#these are all from old gifs I've made so if the quality if questionable that's why

[byeonqkwan]

Happy 29th Birthday, Kim Sehyoon ♡

#a.c.e #a.c.e7 #wow #sehyoon #kim sehyoon #useroro #useraweks #aleksbestie #ocora #kpopccc #kpopco #gifs #*m.gif #these are all from old gifs I've made so if the quality if questionable that's why #some of them are even from before I used photoshop so.. #I tried to make them all decent anyways #also I feel like this is a bit too fast but ps is being weird so I guess it'll have to do #I paused my essay writing to make this cause I remembered his birthday was soon lol

[mr-spotatohead]

-Inseparable.-

Welcome Home & Child!Reader Platonic.

Words: 3,470.

|Contains: Swearing. Slight Horror.|

Synopsis: You draw a lot, and you want attention from your mother, but she doesn't give you the attention you need. Until she puts on a show for you that caught your eye. And the main character gives you the attention you deserve.

You ran your hand across the white paper containing a green crayon. Your small, untrained hands made you pick up the crayon with your closed fist, scribbling on the paper with your grass-colored crayon. You were on your knees on the floor, with your toys and painting materials scattered around. You had your tongue out, concentrating hard on the work of art you were going to make.

"Uhum, yes, yes, I've checked that before." Your mother said in the background, her footsteps rushing, the sound of her shoes with a heel clicked against the floor. You continued drawing content to show the end result to your extremely busy mother. The cheap TV played in the background, it was something that didn't catch your attention.

You finished the drawing and got up awkwardly, happy to find your mother in the house, which was easy since she was right behind the couch. She was on the phone, her purse already in her arms, you approached her talking to her but she didn't hear you because she was already talking to someone else. She walked straight past you and made her way to the kitchen table, grabbing her car keys. You puffed out your cheeks. After being ignored, again. You walked back to the floor in front of the television. Your mother soon came close to you and bent down, placing a kiss on your head. "Sorry honey, mommy has to go out now. How about a cartoon for you to watch?" Your mother suggested already changing the channel, just watching the first thing that looked childish was enough. It was a cartoon. That was enough. You didn't even have time to show her your drawing because your mother already closed and locked the door. And left you alone again. Not that you cared, you're old enough to take care of yourself, and you are proud of it. But still, it was very disappointing not to have your mother's attention, all your drawings, all your work, your mother didn't have time, at least not anymore. You sulked now, you looked at your toys on the floor, you didn't feel like playing. Until an animated song started playing on the TV. Making you look at the screen. Your curious eyes observed how bad the quality of the show on your TV was. But that didn't matter to you. What caught your attention was the funny colors of the show. You watched the animation of the show go on like a normal day, showing a few houses in a colorful neighborhood, the camera moving closer to a greener place, focusing on a character. A man with blue hair. You kept looking at the screen, seeing that the character was concentrating on painting a picture, and when he finished, the character noticed the presence of the audience and commented. "Oh, hello, neighbor! You've finally arrived." The character smiled at the audience and that caught your attention. He moved to the side and put his equipment aside. Focusing on the audience. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it? How are you?" The character asked turning his head to the side. You, not taking your eyes off the screen, decided to sit on the floor. Curiosity on your face.

There was a silence after the question, and you wondered if the television had frozen as it sometimes does. But you could hear music in the background, so you decided to answer happily. "I'm fine! I just drew a picture, so I'm happy." "Oh, that's wonderful. When you're happy, I'm happy." The character smiled closing his eyes, with his hands together. You crossed your legs and let your hands rest in the space between them. A silly smile rose to your face. You genuinely liked that the character was paying attention to you. You, being a child with a creative mind, genuinely thought that the character was talking to you. Not noticing the generic lines that he responded to after you spoke. This character, that you just met, you don't know his name so far, but he asks you questions! He asks things of you. And that was exactly the kind of attention you wanted. And you were loving it!

"How many apples are in that tree?" "Four!" "Perfect! Four apples, one for Julie, one for Barnaby, one for me, and one for you, neighbor!" Wally was smiling and looking at you with such enthusiasm, you were jumping in place, even though you knew there was no way you could eat the apple. "Woah, time passes when you're having fun, doesn't it?" Wally said after the episode was coming to an end, at least you learned this character's name. "Well, we better get some rest, see you tomorrow, neighbor!" Wally said with a smile on his face, a little wave of the hand and then the credits rolled, you, still not satisfied, wanted more of that show. You just loved everything and everyone! Luckily, you saw the intro and the same song start playing again. You smiled contentedly, expecting more from the program. . . . This is the second day you've been watching Welcome Home, all afternoon you've been marathon watching the show, learning more about the characters, 'talking' to Wally and watching the comedy episodes. Today you were already in the living room waiting for the program to start, excited to watch them all again. Your mother noticed that you were absent in running around the house, she walked around the house, not being late this time. She noticed you in the living room, sitting on the floor watching TV. Your mother came over and when she went to ask you something, the show music started up and you excitedly hummed along. Seeing Wally already leaving his house, you smiled contently and spoke his name aloud. "Wally! Hi!!!" The puppet started with the identical opening line, which you didn't even realize was all from the show's script. But you were still happy to see the puppet answer you with the same "Oh, hello, neighbor! You've finally arrived."

You answered each question happily. Your mother looked at you with soft eyes. She saw how innocent you were to answer the TV. It was something simple and cute, that made you excited, so your mother let this channel play more often. . . .

This was the third day you were in the living room, waiting to watch your new favorite show. Your face was freshly wet, because what had happened earlier had made you very anxious. Your mother argued loudly on the phone, swearing, she even locked herself in another room so you couldn't hear, but it was difficult. So you tried to overcome this on your own, so you were lying on the floor drawing Wally, being soothed by drawing him. Your mother had to leave early today, but she would be back early too. So you were alone, waiting for the program to start. And when the music started, you excitedly sniffed and looked at the TV with sparkling eyes. Waiting for entertainment after waking up in an unpleasant way. Wally then appeared again, you were on the floor and quickly got up and sat down, grabbed your blankets and wrapped yourself up, since it was cold. Your favorite character came out of his house and started with his same normal question. "Oh, hello, neighbor! You've finally arrive-"

Suddenly, he stopped, in the middle of the sentence. You notice that the eyes of the puppet on the screen widened a little, as he noticed... something? Maybe. You curiously frowned slightly, wondering what had gotten into Wally? This is different. The pause that was taken left you confused, and then he continued, but his posture was different. "Uh- It's a beautiful day and…"

"How, uh. How are you?…" You watched the puppet in front of you with a more droopy posture, it didn't look like he was confident like all the other times. You shook your head, not thinking much. "I'm fine, how are you?" You asked just to ask, because you knew Wally would answer that anyway. But what you didn't expect was that the silence returned. The figure of Wally standing there, looking at you. Then you heard a low: "Are you sure?..."

You raised your eyebrows. Oh, he really answered you this time. You ran your hands over your face, feeling your hands get a little wet after wiping some of the liquid off your face. You looked down at your drawing and then looked into the puppet's eyes. "Hhm, I'm fine, Wally." You hummed affirming what you said earlier. But that didn't seem to have much effect, as the puppet in front of you stared at you with a silence in the background that seemed like forever before something happened.

And it wasn't what you expected. Because the image of Wally looking at you was soon replaced by the continuation of the episode. The view was of a clearing and a butterfly fluttered across the screen. You were surprised by Wally's strange behavior, but you ignored it.

The episode continued as usual, although Wally didn't appear for a few minutes. The characters are in a situation and need help, it was in this part that Wally would ask for your help in this situation. But he wasn't there. You questioned for a few seconds until the screen started to crash, the voices of some characters in the background still talking, but the screen was a mess, there were two scenes trying to appear on the screen, the colors were all mixed up and this made even the voices of the characters stop. Sitting in the dark with the screen all glitched made you a little worried, you remember that the last time the television was like this was on a rainy day. But it wasn't raining now. It made you get out of your blankets and look at the TV still frozen, occasionally making sounds. Suddenly an idea popped into your head. Your mother once hit the TV hard because she said it would fix it, you saw her do it, and it worked, maybe you could try it. Getting close to the TV you raised your small hand and slapped it lightly. Looking at the TV, it didn't work. Maybe you need more strength? You made your hand into a fist and when you went to lift it you were startled by the screen behaving more aggressively with colors and a loud, not pleasant, sound was made. "DO NOT" It was written illegibly on the screen, but you were able to read it despite the mess of glitches. "FIX IT." It appeared at the bottom of the screen, along with the other words. You stopped moving your hand and observed what was happening on the screen. Suddenly. Statics. The television became pure static, no music, no show, nothing. And then only two words appeared. The font was better, despite the random color streaks being made on the screen. "Let me." After a few seconds. The TV went black and a song started. You realized it was the intro of the show, without much doubt, the show started again, the animation of the houses in the neighborhood, the title 'Welcome Home', everything was normal again. You sighed, glad that it was working again, and then you saw him. Wally had his back to you, with a white canvas in front of him, he wasn't painting anything. And then he noticed you. He turned and smiled looking at you. "Oh, hello again neighbor." Wally said putting his brush aside. "Sorry about that, something happened. An... inconvenience." The man in blue said with a smile and his eyes closed, looking even a little forced. "But now! No interruptions. Let's talk, shall we?" Wally put his hands together and smiled broadly, looking at you again. You looked surprised at the screen. Talk? About what? You frowned and turned your head away. "Aren't we going to help your friends? Earlier they seemed to need help with who took their-"

Suddenly the screen changed and some characters from before appeared with a big smile on their faces. "Wowie! Thanks for finding my stuffed animal Wally and neighbor!" Sally said hugging the little toy. Julie nodded in agreement happy that they had found what was missing. And then the screen crashed and went back to the same greenish corner with Wally standing there smiling.

"See, they already found it, everyone is happy." Wally explained trying to convince you that there was no need to 'end the episode'. You frowned slightly, clearly not convinced. Wally quickly began.

"Although…" In a slightly lower voice, you looked at the screen curious by your favorite character's change of mood. "I'm out of ideas of what to paint." Wally let you look at the blank canvas with nothing on it. You happily jumped in place, taking interest. "Oh! I can help you!" You said enthusiastically, the puppet looked at you and a smile formed on his face, he put his hands on his own face, with the same kind of enthusiasm. "Perfect!"

Time passed and you two talked for hours. While Wally was painting what you suggested, you yourself decided to draw another picture, the atmosphere was fun and comfortable. You were loving this session of talking and painting.

"So, (Name)." Wally started, you hummed paying attention, not taking your eyes off your drawing. It was nice to hear Wally say your name instead of just neighbor, you told him at the beginning of your long conversation. "Why were you crying before? If it's okay to ask." Wally asked a bit monotonously, you scrabbled a bit at the colors abstractly and hummend thoughtfully. "Hmm, well…"

Wally is your friend, right? It's okay to tell him about you, he also tells you all about himself, so fair enough. "My mommy is very busy. She ignores all my drawings!" You said with your cheeks puffy. "Ah, but that's just not very nice of her, hm?" Wally commented, and you aggressively nodded several times. "But that has nothing to do with your crying, does it?"

You stopped swinging your legs and looked at the TV screen and just watched the back of Wally, who continued to paint the picture. You sighed and continued. "Yeah… Today my mom had an argument on the phone…. And she's very short-tempered, you know? She'll blow up at anything. She gets aggressive."

Your last line was probably what made Wally stop moving the brush across the canvas, as you were looking at the canvas, you saw Wally glance at you, his eyes were a tad sinister.

"With you?…"

You looked at Wally a little innocently and shook your head, "No, not with me, she locks herself in her room and breaks things right there. And I don't like it when she gets like that. That's why I was sad." As if your words were air, the puppet on the TV sighed, and turned his back again and continued painting.

