he looked at you.

Ah! They want me to take care of Malleus for them. These Heartslabyul friends of yours. You wonder if they were truly your friends or they were just using you when they needed your help. Tsk.

"Child of man, are you alright?" Tone soft and calm, he asked you. He even checked if you have any scratches from your accidental tripping.

"I am fine, Tsunotarou. Was it true that you waited for three hours here?" When Malleus blushed at your question, you also blushed in return.

"I did. I was afraid I would miss it so I woke up earlier than the agreed time."

Still a little excessive though. Was the thought inside your head but you know too well that Malleus' fear was valid. Somehow, even with his tall stature, people always miss him out or completely forget him. It always has been a mystery to you, especially when you never forget to invite him in everything you do. It wasn't that hard.

"You must be tired waking up that early. But I'm so glad you're coming with us today. Right, Jamil?" You looked at Jamil, who looked like any minute now he would pee in distress. So with your eyes, you silently begged him to just agree.

With no other choice, and with the incestent of Kalim, he agreed.

Glad that everything worked out, you intertwined your arms to Malleus' right arm.

"Let's enjoy our first vacation outside NRC, shall we?" You asked him with a broad smile and a tilt of your head.

He looks surprised at first with the gesture. His eyes wide and mouth agape. But when he got himself back, he gave you a sly grin.

"Ours, huh. Well, let's enjoy it together then." He gave you a smile and you did not fail to notice how the flowers seemed to bloom and the sun shone brighter outside before the mirror took you all to your destination.

🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸🐉🌸

Let me know your thoughts! And thank you in advance for your likes, comments and reblogs! <3

#malleus draconia x reader #twst malleus #malleus x reader #malleus draconia #twisted wonderland malleus #malleus x yuu #a firelit sky: over the sands #twisted wonderland #twst drabble #twst cater #twst trey #twst jamil #twst kalim #eydi andrius

[pinkacademiaprincess]

Hii sweetyy I luv your blog sm it's really useful , can I ask for new school advice?

New School Survival Guide🎒📚🎀✏️

ty for the ask & the sweet compliment! i'm glad to be helpful 💓 starting at a new school always makes me so excited & nervous at the same time 🫣

starting a new school can be scary, and rightfully so - it's a big shift to your life & your routine. but i've always loved the new opportunities that come along with it! here are some ways to turn nervousness into excitement & make the most of it

create a fresh start

this advice is super common but for a good reason. starting at a new school is the perfect time to debut a "new" self. ofc you don't need to change your entire personality, style, etc. but sometimes after years of the same school, friends, & routine, you find yourself holding onto certain things for better or for worse.

so maybe you grew out of your sense of style and wanna try a new look - you can invest in a few pieces of clothes/ accessories and begin experimenting. maybe you have some toxic friends that you don't wanna keep in your life - time to slowly stop keeping in touch. maybe you've created a habit of not taking class seriously, never talking to teachers, & slacking off - now you can start doing the opposite.

the key here is that you're "creating" your fresh start. technically, you can make those changes anytime, but being in the same situation & surrounded by the same people can be paralyzing. now you're going into a new environment with new people who have no impression or preconceived notions of you. take this opportunity to decide the kind of person you want to be, implement those habits & traits, and show up to your new school as that person!

find a community

probably the scariest part of a new school is finding friends. if you're lucky you might have friends who are also going to be there with you. if not, starting from scratch is scary but doable. it's also really important - humans are social creatures & having people you can rely on & turn to is so necessary!

one way to make friends is by striking up conversations with classmates. this is very accessible since your classes will be full of people you can talk to and see every day.

another way is to find organizations you can join. find out if your school has clubs, volunteer groups, and other organizations for students. pick a few that really sound interesting to you, based on your hobbies or interests. this is a great way to meet people with a common interest, which is grounds for possibly making great friends!

also pick your electives based on things that interest you. if you're taking an art class, sport, or specific subject that you really enjoy, you can find others with the same interests and also potentially make friends similar to you!

be proactive about your studies

from the start, be really diligent about how your new school is structured. every school (and honestly every class & teacher) will be very different in terms of teaching style, speed, and approach to class concepts. figure out as soon as you can how things work so you can adjust appropriately & stay on top of classes. this is especially important if you're transitioning into high school, college, etc.

that's all my advice for starting at a new school! you can look at my old posts for some more school-related advice, which isn't necessarily just for starting at a new school, but can still apply. i wish you all the luck, and i can't wait for you to absolutely thrive at your new school! 🥰

#pink academia princess #it girl #becoming that girl #that girl #wonyoungism #pink academia #pink blog #girl blogger #studyblr #studyspo #study motivation #glow up #motivation #self care #self improvement #dream girl #academia barbie #girlblogging #pink pilates girl #clean girl #self love #pink pilates princess #pink aesthetic #study blog #study aesthetic #university #student life #study tips #study tumblr #study techniques

[lackadaisycats]

I love everything of your work, every page is a piece of art, textures, lights, perspective, characters and the script, with perfect balance of hilarious and engaging lore.... It keeps me inspired everyday and gives me the energies to continue my projects. I can't describe the extreme joy your works gives me and I couldn't be more grateful, because it keeps me dreaming and helped me to understand what I want to do in the near future. Thank you so so much \(^ヮ^)/.

I have one question : Do you have any advices for making comics and put them in the world? For some time I had the urge to share my works, but idk what to do :/.

That's exceedingly kind. I'm touched to hear you've enjoyed my work, and if it helped you to understand what creative things you want to do, well, that makes my heart glad. Thanks for sharing that.

Very wordy response to the making and sharing comics question below....

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

Making comics is a Whole Big Thing as topics go. It's a little difficult to provide salient advice on something so broad. So much of it depends on what you're specifically trying to achieve, and what your preferences are as an individual. Here are a few bulletpoints, though:

-- Make the comic about things you love unabashedly so that it's fun and engaging to work on. It will still be difficult - it's always difficult - but you're more likely to keep doing the work it if you're in love with it.

-- Don't put off starting until you're 'good enough'. Good Enough is a fantasy place, and Perfect is a big lie. You'll never find either and pursuing them easily turns into eternal procrastination. Get started while the fire is burning, because getting good at something happens while you're actually doing the thing, and less so while you're thinking about maybe doing it. Try to be at peace with the idea that your work will be flawed. All art is. That's what makes it interesting.

