#this scene was hard to color and this was a fair job for it so we post our work

[mediadeepdive]

This is gonna be a long read but have you ever noticed how some of the human characters and background demons look either plain or like they don’t belong in the same show? Okay hear me out, because i know the critical community sometimes praises the designs obviously not done by viv. And i wouldn’t be surprised if they look a bit plain to give the animators that deal with viv’s wrist suicide designs a break. But it’s a really subtle way of showing just how bad of a director and artist viv actually is. When you try to replicate her style without all the details, it looks really boring because she only has three body types, and two eye types. It’s also a bit off putting because why are some demons like the main ones sharp, monstrous and detailed, but others look generic. Plus with the humans, some of them don’t look like they’d become demons if they died, their silhouettes aren’t very similar, which makes stolas human look even weirder when his proportions aren’t seen in the humans.

This might seem nitpicky, but even basic shows have background characters that don’t overshadow the main yet look like they all fit in one style because other shows have clear style guidelines while leaving room for varied features i.e powerpuff girls, rick n morty etc. Viv probably can’t direct the animators for shit. It also doesn’t have to be plain if the appeal is interesting details. Rise of the teenage ninja turtles has even better animation! And detailed colorful designs with all characters!, it just knows how to simplify it into base shapes and details that still let the design show through. Here’s one artist take that shows how easy it’d be https://www.tumblr.com/aimasup/716642713709264896/sorry-for-the-gushing-this-banana-is-the-only they have other redesigns too. If she was actually a good artist, but no the HH redesigns for prime look worse and somehow has more details! basically she’s a bad artist and so’s the show. And has anyone noticed this?

this is a worth while read, thank you anon~!

okay- yes let’s talk about Viv’s background character designers, to be fair these guys are REALLY good artists imo. They understand coding, body language and telling stories through the simplest designs perfectly fit for animation.

The reason why they look so off (in comparison of Viv’s style) is just that, these artists are experienced in animation design it’s their JOB-

Viv just got lucky in the animation scene cause normally her art wouldn’t fly. Random unimportant patterns with random rips in every outfit??? Where’s the uniqueness? Where’s the story? They all are the same body shape and same fashion sense which peeves me the most.

These are just her wolves— it gets worse with her more humanoid designs…

The illusion of difference with ✨COLOUR/eyelashes-✨ but seriously… look at their noses and face shape.. the Eurocentric beauty standards zapped her with its laser beams- button nose and sharp jaws.

as for the design you linked it makes me so HAPPY, the deconstruction ? The dedication? This person could definitely have a job in design, it’s a designers job to take away the useless and keep the most important features- to simplify and make sacrifices for the sake of proper turn arounds (which Viv struggles so hard at cause her hair/faces can only be viewed usually in one direction…)

Chad fan-designer VS

Beta Viv who struggles with a 360 turn around…. (Dear lord look at her eye lashes changing size every direction and her hair lines not making any sense—) she’s so lucky her animators made it out alive.

#Vivziepop lacks basic fundamentals #vivziepop critical #Art deconstruction #Art critique #hazbin hotel critical

[mysillyside]

I am extremely confused as to how the 2006 Higurashi anime (a flawed adaptation of its VN but still a generally beloved horror anime) and the Umineko anime (an actual insult to its source material that both nonfans and fans of the VN its based on despise) are directed by the same person. What happened??

People often explain it as "oh Umineko is just inherently harder to adapt" which is true, but I think Chiaki Kon showed so much skill in the way she directed Higurashi.

The Studio Deen Higurashi anime (specifically the first season) is poorly animated due to its lack of a budget yes, but its still a competently made show. It not only has such a clear visual identity (from the iconic expressions, to the colors and how they sometimes drastically change hues depending on the setting/mood/time of day, to even things like shot composition and the angles utilized to create a sense of unease and dread) but also in general it's a fun, intense, creepy show to watch.

Even ignoring the iconic gore scenes that the anime is most famous for, there's so many shots that are permanently burned into my memory just because of the expressions or pose or colors or shot composition.

It's an interesting looking show! And it genuenly has a great atmosphere. If you're wondering what I mean, I think all you need to do is just watch the 2006 version of the "You're lying!" scene and compare it to the 2020 version from Higurashi Gou (sequal/remake series).

While yes, the 2020 version has cleaner smoother animation, the 2006 version in my opinion is more tense. The shot composition makes the scene feel urgent, and there's little extra touches the 2020 version doesn't have that makes it more impactful (Rena's scream of "You're lying!" making birds fly away from a tree behind her, not only creating an iconic shot visually, but incorporating further sound design to elevate the scene).

Circling back, but the Umineko anime is so unbelievably incompetant. It's not only a bad adaptation, but it's a bad show period. It's hard to follow and confusing unless you are familiar with the source material, and it's just such a surface level adaptation that's trying to recreate what Higurashi's anime adaptation did, but failing. It's extremely uninspired. Higurashi's anime adaptations often get criticized for their overuse of gore (to a point it mischaracterizes the series as just violence with no substance) and while that is a fair criticism, Higurashi still let us spend time with the characters a little before the murders start. The Umineko anime gives us half an anime episode of chill, before the drama begins, and only 2 anime episodes before the full on horror begins. We can't get emotionally attached to 18 characters in the span of two 20 minute episodes. Like that is impossible. Also the colors are flat and dull with nothing to offer, the animation isn't the best but that would be ok if it idk- gave us ANY iconic shots. The only good thing about the Umineko anime adaptation is just the opening and ending songs and mby the artstyle.

Also I don't want to hear any of you saying Umineko is impossible to adapt, when the Stageplay managed to do such a good job of adapting it into a shorter format and different medium.

Anyhow again, how are these two anime directed by the same person. I don't get it I rly don't!

#higurashi #umineko #analyses & meta #💬 katposts

[snek-panini]

Very belated Binderary books, uh...I've lost track actually. I think they are #6 and #7. And it's another two-volume split! This is (Slow) Burn, Baby, Burn by orchidlocked, an extremely long Good Omens fic set in the 1970s. It's about our favorite angel/demon pair navigating the disco scene, and it's not an AU, which is sort of usual in a fic this long and with such a specific premise. There are a fair few real people featured here, some as major characters, and a lot of music history and an excellent playlist alongside all the fun and angsty relationship stuff that so many of us are here for. I learned a lot about disco reading this fic and it was fascinating and also way more queer than I ever realized.

For the cover up there we have a white Allure book cloth on the spine, and white HTV over homemade book cloth for the main cover. The cloth pieces both come from the same sheet but I oriented the stripes this way so they'd be coordinated-but-not-matched and I really love the effect. They're also cotton and really nice to hold. It's funny, I was thinking of binding this fic when I found the fabric while digging through the Joann's remnant bin, and as soon as I saw it this fic not only came to mind but moved up to the top of the to-bind list. It was fate, clearly.

More photos under the cut!

Both spines and a top view. That's orange HTV for the titles. This it the first time I've worked with matte HTV (I usually use metallic or foil) and I was surprised at how much thinner it is, and how easy it was to stick. And I like the color inverse here in counterpoint to the front cover. The top view shows off the handmade endbands and bookmark, and also the rounding job. I'm still working on rounded spines, and the turn-in over the spine didn't come out as smooth as I'd have liked, but I think it's a good result. The ribbon bookmark was supposed to be blue to match the endbands, but every blue ribbon I could find clashed horribly with the cover so it's this nice leafy sage green. Which actually works really well with...

The endpapers! I got these as Joann's too. All four are cut from the same print, but I shifted and rotated them when I trimmed them so the patterns wouldn't all be in the same place. I had desperately wanted this other paper I found on Etsy with little vinyl records all over it, but the pieces weren't the right shape and I'd have had to ship them from overseas ($$), but I like the mood these ones set. And they're thick and nicely textured and look awesome with the cover, so really I think things worked out very well.

Couple of pics of the interior. I kept it fairly simple but I feel like it fits the story.