"I'm done!" You smiled excitedly, the puppet looked back and watched you. "Already? That was quite fast." You laughed at Wally's comment and then got down on your knees, bringing your drawing to the screen, trying to show your drawing to the screen. "Look, look, what do you think?!" You smiled and looked at your drawing, expecting some kind of comment from Wally, but it was so quiet that you had to put your drawing down and look at him.

Wally was staring at you the whole time you got close to the screen, and the puppet raised one hand and coughed falsely. "I'm sorry, it's just that I can't see the drawing if you don't look into my eyes." Wally explained this and you were confused, the puppet explained to you how he can't see anything if someone doesn't look into his eyes. You thought that was strange but you held up the drawing while looking at Wally. And then he finally reacted, taking his eyes off you and looked at the drawing in your hands. He smiled big when he saw your little work of art, complimenting you in every way, watching your smile grow wider and wider with his company. You spent the whole afternoon talking and having fun, your mother came home a little exhausted. She greeted you from afar and went to make herself a cup of coffee. You didn't, however, do the usual thing of running after her after she arrived. You kept your conversation with Wally happy and content. Your mother noticed the change in your behavior. Like every day, you stopped interacting so much with her and started to stay more in front of the TV. Maybe this was a consequence of her actions in leaving you alone so much that now you didn't worry about bothering her. But one night. That's what changed things. You were so annoyed by your mother's neglect that you decided to turn on the TV on your own at night and talk to the only friend who made you feel good.

After the intro passed, you couldn't even keep your crying face long, after you knew that you would be happy with your friend's presence. You didn't even wait for Wally to arrive right on the scene and you quickly began to talk and talk, making the puppet in front of you look surprised by your state. You tried to wipe your full tears on your sleeves, along with your snot. "Shh, shh…" Wally tried to calm you down, you were so close to the screen, it was a bad feeling to see you in that state. The puppet managed to cheer you back up with sweet comments. Your face was red with a huge smile now. Although you started to cry in your room when you realized that your mother was ignoring you while she fiddled with her laptop, you ran into the living room in a loud, clearly sad voice. Your mother noticed her actions at that moment. And she tried to tidy things up a bit. She went into the living room, where she heard where you were talking.

What was strange, were you watching that program again? It looked like you were complaining about her to the TV. She walked silently into the living room and saw you standing near the TV, talking to it.

"Wally, can you be my best friend?" You asked, a few tears escaping and you wiped them away with your sleeves again. Your mother frowned at seeing you in this state, and just as she was about to step in to comfort you she noticed something that was probably not normal. "Of course, (Name). Best friends forever?" Wally asked smiling with half open eyes, he put his hand on the TV screen and you nodded aggressively with approval. "Forever!" Placing your hand on the TV screen where his was. Wally smiled contentedly, and since you were looking at him, he could see everything. He even managed to notice your mother in the back of the room, watching the interaction. The puppet's eyes widened a bit and he looked at you a little worried. Your mother then arrived frightened. And clearly with her heart in her hand. "(Name)." Your mother said firmly. You looked back and saw your mother's hand outstretched. "Come here." She said breathlessly. Staring at the puppet on the screen in fear. You denied it, however, and frowned. "No. I'm having fun with Wally." The nominee softened his gaze at looking at you, but soon intensified at looking at your mother. She approached you and pulled you up, quickly moving away from the TV. "(Name). Go to your room, it's not safe here." Suddenly the TV made a loud bang on the screen, two hands were there now, Wally's eyes fixed strongly on your mother, clearly not liking that you were being forced to leave him. "Stay the FUCK AWAY from them!" Your mother shouted at the TV, clearly frightened. You began to tear up again. Your mother was arguing with your best friend, that wasn't fair! "N-No, don't fight please…" You looked at Wally and he was looking at you, there was no emotion on his face except for that stare. But you still saw him as your friend. Your best friend! "Wally!" You held out your hand as if it would help you, and the TV once again made a loud bang. Your mother in panic quickly ran to her room and left you there, you still crying tried to open the door, but it was too late after you saw, your mother had unplugged the TV.

She still looked panicked and started to drag the TV away to throw it away. That night was the last time you saw your best friend.

. . . Was it?

-OO I was holding myself to not make a long one shot, I kinda see this as a rushed thing, but hey ho, I still liked writing this one :D-

#welcome home #welcome home arg #wally darling #wally darling welcome home #wally darling wh #welcome home wally #welcome home puppet show #welcome home fanfic #welcome home x you #welcome home x reader #wally darling x reader #wally darling x you

[slytherizz]

A Different Kind of Wager - Sebastian Sallow x Female!MC/Reader

Summary: Sebastian makes a wager with his girlfriend that will make the outcome of their final Crossed Wands duel before their graduation far more interesting.

My main fic has been sucking the life out of me with the angst and suffering. So here is some shameless smut I've been working on!

Word Count: 5.9k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit sexual content, duelling as a questionable form of foreplay, Lucan Brattleby runs an illegal gambling operation

You can find all the tags on Ao3 :)

She nibbled idly on the end of her quill her brows drawn together in that cute little frown as it always graced her features when she was deep in concentration. With their NEWT’s closing in fast Sebastian felt like he’d barely seen anywhere but the inside of his dormitory and the dusty shelves of this library for weeks. 

Not that he was getting much work done. 

The blazing summer sun pouring through the windows made even the normally cool library stiflingly hot. Her tie was pulled loose where it hung around her neck, the top buttons of her blouse undone exposing the heat and blossoming beads of sweat on her clavicle were more than a bit distracting.

Over the last few weeks, Sebastian barely had enough time to sleep around his revision let alone spend any quality time with her outside of the library. Which had left him more than a bit frustrated that even a glimpse of skin was enough to have his thoughts so far from his own Potion’s essay.

So, he’d settled himself into the comfortable position of twirling her hair around one of his fingers whilst staring directly down her shirt. Sebastian hoped if he kept this up for long enough she’d eventually snap at his annoying prodding. If he got her wound up enough it would more often than not end in a frustrated fumble and if he got her seething which with how badly her history of magic revision seemed to be going was likely he’d work her up enough that she’d let him fuck her in the restricted section to release the tension.

A loud bang rang out echoing through the library as the heavy oak doors slammed pulling Sebastian abruptly from his fantasies. Sebastian cringed internally for the poor sod who had surely invoked Scribner’s wrath. He heard muffled apologies answer Scribner’s shrill scolding which rang through the echoing library like a bell. He’d been on the receiving end of one of the aged librarians foul moods more times than he cared to remember and did not envy the recipient.

Flushed with embarrassment, Lucan Brattleby scouted sheepishly once Scribner was satisfied he’d had an earful and moved her attentions elsewhere. Although taller now the fifth year was no less baby faced the scarlet of his robes accentuating the flush in his cheeks. As he spotted them from the far side of the library and hurried towards the back table where they’d sequestered themselves away.

“Ah, there you both are! Been looking all over the bloody castle for you.”

“Seventh-year Lucan,” she sighed rolling up her parchment with a smile “If we’re not in the library we’re crying in the toilets.”

“Not too busy for tonight I hope,” he smiled nervously, eyes wide in a pleading stare. 

Sebastian had forgotten, between preparation for NEWT’s and spending the week desperately trying to get his girlfriend alone a final match of the Crossed Wands was far from the top on his list of priorities.

“Don’t you worry we’ll be there,” she smiled before Sebastian could disagree with more than a few ideas of what he'd rather do with her in his free time.

Lucan breathed a sigh of relief “Good that would throw the entire betting pool out of sorts. Not that I can let you two in on the fun I’m afraid. Can’t have one of you throwing a match and making off with the pot,” he grinned, brown eyes alight with mischief “I have some class as to not allow insider betting…that and the Ravenclaws would have my head.”  

“Surely you can spare a kickback for old friends?” Sebastian quirked.

“You do it for the glory Sallow and you know it,” she grinned at him.

“Touché.”

“Slight change of plans for tonight,” added Lucan blushing clearly seeing it painted across Sebastian’s face exactly what he’d rather be doing tonight. “We’re in the Astronomy Tower. Too many close calls with Professor Weasley in the Clocktower Courtyard.”   

“Don’t you worry we’ll be there. One last hurrah before exams completely destroy our social lives,” she sighed.

“I’ll see you both tonight!” Lucan clapped his hands together with glee looking between them conspiratorially before hurrying off.

If Sebastian was frustrated with their lack of time for each other now, he realised that would only get worse with exams looming over them edging closer. Sebastian leaned back in his chair and sighed dramatically, and he swore he saw her roll her eyes.

“It’s been ages since we duelled. It’ll be nice to do something apart from our usual verbal sparring,” she encouraged. But Sebastian’s thoughts were far from duelling when the idea struck him.

“Shame to let Lucan have all the fun," he said slowly leaning in close enough so his breath could disturb the loose hairs around her face "Care to make this more interesting?”

“I know that look. What are you plotting?”

“How about a little wager?”

“What kind of wager?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

Sebastian's eyes flicked around the room, as Lucan slammed the door a second time sending Scribner once again on the warpath. Directing her spitting rage towards some poor Gryffindor second-years who had tried to smuggle pumpkin pasties into the library and had gotten crumbs and oily fingerprints all over their books.

Satisfied they were secluded away from any prying eyes he hooked his finger under the hem of her long skirt where it had ridden up over her crossed legs. His hand stroked purposefully up the bare skin underneath, ghosting up the inside of her thighs teasing the soft skin with a gentle scratch of his fingernails that sent a shiver through her.

She looked at him half amused, but he could see how her pupils had been blown wide from the lightest touch that promised everything.

“I have some ideas.”

***

Even Sebastian was baffled at the sheer number of students who’d managed to sneak out of their common rooms to make the long trek to the Astronomy tower that night. Whoever had done the imperturbable charm had done an impressive job not a sound could be heard from outside of the classroom, despite the deafening din inside. There had to be at least fifty students crammed into the observation deck. They clang to the railings hitching themselves up high to get the best view.

“Last call to get your bets in. Come on don’t be shy!” Lucan shouted over the hectic crowd that had surrounded him. Students jostled each other as they attempted to push forward to get closer to the board. “I’ve got some 20:1 odds-on Prewitt - put your money on the Underdog and you could walk away with half the pot.”

Lucan was truly in his element. His left fist clutched full of betting slips, he scratched frantically with his chalk at the betting pool he’d meticulously crafted on the blackboard he must have nicked from the arithmancy classroom and lugged up to the tallest point of the castle. Students inspected the match-ups before shoving galleons into his waiting hands.

Sebastian really did admire his entrepreneurial spirit. Taking over an unsanctioned duelling club in your third year was one thing but making a profit off of it was a stroke of genius. He’d begun his enterprise last year started in with a few well-meaning bets and had now spiralled to a size where even students who’d never participated in the duelling themselves would attend every match just for a piece of the action.

Sebastian cast his eyes over the crowded room, a couple of overeager fourth years were stretching relishing that they’d made it this far in the tournament at all. A few Slytherin second-years in their pyjamas who looked very pleased with themselves for having managed to sneak out of the common room to watch the show were whispering huddled in the corner.

His eyes connected with hers across the far side of the room. She was leaning against the rickety balcony he suspected was only still standing due to magic embedded in the castle. She was smiling at him, the moon high in the sky illuminating her features bathing her in an ethereal glow. Despite the commotion in the tower, the nerves of competitors were so palpable Sebastian felt he could cut the tension with a knife she looked beautiful and serene. For a moment he considered doing away with the tournament and their wager all together and dragging her off to her secret hideaway opposite the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy.

Sebastian battled against the grain of the crowd towards her. Weasley tried to grab his attention and pull him into a conversation about some combat-enhancing potions he was brewing but Sebastian patted the redhead on the shoulder placatingly never letting his eyes leave hers.

She smiled up at him a devilish glint in her eye as he came to lean against the banister beside her.

