#And poses a better challenge than just answering for them

[michanvalentine]

Hey

I wrote the following bellow ages ago on a Discord server I'm in

Wanted to get your thoughts on my observations around Cazador's demise, if possible

"For all their wealth, power, & influence, true vampires are incapable of any real happiness

Whether that's from the nature of their true Vampirism or from having been tortured as spawn themselves, or both even, they're clearly suffering

Which wouldn't in itself warrant what I'm about to say next

But, because true vampires tend to get off on hurting those beneath them, be they spawn or mortals (not accounting for blood drinking imo. As far as I'm concerned, I can't really fault a vampire, spawn or otherwise, for needing blood anymore than I can fault a lion for needing meat), I can't help but come to the conclusion that the kindest thing you can do for a true vampire, & for the people they're terrorising, is to basically eliminate them

Not a nice conclusion to come to, admittedly

But, the fact is, they won't stop hurting people until they are stopped

Sometimes the world is made a better place when certain people (especially dictators & tyrants) are no longer in it"

It's not a conclusion I'm comfortable with tbh, It's admittedly a very dark one to cone to

Especially knowing there was a time Cazador could have been saved, once upon a time, but that it's now passed

But, I wanted to get your thoughts on this

I believe it's a thought-provoking contribution. It’s a complex and painful reflection that touches on multiple themes and presents us with an ethical choice. It almost echoes the question the Withered One poses to Tav/Durge at the beginning of the adventure: “What is the worth of a single mortal life?” At first glance, it seems easy to answer—of course life matters, and all lives are equal and deserve to be lived. But what happens when we speak of a monster? And not a "monster" like a vampire spawn such as Astarion, who is, in many ways, still “innocent,” a mere instrument in the hands of a master who owns him body and soul.

It’s a question that challenges beliefs and morality, even the most steadfast ones, and yet demands a clear stance and a sense of responsibility.

The analogy between pureblood vampires and tyrants is powerful because it touches a universal theme: corrupted power and the systemic violence it breeds. Cazador, in particular, is not just a predator by biological necessity, but a sadist who takes pleasure in absolute control, in torture, in the erasure of another’s identity. He is an executioner, not by nature alone, but by repeated choice. As you said, he’s far beyond the lion that feeds out of hunger. And that’s precisely why Astarion’s ascension crosses that thin line between necessity and monstrosity—because that’s where the choice becomes heavy and leads to the suffering of thousands of souls through a deliberate, conscious act. An act that makes him, in every essential way, just like Cazador.

This is meant as a moral weighing of the scales, before anyone jumps in to say “but AA is different from Cazador, he loves Tav/Durge, he’d never torture them”—that’s not the point I’m making.

Saying that “eliminating him is the only truly kind act” isn’t a glorification of violence, nor an excuse—it’s an ethical stance against a structural, irremediable evil. It’s a reflection on the responsibility to end the cycle of abuse when the abuser not only shows no remorse but continues to inflict pain as an act of will.

Moreover, as you said, true vampires (as Astarion defines them) are incapable of real happiness. And here, I’ll take a small detour into the broader cultural imagination of the vampire—a figure that’s existed in global folklore for centuries. In virtually all interpretations, vampires are the dead who need the life essence of the living—blood—to “survive.” They’re parasites, in direct violation of the natural order. In some readings, especially through a Catholic lens, vampirism takes on the characteristics of a punishment. A divine one, even—meant to bring suffering to those afflicted.

Hence the widespread belief that vampires fear crucifixes, burn in holy water, are harmed by blessed weapons, and so on. But even if we step away from that perspective, we can still see how vampirism is understood in broader literature as a condition that inevitably leads to suffering. We can grasp this even through simple reasoning and common sense.

Eternity is a curse: the world changes, vampires don’t—or not easily. The people they care about die, one after the other, over time—if they ever manage to find someone to care about. Boredom, the stagnation of their condition—they’ve done, seen, and said everything. The absence of sunlight, of their own reflection, the constant hunger. They are stuck, forever, in a liminal state—neither living nor dead. Damned to wander the earth without ever being able to move on (and here we circle back, slightly, to the Catholic idea).