The scene break line is orange, to match the covers. I usually use gray but wanted something more fun. I recently bought some off-white paper that I used for most of my binderary projects this year because I've heard it's easier on the eyes, and it is, but I used the older bright white for this so the color contrast would be sharper. No complaints; I think it looks amazing. The second image above is the appendix I put together for the volume. Being so centered in the music industry, this fic has a really long playlist that the author put together with their preferred recordings. It's linked in the story and I did include the link text in the book, but I had my mind on preservation and the challenges of digital archiving while I was making this one, so I also took all the title/artist/album info and just listed it here. It was too much to do all by hand, so I learned how to export a Spotify playlist into an Excel doc, then moved that into the Word doc to print. A lot of steps, but not nearly as hard as I'd thought, and way less tedious.

I have to say this book is aesthetically really different than all my previous ones. I ran into so many design hurdles but I honestly couldn't be more pleased with the end result. I'll have to push my comfort zone like this more often, I guess.

#bookbinding #fanbinding #snek makes books #good omens #it's disco so it needed to be appropriately funky #and i think i nailed it actually #look at them they're awesome

[heartfullofleeches]

Male lui with a reader who helps out at the shop, maybe one day they're working the counter and a customer starts yelling at them and Lui comes out meat cleaver in hand with some blood on them

Watching the sun rise from the shop window, his arms hold tight around your waist; fingers locked with yours at your hip. A morning ritual for you both as your partner bragged about the scene your first day. Grey locks fall against your cheek as his lips follow suit.

"You sure you gonna be fine by yourself?"

"Been here a while already. I'm sure I'll manage."

The butcher plants another kiss to your temple, kind eyes cast down at you like you're the center of the world. "Still getting used to having you on board. Not that I mind. Just a lot to take in. Don't push yourself too hard, Cher."

He squeezes your shoulder, reaching down to double tie your apron as you flip the welcome sign to open. With everything else in order you part ways for the time, Liu heading to the back of the shop while you head over to the counter. It's been about a month to the day since he asked if you would like to work in his shop. He was hesitant at first with all the equipment and scars he got himself, but the business had always been family orientated plus it meant he could keep a close eye on you.

You got used to things pretty quick. Your job was simple after all. Manning the register and giving Liu the orders, sweeping before closing. With the size of your town, business was steady and you met your fair share of regulars and friendly faces. Though you had yet to tie the knot, Liu had asked you to wear the ring he bought you so you wouldn't get as many wondering eyes.

Today was your first encounter with a rude customer. Some guy you could tell by looking was from out of town from his clothing down to the way he carried himself. He seemed annoyed before he even walked up to the counter, face scrunching up at the red meats behind the glass. You throw on your best customer smile and turn to face him, the curtains behind you parted ever so slightly.

"Hello, what can I do for you today?"

"You sell this, right?" He lifts up his phone, showing you a picture of what looks to be Liu's noodle soup. A staple in your home when you got sick. Your smile wavers.

"Yes, but-"

"Give me four bowls of it, and can you change your gloves before you get it?"

"That I can do, but we... actually don't have the noodle soup today...." Your voice trails off as anger flickers in his eyes. Every day of the week was a different soup based meal on the menu. Just to have a little variety and use up the excess meats before they spoiled. Noodle soup was three days ago, and Liu's dishes were so popular in town they sold out that very day.

You scramble to pick up the conversation. "It's chili day, if you'd like that instead."

The man's face grows redder the more he raises his voice. "Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know how out of the way this town is? I've been driving for three hours to get here."

You back away as he leans against the counter, thankful for the glass wall separating you. "I understand how frustrating that is, but we don't have it right now-"

Spit flies as the man begins to shout. "Well maybe you should make that clear next time! I swear, if I miss my boat I'm going to come back here and.....and.."

All color drains from his face, skin pale as a sheet in the face of whatever he was staring at. So used to the smell of blood and focused on calming the man down you didn't hear him leave the back. Looming behind you, clever in hand, Liu stares the man down. If looks could kill he'd be twenty feet under. The amount of blood drenched into Liu's apron dyed the pure cotton a deep maroon. It drips off the flat blade, hitting the floor with a wet splat. Liu's voice comes from his throat in a low grumble completely unlike him. Growling like an agitated animal in warning.

"And do what?"

The man tries to take back his words, flinching and ducking to the floor as Liu swings his arm outwards - planting the cleaver in the chalk board beside him.

"If you looked to your left, you would've seen today's special. It ain't polite to harass people for a simple error, but you won't do it again, right?"

The man nods.

Liu tears the cleaver from the board and points it at the door. "I know you won't. Leave."

The man picks himself off the floor and rushes for the door. Liu mouths something to him that makes his eyes go wide.

"See you soon."

You lean against Liu's chest, welcoming the stench of cold blood. "Thanks for the help...."

His eyes soften. Liu places the knife down and wraps his arms around you, leaving small kisses in your hair. "Nothin' to thank me for. Just doing what's right. Your safety will always be the most important thing to me, Y/n. Should we close up early today?"

"You don't have to do that for me.."

"No sweat off my shoulders. I got a few things to do back home too. Go get your stuff. I'll take care of everything else."

"... Okay." You take off your apron as you head out. Liu looks down at the register. The man's stench and his finger prints are all over it. Shutting his eyes, Liu can still hear his frantic heartbeat about two miles out. Still in town - likely at a gas station. If he hurried he could catch him on foot so you could take the car home. As you return, Liu offers you an apologic smile.

"Hey, would you be fine heading home yourself? I have more work out for me than I thought. I'll make it up to you as soon as I get home."

#yandere oc #yandere x reader #yandere #yandere imagines #yandere headcanons #yandere scenarios #yandere x you #yandere insert #yandere blurb #yandere drabble #yandere oneshot #male yandere

[absolutebl]

I have never been one to think that acting seems like a fun job, so I’ve never been one to think much about whether the actors in these series are having fun with their characters or what characters I would want to play. However, I think Choc Milk Shake is the first series where I’ve thought “oh that would be fun to act in.” The actors for Choco and Milk portray cat and dog turned human so well that I can’t help but imagine the actors were having a blast on set. My question is, do any other characters/roles come to mind that you think the actors probably had a ton of fun getting to portray? Or any that you personally think would be the most fun to portray if you were an actor?

BL Actors Having Fun With Their Parts 

Hilariously that was the first thing I thought in the first episode: the actors playing the cat and the dog must be having such a good time.

I think with some of the other roles that might spring to mind, it kind of depends on the personality of the actor and their costars and the rest of the cast. Also, we as viewers tend to make the mistake of assuming that comedies are more fun to act in than dramas or horrors. When in fact, it's often the opposite, comedy is most challenging on actors.

However, knowing that, and going in under the auspices of pure speculation...

It's obvious that the whole cast had a really good time filming I'm Tee, Me Too. I think that for all its seriousness, the GMMTV boys probably had a really great time on the set of Not Me, and probably the Eclipse as well. On the other hand, while it's one of my favorite Thai BLs, I think you can tell that it was a really tough and taxing location shoot for ATOTS.

In terms of actual parts? 

I think Seng seemed to have fun with Toh in SCOY. In Thailand in particular, especially if the pair is familiar and relaxed with each other, I think they probably just enjoy the working experience more. I'm thinking about pairs like MaxNat, who just give the impression of being fun and breezy on set. Or an actor like Perth (My Engineer) who everybody else just seems to enjoy being around. 

Also actors tend to enjoy something that adds to their range. So if they've typically been typecast in one role, like Khaotung was prior to The Eclipse, it's fun for them to get to play something completely different. I think we can usually see that when it happens. The actor is just sparkles more when he’s into the part. 

Sometimes when an actor is handed a taxing physical role, and is particularly into fitness, he ends up really enjoying it. Like parts that come with fight sequences, or martial arts. Quite a few of the boys in KinnPorshe had more than their fair share of fun in some of those fight scenes. Like it tapped into their little kid sense of playing cops & robbers. Even knowing fight scenes are incredibly hard work. 

I get the feeling the set of Trapped was a really good time for all. I think Chris and Jake both seem to be having fun with their roles, another cops & robbers thing. Similarly SCI.