-- Try to work with your strengths, not against them. Comic making is already immensely challenging. I'd suggest not making it extra impossible by demanding an entire personality change of yourself in order to do it. For example, if you tend to have intense but short-lived interest in things, don't torture yourself by embarking on a project that is going to take years-long, single-minded devotion. Do an anthology of shorter stories instead of a sprawling epic. Do one-off joke comics, or thoughtful vignettes. Or even break up something longer into short bursts of contained chapters.

-- Don't hurt yourself. Eat right, sleep, get a comfortable chair that's good for your back, get out of that chair and move around at intervals. If something starts aching, stop and rest. If it's aching chronically, see a medical professional. Career ending injuries and health troubles for artists are insidious - they creep up all quiet and mundane while you're busy patting yourself on the back for pulling another all-nighter.

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

About sharing online - also a tricky topic! The internet has changed a lot since I began Lackadaisy. The advice I could give derived from my personal experiences in publishing and audience building is a relic of a bygone era at this point…but here are some more bulletpoints (er, paragraphs) that I think are generally pertinent:

-- If publishing publicly sounds daunting and a bit scary, dip your toes in the water before plunging in. Do a publishing test run. If there's a Discord community you're comfortable with or a social media platform you use where you can post for mutuals only, maybe try that first. Or just share directly with a handful of people and ask them for feedback. When I'm unsure about something I'm preparing to post, I usually run it by some creator friends of mine because I trust them to be honest with me. Even if they have some criticisms, it's often reassuring that I can proceed to show it to others without dying inside.

-- Places with a big, built in audience can be great for getting eyeballs on your work, but it’s a mixed bag. Webtoon is the obvious example right now. Just be wary of anyone showing a little too much interest, or coming at you with paperwork to sign. Don't rush into putting your name on something that 1) commits you to unreasonable amounts of output for barely livable wages 2) relinquishes your ownership of your IP, or grants anyone any license to your work without clearly defined boundaries (like a limited term and agreement-ending conditions) -- Contract agreements warrant lots of consideration. Involve a lawyer of your own if you can. At the very least, have friends or family read over anything you might sign. And if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Scams are unfortunately abundant, so do your research/due diligence on whoever you're in discussions with.

-- Make yourself easy to find. Use social media to your advantage. Don't feel like you have to be in every single place, though. Some platforms might not be a good fit for your work, and some might be too much of a hassle or a mental drain to do battle with. -- Scrape out your own space online if you're able - a personal web page, a little WordPress/ComicPress site, or even just a link hub so that people can relocate your work if they lose track. The point is to avoid putting your eggs all in single basket that you have no control over. You never know when the social network growth you've been nurturing for the past several years will just succumb to a billionaire rampaging around like a sociopathic kaiju in the midst of the world's most public midlife crisis.

-- Don't worry about being an immediate sensation. Seeing people respond to your work is a wonderful and immensely gratifying feeling at times, but be patient if all hear are crickets chirping for a while. Longform storytelling in particular takes time to catch its momentum, and readers take time to get invested. Meteoric rises and virality do happen now and then, but honestly, slow and steady audience buildup is probably the more sustainable and less psychologically bewildering way to experience the fun of sharing your stuff with the world.

-- Consistently put your identifier (name/watermark, URL, copyright info, or all of these things) on everything you post online.

---------------------- I hope something here is useful, and if you decide to start making and publishing comics, I hope you find much success and happiness in it!

#comics #webcomics #advice #publishing #lackadaisy

[fairuzfan]

In response to connections to Palestinian resistance there's so much that resonates me. I'm us-american, grew up on citrus farms/california ranches till eventually my dad lost his job and we were kicked out of our home of ~20 years with nowhere to go (it sounds worse than it was, we are reasonably well off and everything sort of worked out) I ended up moving across states but I still have pains that i'll never be able to go back and drive through the orchards / work on the land again so when I see posts especially about Palestinian connection to trees and the land it really hits me.

My mother is also syriac/chaldean catholic from Iraq, the last few years I've started honest attempts to learn more arabic (also chaldean but i think that's gonna cross a lot of brain wires that are already so frayed) from just learning the abjad to picking up words it has been really rewarding, just switching to writing my name in arabic and finding some swana connections online i've met such wonderful people. It reminds me of the hospitality and warmness of my bibi (grandmother) and family. I even started trying to make some of her recipes and sharing it with my friends and everyone. When i see posts of Palestinian hospitality and giving, it reminds me of how i want to live and the kind of community love and respect I want to foster.

Despite where I come from I never feel wrong wearing my kuffiya.

فلسطين حرة

this is such a beautiful message, thank you so much for sending it. i hope that learning arabic comes easy and im so excited for you reconnecting to your family heritage. in my opinion, there is no greater joy than that <3

im so glad people love wearing their kuffiya. thank you so much for letting me know since i know that its quite scary for many these days. you are quite brave.

[blazehedgehog]

ICYMI: My Sonic Frontiers Criticism/Essay Is Out Now

So here's the last four months of my life come to fruition: the longest piece of edited criticism I've ever put on my Youtube channel, clocking in at just over an hour. For those of you that may be new around here, I am pretty against making long videos. I don't know if I overthink things too much or what, but it's rare for me to have much tolerance for feature-length reviews of things. They can wear me out just watching them, and it definitely wears me out to make them.

But sometimes you just have a lot to say. And I didn't even necessarily say everything I could have said here; there were things I would have added if not for the looming deadline proposed by the video sponsor. That's not a complaint -- sometimes you need someone else to tell you "be done by this date or else." Limitations foster creativity and toiling away at perfection can sometimes be just as toxic as crunch.

What I was trying to say is it's a big video, and it was hard keeping everything straight in my head because there was so much. One of those times where I was glad how I planned things out in advance, because sometimes the thoughts you had four months ago are not the same thoughts you have today, and the thoughts from four months ago were better.

It's already proving to be a bit of a divisive video, given I am going against the grain here. But I'm a big boy. I've spent time on the front lines of these sorts of things before. I know how to handle myself. I mean, half the reason I started my tumblr back in the day was pointing out some of the truly deranged takes I'd get in the replies to my Sonic 06 video.

Though I do worry. I'm getting a lot of people who are... politely declining to tell me what they think. More than a few "I don't agree with you, but I'm glad you released this video" that then never elaborate further. And that makes me feel bad? But why? Do I want to argue with my friends? Not particularly.