Anyway, all this is to say that vampirism can be seen as a true curse—a kind of hell on earth from which there is no escape... unless, of course, one is killed. So ending Cazador’s life could also be interpreted as an act of kindness—even from this angle.

And no, I don’t believe ascension can “fix” any of these aspects—except maybe the more material ones like reflection, sunlight, and hunger. But as for inner peace? I see little hope. In fact, realizing that even ascension can’t bring peace to a vampire must be a crushing blow. Just as money doesn’t bring happiness (nor fame or success), neither do “things.”

And in fact, Cazador—who has everything Astarion thinks matters: wealth, status, and power—says:

“These deathless dreams hold memories of a mortal life once-forgotten. Of the boy I was, the man I became, the monster that will not end. I sleep, but cannot rest. I live, but cannot die. I’m eternal, and I grieve.”

The message couldn’t be clearer.

But let’s take a closer look at what he says: deathless dreams—this means he keeps having them, over and over again, every time he closes his eyes. They’re deathless, after all; he can’t get rid of them. And what do they do? They hold. A beautiful word, one that somehow suggests care, even a certain gentleness. And what do they hold? The memories of his mortal life. It’s heartbreaking. He mourns the boy he was, the man he became… in favor of the monster. The one that will not end. He knows perfectly well that this last part is the strongest, the most pervasive, the one with no end—swallowing him whole.

That’s why he sleeps, but cannot rest—because the memories of who he once was torment him. He regrets who he used to be. He is "alive," but even if he wanted to end it all, he can’t die—he’s forced to drag himself through this non-existence. He’s eternal… and that’s why he grieves.

I’d say there’s little more to add… it perfectly conveys just how horrible his condition is, and how he’s willing to do anything to change it—without realizing that every attempt is futile and will only serve to feed the monster that will not end.

God, how much pity I feel for him…

This without even bringing in the D&D lore, which portrays vampires as distorted and sick in their perceptions, emotions, and feelings. But I believe that an eternity of suffering would slowly, inevitably, turn even the most virtuous, pious soul into something entirely different.

At the same time, recognizing that there was once a time when Cazador could have been saved is important. Because it shows that no one is born a monster, and that the system which produces violence—even in abusers—is real. And this applies to the real world as well. But when the chance of salvation becomes impossible even to imagine for someone who’s fallen that far, perhaps the most compassionate act is no longer forgiveness, but the liberation of those who suffer from their actions.

In this sense, your conclusion is harsh but deeply self-aware. It doesn’t romanticize or justify. It reckons with the moral weight of saying: “You cannot remain—because you continue to destroy those who still have a chance to live.”

It’s tragic. And it’s profoundly human.

Thank you for giving me the chance to reflect on these themes. <3 I hope I wrote in a way that's understandable! xD Sometimes my translations feel a bit messy to me…

[acourtofquestions]

Hearth to hearth, the Flame of War went.

Over snow-blasted mountains and amongst the trees of tangled forests, hiding from the enemies that prowled the skies. Through long, bitterly cold nights where the wind howled as it tried to wipe out any trace of that flame.

But the wind did not succeed, not against the flame of the queen.

So hearth to hearth, it went.

To remote villages where people screamed and scattered as a young-faced woman descended from the skies on a broom, waving her torch high.

Not to signal them, but the few women who did not run. Who walked toward the flame, the rider, as she called out, "Your queen summons you to war. Will you fly?"

Trunks hidden in attics were thrown open. Folded swaths of red cloth pulled from within. Brooms left in closets, beside doorways, tucked under beds, were brought out, bound in gold or silver or twine. And swords-ancient and beautiful—were drawn from beneath floorboards, or hauled down from haylofts, their metal shining as bright and fresh as the day they had been forged in a city now lying in ruin.

Witches, the townsfolk whispered, husbands wide-eyed and disbelieving as the women took to the skies, red cloaks billowing. Witches amongst us all this time.