Some of the Japanese super slapstick leads spring to mind. I think if you have the right personality to portray physical comedy, you can probably lean into it. I get the impression that Nakao Masaki is really enjoying playing Issei (Kabe Koji), because it's the polar opposite of every role he's ever been handed before.

It seems like Takara & Amagi was a difficult set, while Old Fashion Cupcake comes off as probably quite easy - working environment wise. That just means that in the second example, everyone on set is likely to have a bit more fun, including the actors.

It seems like both the leads in Word of Honor were having a blast most of the time. 

The Korean actors are much more difficult to read. I think it's easier to tell when things were more challenging on set than when the actor enjoyed the role. Color Rush, for example, comes off as an extremely formal, even stiff, working environment. Where as Semantic Error and 304 were (what amounts to the) Korean version of relaxed (which still isn't very). And Ji Sung is clearly having the time of his gd life with Devil Judge. 

All that said, these are actors. And with the best actors it's really hard (if not impossible) to tell how they feel about playing a role, because they are inhabiting it. This is one of the reasons I get annoyed if I can sense that the actor is uncomfortable with telegraphing gay chemistry. It means either that they're not a very good actor, or something about the set culture, director, and/or filming environment is making it difficult for them to fully inhabit their part.

Thanks for the thought provoking question. (Sorry I couldn't tackle the second part of your question, of all the careers I could have in the universe acting is very near the bottom of my list.) 

(source)

#asked and answered #filming industry #thai actors #korean actors #taiwanese actors #Devil Judge #Semantic Error #HIStory 3: Trapped #taiwanese bl #thai bl #korean bl #Word of Honor #Old Fashion Cupcake #Kabe Koji #Nakao Masaki #KinnPorshe #The Eclipse #I'm Tee Me Too.

[teecupangel]

Apparently Nolan north voiced both Desmond AND Abbas, so- Des gets time traveled back to Altairs time, but this time the assassins can’t figure out if he’s related to Altair (looks) or Abbas (voice) or both somehow. (Bonus points: Des somehow IS related distantly to Abbas)

I will never get over Nolan North voicing Abbas. Although to be fair, he only voiced AC1 Abbas who had, like, one scene if I remember correctly? Anyway, if anyone’s curious how Nolan North sounds like as Abbas, here’s the post where I added a videoclip of him annoying Altaïr.

For this one, let’s shake things up a bit. Desmond gets kicked into the past after Al Mualim had been defeated but Altaïr is off doing his own thing in Cyprus which Desmond forgot because… uuuhhh… he didn’t really pay that much attention to that part of Altaïr’s life? He knew it happened, it just… um… Desmond’s memories of Cyprus from Altaïr were pretty vague. (as a reference to how Bloodlines is important to Altaïr’s story but isn’t that wildly popular or played)

So Desmond didn’t know Altaïr wouldn’t be in Masyaf. He just saw the date “October 1191” and assumed that Altaïr would be in Masyaf as the mentor so he went there.

Only to be instantly mistaken as Altaïr until they realized his skin color is a bit lighter (the hood he wore made that a bit hard to see immediately). Then they heard him speak and they have to stare at Desmond for a moment because…

Desmond is speaking to them the way Altaïr usually spoke which meant…

Desmond didn’t just sound like Abbas.

Desmond sounded like Abbas speaking like Altaïr.

And that’s both weird and funny to many of the Assassins because everyone knows about Abbas and Altaïr’s ‘strained’ relationship.

Abbas absolutely hates it.

Desmond hates it as well because of all the people he could sound like, he had to sound like freaking Abbas, fucking hell.

Malik becomes the unfortunate soul who has to listen to all of these because he is the Keeper and it’s his job to keep the Brotherhood working while Altaïr goes swanning off in Cyprus (which Malik had been adamantly against because Altaïr was the freaking mentor and the Brotherhood was still reeling from Al Mualim’s betrayal and death!) but he has an Assassin go to Cyprus to find Altaïr and tell him about the appearance of a man that looks too eerily like him to be a coincidence. Malik does not tell the Assassin that Desmond admitted to being Altaïr’s descendant, kicked into this time period by one of these ‘Isu devices’ of which he says the Apple is part of.

Words of Cyprus being liberated from the Templars reach Masyaf but Desmond only smiles mirthlessly as he tells Malik in confidence that Altaïr wouldn’t return.

… only for Altaïr to return a few days later.

Alone.

Unorganized Notes:

Abbas is definitely freaked out by the fact that Desmond has the same voice as him. Then he usually gets angry because Desmond likes to irritate him.

Desmond’s plan is to irritate Abbas so much by trying to keep telling him that Altaïr isn’t a bad person and that this entire ‘feud’ will only destroy them both. 

Does he think Abbas and Altaïr would ever reconcile? Hell no. Desmond still feels the grief and rage Altaïr felt the day he learned of Sef’s death. The despair that followed him after Maria and Malik’s death. Altaïr might have forgiven Abbas but Desmond would never will.

His plan is to actually make Abbas snap and try to hurt him while there are witnesses all around. Abbas’ standing in the Brotherhood is already rickety at best since he took the Apple and tried to use it. It was only by Altaïr’s mercy that he hasn’t been executed.

Desmond knew that he needs to capitalize in that because the older Abbas gets, the more Assassins will be initiated that had no memory of that event and will be more receptive to Abbas’ poisoned words.

Malik knows all of this. Desmond has been so forthcoming with everything to him alone that, if it was all a lie, Desmond has the worst lying scheme of all. They’re all too detailed and too strange to be complete bullshit at this point and Malik knows that, at the very least, Desmond believes the ‘lies’ he speaks of.

Things get even weirder when Altaïr returns (without Maria! Desmond is freaking out. Why isn’t he traveling with Maria? Did he completely fuck up that he won’t be born anymore? Will he disappear in the middle of something? Fuck, fuck, fuck)

And then Altaïr gives Desmond his own WTF. 

He knows who Desmond is. He’s been dreaming of him since he used the Apple in Cyprus.

And Desmond is like… what? What? No, really. (stares at the Apple) WHAT?

While this is all happening, all the other Assassins in Masyaf were still getting used to hearing Abbas argue with himself because… well… Desmond and Abbas arguing about Altaïr was now one of the most regular source of entertainment for the bored Assassins. Desmond’s defense of Altaïr has made them feel like he might be connected to Altaïr BUT it might not be familial at all. Which meant he was most probably related to Abbas and not Altaïr in a familial way and Abbas is offended and Desmond is like… “no, god no”.

Then an Assassin who was born and raised in Egypt before coming to Masyaf talked to Desmond about how there’s this belief that a person has a spirit double of some sort in the form of a ‘ka’. There’s a bit of miscommunication there and Desmond thought that the Assassin was talking about a ‘soulmate’ scenario and the Assassin latched on to it because that is soooo much more accurate in his eyes. 

Desmond did not know that the Assassin was talking about him being the ‘ka’ of Altaïr. 

So… by the time Altaïr returned to Masyaf, seemingly knowing Desmond and looking relieved and surprised to see him in Masyaf, everyone’s just going “CALLED IT!” on what kind of relationship they had, not knowing that Altaïr’s reaction is because his last dream of Desmond is about his death.

In this case, I don’t know who would suffer more… Abbas who has to hear the other Assassins talk about how his ‘family’ definitely has some kind of intimate relationship with Altaïr or Malik who knows the truth about everything but can’t tell anyone and has it worse this time around because Altaïr’s actions are NOT HELPING the rumor mills at all!

(sidebar: it would be funny if the twist is that Abbas isn’t Desmond’s ancestor from his mother’s side but from Bill XD, although… if we assume that old Assassin families are connected one way or another and the Sofians are an old Assassin family, we can make Desmond be related to the sister of Abbas’ great grandmother who married into the Al-Sayf family of which Tazim married one of Sef’s daughter so they’re like… so many times removed cousins???)