“You know if you want to back out of the bet I’ve thought of some creative forfeits,” he nudged her arm. She rolled her eyes; at the smug look he knew was plastered over his face. But he liked the way the small smile played on her lips. Lips that if he had his way wrapped around his cock before the night was up.

“Not scared of losing are you, Sallow?”

“Oh, not at all,” he leaned in closer, wrapping a strand of her hair around his finger to push it behind her ear. The smell of mallowsweet that always clung to her hair and clothes invaded his senses only making him more impatient to have that scent coating his skin “Just giving you the chance to save your knees while you still can.” He whispered into her ear low enough that only she could hear, relishing in the way she licked her lips instinctively at the thought. Despite the cool night breeze that came in through the open sides of the tower Sebastian could feel the heat creeping up his neck. Just as he’d decided to sack off the duels entirely and drag her away Lucan’s voice sounded over the muddle of raised voices.

“Right that it - Bets are closed. Sallow. Prewitt. Duellists take your marks for preliminaries!”

“See you in the final,” she winked and pushed him towards the middle of the tower. The red-head was already waiting looking insufferably smug as ever. Despite Sebastian’s general disdain for Prewitt, he did often find it amusing how even though he’d never once bested him in a duel he could delude himself into thinking this time could be any different.  

“This is my year, Sallow,” he called across from him taking an offensive stance.

“Sorry Prewitt, I have too much on the line to go easy on you tonight,” Sebastian replied not meeting the Gryffindor’s eyes instead turning slightly to wink at her.  

***

It wasn’t fate that landed her opposite him in the final duel that night. Sebastian had been quietly confident when he’d made his wager with her that it would always come down to the two of them. As much as Lucan insisted that his matchups were done completely at random, and he’d never sully his reputation with such cheap tricks. Lucan also knew people liked a show of seeing their two best duellers face off against each other. Having them knock each other out in the first round, well that would be bad for business.

Sebastian was certain he could live a hundred lifetimes and still remember the way she moved. As if it was seared into his brain that first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. She was like a raging storm, and he was a lost ship being pulled out to sea. That ancient magic in her veins practically glowing like an azure snake crackled amongst her fingertips like the poised lightning of a vengeful god ready to send his sails and crew to a watery grave.  

Their dance began. She still duelled as if she was some untamed wind whirling reactively and unrefined. Her wand lashing out from her fast like a whip, she cast with her whole body. The wand was not just a tool but a very extension of herself. Never one for fancy charms she sent a confringo towards him that singed the edges of his cloak and sent the crowd quickly leaping from their view around the railings as the curse hurtled towards them. She’d leave her left side fully exposed and just as fast as he’d send a curse flying in her direction, she’d pivot so quickly the vulnerability was lost in a flurry of robes and hair. He parried and struck with his wand missing his mark again and again as she moved like a knife through butter. As they twirled around the moving iron plates marked with stars, they used this new terrain to their advantage. Taking cover when the discs shifted blocking their opponent and their spells from view only to spring from the other side with curses of their own. Sweat glistened faintly on her brow, and a wide grin spread across her face that he knew was mirrored on his own.

His eyes met her across the devilish glint in her eyes practically stopping his heart for a moment. The rest of the world, the crowds slipped away and there was only her. Her fire, her perfect storm.

It took his brain a moment to right itself and realised he’d been hit, and he was now meeting her piercing gaze with his arse firmly on the floor. Her brow gleamed with sweat, hair tangled and wild, blazing with victory. A goddess of war, triumphant. And she was his.

As suddenly as they disappeared the crowds seemed to come flooding back in a riotous cheer as they surrounded her. Weasley slapped her on the back his face broken into a wide toothy grin. He peeled off from the crowd hand outstretched to assist Sebastian to his feet. He gratefully took it dusting himself off, chuckling to himself.

“Tough luck mate,” he smiled placatingly. “I would say there’s always next time but that was your last shot. I’m afraid you’re out of the history books now. I lost eight sickles betting on you as well.” He ran his fingers through his ginger hair frowning to himself stewing over his lost winnings.

Sebastian smiled at him apologetically despite the fact he couldn’t give two shits about Weasley’s shrapnel not when he had a debt of his own, one that he was eager to pay.

Sebastian leaned against the railings in wait for her. The crowd swarmed around her dragging her this way and that, chattering over each other each eager to get her ear. Some cheered some muttering reluctant congratulations looking away enviously as Lucan handed those who had bet on her their winnings. Not nearly as much as the house would take however as Lucan lined his pockets.

Sebastian was beginning to grow impatient, it felt like an eternity as he waited for the crowds to finally disperse. This earned him a few smirking looks, everyone thought he was embarrassed, and Hogwarts' self-proclaimed ‘best dueller’ had been bested yet again. He played the part of the good sport despite his growing frustration, laughing off the snide little barbs from the likes of the insatiably competitive Imelda and most shockingly even a mocking glare from old Puffskein Dunkein. The audacity of a man afraid of puffskein to look at him like that Sebastian almost laughed out loud.

When at last a pair of gushing fourth-year Hufflepuffs girls had finally left her side whispering and giggling as they left the tower to follow the rest of the crowd. Sebastian slipped up behind clearing his throat as she turned to him eyes bright with triumph.

“So…what was all that about saving my knees?”

“No need to show off, pet. It doesn’t suit you,” he grinned slowly encroaching in on her. The once deafening tower was now quiet and still. The only lights left were the soft moonlight and glowing stars. Sebastian thought if he listened hard enough, he could hear her heartbeat increase with every step he took towards her.

She released a loud undignified snort of laughter “That’s rich coming from you.”

Sebastian silenced her pressing his lips hard against hers in a desperate kiss that ignited a fire in his bones. With the pressure of NEWTs, he hadn’t realised how starving he was for her touch. He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped parting her lips just enough so he could slip his tongue between them to tangle with her own. His hands ghosted down her sides wrapping around her so he could pull her flush against him. He knew she’d already be able to feel his already hardening length exposing exactly where his thoughts were as they pressed into her. He pulled away from her a little breathless, freckled hands coming up to clasp her cheeks.

“A debt is owed, pet. Ready to collect?”

“What now? Here?”

“Did I not mention it’s a time-sensitive offer?”

She huffed out a surprised laugh as she met his eyes. But he noticed that telltale way she bit down on the inside of her cheek, noted how even in the low light her pupils were blown wide as saucers. He kissed her again more passionately this time, edging her towards the small table in the corner covered in ripped-up betting slips from sore losers and broken astronomy equipment.

In his haste, Sebastian swept the papers and objects littering the table a telescope clattered to the floor with a loud metallic clang. He gripped her hips forcefully and lifted her to plant her on the edge of the desk. He kissed up the column of her throat savouring every rasping vibration against his lips as her breathing caught in her throat.

“You were excellent, darling. Thought you might actually finish me off,” he murmured against her skin as he loosened her tie around her neck as he had done his own. He could already see a flush creeping up her clavicle as he worked the buttons exposing more of the stained flesh beneath. Her skin was salty on his tongue but after a week of nothing but longing looks and stolen kisses it tasted like ambrosia. He pulled the offending garment from around her shoulders throwing it unceremoniously to the floor. He pulled at the ribbons letting her stays flutter open before pulling the thin silky chamise over her head. Her nipples pebbled fully exposed as the night air swept in through the tower, mussing her hair. He brought the crown between his teeth tongue flicking out to tease the flesh and she groaned. Her hand came to settle on her neglected left breast pinching the twin between her own fingers. Wickedly gorgeous a movement that he knew meant she ached as much for him this last week as he did her. He released her from his teeth and kissed her quickly. Grinning Sebastian ran his hands up her thighs fingers pressing hard into those sinfully tight trousers she wore.

He hooked his fingers into her waistband as she lifted her hips assisting him as he peels her trousers and knickers off of her legs. She wriggled her feet out of the bottom and Sebastian discarded them next to her shirt in a pile on the floor. Bare and laid out before him he cursed himself for ever letting her wear clothes at all.

Dropping to his knees Sebastian coaxed her legs apart by peppering kisses along the inside of her thighs. Pausing momentarily to nip and suck small bruises on the tender flesh as he worked up towards the apex of her thighs. He bent her knees up to rest them on either side of his shoulders, he pulled her hips sharply forward spreading her out before him like his last meal.

“Did you like seeing me on my back as much as you do between your thighs?” he goaded. Her lips parted to reply but all that came out was a low whine as Sebastian flicked his tongue across her bundle of nerves. Her hips jolted forward in search of reprieve. More pleasure only he could give to her. A pleasure he now owed her.

He dragged his tongue across her clit more purposefully this time. Her hands shot down to knot almost painfully in his hair, as he kept him close to her aching heat demanding the payment that was due. Sebastian was a lot of things; ruthless at worst, an insufferable show-off at best but he was not a sore loser. He sealed his mouth over her aching heat, burying her tongue in her folds.

The sight of her above him he doubted there was a more perfect sight in this world. She was bare and spread out like a nymph from some Greek tragedy and he was a mere disciple who had come to pray at her altar. He chased her sounds, swirling his tongue around her nub lapping up every drop she offered to him. He dragged his tongue across her weeping entrance, a broad stroke with the flat part of his tongue. From the way her legs had already begun to tremble, he knew she had been aching for this, for his touch just as much as he had. He always marvelled at how quickly she came undone when he used his tongue, but with how much he’d been driven practically mad with need all week he wanted to savour this. Every flash of skin, the sway of her hips, when she leaned in too close, and her scent seeped into his mind had him as pent up as he had been before they were together and all thought of her had been a mere albeit all-consuming fantasy. So, he wanted to take his time with her, use that control he had over her and bring her to the brink and back until she was a crumpled mess.

She writhed sinful curses and breathy moans slipping from her lips as she ground her hips forward seeking relief on the flat part of his tongue. He was teasing her he knew. Edging her closer and closer towards that summit of bliss and that wasn’t part of their deal. But after a week of nothing but stolen kisses and fumbles above their clothes in quiet classrooms and hidden alcoves, he wanted her to come crashing down when she was near breaking and begging for release.

Just as he felt her legs begin to clamp together practically suffocating him between her thighs he ceased his ministrations of his tongue, sucking small bruises on the inside of her thighs. Not that Sebastian thought suffocating between her thighs was a particularly bad way to go out. He released her clit switching between sinking his teeth into her soft skin before swiping the marks with his tongue.

“Seb- what the fuck?” she groaned in protest, she bucked her hips towards him practically at breaking point in need of her release. Her fingers smoothing his mop of chestnut hair he guessed now looked even more tangled and wild than usual as she desperately tried to pull him back towards her aching heat.

Sebastian released his grip on her thighs, skimming his fingers along the inside of her thighs leaving goosebumps in his wake before he slid his fingers into her tight heat. Her eyelashes fluttered as he teased her open with two freckled fingers. He crooked his fingers and grinned as her light panting transformed into keening mewls as he hit that sweet spot inside of her that made her crumble from the inside out. He knew it was cruel to make her wait, she had earnt her prize fair and square, but he’d been starving for her for all week, and he wanted to feel her come undone harder than he ever had. Even if it took all night. He pumped his digits slowly coaxing her towards the brink again with each purposeful thrust. She was practically vibrating, so dangerously close to the edge Sebastian thought he saw the ghosts of tears in her eyes as she writhed desperately.  

“Sebastian, please. I can’t- Fuck,” she groaned desperately. Sebastian sealed his mouth over her clit and sucked - devouring the quivering nub.

The combination of sensations must practically set fire to all her nerves. Even if no one had heard the unsanctioned duelling tournament he still wouldn’t be surprised if they heard her now. The loud unabashed cry that she released as her earth shattered even her legs clamped around his ears did little to muffle her glorious sounds. Despite his own need twitching almost painfully in his trousers at the sight of her shuddering release; all Sebastian cared about was prolonging her bliss. He lapped purposefully at her swollen flesh as she rode his fingers forcing her hips down onto them. Each thrust is more forceful than the last. He’d gladly let her wake the whole castle with her strangled cries. Let them all hear the pretty sounds the Hero of Hogwarts only made for him.