Village to village, where hearths that had never once gone fully dark blazed in answer.

Always one rider going out, to find the next hearth, the next bastion of their people.

Witches, here amongst us. Witches, now going to war.

A rising tide of witches, who took to the skies in their red cloaks, swords strapped to their backs, brooms shedding years of dust with each mile northward.

Witches who bade their families farewell, offering no explanation before they kissed their sleeping babes and vanished into the starry night.

Mile after mile, across the darkening world, the call went out, ceaseless and unending as the eternal flame that passed from hearth to hearth.

"Fly, fly, fly!" they shouted. "To the queen! To war!"

Far and wide, through snow and storm and peril, the Crochans flew.

[gotta-winwin]

OT13 Reaction -- to you asking them what their fave juno pose is

a/n: hellooo!! im curious what juno poses you guys think the boys would be into... feel free to send an ask with the pose (asks with media + anon are open!) - favourite one gets its own spinoff oneshot :)

MINORS DNI

tw: sexual positions, allusions to sex, boner talk

not proofread, if you don't like it - don't interact!

seungcheol is initially taken aback at the question. you ask it so innocently, so out of the blue - and he can feel his heart skip a beat at the mere pictures that are being conjured by his mind at the mention of you in any of those poses. he regains his confidence quite quickly though, proudly pulling up his favourite pose and eyeing you as you splutter. so, honey? reminds me of that one night we...

throwing up a shit eating grin, jeonghan takes the question with ease. he's been expecting it - he knows you well and ever since you sent him that reel, he's been preparing his answer. i personally really enjoy this one he'd say while showing you, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively in a way that makes you snort in laughter. 100% expects action later. you were the one who brought it up babyyy...care to follow through?

you cannot tell me this man doesn't prefer missionary over anything else. joshua loves seeing your face through it all, so asking him this question probably isn't going to get you anything you didn't already know. he blushes at the thought of it, shyly muttering under his breath that he likes it best when he can see your pretty face and hold you.

jun blinks, not quite getting what the fuck a "juno" pose is. he nods along as you show him his "options," turning red at the particularly scandalous ones and cringing at the ones he knows ya'll can't pull off. i don't think you're that flexible, baobei. he'd say, more worried he'd accidentally break you if you guys attempted the pose.

like with anything else, soonyoung is excited to answer your question. don't be surprised if he pulls out a powerpoint specifically for the occasion, listing out the pros and cons of each pose and the probability of how much he'd enjoy it. he's passionate with everything he does - and what better thing to be passionate about than fucking the love of his life?? lowkey ends up not being able to choose just one favourite. he likes variety in his sex life, thank you very much.

wonwoo stares at you once you're finished asking, bluntly dropping his answer and moving on with his day. he lowkey thought it was already obvious what his favourite one was?? you guys do it every time?? it's his default?? he calmly (a bit too calmly for the topic) explains to you why it's his favourite, giving you all the stats. well, it's easier to move - and you're more comfortable, and- you'd think he was giving a persuasive essay by the way he goes on and on.

you know better than to ask jihoon without first sending him the reel, asking him to check his message and to watch it. he sends back a screenshot of his favourite pose, a little miffed that this was the reason you interrupted his recording session but answering you nonetheless because he loves you. he tries to return to work, although the thoughts of you in that pose is sending him reeling. ends up giving in to his urges and rushing back home to test out his theory. told you that was the best pose, he'd say after destroying your insides.

again, a strong believer that minghao is secretly very kinky but prefers missionary because it allows him to feel the closest to you. reveals to you that his absolute favourite isn't on the juno pose list because sabrina would be canceled for acting it out - gives you that look, silently challenging you if you'd like to try it. don't pretend it doesn't excite you, love.

seokmin's face is burning the moment you ask the question, stuttering violently through his words as his brain computes your question. shyly points to his favourite pose, cringing into his hands as he awaits your reaction. why would you ask me that right before i have to go to work? he'd complain, hating how inconvenient being turned on could be during practice.