#i ain’t hiding it #it would take a lot for me to write an abbas redemption arc XD #also #no usual tags because #hell yeah this is #altdes #is there such a thing as #mistaken soulmate au #BUT there’s no real soulmate setup in play #from the very beginning? #fic idea: assassin's creed #teecup writes/has a plot

[elvensorceress]

wip Wednesday

my beloveds @rogerzsteven @swiftiediaz @spotsandsocks @monsterrae1 @shortsighted-owl @ajunerose @eddiediazisascorpio @kananjarus @prettyboybuckley​ 💕💕 all tagged me! 

tagging @ashavahishta​ @messyhairdiaz​ @ajunerose​ @dickley-buddie​ @the-likesofus​ @lostinabuddiehaze​ @bekkachaos @spaceprincessem @fatedbuck @swiftiebuckleys 😘💕

Here’s more of my holiday Hallmark Christmas fic (due out mid January - because we’re including New Year’s? Also it’s already over 50K 😭 idek) so have a nice long chunk because I like this scene 🫧

Eddie cups Buck’s cheek and watches the way Buck leans into the touch. “I’m going to make tea, let you get comfortable, and then I’ll come back. Do you want some, too?”

Buck smiles and nods. “Yeah. You’re going to get me hooked on hot tea every night before bed. I can already feel it starting.”

It’s only fair. Eddie already feels hooked on him. He lets Buck have privacy to undress and goes to fill up and start his kettle heating. When he returns with two steaming mugs, Buck is immersed chin-deep in the hot bath water. It smells faintly of lavender but also has thick, foamy bubbles floating on the surface of the cloudy water, and Buck tells him as he takes his mug, “I may have made my own mix. If you don’t have bubbles with a bath, are you even living?”

Eddie smiles and pulls out a stool that’s tucked under the cabinet so he can sit beside the tub. It’s been a long, long time since he’s used it — since Chris was little enough that he wanted to take baths and “go swimming” in the tub with bubbles and colored foam. Eddie would sit with him and play with rubber ducks and pirate ships and whatever else made him giggle. 

This, however, is entirely different. 

It’s hard not to think about how Buck is naked and not even a foot away from him. It’s even harder not to wonder about shedding everything and joining him. Or kissing him. His lips are so pink and must be raw and chapped from the cold like Eddie’s are. But they don’t look like it. Everything about Buck looks soft and sweet. 

There are little puffs of bubbles decorating the hair on his arms. Streams of steamy bathwater cling to his chest. His hair is wet and sticking up like he dunked himself and fluffed it around. It has clusters of bubbles, too. His cheeks are flushed and he holds the mug Eddie brought him in both hands. When he sips and tastes the tea Eddie chose for him, he closes his eyes first, but then gives Eddie a curious look. “This tastes like berries. Maybe blueberries? Is this a berry tea? I’ve never had berry tea. I love berries.”

Yeah, he definitely enjoys sleepy, adorable Buck.

 “I believe you mentioned that.” He gives him a smile in return and sips his own tea. The hot liquid floods his chest and usually Eddie needs that. Usually, he’s aching and cold without it. It’s still soothing, but he doesn’t quite ache so much tonight. His son is finally home and his Buck is here with him, and all Eddie has to worry about right now is how heavily his heart is beating. “It’s blueberry, lavender, wild berry. A mix of those. I thought you might like it.”

Buck drinks a little more and then sinks back into the steamy water and the bath cushion behind him. “It’s perfect. All of this. I don’t ever want to move. It feels so good. My leg was really hurting. Something about the angle of those plane seats is completely wrong for my stupid legs.”

Eddie starts to reach out for him. He could rub his leg or even hold his hand. Anything to offer him comfort. To be more connected. “You didn’t have to come with me.”  

“I wasn’t going to let you go alone. Plus, my whole job is supposed to be taking care of Chris. So. I’m very dedicated I’ll have you know. My kids are always the number one priority. I had to be there for him.”

Eddie did know. It was why he got attached to the idea of hiring Buck for Chris so quickly. He wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“And also for you,” Buck adds. “Someone needs to look out for you. Not in a bodyguard Athena way. In an everything way. You take care of everyone else and not yourself, and I worry. I want to take care of you, too. Since you keep looking out for me. No one looks out for me. Wow, I didn’t mean to take that to a pity party sort of way. I just mean. I’ve always been alone. By myself. Lone wolf. You know? Even though that whole term is bogus. Wolves are pack animals. They have families and communities. Maybe that’s where the idiom came from? Because wolves and people aren’t supposed to be all alone? Anyway, it was a long trip and I know planes have to be difficult for you. I had to be with you.”

Eddie chuckles a little and rests his elbow on the side of the tub and his head on his hand. “I have noticed that about you.” He’s also noticed the rambling way he talks when he gets tired. It’s different from the excited-about-everything rants he goes on or all the trivia he can spout when he wants to even when his random facts are mixed into everything. 

“I’m starting to think you’re right. It’s nice having a partner to do things with.” Buck drinks more of his tea and then sets it on the ledge behind him and shifts to his side so he’s stretched out, facing Eddie. “When did you get started on the tea thing? Or have you always liked it? What’s your favorite tea? Do you have one? Do you have it cold in the summer?”

No wonder Buck and Chris get along so well. Chris does this sometimes, too. Legions of semi-related questions but very attentive listening. Eddie sits up so he can brush slipping bubbles off Buck’s forehead. He smoothes a thumb over Buck’s eyebrow that’s gone wild and is sticking up much like his hair. And wonders if anyone’s ever kissed his pretty birthmark. 

“Yes, I drink it cold sometimes. I don’t know that I have a favorite? It depends on what I’m feeling like. But chamomile was one of the first ones I tried, and I love peppermint especially mixed with green tea. Chris gave me a chocolate chai for father’s day one year and a black tea with chilies and cinnamon that has a coffee sort of flavor to it, and I loved both of those. My sister, Adriana, gave me one a long time ago. A lavender rooibos that tasted like floral caramel. In a good way. If I had to pick just one as my favorite, it’d probably be that one.”

Buck catches his hand when Eddie starts to pull away. He weaves their fingers together and holds them under the surface of the hot water. “I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything but regular iced tea. And now this one you gave me.” He rests his head on the side of the tub, looking flushed and soggy and still adorable with the frosting of bubbles all over his exposed skin. “When did you start liking tea? What made you like it?” 

And here he thought Buck might have forgotten he’d asked that. He could make something up. Or talk about something else. But then it stays sad and secret, lost with everything else of his family. Eddie takes a deep breath. “My mother loved tea,” he swallows the lump that rises in his chest. He wants to talk about her. He wants to remember her. He wants to never forget how much he loved her. But there are tears that immediately flood his eyes. No matter what he does, it always happens. 

But Buck squeezes his hand and brings it up out of the water until he can kiss Eddie’s knuckles. 

When he lets go, Eddie cups the side of Buck’s face. His several days worth of stubble is tingly against Eddie’s palm, and Eddie wants to be closer. He wants to crack open and let him in. He doesn’t want to be alone and haunted anymore. “It started when I was discharged and came home from Afghanistan. There’d been a helicopter crash. A bad one. Everyone else… None of them made it. I was sure I wasn’t going to either. I was all sorts of fucked up. Mentally. Physically. I had three bad gunshot wounds and the doctors worried I had some kind of spinal trauma. I had cervical, vertebral fractures. And it meant I had to spend several weeks in bed. Doing nothing but lying there, literally losing my mind. And then there were a lot of months of recovery.” 

Buck doesn’t say anything but he nods and listens intently, still holding on to Eddie’s hand even when it slips from his face. 

“My mom would come see me. She’d visit with me and try to keep me from feeling too… well, I’m sure you can imagine how I felt. But every night, she’d make us tea and she’d sit beside me and it was something we always did together. Even after I was better. It started with the chamomile, to try and help me sleep, and it went on from there. She got me hooked. And then,” Eddie clears his throat and wipes at his face. It’s fine. He’s fine. It just hurts. It always does. “When it happened. When I lost her. I just… I wanted to keep her with me. It makes me think of her. So. That’s why. Tea every night.”