Her legs at last went boneless panting hard as she collapsed back on her elbows. Her head lolled helplessly to the side as she gazed at him through hooded eyes of admiration and desire. She looked practically drunk at the sight of him still buried between her legs.

“My congratulations to the victor,” he said smugly. Licking the residual wetness that still coated his lips as he at last removed his fingers from her tight heat. His tongue laved at the bruises he sucked on the inside of her thighs soothing their ache. He travelled up her pausing only to run his nose through the sparse hairs at the apex of her thighs which made her groan again as his heated breath tickled her still-sensitive nub. Impatient at his torturous pursuit up her body her hands clasped his freckled cheeks to pull him towards her. She claimed his lips not caring to wipe his mouth. She nipped greedily at his bottom lip her tongue flicking out to meet his won as she tasted the need her body had for him still sweet on his lips.

Her hands ghosted across his hipbones that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The scratch of her fingernails had Sebastian’s hips instinctively jerked towards her. Chasing his own need for release rutting forward his still-clothed member twitching against her exposed heat. She captured the grunt he released with her lips her deft fingers frantically working the buckle of his belt. He encircled her wrists with a large hand stopping her pursuit.

“Ah- Ah. You won fair and square. No need for that,” he grinned. He could practically feel his own body cursing the part of his mind that wasn’t completely overcome with desire for the witch spread out before him and was still capable of rational thought. He focused on the need his cock had to claim her into his lips fastening his teeth over her fluttering pulse.

“Don’t make me beg,” she groaned. With the little room she had to move her hands in his grip she pulled him forward by his belt loops more forcefully until his hips were flushed against her. Even through his trousers, he could feel the heat from between her thighs that made his cock twitch demandingly.

“But I so love it when you do.” His hands buried into her hair in a possessive grip to pepper kissed along her jaw.

“Shut up and fuck me already,” she practically growled, palming his cock through the fabric. Sebastian knew he would grant any request from her lips. Taking her hips in a bruising grip she yelped as her backside was pulled sharply over the edge of the rickety table. He didn’t let her fall instead letting her weight pass to him flipping her around so she could take a firm hold of the table and steady herself. She turned to look at him, her eyes hooded pupils blown wide biting so hard on her bottom lip he thought she might draw blood. To the world, she was a triumphant warrior, a heroine forged in fire and bloodshed but for him and only him in secret moments stolen under darkness and moonlight, she would shed that armour. And give herself to being his to claim and conquer.

Sebastian shucked his trousers down forcefully kicking them off from around his ankles. His cock sprang free of its prison, arching proudly in front of him. Sebastian swiped his fingers through her still soaking folds coating his fingers in her slick and his spit.

“Please Sebastian-” she whimpered at the contact, desperate to feel more than just his fingers inside her. He teased her kiss-swollen bottom lip down, pushing his digits roughly into her mouth. She closed her mouth greedily around his fingers languidly dragging her tongue to clean them off. Her pupils were blown wide as black as the night sky; he almost came completely undone just at the lusty look she was giving him. He could wait any longer to be inside her and feel her around him. Sebastian angled his hips and breached her walls with a strong deliberate thrust. She released a strangled cry her head lolled against her shoulder her desperation to finally be filled by him satiated.

“Fuck-” Sebastian hissed. He didn’t wait for her to adjust to him as he took her hip in a bruising grip thrusting his hips forward. Still tender and swollen from how he’d already made her quake her oversensitive walls fluttered around his cock as she took the entirety of him. As he rocked his hips into her Sebastian thought he could rename every star in the sky with the speed with which filthy moans and praise to him and everything he made her feel tumbled from her lips. Each is more wonderous than the last.

He hastily undid the remaining buttons on his shirt to admire his incessant plunges into her warmth. Only caring about how she practically swallowed him whole.  

“Taking me so well,” he grunted, rough and low. Her spine curved at his praise drawing him in deeper. The head of his cock teased that sweet spot inside her. The more of her weight shifted backwards the more she arched towards him until she was flushed against him and rutting her hips back frantically in search of more friction. He slowed his pace to draw himself almost fully out of her before filling her again with a languid thrust. “Tell me how it feels darling.”

“Incredible. Fuck- I’ve needed you all week- inside me. Please Seb more,” she whimpered.

He wondered how many students dreamt of having her and how even they in all their wildest fantasies couldn’t begin to imagine what it was like to take her under the stars.

He pressed his forehead into her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her to settle on the curve of her stomach. Holding her in place so he could increase his tempo slamming home hard. Each thrust into her tight heat drew keening mewls as he edged her closer towards her second climax.

Sebastian could feel that coil inside him tightening threatening to snap. He wanted to feel her crash down around him. He didn’t just crave it. He needed it. Like a man lost in the desert and she was his oasis gulping down water greedily until he was sick with it. Sebastian curled his hand around her throat, squeezing just enough that a choked whine could still escape from her lips as her head began to spin. Each finger that pressed around her delicate neck said the words his sex-addled mind couldn’t make his mouth form.

Only I can make you feel like this. You are mine. I am yours. I love you.

He pulled her backwards harder onto his cock by her throat, spearing her with brutal efficiency. Curling his fingers tighter his other hand slipped down the planes of her stomach to apply soft pressure to her hooded bundle of nerves sending a shock through her like a burst of electricity. He could feel her body begin to clench and tremble around him in a way that was maddening. Whatever words she tried to speak came out as little more than a garbled cry over the grip around her delicate neck.

“Come for me, darling. Please- I can’t hold back any longer. I need to feel you come undone all over my cock,” Sebastian groaned into the shell of her ear as he began to tease furious circles over her still-swollen clit.

Sebastian doubted there was a more beautiful sight than the witch he loved unravelling under the full force of his fingers and his cock. Her walls clenched around him. Spasming and contracting as they sucked him in impossibly deeper into her cunt as she let out a shriek. With a final uneven snap of his hips that coil inside him snapped and his own release spilling inside her. His hips spluttered, pumping it deeper into her, her name and filthy praise erupting from his lips in a sound he could only liken to a primal whine.

Her body was flushed with a thin sheen of sweat that coated her glittering under the moonlight. His forehead came to rest between her shoulder blades he released his hold on her throat to wrap his arms around her as she struggled to stay upright on weakened trembling legs. He peppered soft apologetic kisses across the small bruises that were beginning to bloom around her throat. Still buried deep inside her his thumb stroking her nub gently, she whined and bucked her hips to try and shake off the overstimulation. She chuckled against her skin, and at last, releasing the small bundle of nerves she sighed with relief.

He removed himself from her aching core and she groaned at the loss of him inside her. As if she only felt whole when he was filling her completely. On shaking legs, he guided her over to rest gently on the edge of the desk again. He kissed her more gently now and she hummed against his lips. A pleasureful little sound that even despite being completely spent had him wondering if he could muster up the energy to take her again as his tongue flicked lazily out tangling with her own.

“I love you,” he smiled and she practically glowed. To him, she was brighter and more beautiful than any star that any astronomer could find in the farther reaches of the cosmos.

“You let me win, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mused, pushing her hair behind her ears absentmindedly. 

“Either way the result was the same. You’ve been looking up at me from your back since you were fifteen,” she smiled slyly, her eyes twinkling with mirth. She bent down to scoop up her trousers before shimmying back into the tight material that he still had no idea how she got away with wearing the wildly inappropriate attire on the school grounds.

“Oh- You want a rematch? I’d be more than happy to take my winnings.”

“Oh, I’m sure you would be.”

“Care to make it more interesting?”

“I’m listening,” she grinned. His little witch had always been a thrill seeker, but their rematch was a contest he wasn’t willing to lose. He didn’t just want her mouth. He wanted her hand.

#sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian x mc #Sebastian sallow x female reader #sebastian sallow x f!mc #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow smut #sebastian sallow fanfic #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow fanfiction #hogwarts legacy fanfic #hogwarts legacy fanfiction

[aldryrththerainbowheart]

How I've missed you

Wait for me.

He said, mounting his horse and tipping his hat goodbye.

I’ll be back.

He said as he rode towards sunset. Until he was nothing more than a speck in the distance.

You’ll wait for him, but the question is how long? A month? A year? A decade? D was, after all, immortal, absolute. The time for him flows differently for you. One human lifespan is nothing but a blink of an eye for him.

You’ve never stayed in one place this long. You’re a nomad, drifting from one corner of Frontier to another. It made your feet twitch, aching to be on the road once more. But you couldn’t. How else he’ll find you? If he’d even look for you. You shook your head to shake off that thought. You can’t let them slink their way into your heart. D would never abandon you, ha made a promise and he keeps his promises.

Your deprecating musing was interrupted when you reached the door from your caravan. You ran your fingers over the cracked paint before reaching for the doorknob. A small, but cozy interior of your lodgings greeted you. Old, patterned scarf pinned over one wall, a small tin stove, a bunk in the far end, candles, and colorful trinkets hanging everywhere. It wasn’t much but you loved this place. The wheels attached to your home gave you the feeling that you can leave wherever you can and whenever you want.

You settled a bag with a piece of bread and cheese you’d managed to purchase for that little coin you had. When you heard squeaking followed by scratching of small claws over the worn wooden floor. Slicing off a bit of cheese, you crooned at the small thing creeping its way toward you.

You found Lettie when They were digging through your garbage in the middle of the night. You started leaving them with leftovers. One day you came home and found them lying at the foot of your bed, waiting for you. You have a pet now, you guess… Even though you have no idea what Lettie is, or even its gender. Just another creation of genetic tinkering done by Nobles.

“He’s gonna love you, I’m sure.” You told the creature as you ran your fingers over the sleek fur. It doesn’t respond, of course, but no matter. Just like with D, you don’t always need him to add to your conversations. You can do all the talking by yourself.

Slipping your hands under Lettie’s belly, you lifted them and carried them to your bunk. You flopped onto the bed and held Lettie close to your chest, before lifting them above your head. The animal's glossy eyes stared dispassionately at you.

“Look at you, getting all mopey.” Your voice took a high-pitched quality to resemble Lettie’s squeaks and, as you enunciate the words, you bounce the creature as if it’s talking to you.

“What do you know! I’m allowed to miss him every once in a while!”

“What would D say if he knew you were so anxious for his return?”

“Hush, I know he comes back.” You settled Lettie back on your chest, the animal was finally allowed to rest.

After a beat of silence, you whispered, “He always came back.”

You were woken up by a loud banging on the caravan’s door. You slogged towards the door whilst trying to blink away the blurriness in your vision. A distressed face of one of the villagers greeted you. It was the old man Johnson, he owned a farm on the outskirts of the town.

“Thank Krist! I thought you were never gonna answer!” The man spitted at you, face ruddy and eyes bulging.

“It better be good Jonny.” You grumbled passively at him.

“Harpies!” The man choked out. “A whole swarm of them!! They’re tearing apart my stock. I was…ah…

The farmer didn’t get the chance to finish the sentence as you walked out of the door with a golden blade in your hand. Johnson stumbled after you, eyes trained on the blade. Where in the seven hell did gypsy like you get their hands on such a weapon?? It was engraved with strange symbols with the dragon's head at the base of the blade, blood-red ruby eyes piercing into him.

You arrived at the ranch at the exact moment when one harpy clutched a frightened sheep in its claws. Just as the night perpetrator lifts the poor animal into the sky, a soft swoosh of a blade sings through the air. The harpy falls down with a blood-curdling screech, which alerts other harpies. They leave the flock and train their beady eyes on you. With a steadying exhale, you readjust your stance and point the sword in their direction, the golden blade gleaming in the moonlight.