mingyu's got that shit eating grin on his face similar to jeonghan's, although his is more of a i think we should test all of them before i choose one type of grin. you can tell by the way he's eyeing you that he's already picturing you in those poses. i don't know, babe, he'd drawl out, reaching over to grab your waist. i think you should give me a refresher before i pick.

seungkwan's the one that asks you for your favourite juno pose, curious to know which one you prefer yourself to be in. it ends up being a whole conversation - riling both of you up as you discuss the pros and cons of each pose, leading to you guys ending up in the bedroom. who's idea was it to talk about this again? you know what, i don't care - c'mhere.

by the way vernon's looking, you can tell he's thinking about his answer like it's the most serious thing in the world. you let him think, sitting there in silence as you watch the guy contemplate. anyone else would think he was making a major life decision, with the way his eyebrows are furrowed and his eyes are full of concentration. finally deciding, he picks one that surprises you. idk, i know we've never done it before but i feel like i'd enjoy it. and you'd look so hot like that babe.

chan sends you his favourite juno pose before you can even ask. a cheeky lil grin on his face, he asks if you guys could try it out, his eyes sparkling with mischief and his boner already prominent. he's imagining you fucked out in the position that he's chosen and he- well, it's not his fault he can't control himself. you'd look sooo hot, babe. he'd persist. i'll take care you.

[thethronezone]

Which negative traits do you think would show up in the Primarch's parenting style?

Mortarion - When he and his kid are having a disagreement, he tends to ignore them, give them the silent treatment. Mortarion does not do this out of menace or to punish them, he simply thinks that by giving them some time and personal space they will eventually get over it and grow stronger from this conflict between them.

Fulgrim - So obsessed with appearances and perfection, Fulgrim has such high expectations on his kid. And he's got such a specific view on what constitutes as perfection. Micromanages his kid's life because he wants them to be their "best self".

Angron - Obviously, his temper is a problem, but the biggest issue is the distance he puts between himself and his kid. He does this simply because he does not want to hurt them. Because of this, he does not see or talk to them as much as either of them would want to.

Magnus - Because of his immense pride, he will never be able to apologize or admit to being in the wrong. Magnus is also so convinced that he's the smartest person in any room he's in so if his kid wants to do things their way he will do whatever he can do convince them to do exactly as he says instead.

Perturabo - Geez, where to start? He is strict and controlling to the max, expecting nothing but excellence and outmost obedience from his kid at all times. At the same time however, he will never be able to see them as good enough.

Alpharius - It has to be the secrecy and mystery. While some might be good, the fact that most things are posed as a question or a challenge makes the kid feel like they can never get a straight answer or simply ask for help.

Lorgar - Aside from practically pushing religion down their throat? It would have to be how he tries to justify suffering and negative experiences. Oh, they are going through a rough time? It's just god testing them. They feel overwhelmed by expectations and duties? God wouldn't give them something they could not handle. It gets annoying real quick and makes it feel like he's invalidating their feelings.

Horus - Keeps comparing them to himself all the time. He does it out of a sense of love but it's... a lot. He's the Warmaster, favored son of the Emperor. That's a lot to live up to and Horus does not realize that his constant comparisons between them causes his kid to feel totally inferior and inadequate compared to him.

Konrad - Constantly suspects his kid. Konrad is not a good person and he sees so much of himself in his child which causes him to live in constant fear that they will turn out just like him. Scrutinizes everything they do and sees signs and problems where there are none.

Sanguinius - Since he's both aware of the future and struggles with the Red Thirst, Sanguinius is plagued by fear. The fear of wasting the precious time he has with his child, the fear of disappointing them. It sometimes causes him to lose focus on the present and not actively participate in the moment, making him feel very distant.

Corvus - A bad trait would be his lack of privacy. Corvus might feel a tad guilty about snooping around in his kid's belongings or reading their personal journal but he justifies it by saying it's for their own good. This is all to keep them safe, to better understand them, to prevent unfortunate situations.