But more to the point, are people afraid to argue with me? Do I get too aggressive? I've picked up on a vibe, not just from friends, where people seem to go out of their way to avoid arguments with and/or around me. I mean I literally just said I started my Tumblr blog as a "get a load of this guy in my comments" spotlight (which, for the record, I don't do anymore). I don't want to be scary. But is it scary, or is it a strength? Or am I just imagining the whole thing? History says it's probably that last one, but it doesn't stop me from wondering. It's a lot to chew on.

At the end of the day, I do think parts of this script could have been better. I do kind of get a little mean at a couple points in ways I could have written around. A lot of people are bristling at the opening spiel, where I get more than a little "you people" about the Game Awards voting situation. There's another part later in the video where I also feature actual comments from a previous video and as I was editing it together I thought, "this sounds mean." But given I was less than 24 hours away from that deadline, I just had to roll with it (so I at least blurred the names and cropped the avatars out).

I'll end this post by quoting what I wrote on Patreon day before yesterday for the early access version of this video:

What a march this has been. I've worked on some videos that felt like they took forever, but nothing like this. This felt like the project that would never end. Some of that's because, after pushing myself so hard on the Sonic Adventure 2 video, I tried to be a little more casual with this one. I think I started the script around the end of April, a couple weeks after finishing the game on-stream. The idea was to avoid burnout.  And then the script grew, and grew, and grew, to be the longest script I've ever written. After doing voice over, I had three hours of material I had to cut down. I captured more than 60 hours of gameplay from more than 50 games. Thank goodness I took the time to stop and "storyboard" out this review like I did with the SA2 video. It actually proved to be extremely valuable here -- with a video this long, that takes so long to put together, it's hard to keep all of your ideas hot and ready in your head. Often I'd fall back to the storyboard and realize I planned something months ago that was way better than what I was doing in the moment.  And then in July, a sponsor came calling again. Suddenly I had a real deadline. The last four weeks have been a race to move this mountain of material into something resembling the shape of a video. The last couple days in particular have felt something like a miracle. A work ethic I hadn't tapped into in years suddenly roared to life as I locked down 20+ minutes of video in a matter of hours. It may have involved several actual panic attacks and me running on about four hours of sleep, but here we are. I was revising the script all the way up until a week ago. In retrospect, the sponsor segment probably leans a little too much on SAGE content, but by the time I realized that the train was barreling down the tracks too fast to stop. Thoughts for next time, I guess.

Patrons get a PDF of the script I used, including an unfinished earlier draft I abandoned where I think I was actually even meaner about it, if you can believe it. They also get a PDF of what my "storyboarding" process looks like (which is all just text).

I'll probably toss up a post for all the art I made for this video, too.

#sonic the hedgehog #sega #sonic team #sonic frontiers #youtube #video #long #behind the scenes #Youtube

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Hi you :) I just wanted to say that I've read your post about your coming out. Unfortunately, I don't have any good advice, but I just wanted to let you know that I hear you and, oh my god, do I feel you! I haven't officially come out but I've had thoughts about being ace myself for several years and the way you describe your feelings basically represents me 100 %. I don't have someone as your best friend in my life but the life you put into words actually sounds like something I could imagine with someone else, while I basically always thought that I would just stay alone. (Which I don't even mind that much, I like having my own space.. anyway) I do have my older sister with whom I travel and actually work together and just experience life with and I wouldn't trade this for anything else.

I'm rambling, sorry. I really just wanted you to know that you reach a lot of people, even if you don't think so or know it. I love your writing, I'm pretty sure I sent you messages before and I know that I've commented on your work here and on AO3 because your writing actually means a lot to me. The way you describe love, communication, and relationships (of any kind) is just incredibly beautiful to me. I always come back to your stories and get actually excited when I see that you've posted again.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is: thank you. For your writing but also (especially) for your post about being ace, feeling different, and coming out.

I wish you all the best and all the love! :)

Mira (all the way from Germany :D)

Hello lovely! Somehow I missed this lovely response to my recent post.

Thank you so much for dropping by to share part of your own story with me. I'm so, so honored to get to hear about part of your experience. Being alone is one of my biggest fears (I'm so glad it's not one of yours! Figuring out I was ace has been really scary and felt a little like the worst thing imaginable at first) I'm so happy that you have your sister to experience life with!

I'm just melting into a puddle of goo. Thank you so much. Writing has been such a gift to me, such a joy to get to do, and it's been such a blessing to get to share it with this lovely community. It's always my hope that I can put a little more love into the world and give people a safe space to land. <3

Wishing you the very best with much love! C

[compendiumhistoria]

HI Y'ALL you ready for the Absolute Brainrot I got outta nowhere for NPCs in a campaign I haven't written? no? too bad, here they are anyways. Art (left, shaved down horns) & Dusk (right, broken horn), the Telodomic Tiefling Two. they're sibwings with a few things wrong with them in different ways. they're generally friendly though!

I'll put More Official Sounding Info under the cut!

Dusk and Art are a rare sort, given that tieflings born and raised in the country of Telodom are few and far between amidst the land's cold climate and general distrust of both divine and demonic influences. The siblings now live in Estellus, reluctant refugees displaced thanks to a civil war between Telodom's ruler and its people. They both more or less work to clear their debt to the "old friends" who helped their escape southward, with Art running a shop to sell their myriad creations and Dusk traveling on various odd-jobs when he isn't contributing to his sibling's stock.

Once specialized in medicine-making and the effects of chemicals on the body, Dusk's studies have veered away from the living and onto the dead and the space between the soul and the physical, the shift from magic to mortal, turning the man of science into a self-taught wizard of necromany. Though why the change in field and to what end, Dusk is too cagey a fellow to give a straight answer. But he is happy to have left behind his fraught and frozen homeland and continue practicing both his physical and magical skills… even when his constant running and lack of rest puts enough strain on his fickle body to warrant the cane he carries around.

Art does not have their older brother's stomach for such visceral things, sometimes literally getting nauseous over it. Sympathetic and anxious, Art prefers craftsman trades to keep their hands and mind busy. Their shop sells many an enchanted accessory and even some paintings, but Art themself has also been known to write, embroider, often taking brief apprenticeships with other makers. Most everything they wear is handmade or otherwise customized with this varied interest in creative arts, and while Art considers it something of a dream come true to have their new life and run their shop, they worry deeply about the fate of the people they left behind.

Songs for Dusk:

Weird Science by Oingo Boingo (From my heart and from my hand, why don't people understand my intentions?)