The harpies all dive onto you in unison. However, their talons only grab air as you propel yourself upwards, your upper body twisting clockwise to reach as far as possible with your sword. Some harpies dodge, others drop on grass like swatted flies. Johnson was so taken by the sight in front of him that he hadn’t realized he remained alone on the pasture. Nor did he notice a dark figure approaching him slowly but steadily, broad shoulders draped in a dark cloak casting a long shadow over him.

You were running out of stamina and you knew it. Your movements were slower, your senses grew more sluggish. You cried out in pain as one of Harpie’s talons dug into your shoulder whilst the other aimed for your neck. Luckily, you managed to lodge the blade between the two of you. A bead of sweat ran down your neck as you felt the strength leaving your arms, beasts maw moving closer and closer to you.

The beast has never learned your taste, for its head has been severed from its body before it could notice. Same for the other harpy, which finally made the imminent danger disappear, at least for today. You grunted as the sharp claws slipped out of the fresh wound and swayed on your legs dangerously. It took you several minutes of labored breathing and cursing before you registered the presence of another in front of you.

When you looked up, you almost fell down on your knees for good. There, illuminated by the moon, was D. Serene and unmoving as ever. Spine straight while his sword rested in his relaxed grip, still stained with harpies blood. You stared at him for a good minute or two, before wobbly walking towards him. That walk became, a somewhat sloppy run, and with the remaining strength, you propelled yourself forward and jumped into the hunter's arms. D simply extended his arms towards you, knowing better than to try and fight your theatrics. The impact from your bodies colliding made an ‘ooff’ puff out of your throat, but you haven’t released your clutch on him. After a moment of silence, you spent feverishly clutching onto him with fingers tangled in his hair, you untangle yourself from him far enough to be able to look at his face. You immediately took it into your hands and started examining the dhampir closely, making sure there wasn’t a single scratch on him.

Once you were satisfied with the results the dhampir was left open to your affections. You kissed his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids. Inch by inch you peppered his face with kisses while he held you hugged tightly to him. D’s lips twisted as he tried to fight a smile tugging at his mouth. He couldn’t fight the quiet giggle that slipped from them.

And the farmer could only stand there and gape in awe. Out of all the things he saw tonight, A dhampir being smothered with affection with the softest of smiles would be the most unbelievable of them all.

#vampire hunter d x you #vampire hunter d x reader #vampire hunter d

[timetravelingpenguin1066]

Hi there! I saw the screen recording you did for the Aemond gifset (superb work, by the way) and I was wondering if you would be open into doing a step-by-step tutorial on how you played with the colors (what was the graph on the right side of the window?) and how you manipulated the color palette when saving the gifs? No pressure! Was just curious :) Thank you!

Hi there, nonny! Step by step below the cut here.

I don't keep the psd files of my gifs, mostly because I don't have the storage space to do that, so I've made a different gifset of the same scene, so it should be much the same, if not better.

I believe this:

is the graph you were asking about? This is the histogram. I don't believe it has any practical usage in gifmaking. If any other gifmaker here has a different opinion, please share it. (I'm doing a photography degree, photoshop is my next unit so I'll know more about it soon)

Right, step by step. Hold your horses, this is long:

Step 1: get the clip. Some gifmakers use screen caps to make gifs. I do not know how to make them or how to use them and I find my own method works. If another gifmaker could add on how you make your screen caps, and if it is better than my own method, please add it. 😊

Where you get the clip from is a question. YouTube, somewhere else... as long as it's saved as a MP4 file on you computer/laptop, it doesn't matter. What does matter is the quality of your clips. A lot of people use 4K (super high quality) clips. I find those to be slow and arduous and may have been responsible for the fall of my old, decrepit laptop. HD or UHD are likely enough for some decent quality.

Step 2: Get the clip in the software (I use Adobe Photoshop. For some softwares, you might have to clip the clip i.e. make it shorter before just dumping it in) In Photoshop go to File > Import > Video Frames to Layers and a window will come up. Move the sliders until you have approximately what you want (don't worry about being exact. Just as long as you have what you need.) (Don't forget to click Limit to every 2 frames)

Step 3: Once the clip has opened and your ready to start, crop out any black/white edges. Then cut out the frames you don't want

Step 4: We are now ready to begin editing!! 🥳🥳🥳 Editing tends to just be a huge pile of trial and error. I have an order to things, but I often have to go back and adjust my first layers later.

I like to start with the Brightness/Contrast, for obvious reasons (I like to SEE what I'm doing *cough cough* HBO *cough cough*

The I adjust the Hue/Saturation, where I reduce the saturation of each individual colour. That reduction tends to be useful when I make further adjustments in effort to 'fix' as much of the shit colour grading as I can.

The next step is a combination of a Photo Filter (set to the default warming filter) and a Vibrance adjustment layer.

Next the where most of the magic happens. The Colour Balance allows me to adjust the colours in the shadows, midtones and highlights. The aim of this is to attempt to restore some colour. It can look a little weird when editing.

Finally is the Levels. This is a final brightness edit where I add most of my contrast.

Video featuring both sets here. Pause as needed to see the adjustments

Then, change the frame delay to 0.1, or whatever suits your fancy, but 0.1 is the most natural. Then, Click the button in the bottom left corner of the timeline which Converts to Video Timeline, then select all the layers, right click and Convert for Smart Filters.

After this is sharpening, cropping and then exporting. Either File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) or Alt + Shift + Ctrl + S

Here I change the size. (Usually adjust the height to 540px. Width depends on how I've cropped it. I my source clip excluding black edges was in the ratio 16:9, 540px is usually half that)

If you are uploading gifs to Tumblr, keep an eye of the file size. Tumblr doesn't allow for file sizes about 10MB, although for me it's always been more like 9.5MB. If that number is too high and you have made the gif as short as possible (no more the 50 frames if possible) and you have reduced the size (my limit tends to be about 480px height dependant on my crop ratio), then you change the number of the colours from 256 to NO LESS THAN 200. (lower than this may considerably reduce your quality)

Then you press Undo or Ctrl + Z a few times until you have all of your frames again and then repeat.

And all that can take half an hour or more. Hope this answers the question as well.

#gifmaking

[sewn-with-lilies-fair]

I WOULD LIKE TO WATCH SOME ROCK OPERAS!!!!

I WOULD LIKE TO HELP YOU WATCH SOME ROCK OPERAS!!!!!

There are two, completely separate productions, but they are both adaptations of the story of Beren and Luthien, from the Silmarillion.

The first is the Finrod rock opera. It was written in the early 2000's, and has several old recordings hanging out on Youtube. I recommend the 2014 concert version- it is, by far, the best place to start. Easy access, fully subtitled, and brilliant cast.

If you enjoy it, and want to see more, the company just started making broadcasts! They have six new recordings- four from Oct/Nov 2022, and two from Jan 2023. They are quite different from the 2014 concert version (they shuffled the songs around, and it's fully staged), but they are wonderful. I have a subtitled clip here.

If you wish to purchase one of the recent recordings, please contact me directly; it's a rather complicated process, because they're still working out broadcasting/international logistics. I have not finished subtitles for them, but my friend Anarchy has a translation on AO3.

The second is the Lay of Leithian rock opera. This was also written in the early 2000's, but as a one-woman bardic performance. It was only recently adapted into a rock opera in late 2020, and premiered in January 2021.

This one has six total recordings, and growing- every performance since June 2022 has been broadcast, and they just announced the last three shows of the season. I've made a master list of all recordings available for purchase here, with corresponding subtitle files (free) in English, Russian, and Finnish. Of all of them, I recommend the June 25, 2022 professional edit. It has the highest quality of video, editing, and sound. But if you want to watch for free, the very first recording on that list is an unlisted Youtube video, fully subtitled. It's their first broadcast, so there's issues with sound quality, and missing footage (which I repaired as best as I could), but it's still a wonderful start.

For more information and resources, check out my Lay of Leithian linktree, and for news and updates, I recommend my unofficial Instagram.

And as always- if you have any questions, and especially if you have any reviews, let me know! Happy viewing!

#ask #sad-excited-corvid

[chickenwaffles17]

rewatched Megamind just now because my dad got his hands on a HD copy after many years and uhh yeah it's the best movie ever made. (FYI I've been watching an SD cropped .avi for my whole life so seeing it in such High Definition™ was eye-opening)

(also if you plan to read this whole thing sorry for the quality of the photos these are all taken from my phone because I have Megamind just. In my album)

These people can be seen after Minion speeds away in the invisible car (hitting some guy in the process) and they're like, trying to figure out why they feel like they got hit by a mfing car it's so cool

There's a Raiders of the Lost Arc reference that my dad pointed out? That's cool

Where tf was Hal planning to store that "bouncy house he rented" when his apartment is like twelve square feet

Also the Roxanne "Good night Hal" poster totally caught me off guard even though I knew it was there lmao

LOOK AT HOW ROXANNE AND MEGAMIND/BERNARD LOOK AT EACH OTHER THEY'RE SO IN LOVE

BROKEN MIRROR IMAGERY

Hal wearing a mask when we first see him, when he's acting all "heroic" and shit, and then tossing the mask away just as he gets rejected, and then not wearing the mask for the rest of the movie because THAT'S HIS TRUE SELF?! THE THEMES OF LOOKING PAST THE INITIAL ASSUMPTIONS YOU MAKE WHEN YOU MEET A PERSON AND SELF IDENTITY IN THIS MOVIE MAKE ME GO FERAL

The scene in the rain is so beautifully animated and scored it makes me want to cry 😭

I never noticed this but Megamind reverting back to his old habits and "evil" ways after Roxanne finds out he'd been lying to her is just chef's kiss 💋 Like, he had such fun back then being thwarted by Metro Man, and then he starts growing as a person when he hangs out with Roxanne, like when he restores the paintings to the museum or cleans up the park he doesn't take credit for it or anything, he just wants to see her happy

And then she dumps him and he tries to get over it by being "himself" again

Titan rising from fire imagery? Okay I see you movie (I'm literally holding myself back from screaming because you're so amazing)

Also the way that Megamind gets so tense and frightened when Titan actually threatens to kill him? Because Metro Man would just give him to the police (acab) because it's not in his morals to kill someone

Metro Man walking on water and having his feet kissed imagery, also obviously being modelled after Elvis Presley who people worship like a god 10/10

Markiplier looking down for a moment and legitimately contemplating his question "Who would I be without you?" Because he's having a kind of identity crisis, wondering what he would do if he wasn't born with these powers and automatically assigned the role of protector because of them

Another thing about Titan, I love how in the scene where he's introduced formally with powers, the score is written like it's supposed to be romantic, or heroic, but there's a weird thing Hans Zimmer did where he managed to make it sound sinister especially towards the end, when he gets angry at Roxanne

Overall thoughts: I'm in love with this movie.

I am also furious that we went from "It can be easily reheated, in the microwave of evil" and "I'm shaking in my custom baby seal leather boots" and "There is no Queen of England" to;

"It's either a paper weight or a flash-grenade, so careful with that"

"I have eyes that can see right through lead" is the funniest thing to ever grace my eyes and ears.

#Megamind #long post #THIS MOVIE'S SO FUCKING GOOD #DreamWorks #dreamworks megamind

[bitchinfawkseh]

Heaven Knows Your Name, I've Been Praying: Chapter 12

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Summary: Cheryl awakens nearly 45 days later after the semi-crash landed them all in the hospital.

W.C: 2410

Warnings: Extensive injuries, depression.

[A/N] sorry this chap is so short! not much content and I was rushing to finish it. I will be taking an indefinite hiatus from updates! It's all so I can prewrite a bunch of chapters and come back with a regular posting schedule! Hopefully this will improve the quality as well, I plan to make some changes to my writing style. I hope you understand! But when I come back it'll be better than ever!!!

Masterlist | AO3

Helicopter blades whirled in the air, cutting through it with harsh whooshing sounds. A paramedic pushed a stretcher out on the helicopter pad, rushing towards one of the responding doctors. "27-year-old male, significant passenger side intrusion. Unresponsive. BP is 180 over 60, heart rate 95, 95." He yelled over the noise. Another stretcher was wheeled out of the helicopter, and an unresponsive female in critical condition. "28-year-old female, unresponsive. Open arm fracture, broken jaw and some internal injuries. BP bottomed out on the flyover, heart rate is 101."