Buck wipes at his face, too, and then motions for Eddie to come closer until their foreheads are touching. His hand gently curves around the back of Eddie’s neck and keeps them tethered together. “I know I can’t replace what you lost. Nothing can make up for that. But you do have me now. Just like I have you. I’m here, I’ll be here as long as you want me to be.”

Eddie wants to believe that. God, does he want to believe that. He pulls away slightly, just enough so he can leave a kiss on Buck’s wet forehead. 

Buck makes a soft sighing noise like a happy, purring radiator. And Eddie can’t help wondering what he might sound like if Eddie kissed him on the mouth. 

Not if. When. What will he sound like when Eddie kisses him for real?

#buddie wip #I love all of you sooooo #fic: once upon a december #buddie #911 #jenwyn wip

[shiroi---kumo]

Hey guys, I wanted to say thank you for being so patient with me and to let you know how things are going in general.

I knocked my head against some chairs last Saturday but overall I seem okay. I think I need a fucking helmet at this point though. Lol Theo and Salem are checking on me often. Thus far, we're in the green.

Writing overall comes and goes because my night meds make it hard to focus once I take them and I generally take them around 4pm on work days. By this I mean, I normally can no longer make pretty sentences and my focus is non-existent. I just wanted you to know.

Since smacking my head in August (the concussion), writing has been difficult in general. It's hard to remember things and to keep track of threads. I struggle to write to my usual standard and my ability to stay on task and focus is nearly shot. I have good days and that's when I get lot of stuff done but lately it's been spotty at best.

I wanted to apologize for that.

I have been drawing so much because it's easier and by that I mean less straining on my brain. I don't have to look down to draw like I would traditionally and I don't have to think very hard to keep a scene going - I can just color and think about art things like lighting and toning and stuff. We've cut it back again to try to get some palette memes done because that is stopping my brain from having to think about what colors to use by limiting the palette I have access to.

All in all, I'm generally okay but there are still a few lingering things that focus, memory, composition, etc that are straining. I get neck flares every now and then and my migraines are worse than they were before but my preventive med is still generally doing it's job.

But basically, I'm saying I know I'm taking forever to write back to things and I'm not engaging as much as I used to and I am not pumping out posts like I used to but just please know it's not that I don't have interest.

On top of all this, it is an extremely hard time of year for me so depression has been HIGH. I'm working through it. It's no one's fault. It's coping with Dad's death around the holidays. (he died in '18) It's just this was Dad's time of year so everything reminds me of him. I swear it's not you guys.

I am still interested. I still love you guys. I still want to write with you. Please feel always welcome to send asks or memes or starters or what not for any of my puffs. (Cid is an honorary puff)

Guys the concussion is gone but the effects are lingering. Writing is hard now and I hate it. Sometimes it still takes me days to finish a post and other times I can just blast through it in a short time. I just didn't think it was fair to not tell you all what was going on. I'm drawing so much because it's less straining. I promise I'm still interested and I still love you guys.

Thanks for being here, I care about you all so much.

Kira

#ooc || mun speaks #tw; long post #tw; injury #tw; parental death #tw; death #tw; holidays #tw; concussion

[wepsi]

Obey me brothers playing Stardew Vally!

Another day another fanfic, as someone with 500 hours in stardew I love this game and would love to imagine the om bros playing it with you! Part 2 up now

He would prefer just playing with you and him, he doesn't need to deal with his brothers outside of reality.

Spends his time either in the mines or fishing because it's relaxing.

Will slay monsters for you in the mines, and protect you.

Gets mad if he ever dies, it hurts his pride.

Always got mad at Levi for yelling at his game too loud, well...now he gets it even if he never will admit it.

Takes good care of his dog, names it Cerberus and never lets his water bowel go empty.

"Don't worry my dear, these pathetic slimes will not harm a hair on your head."

Will be ALL OVER THE PLACE in the game, boy has energy for years

Will do any and every aspect of stardew that even remotely made money.

make sure your money is separate or he will spend it all!

Even with all his money making activities he still somehow find a way to be glued to you.

Excitedly tells you how much he made from the shipping bin (please tell him he did a good job)

Never sells straight to the store will always put everything in a shipping bin to see all the cash rack up at the end of the day.

Will definitely get married with you in game and have kids <3

"AHAHAHA The great mammon made 30,000 today, aren't cha proud of me?"

Levi probably has a ungodly amount of hours in this game and know every single thing about it, at this point he's just seeing how fast he can finish everything.

Won't spoil the game for you but will give you hints to the right direction (green is lucky bet on that color).

Good at every aspect of the game, mining? fishing? foraging? farming? ranching? he's got it all.

You honestly don't even need to try in this game he will spoil you and shower you in whatever you wanted.

His favorite character is Abigail, purple haired gamer girl yes please, whom he always romanced before meeting you.

When you get jealous and upset after learning that, he shyly presents the wedding ring he grinded the mines for (prismatic shards are hard to come by!).

"Um... here's a wedding ring. Nononono I'm not proposing this is to get the last stardrop in the game I swear! (blushes madly behind the screen glad you couldn't see him)"

You know this man will be obsessed with his pet cat, petting it every day and making sure the water bowel is full like his life depended on it.

Dies of cuteness everytime the cat snuggled with him in bed.

Waiting for that [pet]loves you note to appear and it makes him so happy.

Spends most of his time looking for books and reading them in game at the library.(who actually reads those in game? he does!)

From reading all the wiki he knows literally everything about the game as well, will spoil the game.

"Did you know in the fair if you bet on green you will have a 75% chance of winning?"

Spends his time befriending and chatting up all the npcs, so confusing why they don't like him from the get go because of his dazzling beauty!

Will spends YEARS on character customization

Also spends his time getting all the clothes and accessories, because he has to change up his beautiful look every now and then!

Will marry you to constantly give you a bunch of kisses!!! <3

Will also do the unspeakable with you every night XD thankfully you can only have two kids in stardew.

Somehow becomes best friends with emily and the wizard to change his look whenever he wants (befriending sorcerers is just his thing ig.

If he wasn't dating you he would be flirting with every npc until the fateful scene lol

"Hailey is so mean to me! >:( She must be jealous of my mesmerizing looks! Now never mind that my darling come give me a kisssss."

You had to get Solomon to open a portal to the kitchen cabinet so he doesn't constantly get up to go eat

The only brother beside Levi that actually farms so he can get ingredients

Gets the Kitchen upgrade first thing and cooks and eats all day in the game even if his energy is full, eating in game also makes him hungry in real life EVERY TIME

Hangs out at Gus all day, probably eating Gus out of his business as well

Gave his character a mouth so he can eat (haha so cute)

Will want to play with Belphie and you and present you guys with new recipes he cooked.

"I cooked 2000 survival burgers today would you like some?"

Why sleepy?because it rhymes with Belphie! Actually he mistyped when he feel asleep halfway through the customization and went with it.

Only playing because you and Beel asked him

Wanted to wear matching outfits with Beel, or is he too lazy to pick his own we will never know

Will nap all day in game and in real life as well, you keep having to get up and go to his computer to hit ok for the next day

The times he is awake he will probably follow you and Beel around to cheer you guys on whatever it is that you're doing

His favorite part is when you snuggle in bed with him at the end of each day in game.

"Come and snuggle with me...actually just turn off the game and snuggle with me in real life I'm getting lonely here."

Check out my master list for more content!

#obeymeboys #obey me scenarios #obey me shall we date #omswd #obey me #shall we date obey me #lucifer #mammon #leviathan #satan #asmodeus #beelzebub #belphagor #lucifer obey me #mammon obey me #obey me leviathan #satan obey me #asmo obey me #beel obey me #obey me belphie #stardew valley #gn reader #obey me gn!reader #obey me gn!mc

[astriiformes]

minnesota gang <3 id love to hear your thoughts on living here as someone from out of state, if u wanna share!

Of course -- I always enjoy when other people get excited about my Minnesota blogging, haha.