Too Tired to Wink by Ludo (I'm sloughin' brain cells every day, smearing the globe, my lobe frontally frayed)

Bloody Nose by Jack Conte (With your tattered clothes and your bloody nose, aren't you glad to be rid of the smell? Not at all? Not at all)

One-eyed Maestro by Kevin MacLeod (royalty-free in-campaign theme song)

Songs for Art:

Scary World by Steam Powered Giraffe ('Cause I'm safe right here, we know who we are, and It's kind of scary thinking of what is out there…)

Unlikely Hero by the Hoosiers (I like everybody, but not everybody likes me! My love's not an island, it's the tip of a volcano!)

Journey of the Featherless by Cloud Cult (I say that it's worth dreamin' just for the dream of it, it's all about passion, it's all about perception)

Padanaya Blokov by Kevin MacLeod (shop's theme song!)

#Kris draws #Art the Artificer #Dusk #w: Stupor

[bengiyo]

Hidden Agenda Ep 11 Stray Thoughts

Last week, Zo went home to take care of some paperwork, and that allowed us insight into the difficult relationship he has with his mom. She's been extremely hard on him since the Puen situation, and it's created a perfectionist streak in Zo that is all too familiar for me as the son of two educators. Joke came to see Zo at his home, but Zo wasn't ready to come out. Still, the two of them are back to rolling around on the couch together. Meanwhile, Jeng has quit his football club, and Pok is worried.

Oh, starting with a dream of winning? I just know Zo isn't gonna win.

Curious why Joke seems to be only close to his grandmother.

I do like the boxes they tap for the debate.

These new juice cans Oishii is pushing are just too much.

I like that their team won, but Nita won the best speaker award. She's not tied to a romance, and it lets us get two levels of drama. So succeeded as president by leading his team to victory with a sound strategy, but he failed to meet the standard for himself.

Hello, Arm! Glad to see you acting and not just presenting.

They got Zo doing a surprise for Nita when he's so disappointed right now.

I feel for Zo. It's difficult to work as hard as you can and it still not feel like enough. But, Zo, baby, you are kenough.

I like the continuity of showing the rain and having the boys' shoulders be wet when they reach the hospital bed.

I like Zo's mom. This is the kind of complicated relationship I have with my family. They would absolutely hide information from me in the middle of a major event so that I could focus and then tell me after.

Joke is a good partner, and Zo's mom is perceptive. I think they would be great in laws someday. My dad's mom loved my mom. They were really close.

Joong and Dunk are huge. They are towering over the actress playing Zo's mom.

I'm not sure what the deal is with Joke's family this episode.

Okay, I liked Joke holding firm on the small argument about Zo's mom. Whatever Zo may be feeling, his mom was trying to encourage him.

I don't like Joke's shirt. It's been bothering me since he changed out of his uniform.

They all just left all this food out in the table? They didn't wrap it or anything? Thailand is humid and hot. I just know there are bugs everywhere.

It's interesting how Zo and Joke feel kinda distant with their families, and are receiving these awkward offerings from them.

Joke's shirt looks like the movie era TOS Star Trek uniforms.

Very impressive that they made Dunk's big ass look small on this bed without Joke.

Sepsis is very scary. Zo's mom is usually so tough that it's really sticking out how worried and shaken she is.

Okay, Joke silencing Zo to tell him he's not leaving this time was kinda hot.

Wow, this final preview doesn't look that dramatic.

This has been such a strange show. I wish I had watched it more like Horiimiya and not as some sort of mystery implied by the hidden agenda stuff. This has been a rather light experience about two people getting closer and their friends.

#hidden agenda #hidden agenda the series #hidden agenda meta #thai bl #bl series #Ben watches

[lastoneout]

you absolutely do not need to respond if you don't want to but how does the "everything feels worse because i'm finally healing" differ from "everything feels worse because things really are that bad currently"? i always wonder if there's a way to tell them apart. glad you're getting recovering!

Imo the difference so far, is that back when I was still in an unsafe place that was making my trauma worse, between the hysterical sobbing meltdowns I just felt so....normal. I would freak out and break sometimes, but after that I would feel weirdly fine. Or even at times like I didn't have emotions at all? It was like my brain was going "there is no war in ba sing se" to protect me and keep me from freaking out too bad, and like it kinda was! My major coping mechanism has always been ignoring my emotions and shoving them all in a box until they aren't bothering me anymore. And when I was in those shitty situations that was helpful, because I needed to keep myself alive and I wasn't going to be able to do that if I was a sobbing mess all the time.

Also, the one time it got really, really bad, like I was so deep in a traumatic situation it was clearly just completely destroying me, I really did feel like that part in Inside Out where Riley's console just goes dark and none of her emotions can press any buttons. There was this overwhelming sense of dread and misery, and I could barely take care of myself at all. I stopped going to school and showering and I barely ate anything, I didn't talk to my friends, and tbh I did some stuff that I am SUPER not proud of, bcs my brain legit wasn't working at all, and it wasn't until I got out that I started feeling like a person again.

The pain of healing never feels like that. Yes, I am in a bad mental space a lot of the time, I'm depressed and I have nightmares that make me legit so depressed I spend the whole day crying, but there's like...idk this undercurrent of function and focus that wasn't there before. I can keep doing things WHILE being sad(for the most part), instead of only being able to function when I am repressing everything. And tbh it really does feel like I don't have a choice in the matter, which sounds bad but it's kinda nice? Like my brain is done repressing things and isn't going to let me do it anymore. Every time I try it's almost like there's a firm but kind voice in my head saying "no, we can't do that anymore, you have to face this, it's okay".

It's kinda weird too bcs the deeper into healing I get the less my old coping mechanisms help. Hell most of them don't even work anymore. As an example my mom got into a car wreck recently and she was in the hospital for a while, and when I found out I tried to go into my "no feelings no nonsense we have to be strong now" mode, but it didn't work?? I spent the whole time I was there crying, and like!! I actually was happy I was crying!! Because I've never been able to do that!! It's such a weird thing to be happy I'm upset but like, it means I'm making progress.

And that makes every single moment of misery bearable because I know I need this. I've needed this my entire life, and it hurts and is scary, and sometimes I do have to just zone out and play video games or spend a day in bed being sad, but I just...know it's the right thing. Idk how else to explain it, I just know.