"Alright," A doctor nodded as she grasped the stretcher bars. She glanced back towards the interns holding the doors open to the elevator, "Let's page ortho and general! Let's go!" She ordered as she wheeled the woman alongside the man on the first stretcher in the elevator.

Sam grit his teeth and tried to angle his head to at least catch a glimpse of Cheryl and Dean. They had his spine stabilized - which meant he had limited mobility of his neck. "Are they okay?!" He asked frantically. The paramedic that was unloading him frowned, "Stay still, stay still." She urged. Sam groaned and clenched his fists, they couldn't die... not Dean, not his Dad - and not Cheryl. He heard the paramedics talking on the ride over, hell, they almost lost Cheryl - something about her not breathing and a collapsed lung. "Are they even alive?" He wheezed worryingly. Much to his dismay, nobody answered his questions.

Surgeons of various backgrounds checked up on Cheryl, assessing her injuries and booking the necessary surgeries. So far they've learned that her jaw and hip are pretty much shattered, her open arm fracture was a concern - and one of her ribs had cracked, puncturing her lung - which is what caused it to collapse in the first place. Her injuries were pretty severe, but they made sense because they were T-boned by a semi-truck. Dean was a whole other concern, he had various internal injuries thanks to the demon - Cheryl had taken most of the impact in the crash for him.

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

A high-pitched painful ringing filled Cheryl's ears, she slowly blinked her eyes open - she was frightened when all she saw was a wave of blurriness. Cheryl's breathing quickened and she attempted to speak - but she couldn't. Something was holding her mouth shut. Instinctively she shakily pawed at her lips, poking one finger in between them and flinching back when she touched metal wires. What the fuck? She thought. Cheryl glanced around as her vision became less foggy, noticing that she was in a hospital room. There was white casting on her left arm, and once she took a closer look she saw that people had written on it.

R.I.P wife. You didn't last that long <3 Carlos 

Te quiero - Mamá 

Get better soon - Sam

Don't die on me Cher - Dean 

Her Mom's here, Carlos is here, she's in a hospital, her arm is broken and something is wrong with her mouth. She recounted everything that she knew in fine detail in an attempt to stop panicking. In the room, there was an array of machines, balloons, get-well-soon cards, and flowers. Red tulips, white daisies, yellow and pink lilies, and blue roses. All in different vases. A stereo with a box full of cassettes was set on the long table in the corner of the room by the bathroom. It was the cassettes from the Impala - Dean's favourite songs and bands. Did he leave them here? She thought. Why? 

Cheryl glanced around the setup by her bed, there had to be a nurse's call button somewhere. Heart monitor, IV bag, a weird pole-looking thing with a stone-coloured rubber handle, and finally, a bright red button right within her eye line. Her eyes widened and she shakily reached forward, her fingers just barely grazed the button before her arm fell to her side. Cheryl let out an annoyed groan and pouted her lips together as she focused all of her strength on the button. The button is supposed to be placed in my hand I thought. She let out a tiny huff after as if someone could hear her thoughts and help her. She knew one thing for certain, the service here is shit.

Cheryl's brows furrowed together and her nose scrunched up, her face immediately relaxed once she had the button in her grasp. She spam-clicked the bright button, someone would have to come for her eventually. Finally, a cheery-looking nurse with a flushed face sprinted into the room. "Oh my God! You're awake!" She gasped. When Cheryl only sent her a confused look, the nurse cleared her throat and exhaled an apology. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna do a quick exam and then I'll call your family, okay?" She said. Cheryl only nodded in response, whatever got her out of there the fastest - she didn't care how.

After an invasive neuro exam, Cheryl found herself alone yet again while she waited for her so-called family to arrive. She wasn't as confused and scared anymore, the nurse told her that she had a broken jaw, hip and arm. They also had to do some repairs to her lung because it collapsed, but the nurse failed to mention how long she'd been out. Luckily, a handsome-looking doctor by the name of Dr. Hart came to see her. He flashed her a sweet smile and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his fancy white coat. "Hi, Ms. Jones. How are you feeling?" He asked. Cheryl cocked a brow and shrugged weakly, what else was she supposed to answer with? He nodded slowly and stepped closer to the bed, whatever he had to say next was important. He wasn't smiling anymore and he was looking at his feet. "Ms. Jones, you've been in a coma for forty-five days."

Cheryl didn't know whether to start crying or completely shut down. She's been in a coma... for forty-five days. She wondered what's happened in that time, how much she's missed especially. That's why Carlos and her Mom were here - she's been in a damn coma. She hasn't seen or talked to Carlos since Chicago, she's been dodging his calls because she couldn't bear to tell him about Rosità. Cheryl was afraid that he'd be mad at her - that he'd yell, throw things, or worse - give her the cold shoulder. She had avoided him for months, and then all of a sudden she is in a car wreck and lands herself in a coma. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Carlos must be feeling right now.

Then, her Mother burst into the room and practically jumped to the edge of Cheryl's bed. "¡ Mi bebé!" She shrieked as she pulled her into a tight hug and peppered kisses across her cheeks. Her Mother’s frazzled hair was in a loose braid, and dark circles hung down from her eyes. Mamá hasn't been sleeping, that's probably her fault. Sam and Dean piled inside the room, and then, Carlos. "Holy shit, you're awake," Dean exclaimed as he took a claim on the armchair by her bed. Cheryl withdrew herself from her Mom's grasp, and Dean immediately offered her a hug which she accepted gratefully. To her, it hasn't been forty-five days. But there was still a sense of longing for him, his smell, his touch, his voice. She missed Dean. She missed her Mom. She missed Sam. She missed Carlos.

Dean gently caressed the back of her head, feeling her (slightly) greasy hair and her breath fanning into his ear. It felt a little surreal being like this with her again, he wasn't hopeful that she'd wake up. He was glad she proved him wrong. Just as they pulled away from each other, Carlos yanked her into a bone-crushing bear hug that made her wheeze. "Sorry, Lo siento." He whispered as he reluctantly loosened his grip on her. He combed her curtain bangs back from her forehead and smiled sadly, "I'm so sorry about Rosità, Cherry. I'm not mad at you, I need you to know that." He said soothingly. Cheryl's bottom lip puckered out and wobbled, he was damn near about to make her cry.

She then hugged Sam, he gave nice hugs - he was a teddy bear like Carlos. "I'm glad you're okay." He whispered against her neck. She was glad that she was okay too, sort of ticked off that she missed a full forty-five days of her life - but it's not like she could do anything about that now.

After their emotional reunion, they all helped her catch up on all that she missed. She was heartbroken for Sam and Dean when they told her that their Dad died a little over a month ago, she wished that she was there for them. They both seemed eerily fine about the matter though - Dean was acting as if it didn't even happen, and Sam was coping as he does - much healthier than Dean.

"I, uh, got these once I was discharged," Dean muttered under his breath as he held out a Bon Jovi and Good Charlotte cassette for her inspection. He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck and nibbled on his bottom lip. "I played em while you were asleep, thought maybe it'd seep into your subconscious or whatever and wake you up." He added. Cheryl smiled faintly and rubbed her thumb across the tape that was placed on the front of the tape. In messy scrawl with Sharpie, Dean wrote "Cheryl's songs" on the masking tape, which warmed her heart. Her eyes flickered up to meet his and her smile widened, she was trying to show her gratitude without words - which was a little hard, but Dean understood. "Good Charlotte's is okay, I liked... uh, what's it called... Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," He said. Cheryl nodded eagerly, trying to somehow tell him that it was also her favourite, but unfortunately this time he didn't get it. "And you were right... Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi is good." He reluctantly admitted.

"Damn right." Carlos whistled as he strolled into the room with a fresh cup of coffee for himself with Maria hot on his tail. Carlos set a whiteboard and a dry-erase marker in Cheryl's lap and sent her a grin. "Got you this, since you're a freak who's ambidextrous, I figured you could write what you wanna say."

Cheryl glared at him before pulling the cap off of the dry-erase marker by twisting it with her thumb until it popped off. She scribbled onto the board "Fuck you" before turning it towards Carlos for him to read. She couldn't possibly let that rat know that she was filled with such glee by his idea - giving her an outlet to communicate. Carlos playfully winced at her harsh words and let out a low chuckle. "Ouch, Cheryl."

"What did she say?" Maria asked, attempting to peek out from behind Carlos' large form. Sam and Dean weren't going to say, but Carlos on the other hand, was a snitch. "She said fuck you." He sighed, shaking his head in mock sadness. Maria gasped and immediately began to scold Cheryl in Spanish, waving her finger and setting her hands on her hips and all. The boys watched, amused by Cheryl's unimpressed expression and her Mother’s lecturing.

Over the next couple of days, Cheryl was physically healing well - but her mental health was deteriorating horribly. She refused to use the board to speak, and all she did was lay in bed in the dark and watch TV. Deep down, she hated for Sam and Dean to see her like this - all depressed with a refusal to live. She couldn't bring herself to do anything even though she wanted to, she was exhausted. She was surrounded by people, but she felt more lonely than ever. Unable to speak, walk, use both hands... she felt weak and scared. 

Cheryl lay on her side, facing the window that had the drapes shut as per her wishes. The flowers that were once full of life set by her bed were now wilting as if they were mirroring how Cheryl felt. She wanted Sam and Dean to leave, she didn't want to see them - she didn't want them to see her all weak and vulnerable. They'd... think differently of her. They wouldn't think she's a good hunter anymore, a strong independent woman who needs no man. It was humiliating needing so much help, it was even more humiliating that they were the ones helping her along with her Mom and Carlos. She couldn't even go to the bathroom by herself, her autonomy was snatched from her in the blink of an eye. The only thing that kept her from complete humility was being able to wipe herself after using the restroom.

Carlos' lips thinned and his brows furrowed as he watched Cheryl just lay there doing nothing. He'd never seen her like this before, never so depressed that she wouldn't get out of bed. It worried him. He started to think that maybe Sam and Dean's presence was overwhelming her, once they showed back up, he was planning to ask them to leave. He wouldn't completely cut them out of Cheryl's healing progress, although he didn't want to, he'd give them his number so they could contact him about her. It was for Cheryl's sake, it was the least she deserved after all she's been through.

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

When Dean's box of cassettes was gone after she woke up one morning and they weren't there chatting quietly on the sofa in the corner of the room, she was slightly relieved. Cheryl wondered what initially made them leave, she had no texts on her phone nor missed calls or voice-mails for her to listen to. At least they weren't here to see her fall in the shower this morning, she had to be scooped up by Carlos. It wasn't as weird if Sam or Dean helped her, Carlos had seen her naked dozens of times, and they'd been friends for so long that it didn't matter.

It was only about two weeks later when the cast on her arm was taken off, which was good. But at the same time, she got prescribed a hefty dose of antidepressants... she felt even worse about herself now, needing medication to regulate her mood. At least Sam and Dean weren't here to see her hit absolute rock bottom... she hoped that they understood.

#Spotify #supernatural fic #supernatural fanfiction #supernatural #dean winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester x oc #spn #spn fanfic #spnfandom

[aimmyarrowshigh]

1 & 12 for the fic asks!

1. what's the fic youre most proud of?

Honestly, my current longfic WIP (Lent From Tomorrow) is easily the best thing I've ever written, fic or original work. But I'm proud of most of my longer-than-a-drabble fics for something or another.

I'm very proud of the Five Places Cinna Came From for actually finishing the whole thing, and same with Milliefic.

(The longer it's been since writing Milliefic, the more I'm like, 'its only real redeeming value is having finished something of that length, especially posting as I wrote,' but that's just me letting Larries spoil my fandom experience, I think.)