For context I grew up in Arizona and then Colorado, and spent a fair bit of time in both Oregon and California visiting family, so I am very much from the west. Minnesota's been an interesting place to end up because of the ways it does/doesn't overlap with it. Like, I deeply, deeply miss the mountains, which are the part of the country that truly has my heart, but I've come to love a lot of the nature here as well, particularly the fact that the Twin Cities have a much healthier relationship with natural spaces than a lot of other urban areas. Just today a friend and I were walking on a bridge across the Mississippi and stopped midway to look out over it for a while. I love that there are city parks with waterfalls here, and that it's not uncommon to see eagles in and around the lakes, and that I've found fossils and geocaches clambering down steep gorges along the river. It's nice.

(And I especially love the nature up north, even though I've only been a few times -- Lake Superior is awe-inspiring, the glacial geology here is fascinating to me as someone who loves the natural sciences, hopping across the stepping stones at the mouth of the Mississippi up at Itasca is kind of mind-boggling, the trees up there feel a lot more like home, and as a certified Wolf Guy, learning that Minnesota is home to more wolves than anywhere in the contiguous "west" has genuinely delighted me.)

But I've also just loved the community I've found here. A large part of the reason I left Colorado was because Denver was just too expensive for me to consider (I was living with my family, in a suburb outside the city that was really stifling and lonely), and I really thought a lot of the places I could find real belonging would have too high a price tag, which I think is a common fear for queer folks who have mostly heard about big eastern and western cities as safe havens. The Twin Cities have given me everything I wanted in that regard. I have so many queer friends here, some of whom are more like family at this point, have regularly had coworkers like me and even had one job where I was encouraged to be fairly loudly out (and got to do some neat outreach as a result), and these days in particular am counstantly counting myself lucky to live in a state fighting for the rights of its transgender population.

And I've found community in other ways, too! There's a really vibrant, creative geek scene here, that's hung onto more of its old-school fandom roots -- probably my favorite convention anywhere is right here in Minneapolis (CONvergence), and there's a wonderful filk community in the area. I love, love, love my very queer, very social justice-oriented synagogue and that there are interesting Jewish community events going on with some frequency (and that I've even found a great deli to buy hamantaschen at every Purim!). And man. 2020 was a hard year here, but I'm going to remember the ways my neighbors and I stepped up for each other for the rest of my life. When the rest of the country was acting like our cities had burned to the ground, I felt like I was seeing the best of humanity from so many of the people around me. There were a couple days my qpp and I drove around just... taking pictures of all the art that had sprung up around the Cities, and on the boarded windows we knew would be taken down, because people had made them blossom with color and rebellion and love while they were up.

All told, there's a lot of neat things here. There's a lot of problems, too, but it's not hard to look around and see people fighting to solve them -- and in the meantime, there's plenty of joy and community to cling to. I've been fortunate enough to live in a few different parts of the country and have fallen in love with each of them in their own way, but Minnesota took me by surprise. I always thought of it as one of the quieter, more boring Midwestern states and I'm glad to have learned otherwise.

(I am also a cold weather guy through and through, despite my desert roots, so the winters treat me just fine, ha. The camaraderie through the blizzards and below-zero temperatures is another very real part of the state's charm.)

#land of eldritch lakes

[upthenorthmountain]

One nice thing about drawing the same character over and over is that it lets you see your progress. I feel like I’ve made a fair amount!

When I drew that first picture in September 2014 I was 32 years old. I’d always wanted to be able to draw, but just never got round to it or knew how to get started. Like a lot of people, fandom is what inspired me and gave me the push I needed. It’s the most amazing feeling to be able to draw now, to be able to get down what’s in my head, to make things I love and am proud of. I know I still have a lot to learn but that’s where the fun is!

If you’re one of those people always thinking ‘wow I wish I could draw’, here is how I did it:

I worked through the book You Can Draw in 30 Days by Mark Kistler, which a friend recommended to me (if I'd known then about the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards I'd have used that too, but I didn't. It's good though)

I filled up a couple of sketchbooks with terrible drawings, mainly figure studies from quickposes.com and bad drawings of my blorbos

Finally thought I had something good enough to post, posted it, received so much support and love that I carried on, and I honestly cannot thank all of you enough for that

Kept drawing and drawing, making myself do the things that were hard or that I thought were above my skill level (harsh truth: you will never get better at the hands if you don't draw the hands)

After a little while I thought 'I wonder if I can use my iPad as a drawing tablet', and started using the Procreate app (then about £4, now about £10 I think, still a flipping bargain), first with my finger, then with a stylus that came with my iPad case, then with a slightly better stylus I bought on eBay, then two years ago I got a better iPad and could have a Pencil which is AMAZING

I have also recently taken two Procreate courses on Domestika which taught me a lot of things about drawing in general and Procreate in particular and I should probably have sought this information out sooner! They were Atmospheric Scenes in Procreate: Paint with Color and Light by Ramona Wultschner, and Female Character Portraits in Procreate, by Natalia Dias, and I would recommend them both

And I kept drawing a whole bunch and my friends were super encouraging so I just kept going and didn't stop

I have tips! Things I've learnt along the way

If you use Procreate, look up and learn about clipping masks, alpha lock, streamline, liquify, Gaussian blur

Don't worry too much about brushes, I mainly just use the hard and soft airbrushes and two versions of round marker (one with low streamline for sketching and one with high streamline for line art). I have a spotty one for freckles and that's about it really for what I use 99% of the time. People will try and sell you brushes by making you think you'll be able to draw like them if you have the right brushes but you won't and you don't want to draw like them anyway, you want to draw like YOU

Use more layers than you think you'll need, you can always merge them later

You will suck at first. You will suck so bad you will want to cry. But you have to be terrible, it's the only way to get to not terrible. The only way you STAY terrible is if you give up

Just when everything seems awful and everything you draw is crap and you don't ever want to draw again, that is when you must KEEP GOING and PUSH THROUGH because you are about to level up. Persevere just a little bit longer and soon you will be staring at your own hands thinking 'HOW'

Drawing is a learnt skill. There is no such thing as Talent, just people who've spent longer learning and practicing than you have. Eight years ago I couldn't reverse park my car, either, and then I got a new job where it was really handy to be able to reverse park in the car park and now I'm really good at it. You can improve at anything if you're willing to put in the time! GROWTH MINDSET!!

#my art #drawing improvement #learning to draw #artists on tumblr #artblr #YOU CAN DO IT I BELIEVE IN YOU

[wildflowerswildhorses]

people are seriously babying the hell out of lucy. like i love me some lucy but she can handle herself. nyla and angela didn’t do anything wrong. they literally told her to do her job. and it’s so annoying that people genuinely think they were mean about it. she’s a woman of color in a male dominated job and she had tim bradford as her TO, she’s got thick skin… and honestly what angela and nyla said/ did shouldn’t require thick skin because again, they gave her a task that was well within her job description.

It's the "but Angela and Nyla were giving mean girl vibes" for me; but the comments about Angela and Nyla are legitimately giving mean girls vibes. All three of them are women of color in a male dominated field and it hasn't been easy for any of them; and I don't think it's fair to Lucy if Nyla and Angela were to treat her differently than they would anyone else and the fandom is trying to pit them against each other?

Lucy made jokes about the dumpster alley or whatever and Angela and Nyla treated her exactly how they would have any other patrol officer. Because Lucy is still a patrol officer and she has a job to do - just like Angela and Nyla have one and they're detectives who are superior to Lucy. It's not always going to be easy and there's gonna be times where they have to be "hard asses" towards her. Especially during a highly stressful case.

It doesn't mean they're "mean" to her, or that they hate her or don't care about her. They were superior officers taking control of a scene and giving a subordinate (who was making jokes about something well within her job description) orders.

Lucy is a big girl - she can take it.

They can be friends outside of work; but professional at work.

#answered asks #the rookie talk

[theblueskyofthedawn]

A little otome-like adventure for @ayato-kisser in the frame of @favonius-library gift exchange event ;3.

Sakura petals danced around you, cheering along with your team to the success of the last book. Your watercolors and pencils skillfully peppered the pages, and you preened under Lady Yae's proud gaze, who waved you all off, to rest and have fun.