It also helps that now I know what a happy, safe life looks like and I know it's there waiting for me. I know this work is worthwhile because I don't want to live my life the way I used to. And I am in a happy, supportive relationship that actively inspires me to work on myself and be a better person. I know not everyone has that, but framing it in a way where I am trying to be better not just for myself but for the people I love helps give me that extra bit of strength I need to keep going.

Anyway this is kinda rambly, sorry, but I did want to answer. If anyone else has any advice for anon feel free to add it on!! I have to go to therapy now lmao but when I'm done if I think of anything else I'll add it!

#long post #ask to tag #personal #okay to rb

[prismatic-bell]

[This ask is about a situation related to antisemitism and since I saw it's passover definitely skip or put off answering this if you need to. I'm not Jewish so I don't really know the significance of the holiday but I can't imagine it's pleasant to read abt this sort of thing then. This is not urgent.]

I'm anxious sending an ask off anon but I need advice and you have good well-educated takes and are one of my favourite Jewish bloggers, so you were the person I thought of to ask this.

I'm a gentile raised nonreligious but culturally Christian and I have a close friend who is a very devout Christian. About an hour ago I found out they believe a conspiracy theory that sounds incredibly antisemitic, I'm not sure if it is and looking it up returns nonsense but 100% sounds like a dogwhistle. It made me so upset I had a panic attack at the airport bc they're a very good friend of mine from my country's equivalent to high school and I'm worried about the path they're taking and how to stop them. Right now I have my Discord notifications off because I have a flight soon and I can't deal with this stress.

They believe Hollywood has an anti-Christian agenda and is trying to push Satanic imagery in the form of subliminal messages because "nobody in Hollywood talks about God but they love talking about the devil" and this is supposed to turn people against Christianity or something? I told them this was ridiculous, Christian and culturally Christian people dominate America and have most of the political and social power there (we don't live in America but we are both half-American and also we live in Europe so we have a similar issue although more with culturally Christian atheists like me), and we have a responsibility as the dominant group to not play the victim and act like we are being persecuted and oppressed. They said this was actually untrue because the problem Christians are "not real Christians" because "there is only one type of Christian which you would know if you read the Bible" and even that such people are actively and deliberately lying about being Christian and all this other really upsetting and scary stuff that absolves themselves of any systemic privilege that would make this as dangerous as I was saying.

I am not part of any religion, and I have few friends, let alone friends that are religious minorities specifically. I want to help support Jewish people and call out antisemitism but I actually have no idea how to do it when the person I'm talking to doesn't even believe they have the systemic privilege to do that harm. How do I, who have only an outsider's knowledge, explain Jewish people's oppression, which is notoriously poorly explained to goyim like me, to someone who won't even acknowledge Christian hegemony? Is it even okay for me to try, would it even be helpful? As someone who wants to be an ally, should I cut ties with my friend over this, should I try to educate them, should I just make sure they don't fall further? I think this is only in the early stages where they have no idea of the implications of this kind of mindset, idek if it is an antisemitism thing but it feels so obviously like a dogwhistle that my friend just isn't Hearing yet, and they've found an excuse that works for them so they can keep believing anything so I'm scared it's gonna get worse. It feels so awful to know someone I appreciate so much is plugging their ears and burying their head in the sand about something this important. They're a trans poc but they can't even find it in them to learn about the oppression Jews face? It just. it sucks.

Thank you if you're reading this, even if you don't respond. Have a nice passover. Sorry if I was rude or got anything wrong, I'm very clumsy with this sort of thing.

You weren’t at all rude, and I’m glad you took notice.

So I think you’re right that this is an early-stage dogwhistle your friend isn’t hearing yet. This seems like a weird cross between 1980s satanic panic, and the “the Jews control Hollywood” stereotype.

I’m having a very soggy-brain week, so I’m punting this to @athingofvikings and @aliciabenissa. I don’t know that your friend is unreachable, but you seem to feel you don’t have the tools to do it, and if you don’t it’s definitely better to borrow from someone else’s toolbox than to go in empty-handed.

[17redeye]

15 People, 15 Questions

This was so fun both to read and answer 😄 thank you for tagging me @zipegs!

1. Are you named after anyone?

Kind of, I'm named after Katherina's character (the shrew!) in The Taming of the Shrew. My mom loved the movie with Elizabeth Taylor (below) so it was going to be either Katherine or Elizabeth. I'm glad with what I ended up with 😅

2. When was the last time you cried?

Last time I teared up was reading BattyMadisons fic Wasting Time.

Last time I straight up bawled? Hard to say, either reading Good Enough by sourweather or Overcoming by purefoysgirl. I will go read them if I feel like I need a good cry, tears everytime.

3. Do you have kids?

No way, man. 😬 Pets are plenty enough responsibility.

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

Only a little bit of volleyball. Never really enjoyed team sports.

5. Do you use sarcasm?

I used to, SO MUCH because I grew up around it, but I broke the habit.

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

Hmmm, I guess I'm pretty vigilant to people's body language and the way they speak and how receptive they are to humor. Sometimes there's nothing like cracking jokes with strangers.

7. What’s your eye color?

Brown 👁️👄👁️

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies: Alien, The Thing, Cube

9. Any talents?

I'm pretty good at picking out tasting notes from whiskey actually.

10. Where were you born?

11. What are your hobbies?

Reading and now writing Hannibal fanfiction. Rewatching Hannibal. Watching HEU movies. Working on a pet project with the Hannibal scripts. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It sounds ridiculous when I write it all out like that lmao.

12. Do you have any pets?

My darling boy, Whiskey 🥰

13. How tall are you?

5'5" 👀 omg same as hunter whaaaaat

14. Favorite subject in school?

Oh, French for sure. Thank God too bc there's so much French in Hannibal fanfics 😂 half the time I don't even have to use the translator and I get inordinately proud of myself.

15. Dream job?

I really wanted to be a librarian when I was a kid bc I thought I'd be able to read and organize books all day. Huge let down finding out it's much more people orientated 😭 and you need a master's degree wth. I guess now I dream of owning a used bookstore where I can read and organize books all day 😌

Tagging: @obsessiveagony, @indigocarnation, @mutualldisorder 🫣

#dash games #questions #tag chain

[phantomdoofer]

Chapter 8: Gustavo's Tale, Part 2 - City Rat in the Country

Gustavo stood up and wiped his forehead with his forearm. Even in the shade of the forest, the heat was oppressive today. The clouds above the treetops had the piled look that said they were just waiting for an opportunity to break loose. It'll probably storm tonight. Good. These herbs need water. He reached down and gently rubbed a leaf. It crinkled worryingly.