Ferrus - Similar to Lorgar in a way, Ferrus believes that hardship and suffering has a reason. In this case, the reason is to grow stronger because of it. Which isn't necessarily wrong but sometimes, a child just wants to be comforted and that is not something Ferrus can do.

Rogal - Listen, we all know that Rogal is about as emotive as a brick wall but not even getting a kid manages to improve that. While they are mostly used to it and can read him better than most, the lack of response can easily grow frustrating, especially when his kid is really emotionally invested in something and he's just not.

Vulkan - The Primarch of the Salamanders is a bit TOO involved in his kid's life, though this is something that's mainly noticed as they get older and start desiring a life separate from him. He's just... everywhere and while the support might feel nice at first, it quickly starts feeling suffocating.

Lion - Emotionally stunted. His kid could be crying their heart out and he would just tell them to suck it up and stop acting so ridiculous. Crying doesn't solve anything. Neither does moping around. Don't tarnish your legacy blah blah blah. There are a grand total of ZERO emotional talks between them because Lion believes them to be unneccsary.

Leman - Heavily biased when it comes to a lot of things, Leman instills these views on his kid. He's quite stubborn when it comes to instilling his views and values upon them which can cause conflict and intense arguments when they get older and develop their on opinions.

Jaghatai - Freedom is good but the level of freedom and independence Jaghatai gives his kid can be a bit much. He expects them to figure most things out on their own so he kinda just lets them wander around aimlessly. This causes them to feel lost at times and like they have to do everything themself or they aren't smart enough.

Roboute - There's a lot of expectations on Guilliman's kid, not just from Roboute himself but from everyone else as well. Guilliman is aware of this and while he tries to ease their anxiety, his own expectations of them sometimes makes him neglect this emotional soothing. After all, his child needs to grow into their future role as a leader of the Imperium and he can't afford to coddle them.

[rainandandy]

could you pls do some rainxfem!reader pls?? There is a serious lack of rain fics on this app and I need more😭😭 just some HC’s, fluff, angst, nsfw, love it all. Take it and bby😘

(btw LOVE your work, ur keeping me alive rn)

Thank you for the ask!😘 I will have more Rain Carradine X FemReader coming! Hope you like this

Pairings: Rain Carradine X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Jealous Reader

Word Count: 1027

Life on Jackson's Star was a gritty mix of endless work and fleeting moments of reprieve, where the dusty, metallic corridors echoed with the clanking of machinery and the chatter of miners. Amidst this stark backdrop, your relationship with Rain Carradine blossomed into something that felt almost out of place with its warmth and genuineness.

Rain was strong, capable, and fiercely protective, not just of her synthetic brother Andy but of you as well. Her friendship with Tyler, her former partner and a prominent figure in the mining crew, had initially seemed unremarkable to you. However, as time went on, their easy camaraderie began to gnaw at you, the seeds of jealousy sprouting unchecked.

You'd watch them during breaks, sharing jokes and reminiscing about past missions, their laughter a stark contrast to the usual din of the miners’ mess hall. The more you observed, the more your imagination painted pictures of a past perhaps better left behind, stirring a restlessness within you that you couldn't shake off.

One evening, compelled by a mix of curiosity and unsettling thoughts, you approached Andy. Despite his challenges with speech and the obvious difficulties his synthetic nature sometimes posed in social settings, Andy had a way of understanding human emotions, perhaps better than most humans themselves.

"Andy," you started, hesitating as you chose your words carefully, "did Rain and Tyler... were they together? Like, before?"

Andy's eyes, always so expressive despite the rest of his face remaining eerily impassive, flickered with something that might have been discomfort. "Yes," he stuttered, his voice mechanical yet tinged with a hint of warmth. "But it was a long time ago. Things change."

His confirmation hit harder than expected. You tried to laugh it off, to dismiss the tightening in your chest as just a silly overreaction. "Thanks, Andy. Just curious, you know?"

But curiosity wasn't easily sated. At the next community gathering in the recreation hall—a rare moment of leisure on the harsh mining planet—you spotted Kay, Tyler's vivacious sister, and decided on a reckless course of action. Flirting with Kay, you hoped, might just give you the answers you needed, or at least draw some kind of reaction out of Rain.