O-hanami in full swing whirled in Hanamizaka, and you were quite eager to finally have a taste of the festival. Where do you want to go first?

1) Check the food stall 🍡.

"Isn't it the person of the hour!" your childhood friend's, Heizou's, voice greeted you among fried shrimps, candied melons, and dango of all colors. "Enjoying your freedom from the spotlight?" he chuckled.

He nodded toward the improvised scene, where the writer kept bowing and thanking the seemingly endless stream of fans.

"You could certainly say so!" you laughed, joyous. "And you aren't on a case either. Rare!"

"Oh, could I not afford a tiny bit of rest?" Heizou raised his hand to his forehead, picking up on your dramatics. "You wound me, merciless, merciless companion..."

You exchanged glances and burst into laughter, so needed after tense days of work.

"Seriously, though," he continued a few minutes later, after you picked up a small arrangement of treats, "I just have a lead that I wanted some help about," you noticed how the strain returned to his smile, "and I heard he should be nearby. But that doesn't mean," Heizou nudged you before you could comment anything, "that I can't divulge some time to you! Bet I'm still better at catching fair's fish?"

What would you do?

2) Take Heizou up on his challenge 🎯.

"Bet I'm still better at hoops?" you quipped right back.

Giggling and lightly pushing each other, you made your way to the game corner...

Where, of course, a dart game caught your eye. It had no reason to be so colorful!

And require good aim as much as hoops did.

"What do you want me to win?" you winked at Heizou, confident in your abilities.

"Hm..." he tapped his chin, smirking. Two could play this game. "A plushie of your choice," his gaze laughed, as between the pair of you you were the one to favor those, "and I have something in mind for later".

"Later, you say?" you narrowed your eyes at him. "I better give my all, then!"

Now determined, you focused your efforts on striking as many balloons as you physically could, not noticing how Heizou's gaze wandered around the fair, searching.

But you did feel his arms snaking around you just as the shout of triumph left your throat.

"Nice job," he whispered in your shoulder. You felt how he forced trembles down, and the smile didn't reach his voice. A soft deer plushie the stall owner pushed at you awkwardly hang on your forearm. "Mind if I step away for a bit? I think I saw..."

And he needed a breath, you understood.

"Feel free to do whatever, 'kay?" he reluctantly let you go, his smile in place but not fooling you one bit. Yet, you knew that he'll be alright.

What are you going to do?

4) Keep Heizou company 🌊.

You whirled around and caught his hand, intertwining your fingers together.

Seeing him mope made your own uncertain sadness, held at bay by the fair's liveliness, rise, and who wanted that?

Not you, that's who.

His evident surprise warmed your heart, and you winked:

"Did you think your favorite companion would leave you?"

You tugged him to the shadow beyond colorful tents, hoping that your blush will become less noticeable there.

Repetition of the ocean waves soothed both of your fraying nerves, and Heizou leaned into you, laying his head on your shoulder once more.

"Eh, I am a mood downer today, am I not?" he mirthlessly chuckled.

You pinched his forearm, threateningly raising a hard-won plushie in a smacking gesture:

"Nu-uh, mister I-will-unearth-decade-long-mysteries, you are not getting such titles from me. Everyone needs a break once in a while. Besides," you lightly pushed him with your hip, "the moon over the sea is the most delightful".

A spark returned to his eyes:

"You are the most delightful".

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," you bit back, nonetheless confident you are as red as a tomato by now. And Heizou, no doubt, saw that clearly.

"Won't it?" he teased, grinning.

"Brat," you muttered with a flustered smile, returning your gaze to the waves.

Heizou let you, squeezing your side closer to himself, whispers of water the only sound between you now...

After some time, Heizou tapped your nose:

"Hey, sleepyhead, didn't you want to find trinkets for the folks back home?"

Mindreader, you thought to yourself.

What do you want to do?

4) Relish in nature 🌊.

"E-e-eh, they'll survive," you whined, "stars are far more attractive right now".

Heizou chortled:

"You would regret that decision tomorrow, dummy. Wait here, then".

And was it the atmosphere of the holiday or your sweet pouty look, but Heizou leaned into you to leave a small, but unmistakable kiss on your lips - only to disappear in the people's sea a mere second later, your dazed gaze following his steps.

You didn't notice how a tall figure in resplendent white froze on the edge of the crowd and quietly retreated back.

Left alone, you turned your eyes to the sky, winking at you through twinkling stars' dots.

Would've you thought even a year back that a brat you smacked with naku weed stems would grow into someone you would love?

Oh, love, such a fickle thing.

...didn't Lady Yae comment on how inspired you lately were? And you could swear it was always the places that reminded you of him.

You mushed your face in the plushie.

However embarrassed, you could not wait for tomorrow, and the day after that, and the whole life before you.

"Didn't make you wait for long, did I?" his breathy chuckle tickled your ear.

You both, together.

[Achievement unlocked: In intuition’s sphere]

...Kazuha caught up to the two of you once you were leaving the fair, and you cheerfully waved at him with your intertwined hands, getting a raised brow and amused chuckle in response.

...rumors said, Yashiro Commissioner became even more elusive lately...

...winds of the faraway lands ruffled your hair, passing, unbothered.

As for you two, Heizou and you continued as you always were...

If now a bit more entangled.

"Five more minutes," you muttered into his shoulder, burrowing deeper into the blankets.

"I should charge you for derailing the investigation," he teased, pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

A little plushie deer proudly sat at your nightstand.

#writing #favoniuslibrary #network shenanigans #genshin impact #reader insert #Shikanoin Heizou

[cutepastelstarsalior]

ONE MAN BAND AU

AKA instead of mirabel having not gift she gets ALL of them.

When mirabel fist touch her door she instantly drop to the floor clutching her ears

She was holding her ears and a small cloud appears above her. Did she get Pepa’s gift? She turn around and her eyes glow a neon blue and with a POP! A blue tablet feel into her hands (she can see the present but only thing up from a few minutes to a day

. That's when everyone knew she had a combination of everyone gifts. The theory was proven correct when the went into mirabel room.

. Her room is basically a mashup of all the family bedrooms. In one corner is a waterfall of sand falling into a deep pit. Another corner has a theater and above everyone head are fluffy clouds

. It seem like mirabel has everyone gift

. It took mirabel 2 months to figure out how to work her gift. Usually her gift would overwhelm her and make her freeze or curl up into a ball crying

. The family had to help “train” mirabel with her gift. They found 3 things

1 mirabel gift works all the time unless she in her room or physical touching alma. They found the last part out after a week of mirabel getting her gift, she hug alma and notice that her hearing is now “normal”. When she stop hugging alma it came back, if she in arm distance from alma her powers are muffled and dither from that it’s back. The family things it’s because Alma is the one who created the miracle that can also make Mirabel powers stop

2 the second thing they found out is that even when the gift around constantly there, Mirabel can pick and choose which one she wants to use, she can use up to 3 (Felix joke that the madrigal come in three so it’s not that hard to believe that her gift can use up to 3 at a time.)

3 so because her strength and weather were the one that are constantly there she grew up helping Luisa and Pepa the most. After all two strong girl or two rebel weather witch’s can get the job done much faster

. It did get the job done fast. In fact by the time mirabel is 15 Luisa and pepa have a lot of free time. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday she works with Luisa. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with Pepa. Sunday is her day off. Depends on who she with, she and that person can get the job done in the morning and they rest of the time is for free stuff

. Because of mirabel gift, she spends a lot of time with her family and helping them. She help the family so much that the family is already on the road to a healthy family dynamic by canon time. Isabela, Dolores, and Luisa already had their “character arch” too in canon.

. (Isa why can’t you grow different plants?