He dusted himself off. For four days, Mia had been showing him around. Not much of the village, of course. The other villagers had made it clear the first full day that none of the three of them were very welcome, especially Gustavo.

Fredrick hunted, gathered, and brought in wood, and Gustavo had accompanied him a couple of times. The older gnome was a good woodsman - despite being shunned, they didn't want for food. He'd been augmenting the basic training Gustavo had gotten in the army, and Gustavo had been teaching him what the could from his own experience. Fred had been a good student. He hadn't mentioned anything about weapons, though. These are good, simple people. Hope they never need that sort of thing.

Meanwhile, Mia had been teaching him about how they did agriculture. He already had slips of a few herbs he hadn't had, to take back. In return he'd been teaching her Italian-style cookery. While he didn't have traditional ingredients, he'd managed a passable pizza, and the look of enjoyment on his cousins' faces had been a pleasure. Even if they don't return with me, maybe they'll spread around some different cooking. He snorted derisively. I think some of these people would rather eat dirt.

Mia waved from the back door. "Gustavo! I've got dinner ready!"

"Grazie, Mia, I'll be in soon as I get cleaned up!" He worked the handle of the well's pump, and a trickle of cool water flowed out. He washed as best he could. The limited supply grated on him a bit - he was used to the ready water access in the city. He hadn't had a bath the whole time he was here, and Gustavo was fastidious. Maybe I can find a creek or something, I probably stink! Then he remembered Fred saying the nearest flowing water was two days away.

Gustavo frowned. It was pretty obvious, now that he looked, that this part of the forest was in trouble. Few small plants thrived. The trees themselves looked wilted. The animals were getting scarcer. The water's running out. This part of the forest is dying. It broke his heart. While he already missed the city, he'd gotten attached to this place already.

Finishing his wash, he saw Fred amble in from the forest, arms full of wood. "Oy, Gus! Give me a hand, eh?"

Gustavo obediently held out his arms and took part of the load. "So, any thoughts on my proposal? I'll be heading back in a few days."

Fred looked nervous. "It's... it's a big step. Mia remembers the city, she remembers your parents. And it sounds... exciting. But I've never left the forest. I..."

Gustavo dropped the wood in the pile, and turned. "It's kind of scary."

Fred huffed. "Yeah. It is." He dropped his own wood in the pile. "But... I think we should. This place is dying, in more ways than one. Have you noticed?"

Gustavo nodded.

"I wish some of the others would listen," Fred said. "I see the little ones and I think what it's going to be like later. When they grow up. Is there going to be anything left here but dead trees?"

Gustavo clapped him on the back. "You're a good gnome, Fred. But humans have a saying: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. All you can do is try to convince them."

Fred sighed. "True enough. Whatever happens, I'm glad you came, Gustavo. Has it at least helped you?"

Gustavo looked inside his head, and found none of the anger and resentment he'd had before. He grinned. "Yes, it has."

Fred smiled. "Then we've at least managed that. Come. Dinner will be cold!"

~~~~

The night was dark and stormy. Gustavo laid on the couch, wincing as another crash of thunder cracked the sky. Hate being right sometimes. This one was a sky-splitter - he'd heard several trees blow up from lightning strikes in the distance. The rain was probably the only thing keeping the forest from going up in flames. At least the herbs will get watered.

As the wind howled, Gustavo flipped over and covered his head with a pillow. This is giving me a headache! He didn't get the same kind of night terrors that Peppino talked about, but the sound of thunder still reminded him too much of bombs. He still had nightmares about blood and bits, and the trees on fire. The memories are bad enough, I don't need a damn soundtrack too!

Suddenly he realized that some of the cries and howls weren't memories. They're coming from the village! He whipped the blanket off and stood, looking out the window towards the cluster of homes.

Some of them were on fire.

"Mia! Fred! Fire in the village!" Gustavo yelled. Fire in a forest village was bad - it could spread from homes to trees and back in seconds.

Mia and Fred hurried from their bedroom, Mia in the lead. "We have to try to help!"

Gustavo nodded, and ran out the door. He barreled into the town at full speed. Several gnomes were trying to pump water, with little success. Others were scooping up mud to throw in the fires - they were having more luck.

The gnome who'd threatened him was running around frantically. "THEO! THEOOO! WHERE ARE YOU??" He yelled. The gnome was bawling in distress. When Gustavo ran up, the gnome grabbed him. "My son! He didn't run that way, did he?"

Mia and Fred ran up behind him. "No, no one!"

Then they heard cries from one of the burning houses' second floor. Oh Dio, no.

"THEO!!" the man cried. He danced in place, clearly so distraught he couldn't decide what to do.

Gustavo looked around, then suddenly flopped into the mud. He rolled around, getting a good covering. Hope this works. Then he charged right through the door, fist in the lead. I'm not Peppino, but I've got to try!

The bottom floor was smoky, but only a few patches were burning so far. The roof overhead was full of smoke, though. And as dry as everything was, the place would be ablaze in minutes. He found a towel and wrapped it around his face. Stairs, stairs! The staircase wasn't burning yet, but the roof above the stairwell was dropping flaming droplets. Gotta be fast! He hopped up the stairs, listening for any ominous creaking. Nothing yet.

The upstairs hallway was an inferno. He crouched - the air above would fry him if he stood for more than a second or two. I'll only get one chance at this. The mud was already drying. "KID! YELL IF YOU CAN! SCREAM! MAKE NOISE! ANYTHING!"

A shriek rang out from a door halfway down. Gustavo crawled as fast as he could, and bashed the door open. The little gnome boy cowered under the table, the only thing protecting him from the flaming rain above him.

The air was scorching. He could barely breathe. The forest was burning. People screaming around him as the bombs fell. Peppino panting beside him as they ran for cover...

Gustavo shook his head. Not now! "KID! STAY LOW! CRAWL TO ME AS FAST AS YOU CAN! THIS PLACE WON'T LAST MUCH LONGER!"

The child, mercifully, nodded and scuttled to him. He crawled as fast as he could down the hall. The leaves burned as they fell on his back. Bullets pinged all around them. Explosions shook the ground... No, the roof is collapsing!

Gustavo grabbed the boy and ran. He hurtled down the stairs as they fell down a ravine and gunfire shot over their head NO! The main room was ablaze now, the support beams creaking as the trees threatened to fall on them NO The boy was crying. Gustavo saw a window, broke it out, and tossed the boy to waiting hands. But Gustavo wouldn't fit. He turned, the mud now flaking off him as he frantically looked for an exit they're coming, they're coming He charged at a fallen beam and it split in two, flaming chunks flying around him as he made for the door of a helicopter to take them away and then he was outside. Hands grabbed him and dragged him away from the blaze.

He rolled in the mud as pain from bullet wounds shrapnel the burns finally hit him. He heard a scream Peppino as the boy was reunited with his weeping father.

Gustavo's vision was blood and fire and the boy was OK and Peppino's blood flew away as the bullet pierced his chest and Mia was patting him all over trying to put out little fires and the bombs fell as thunder rolled...

Gustavo shook violently as adrenaline racked him and he fought frantically to tell what was real and what wasn't. I'm there, in the war no I'm in the village Peppino is dying everyone's dying no everyone's ok I think everyone's dead I saved the boy I couldn't save them -

"That was the craziest thing I've ever seen someone do. And the bravest." The gnome father crouched in the mud in front of the trembling Gustavo. "Hey. Hey! You OK?"

Gustavo latched onto the voice like a tether. The blood and screams faded away. The fire stayed, and the rumbling. But the war faded back into memory. "Y-yes. Yes. I'm - here. In the village." He shook his head. "Is he OK?"

The gnome grinned . "He's a little scorched, but ok. Say thank you, Theo."

"Thank you!" The little gnome hopped down and hugged Gustavo.

He absent-mindedly patted the boy on the back. "You're welcome."

Then he fell backwards in a dead faint.