I'm proud of every Big Bang or Mini Bang fic I've actually finished and posted. I think Not In The Answer But The Question is currently the best fic on my AO3, probably, although I do think that I had to flub the pacing on the last quarter to meet the deadline. I still to this day think that Valor Valeria and What They Don't Tell You In History hold up, and they're old as heck, so that says something.

I actually really love the Stereo Kicks/H*rry P*tter world crossover that @fille-lioncelle and I wrote? It's paced well, IMO, and I think we took a fairly unique take on that trope by making them all adults and out of school.

I love all of the Since Feeling Is First stories that @nichestars and I wrote, even though it drives the OCD part of my brain a little nuts that we're three words short of an even 100,000 on the series, LOLOLOL.

I don't know that there's any one fic that I'm like "THIS IS MY PERFECT MASTERWERK" about, because I don't do like, extensive rewriting or whatever on fic and I know that I don't quite meet any lofty goals of having Symbolism! or Theme! that I try for with longer stuff, but there are aspects of pretty much everything longer than a drabble that I can take pride in. I try hard to be gentler to myself about the quality of my output than I used to be, because being cruel to myself just made me Not Write At All, and that's the opposite of the point, so.

11. Has a fic you’ve written ever caused issues/controversy?

Well, the Fanlore page for the "Timeline of 1D Fandom" says that Milliefic created some of the Larrie Truther tropes, and I've accepted that even though I don't GET it because it's CLEARLY ALL MADE UP OUT OF MY DUMB HEAD, but that would count as causing issues, for sure.

Landslide got (and still gets) inane hate for having M/F sex scenes even though it's M/M endgame. WAYYYYY back in the day, I wrote an Alec/Clary fic before Alec came out as monosexually gay in the Shadowhunter books, and every so often someone reads it without seeing that it was written in like 2010 and they get angry about me making a gay character bi (which would be fair if I'd done it after he came out as gay, but ::shrug::).

I feel like I vaguely recall someone trying to stir up something about my THG fic when The Panem Companion was announced, but they're completely separate works that have nothing to do with each other, so I feel like if there WAS drama about it, I wasn't actually aware of it.

But yeah, Milliefic takes the cake on that one.

#fanfiction ask meme #asks #fandom #fanfiction #my fic

[qlmb]

Tinie Tempah is fronting a Channel 4 MOTORING show - Is TV this dry?

I'm seeing this man live. Yes, in concert. This year. I am absolutely excited to see him perform because I have been a fan of Tinie Tempah for years now, ever since I was 6 years old and blasting "Frisky" or "Pass Out" as loud as possible.

However, today's news on TVZone is that the "Disturbing London", multi-award winning, chart-topping, international superstar act.... is fronting a Channel 4 show about cars.

Whilst I have no issue with a Top Gear rival from Channel 4... (atleast, im assuming that is the audience they want to try and rival) It is the issue of out of everybody, why Tinie? After Tinie's first few series run of his own.... property show..... that was, also, on Channel 4, wouldn't this be abit jarring? It reminds me of the joke I made in 2021 whilst reviewing Tinie's property programme that it's like if Snoop Dogg started hosting Location Location Location, but let's not put it past them, I don't want to start predicting the future.

Tinie Tempah is a great lad. He's funny, witty and very understanding. Not a single bit of his ego has inflated the man as he is still open and humble... however. After building the rap image, it's tough to see him go from a hardcore rap career, all the way to showing his knowledge about cars and motors, whilst F1 analyst and stunt driver Naomi Schiff looks at the cars from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s making a comeback too. It'll be a tough watch for sure, but I would be very curious on how this all pours out! Tinie, as I've said, is a great host, just abit weird to see the man talk so deeply about cars from a time lonnnngggg ago.

It's made me raise another question too, is TV hosting dying?

As we witness Tinie Tempah seamlessly transition from hardcore rap to vintage car enthusiast, it raises an intriguing question: Is TV hosting on the brink of extinction, desperately gasping for its final breath?

In the golden age of television, we marveled at the art of hosting. The eloquent voices, the impeccable suits, the ability to effortlessly juggle interviews (Davina, we love you for the scandalous "tell us everything" Big Brother UK interviews), and the occasional cheesy joke—these were the qualities we admired in hosts. But now, it seems anyone with a pulse and a Twitter account can call themselves a TV host.

Gone are the days of the erudite and sophisticated master of ceremonies. Instead, we're bombarded with hosts who seem more interested in garnering social media followers than actually, well, hosting. Isn't it abit off how Will Best is now going to be a huge TV face due to his role of Big Brother host? Not to mention, we are now seeing channels comission shows featuring people from social media, admittedly, some YouTubers can pull it off. Daniel Howell's UNTOLD documentary is one you should watch.

But wait, there's more! Brace yourself for the upcoming BBC One show, "The Mundane Chronicles," a riveting program where ordinary people are transformed into hosts overnight. Picture this: a checkout clerk named Steve is thrust into the limelight, hosting a primetime talk show. As he stumbles through interviews, his guests desperately search for an escape route. It's a train wreck you can't look away from, like watching a sloth attempt to perform brain surgery.

If that's not bizarre enough, let's delve into the realm of reality TV. In "Survival of the Fluffiest," contestants compete in a battle of wits and fur as they try to outwit each other in a cuddly showdown. Hosted by an animatronic teddy bear, this show blurs the line between entertainment and sheer lunacy. But hey, who needs substance when you can have stuffed animals battling it out for the crown? Why are you tuning out? No, you don't get it! Listen, steam all the full boxset and the spinoff and the gossip show for free on Channel 4! Stream it first, why aren't you STREAMING?

So, as Tinie Tempah delves into the world of vintage cars, we can't help but wonder: Is TV hosting a dying art? With hosts more interested in viral moments than meaningful conversations, perhaps it's time to bid adieu to the days of genuine talent and welcome the era of unfiltered mediocrity. No more iconic faces in the future, but more random, one-hit wonder TikTokers. After all, who needs a skilled host when you can have a YouTube sensation teaching us how to fold socks?

#television #tv news #qlmarticle

[sunnythegyarufreak]

Should you join a gyarusa? + Tips and Tricks for auditions

Hey gals! I know this isnt the post I promised you guys but I'm working on it I promise! I've just been going through some writing block but I'm back now :D

So, the question that every gal asks themselves...

"Should I join a gyarusa?"

And the answer to that question is...I don't know!

Everyones gyaru journey is different and unique to themselves. Every gal is trying to find their style and perfect their makeup. And while doing this many gals might make mistakes. Which is totally ok! I know that I've made a lot of mistakes myself. One of them being joining a gyarusa after only being a gal for 1 and a half months.

When I was doing my research on gyaru I saw all of these gyaru's in gyarusa's and I felt left out. So I joined a gyarusa. And the members of that gyarusa were lovely and welcomed me! However I wasn't ready to be in a gyarusa and I ended up leaving. I then took some time to myself and experimented as a gal. Then I decided to join another gyarusa! I love that gyarusa with all of my heart! They are so welcoming to baby gals and the leader and all the members are so so so nice! (Go follow them on insta and tiktok!! They're called Mango Galsa) I however did end up leaving that galsa for mental health reasons. I am now in a different gyarusa and I'm very glad that I get to be in a group with so many creative people!

So back to the question. Should you join a gyarusa? From my experience I would recommend waiting to join a gyarusa. Like I said everyones gyaru journey is different and you may be ready to interact with the community while others aren't. Many gals don't say this but sometimes the community can be very toxic at times. If you aren't in a gyarusa that's totally fine! Tons of gals never end up joining one and that's alright. It doesn't make you any less gyaru :)

NOW

Let's get on to the tips and tricks for gyarusa auditions 😈

Tip 1: Be Honest

Being honest is one of the most important things when auditioning! Answer questions truthfully. For example, if the gyarusa is 16+ and the leader asks you how old you are and you're under 16 say your actual age. Sometimes age limits are for a reason and there will always be other gyarusas that are for your age!

Tip 2: Mention your skills

If the gyarusa you're auditioning for is very present on social media they may ask what you can contribute to the gyarusa. Like if you know how to make deco nails you could teach other gals how to! It could really be anything! Good cheap makeup for beginners, nail supplys, para para tutorials, gyaru history, or how to gyaruify random things. There are a bunch of things that I'm sure you gals are good at! So never be afraid to put your skills out there for the world to see :D

Tip 3: Wear your gyaru make during the interview

Some gyarusas will require you to wear makeup during your interview. This is actually pretty common and nothing to be worried about. If you're sending in your application you'll also probably be required to send pics of you in gal. This may be because the members want to get a sense of your style.

Tip 4: Be nice and have energy

I've seen many gals make this mistake but always be nice to the people who are interviewing you!!! Gyarusas will look for people who are nice and people who will fit in well with the other members. Also be happy and interested when you're being interveiwed. If you are being dismissive and giving short answers you aren't very likely to be accepted. Have energy and be sure to give good answers that point out your skills and qualities.

Well that's all the tips I've got for right now! I wish you all luck with your auditions! And remember, not being in a gyarusa doesn't make you less gal. You're allowed to do your own thing :) Have a good day and I'll talk to you guys later.

This is Sunny signing off for the night :D

#fashion #gyaru #makeup #gyarusa

[klaineownsmysoul]

G/Lee practically limped to thr finish line at end of S6.. they had a reduced no. Of eps coz of decreased viewers.. they had nonsensical and absolutely ridiculous SLs.. Dalton burning?! Dedicated eps for a spoilt brat who non one liked, seriously who looked at that character and Said oh he's so inspiring!... Why are there rumours of reboot swirling is beyond me..

I believe the industry term you are looking for with regards to glee's ratings towards the end is "dumpster fire." Oddly enough, that term also covers the storylines and plots those of us who were left had the distinct displeasure of enduring. "Clusterfuck" would also be applicable here. Everyone I knew IRL - including my bff who turned me onto the show in season 1 - had long since abandoned it, which is why I was pretty sure it was just like me and 3 other people watching by the end.

Season 5 was dropped from the usual 22/23 episodes down to 20 and season 6 was limited to 13 eps and held until mid-season: that doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence in the direction of the show, does it? If show quality is any measure, it was pretty clear that RIB was done with glee by that point. They were completely checked out and just wanted to get this over and done with so they could move onto other things. Between them not caring, RM's love affair with his golden girl LM (more on her later), and his immature vendetta against the best thing he accidentally did - Klaine - there was very little to enjoy over those final 13 eps. When you focus so heavily on a main character who is as unlikable, selfish, and just downright horrible as Rachel, shit gets old real fast. I'm also pretty sure they had some kind of competition going in the writers' room to see who could come up with the worst storylines that allowed them to continually push Klaine to the backburner. Every week it was some new bs to focus on that wasn't their core couple: an out of left field sort of "romance" between Rachel and Sam that ended just as fast as it began but made sure to suck up plenty of story and song time while it lasted, that awfully stupid plot with the screechy 11 year old that made no sense at all but was the focus of an entire show, Kurt getting to do exciting things like holding Rachel's purse for her and continuing his lot in her life as second fiddle and ego booster, and let's not forget adding in a whole bunch of new kids no one asked for as the show moved back to a place (Lima) that no one wanted to see again, and of course the piece de resistance: the terrible horrible no good very bad thing with Blaine and DK.

Anyhoo...to your question about why rumors of a reboot are swirling around now? Its fairly simple I think: another stop on the LM Redemption Tour and a trip back in time for RM to his biggest hit. 2 birds, one stone. LM's career and image have taken a massive hit over the last couple of years and so why not go back to the role that made her a household name and work with one of the few people who not only tolerated her awful behavior but seemed to actually reward her for it with whatever she wanted, no matter how much the overall product suffered. RM could use a hit and so why not reboot his biggest and most lucrative one? The problem is that people are a little more hip to things now: consider the massive backlash he got when RM posted that little rumination about a reboot a while back on Insta. It was so bad he ended up deleting the post so you would think he'd have learned from that but apparently not. If he's involved and if the show goes forward with something resembling the idea posted in the blind - focusing on a Rachel-like character - that would be the easiest and quickest no I've ever uttered. No second thoughts necessary. No hemming, no hawing. Just No. No No No.