*It’s because I’m the eldest I have to be perfect*

*Oh…..do I have to be perfect too? Since we can both grow plants?*

*No Mira just me. I don’t want you to have to stress and be worried about what Abuela things*

*Oh…but why do you have to? That’s not fair we can both grow plants!*

…. Cue WECID scene)

. (*Dolly why do you like Mariano so much?*

*Oh I like him because of his poetry, he talks care of his mama, he’s nice* *rambles about Mariano*

*Oh! That’s good :) I heard he like you too he like nice girls* )

Mira then help Dolores get over her shyness and help her confessed with Isa help) the engagement scene doesn’t happen but instead it’s a proposal dinner. She and Mariano have been date for 6 years (15-21) and she and Mirabel have overheard Mariano practice the prosal. Dolores arch is to see if she wants to marry Mariano (she does but she didn’t know if she wants to do it now or later)

With Lusia since Mirabel spend so much time with her Mira keeps dragging Lusia to play or relax after there’s done. It’s a slow process but since the two girls work together the most it happens

.in the au Mirabel still wears her teal skirt with embroidery but it’s very different. It has patches and lace and ruffles of all the colors of the rainbow to represent her family with a bunch of embroidery and stickers ad other trinkets. It’s so clutters that you can barely see the teal and the embroidery that repents her (but that’s ok really! It doesn’t have to be about her it’s and about they family….but isn’t she part of the family? Why should everything be about her family what about her and her needs?)

. During the canon events she still walks Antonio down the his door. He still gets his gift and Mirabel gets a new one. She kind of panics because of the idea of getting a new gift. Does that mean she keep getting gift with ever new generation? How many can she get? 20? 50?

. She is in the picture this time. But after the picture she leaves the party and thinks about how to deal with the new ability to talk to animals. The last time she got a gift she was 5 and had to practice all of them for months, maybe this one will be easier?

. While she’s think the title falls and mirabel looks at it then she gets a vision. She see her and the casita falling and golden butterflies. Bruno also got the same vision, and both have a different reaction.

. Mirabel takes the vision literally, think the casita is going to fall on her or she’s going to break the family and the house. Bruno has the reaction that the vision is metaphorical, that Mirabel is going to break from the pressure and stress

. It’s both

. So Mirabel spends the next day running out the casita asking if anyone needs help and she even goes all around the town talking to everyone asking if they are alright. After all she the family therapist, she has all their gift so that means she has to help the family, right?

. So the moive is Mirabel running around town. Trying to help everyone and be of service while the family has to cache after Mirabel after they saw the vision to get her to calm down and rest

#encanto #fandom #mirabel madrigal #encanto au #my au #one man band au

[lil228]

Red White and Royal Blue Notes Day 4

Update- no one gave me any grief about the book! In fact one person even asked me if it was good because it was on the list for her book club! So that was fun!

Alex is going to be responsible for all of Zahra’s grey hairs

Zahra knows she’s not going to be able to stop these two from seeing each other. 

Zahra has no fear about cursing at, and threatening a whole prince of England. Damn.

I’m dying at the fact that Alex’s mother made a PowerPoint presentation about this (237)

I laughed way to hard at the slide title “Federal Funding, Travel Expenses, Booty Calls and you- I’m still giggling about it. 

Wait, wait! Do we think this PowerPoint has like a theme? Are the slides rainbow colors? Bi flag colors?  Red white and blue? A sage green? Are there transitions? Are there visual aids or is just like the default white background and black text with no visuals or transitions. I mean this woman clearly takes PowerPoints seriously but she only had like an hour to do it right? Maybe she just used one of the like default designs. Like the ones that open when click design on Power Point? Surely there was at least like one picture per slide.  I know that this is totally not the point of this scene, but that I what I thought about.

That bike messenger who delivered the planned parenthood pamphlets must have had a really weird day at work. Like can you imagine just doing you job and then you get told to go to planed parenthood pick up what I assume are a bunch of sex-ed pamphlets and take them to the White House

Do you think that they made the bike messenger sign an NDA?

I love that both Zahra and Alex’s mom have no problem with Alex being Bi, their just worried about the fact that is flame is Prince Henry. And to be fair that dose make things a little messy.

I did know about Hamilton and Laurens, and there were likely more letters between the two that did not survive.,

Also if someone sent me an email recommending me a book and including the words “see attached bibliography” I think I would melt. 

Also these two are back at it again with the excellent to and from lines of their emails.

I like that both Alex and Henry are named for queer political figures from their countries ( Alexander Hamilton for Alex and Edward II and King James in Henry’s full name)

#red white and royal blue #books and reading #book thoughts

[cartoonfangirl1218]

Twisted Tales: Almost There Review 

The latest Twisted Tale is here and asks “What if Tiana made a deal that changed everything?” Rochon starts dramatically enough with the climatic scene in the catacombs as Tiana crushes the talisman in front of Dr. Facilier. Well, she was about to crush it when the Shadow Man offers the one thing she wants most. You might think it’s the restaurant as he did but Tiana is much better than that. She’ll earn her restaurant fair and square. Rochon does a lovely job in displaying Tiana’s strong ethics and respect for herself right in the first chapter. But then Dr. Facilier offers the big ace in his sleeve, he can bring her Dad back. It’s too tempting, seeing her beloved father again and living the rest of his years out as he was supposed to, how could she not want that. That and a little persuasive blackmail and Tiana shakes the poor sinner’s hand.

Now a year, she and her father have their supper club and Naveen no longer remembers who she is (it was an additional clause to the spell even though it hurts Tiana’s heart to see him). But the universe is all about symmetry. With Mardi Gras season beginning again, Dr. Facilier is switching up the deal and Tiana realizes that she’s truly stuck under his thumb.

As a Louisiana native herself, Rochon does a wonderful job infusing the setting with vivid description of the streets and quarters, describing the delicious cuisine and sharing other traditions specific to the colored community in N’awlins. This also applies to the magical aspects of the novel as she shares the Haitian origins of Vodou which are inherently good coming down from generations of ancestors and Dr. Facilier’s type of power is manufactured cons and darkness. I really admire how his scenes always have a slithering aura of creepiness, I could just imagine the shadows creeping up behind me.

Since there are several chapters from his point of view, Rochon gives a bit of sympathetic backstory but makes clear that it does not excuse him. His choice to abandon the old ways to seek easy shortcuts because he feels like he “deserves” the power as he steps on others makes him as dark as his friends from the other side.

Tiana still struggles with her independence and learning to rely on others but in this case it is more than understandable considering the guidelines set by her deal with Dr. Facilier that she can’t tell anyone. Even so, she’s a bit ashamed to as she knows how shifty he is. But this is also a lesson in letting go as Tiana struggles to let go of believing that she has to handle everything, let go of the reins, let go of the past hurt, let go of what she thinks is the universe’s black and whiteness to realize it is so much more powerful and vast than that. It’s always fascinating when a protagonist must deal with the consequences of their greatest wishes and Rochon takes full advantage of this here.

Naveen may have lost his memory of the previous year but he has a sweet friendship with Charlotte who decides to keep looking for a foreign Duke and inexplicable attraction to Tiana. He feels drawn to her though he doesn’t realize why and is disheartened with how she avoids him. He also keeps his newfound resolve to be a hardworking man, struggling to find his talent and a way he can be of use to others. It’s a solid storyline even though it’s a bit of retread from the movie. Even so, I enjoyed seeing him begin to recognize his privilege and how birth station can affect the opportunities of those under him. Rochon also does an excellent job in bringing the Tiana-Naveen romance in a deja vú sense. I’ll admit I didn’t feel the spark in the movie as it felt like every rom com childish playboy learns from hard working woman. But here I appreciated their romance a bit more. I mean, Rochon makes Naveen charming and oh my he is charming! Tiana doesn’t only encourage him to be a better man but I see why Tiana likes him, he makes her put her hair down and enjoy life. They balance each other.

Charlotte is also here too and shows why she is such a good friend even if she is oblivious at times. Unlike the movie, Rochon is able to go into the racism of the time period even if she isn’t able to say it by name. It’s not The Hate U Give level but Tiana and Charlotte do have a serious talk about the differences in their lives and how much harder she has to work because the color of her skin prevents so many opportunities.

Overall, it’s a great addition to the series and let’s readers have more adventures in the colorful city of New Orleans with one of the strongest Disney princesses around. 4 beignets!

#twisted tales #the princess and the frog #almost there #tiana #my reviews #farrah rochon