~~~~

Gustavo woke on the couch. The sun was shining through the window. He winced as he sat up - he was covered in strips of cloth. Bandages. He sniffed. And some of Mia's herbal poultices, from the smell of it. He vaguely remembered waking up when they put him on the couch, yelling in pain from the burns on his back. They'd given him something, and he'd passed out.

Mia stood up from the table. "Good, you're awake! I was worried." She pulled a chair next to the couch. "What in the world were you thinking, running in like that? You could've been killed!"

Guatavo laid back with a wince. His breath exploded out of him as the burns screamed. "Not the first time."

Mia gave him a long look. "I know you said you were in the war, but I didn't know it was that bad. You've been moaning about bombs, and fire, and your friends, especially one called Peppino. For a full day." She looked at him sternly. "It sounds like you need to talk."

He close his eyes. "I... don't like to talk about that."

She crossed she arms and glared mulishly. "I'm not leaving. And you're not moving for another couple of days. So out with it. Whatever it is, it's eating you alive. Tell me."

The echo of Peppino's words pierced Gustavo's reticence. He sighed. "It's... a long story."

"We've got plenty of time, cousin."

So he told her. The draft, the war, his best friend's near-death, then his friend's depression and near-suicide. Gustavo's employer's mysterious disappearance, his own quiet despair as he tried to make ends meet by becoming a scavenger for a time. The Tower.

He hesitated. Should I tell her about being a clone?

"Come on. You're holding something back, and I think it's a big one. Out with it," she said.

So he told her. The original Gustavo's fate, and his own clone status. She looked shocked. "Oh. Oh my. I think I understand why you needed to come here. That would shake anyone to the core." She wept a little. "Poor Gustavo. And poor you."

He laid back. "I wish I could have met him, even just once. I see Peppino and Giuseppe together and... yes, I'm jealous." He closed his eyes again. "I wish I could have that."

Mia stood up. "Well, we may not be that close, but you've got us."

"Only until I leave."

"No. While you've been delirious, we decided. We're going with you. And a lot of the village is coming, too."

Gustavo sat up in surprise, before wincing in agony and laying back down. "What? How?"

Mia sat back down. "The fire and your little stunt got people talking. About outside. Fred mentioned your gnome enclave. A few are being stubborn, but a lot are deciding it's time to move on. I think a lot of them were just going along with the others." She smiled. "Plus there's not a little hero worship going on. Especially Theo. He drew your mustache on in mud yesterday, and keeps running around everywhere trying to break down doors."

Gustavo laughed gently. Strange how people work sometimes.

"So don't you worry, Gustavo. You'll have company on the way back."

~~~~

A few days later, a crowd of gnomes with packs gathered in the center of the village. The few who were staying ranted at them or just glared venom, but did nothing else. When Gustavo walked up with Mia and Fred, they all turned towards him.

Gustavo stopped. Mia elbowed him in the side. "Say something Gus. You're their hero."

Gustavo started sweating. I'm no leader! He cleared his throat. "I, uh, want to say grazie for letting me stay, and I hope you'll enjoy where we're going. It'll be a few days before we get there, but I'll introduce you to the chief when we get there."

Gustavo picked up his pack, and started walking. Everyone followed him.

Mia followed right behind him. "Very nice," she said sarcastically. "We'll make a general out of you yet."

"Oh, sta zitto," Gustavo said testily.

"STA ZITTO!" A small voice rang out behind them.

Gustavo threw up his hands. "Now look what you've done!"

Everyone laughed as they walked.

~~~~

Peppino leaned on the counter and sighed. It had been rough since Gustavo left. He'd gotten used to having his friend to switch between the counter and the kitchen. Running it all solo again had his nerves up. Then it had stormed the other day, which had set off his night terrors again. To top it all off, Brick was getting frantic. Gustavo, if you don't get back soon, you're gonna have a ratto gigante on a rampage.

He looked down and toyed with the bell on the counter. He missed his friend, his calming presence, his counsel. What if he doesn't come back? The thought sent a sharp stab through his heart.

The bell jingled as the front door opened.

"Buongiorno, welcome-a to Peppino's, can I... take... your..."

The pizzeria was full of gnomes. Gustavo was grinning hugely right in front of him.

Peppino smoothed down his hair, which had all stood up in surprise. "Gus-Gustavo! You're-a back! And you brought... friends!" He looked around. "Lots of friends."

"Yup." Gustavo came around the counter. "We're gonna need about 25 pies, Peppino. Don't worry, they're all paying." He gestured for Peppino to accompany him to the kitchen. "It'll be fine, they'll keep anyone from stealing the till or anything. Come on."

Peppino waved nervously and smiled. The gnomes all smiled and waved back, then started conversing, sitting down, putting down packs. Still a bit stunned, he walked into the kitchen. He leaves for a week or two and comes back with a village!