How would that be any different from the show we watched the first time around? I've had enough of Rachel to last me 3 lifetimes so there's no effing way I'd want to start a new show that I know going in will center around someone as insufferable as her.

No Klaine = no me. Its a simple equation. I don't think C would ever want to work with RIB again so no C = no Kurt so I'm out. You cannot recast them because no one else will have the chemistry that C and D shared as Klaine which is what made them special. We all know there are people out there capable of giving Klaine well written and meaningful stories to tell but those people do not include the ones who created them in the first place. The idea of someone else getting praised and cheered online for giving Klaine the kinds of moments they deserved would be such a massive hit to the oversized ego of RM that I don't see it happening.

I truly don't know who would watch this except for the Rachel and LM stans who think both are perfect angels. This is a bad idea that doesn't need to happen. Its nothing more than a pathetic attempt to relive old glory and the irony of it all is that the person wanting to go back is the one responsible for the original show's own downfall.

#lol glee #lol rachel berry #fuck you rib #just let this show lie as it is #not everything needs a second life #klaine #anonymous

[sollucets]

loose gifs drop no alt text. just for fun, things that i've made that did not or could not go in sets / i wasn't fully happy with. some of these may pop up again if i find a use for them

taken out of the ems first set because although i think him being so excited is the cutest thing on the planet i can also acknowledge that it does look a little. um. do you see. anyway i felt weird about it lmao

my blog header in full; this gif is under 10mb but wouldn't upload to my header for some reason, so the header is missing some frames off this

before i decided my carousel junes ought to be just carousel junes i made a couple non-carousel junes. this is the only one that got exported; the quality (&coloring) is So questionable but she is so cute

both of these got scrapped because the banding killed me dead. i also don't think they're bright enough (which is a problem with the finished set too and the reason i never srb'ed it and thus it has 7 notes lmao)

another one i dropped. i don't like the quality + in the end the asymmetry of only having one purple one bothered me. i really like his shirt though

this is a perfectly fine gif i like it a lot i just don't have anything to put it in. look at their eyeeeeeees

these three all are old unreleased gifs from before i figured out my framerate problem. eventually i might remake the khatha set that those 2 belong to as i still think it's a good idea (khatha reactions to dome fainting)

#i dont want to put this in my main gifs tag so #ro's ps adventures #it is #rowan chatter

[kathrynhoward]

the quality of your gifs are so good, what do you do to make them with this quality?

I use the highest quality footage I can find (1080 usually, but occasionally 2160 if my laptop has space for it and I can find it, and a lot of older shows/documentaries are only in 720 or smaller). In most cases you want the largest file size you can find.

I use Photoshop CC, and use the video frames to layers method- and to make the videos I use VLC to clip larger videos into smaller clips (usually a scene or the part I want to gif, usually under 2 minute clips). I use every frame- every other tends to make the gif look choppy and low quality. 

For my full size gifs (540p across) I do the least amount of cropping possible, so they're not zoomed in and save the quality. I also have photoshop actions that I've made for sharpening (I have one that pretty much automates the process of resizing, timing, sharpening in one go) and do all my colourings from scratch.

Thank you!! If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask

I've been gif making for 10+ years and spend several hours a day on photoshop, so it's a lot of practice and trial and error.

I made both these gifs, just 3 1/2 years apart (and the bottom one was from Jan 2021, so the top one would be about 5 years old, and the bottom a year and a half, they're just the only ones I have that I've giffed at different times with a very obvious different in skill)

#answered #anonymous

[mcavoy-girl]

I'm gonna be right here

"I got you"

Woman collapsing into his arms. Man cradles her head, lifting her up. He adjusts his hands so that the other one is securely around her waist. He gently rocks her, humming "hey jude" to her. She shakily lifts her hand, cupping Dean's face.

"I'm gonna be fine, we're gonna be fine"

Then she goes limp in his arms, her hand slowly dropping down.

Or

Woman being impaled by a piece of rebar, man running to her.

"Y/N!"

You look up at him, reaching out to him. Dean grabs your hand, kissing it.

"Don't leave me"

"I'm not gonna leave you, I'm gonna be right here" You put your hand over Dean's chest, right on top of his heart.

"I love you"

"Love you too"

You take a pained, shaky breath.

"Goodbye, Dean, goodbye"

You let your hand fall down on your side, letting out your last breath,one tear slipping down your cheek. Then your head falls forward onto Dean's shoulder.

Dean stands by your funeral pyre with Sammy and Miracle. Dean is rotating the lighter, your lighter, on his hands. He hesitates several moments before throwing it in. The pyre ignites and is in seconds fully ablaze.

The boys watch it with tears in their eyes.

In the bunker, Dean is roaming the halls, until he ends in the library. There he sees the carvings on the table. He runs his hand over your initials. Tears are flowing down his cheeks. He lets out a pained scream, swiping the things on the table to the floor.

You appear in Heaven, standing marveling at your surroundings. Then you hear a familiar voice.

"Welcome to Heaven, kiddo"

"At least I made it Heaven, huh"

"Yep"

You walk over to Bobby, sitting down on the chair next to him.

"But I have a question, weren't you Heaven's lock-up?"

"Before Jack went whenever he went, he made some changes around here. Busted my ass out. Then he tore the walls down. It ain't just Heaven, it's Heaven you deserve,Y/N"

And we've been waiting for you"

Bobby opens the cooler, taking out two beers. He hands the other to you. You pop it open, taking a drink.

"Tastes like the first drink I had"

"Quality stuff"

"No, crap but it was fantastic"

You have a forlorn look on your face. Bobby notices this, saying:

"Time here moves differently than down there"

"They'll be along"

You smile at Bobby. He returns the smile.

"So the question is what are you gonna do now, Y/N?"

You see your Mustang parked a few meters away.

"I think I'll go for a drive"

"Have fun"

You walk over to her, getting in.

"Hey, Honey"

You start the car, then turn the radio on.

"Carry on wayward son by Kansas starts blasting.

" Ah, love this song"

You speed down the road, the song continues as the scene shifts between you driving down the road and the Winchesters living down on Earth.

Dean is on a hunt after hunt, while Sam is living the normal life.

Years later Dean is on a werewolf hunt, one of them swipes at him before he manages to gank it. He's sitting on the ground, holding his bleeding side. Dean dials Sam.

"Dean?"

"Hiya, Sammy"

"You okay?"

"No, not really"

"I-I got hurt on that werewolf hunt I said I was going on"

"Hold on, I'm on my way"

Dean smiles, letting the hand holding the phone drop down next to him. He lets out his last breath. Just as he's let out his last breath, Sammy barges in. He sees Dean lying on the ground. Sam runs over to him, checking for a pulse. When he doesn't find it, he lets out a sob.

In Heaven, Dean stands in the same spot that you stood all those years ago.

"Looks like I've made it"

"Yep"

"Y/N?"

"Hi, Dean"

He smiles, walking to you. Dean pulls you up from the chair and into a hug. You wrap your arms around him.

"Wanna go for a drive?" Dean looks over your shoulder and sees Baby waiting there with Honey.

"Hell yeah"

You pull back and grab his hand, leading him to the cars. You both get in your cars, driving off.

Soon you reach the bridge, getting out of your cars. You two walk to the railing, leaning against it. Dean pulls you against him, wrapping his arm around you.

Meanwhile on Earth, old Sam is lying on his bed, pictures that include Sam's loved ones are scattered around him. Dean II comes into the room, grabbing his fathers hand, saying:

"It's okay, dad, you can go now"

Then Sam smiles at him, putting his hand on top of his sons. He then lets out his last breath. Machines start beeping.

"Carry on wayward son" by Neoni starts playing.

In Heaven, Sam appears on the bridge.

You both smile, saying:

Hey, Sammy"

You two turn around, seeing Sam standing there. He pulls you two in a brief hug, then you three look at the landscape. Scene fades to black.

#supernatural #dean winchester #dean winchester x reader #sam winchester #bobby singer

[goldentemplariumcrow]

A little Gotham Knights Gameplay Opinion

I'm going to be honest here:

The people who are complaining about Gotham Knights not being all that good are just looking for another Arkham game.

Why?

Because from what I've seen so far, the problem here isn't that the game doesn't hit the expectations as much as it's a whole other type of gameplay. Gotham Knights is closer to a gameplay of Assassin's Creed/Watch Dogs (games I have experience with, reason which I'm using them as reference, but if anyone has another, please, know it's equally valid) than to that of Arkham City or Arkham Knight.

Yes, the world looks somewhat stale and lifeless, but the actions, combat and strategies are much closer to an old AC game (think Ezio trilogy, Rogue and Unity) than those of an Arkham game where you could go feet to the door in 80% of the games and be happy. The storytelling is also quite similar to an AC game, where you get the story through interactions between characters, through text and through flashbacks.

I won't deny that the combat feels slower, and that's a huge downgrade, since we have four different playable characters and they all have very different fighting styles. Personally, I noticed it the most when I put Tim's and Jason's combat side to side. They have the same speed even though it's clear that Tim should be faster, however, here's my take: I think the same-pace-ness may come from the need of keeping the players who go for coop mode on an equal baseline.

Let me explain, because I know this perspective might sound like I'm talking out of my ass.

So, I'll use Tim and Jason in this example, because they're the ones that made me take notice of this problem, but you all can use your faves. Let's start by their specialities: Jason is a brawler by definition, he's built like a fucking tank to take on the beating, our favorite red bear is literally meant to feel like a bear in game, heavy, solid, hit like a brick, but the speed is questionable; Tim on the other hand is nimble, fast, small and light, by his qualities in game, he's built to be a stealthy type (hence his cloaking skill), he comes from nowhere, attacks from the back, and disappears again just to repeat it all as soon as possible, he's meant to be faster... or his playstyle should be.

Here's the catch: playing these in storymode alone makes you adapt as needed, however, when placed on coop, if Tim's speed is higher than Jason's, we would have a typical tank+adc combo. Jason takes the damage and does little damage, Tim comes in and does the damage while Jason is the target of the attention. The problem lies on how the game, apparently, wanted to show that all playable characters have the same value regardless of their fighting style. By putting them all in the same cranked speed, they all have a chance to "shine" when in coop, there won't be one doing way much more than the others.

Now, if anyone asks me, I'll say it as it is: this sort of apparent line of thinking is a BS and one of the greatest sins of this game. A sin so big, I think it's greater than the 30fps for console shit that we're dealing with. Because when one offers to let us play as four different characters with four different fighting styles, one needs to accept and account that each person has their own preference, but they'll be willing to try a new experience by changing the pacing as much as their style.

I say this as someone who has figure out quite early when this game was announced that I'd be the worst Jason around, I'm not a tanker type of player, I'm not even a mid-tanker, I'm the glasscannon mage style or ninja that does the damage and runs for my dear character's life; but I'll be damned if I say I wasn't hype af to play as Jason! To be the tanker and see how good or bad I'd be. I was willing to change my pace and be a walking brick wall in order to have a whole new experience! Now? I feel underwhelmed by how there's no real difference in the way I feel the characters speed.

In short, I understand the reasons, but I think this was a "play safe" decision that will become the downfall of this game in the long run.

Now, let me reiterate: the game is good. But it's a whole other style from what the majority of the public is used and expected from a Batman related game and it'll make many feel uncomfortable and say it's bad.

So, my best advice is that those who are interested/curious about Gotham Knights give it a shot, but don't think of it in comparison with the other Batman games, play it as a stand alone piece. You might surprise yourself with how much enjoyment you can get out of it if you don't compare this game with those who came before it.

Have fun!

#》ooc #gotham knights