As the door closed, Peppino felt his friend's strong arms wrap around him and lift him off the ground. "Ay, amico, easy!" he squeaked - Gustavo had almost crushed him.

"I'm just glad to see you, mio amico!" Gustavo said.

Peppino grinned nervously and patted the gnome on the back. "I-I missed you too!" More than I want to admit. To get his mind on something else, Peppino grabbed some dough and tossed it into the air. "So, did-a you get your head cleared?

Gustavo looked at the door to the lobby. "Yeah. It was nice. But I'm glad to be home." He grabbed another crust and tossed it into the air. "So, did I miss anything interesting?"

Peppino started talking, never taking his eyes off the pizza he was preparing. "Well, the second day Brick decided to try some of that old limburghese you hadn't thrown out yet and got sick. Then the freezer tried to freeze up. Then the Noise showed up..."

Both men smiled as they spoke and bickered and reminisced.

#pizza tower au #peppino spaghetti #pizzatower #peppino #pizza tower #pizza tower fanfic #gustavo #tower town au

[holden-caulfield]

𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃

━ 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐌.𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 - 𝐒.𝐇. 𝐌.𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

━ 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: being the babysitter of the group isn't always fun, but it becomes so when you decide to stay with steve and fight the boredom together.

━ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: steve harrington x reader

━ 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃: no

━ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: none?

━ 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 1125

"Always the goddamn babysitter!"

You turned your head around to look at Steve letting himself slump against the tree behind him, his back slowly rubbing against the entirety of the bark, small pieces collecting on his jacket and the ground.

You let a small laughter escape your lips. You tried to hide it as quickly as you could, your hand covering your mouth in an attempt to stop the sound, but Steve had already looked up to you, eyes wide and brows wrinkled together in a clear show of bewilderment and disapproval.

"You think this is funny?!"

It was so very funny, but you wouldn't have told him; he was already having a tough time so you decided to just shrug and let yourself fall against an opposite tree, facing him on the ground.

The brownish leaves covered everything, cracking loudly as you sat down amongst them. Steve looked away from you, a pretty frown painted on his face.

You had no idea how you had ended up there, waiting for the others to come back as you and Steve made sure Dustin and his friends didn't get themselves killed. You should have gone with the others, or simply just stayed home, where it was safe, but Steve's dejected look made you want to stay.

"It's always me that has to stay behind, looking after literal children!" Not laughing was becoming harder and harder as Steve kept on ranting about the unfairness of it all. "I should be with them! Not here, wasting my time in the woods, doing nothing."

"I don't know, it's cozy here, it's nice." You said, bringing your knees to your chest, some more leaves rustling at your movements.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Don't try to lift my mood, you're stuck here with me."

"Only i'm not," you corrected. "I could go away any moment, these literal children are not my problem, Harrington."

"Right, you're just here out of the kindness of your heart, great." He mumbled to himself. "Glad to know i'm the babysitter and the charity work."

"A real catch!" You said, scrunching up your nose at him, and as you did that, you swore you saw his own frown turning into a smile. But he hid it quickly.

"You can go, you know," he continued, his tone more serious now. "I can handle it myself." He said, patting his spiked bat, sitting right next to him.

"Oh i'm sure," you said, trying to sound serious, but a chuckle still escaped your lips. "Monsters would run away even before you attacked them, that's one scary bat you got there."

"You are not funny, Y/n, not a single bit." He sighed, looking away at the surface of the lake: perfectly still and peaceful. Hawkins didn't look like the hellish town you both knew it was.

"Well, in that case, i better go." You got up from your seat and Steve's head immediately darted towards you, eyes wide and alarmed. "What? No!"

But his look quickly changed: again your face had betrayed you, a mocking grin displayed onto it as he let his head hit the tree behind him in defeat. "You're awful."

"Is The Steve Harrington afraid i'll leave him alone?" You mocked again, hands clasped behind your back as you bent down to look at his face. "Is The Steve Harrington begging me to stay?!"

"Truly awful." He confirmed, looking up at you: as he stared at you, it was so clear to understand how so many people could fall for him. It was easy when he looked at you like that, with that stupid smile on his face.

"Let me bask in this moment! I've never been this desired by a celebrity."

"Stop it, Y/n. Funny doesn't look good on you." He continued but you were too busy mocking him to listen to his prayers, so he took matters in his own hands.

Quite literally.

He stretched his arm, grasping your waist to bring you down with him. Caught unprepared, you stumbled forward, landing right on his lap; your faces were so close you were barely able to resist that gaze that had had so many people madly in love. That had you so madly in love.

"Not so cocky now, are we?" It was his turn to make fun of you, but the proximity between the two of you prevented you from coming up with any clever comeback.

You stood still, immobile, desperately searching for the tiniest bit of strength to get up and get away from his spell. But his hand, soft and menacing, left your waist to stroke your cheek and your mind went blank.

You always thought yourself better than all those girls that feel at Steve's feet, able to resist him, but you weren't any better. You were far worse than all of them put together. And he noticed.

"Steve," you uttered. But nothing came afterwards: your mind wasn't able to form any sentence, coherent or not. You wanted to tell him to stop, to free you because you couldn't be just another one of his conquests. To tell him that you were just friends, but you weren't just that.

"Y/n," he pronounced your name as if it was holy, and you wondered if he did that with everyone. "I've been wanting to do this for some time now."

He didn't give you time to elaborate, to understand what he meant because he pulled you towards him, lips softly crashing together. You couldn't stop it and maybe you didn't even want to; it was perfect.

"Steve," you repeated. And yet again you stopped.

"Don't say anything," he smiled. His hand was still on your cheek and you could feel your face growing hotter and hotter. You wondered if he did too. "It took me a great deal of courage to do that and if you laugh of me for it, i swear i-"

He stopped as you smiled, wider than you've ever had, and a look of confusion invaded his face. You felt his hand slowly leaving your face, unsure. You had never seen Steve Harrington unsure of something, but it was the first time you were so certain that you finally moved, grasping his face with both of your hands and kissing him, deeply, surely, unforgettably.

His arms encircled your waist, bringing you closer to him. You felt him smile against your lips and you couldn't help but do it too. It would have been perfect, hadn't it been for the sudden interference.

"Get a room, that's disgusting, Steve!" But he couldn't care less: Steve waved his hand at Dustin, making go away. His eyes never once left your, both completely spellbound.

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#steve x you #steve x reader #steve x y/n #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #stranger things #fanfiction #fanfic #fluff #steve harrington fluff