Kay, with her easy smile and flirtatious demeanor, was a willing participant in your charade. You laughed at her jokes, touched her arm lightly, and played the part of someone smitten. From the corner of your eye, you could see Rain watching, her expression unreadable.

Later, as you and Rain walked back to your quarters along the dimly lit paths of the colony, she broke the silence. "Seems like you and Kay were getting along well tonight," she said, her tone light but with an undercurrent of something else—was it amusement? Concern?

You bristled, defensive and still wound up from your own concocted drama. "What about you and Tyler? Seems like old times, huh?"

Rain stopped walking, turning to face you under the faint glow of the overhead lamps. Her laugh, when it came, was genuine and full of warmth. "Are you jealous?" she asked, stepping closer, her eyes searching yours.

As Rain's question hung in the air between you, a cool breeze whistled through the narrow passages of Jackson's Star, stirring the dust around your feet. "Are you jealous?" she repeated, her voice a gentle tease that echoed slightly off the metal walls surrounding you.

Caught off guard by her directness and the earnest look in her eyes, your initial reaction was to deflect, but the sincerity in her gaze held you in place. Before you could respond, Rain stepped closer, closing the small gap that the conversation had widened between you. Her hands reached up, resting lightly on your cheeks, her touch sending a familiar warmth through you that contrasted sharply with the chill of the evening.

With a tenderness that always seemed at odds with the harsh environment of the mining colony, Rain leaned in. Her lips met yours in a kiss that was soft at first, hesitant, as if giving you room to pull away. But you didn’t. Instead, you found yourself leaning into the kiss, deepening it, your hands moving to encircle her waist and pull her closer.

Rain responded in kind, her movements confident, her lips pressing more firmly against yours. The kiss grew from tender to fervent, a mingling of relief and passion. It was the kind of kiss that spoke of deep connections and unspoken promises, a reassurance of her feelings amid the whirlwind of doubts that had clouded your mind.

The world around you seemed to quiet, the usual hum of the colony fading into a distant backdrop to the intensity of the moment. Rain's kiss chased away the shadows of jealousy, filling the spaces with an affirming warmth that seeped deep into your bones.

When you finally broke apart, breathless and a little dazed, Rain’s smile was radiant under the sparse light of the colony’s lamps. "I mean it," she said, her forehead resting against yours as she caught her breath. "It’s always been you."

In that moment, with Rain’s affirmation still tingling on your lips, the earlier tension dissolved, leaving a clarity that brightened the dark paths of Jackson's Star. Her laughter, light and freeing, bubbled up between you, and you couldn't help but laugh with her, the sound mingling with the night air.

The path back to your quarters was filled with a comfortable silence, the type that comes when no words are necessary to fill the space between two people. Rain’s hand in yours felt like a vow, a silent promise that no misunderstanding could break the bond you shared.

As Andy turned to give you both a subtle thumbs up before heading off to give you some privacy, you realized how deeply integrated into your life Rain had become. Her presence was a constant source of strength and comfort, just as you hoped to be for her.

Your journey together on Jackson's Star might be filled with challenges, but moments like these, stolen under the artificial stars of the colony, reminded you that as long as you were together, there was nothing you couldn’t face.

[beneathashadytree]

FELINE AFFECTION - XAVIER SHEN X READER

Warnings : Xavier absolutely gives off “I’m terrified of my spouse” vibes here because he has 0 financial responsibility, reader is gender-neutral!

Genre : tooth-rotting domestic fluff <3

Word count : 1.0K words

Additional notes : My head is simply full of thoughts of that new pose of Xavier in the Glint photobooth, where he’s cuddling a cat… and the brainrot birthed this. I’m so in love with him.

Tip jar!

Masterlist

“Xavier.”

For a few beats there was no reply, and then a very hesitant, “Yes?” came from the couch they were staring at so intently—and for good reason, really. His innocent expression did not erase the truth of what they were seeing.

“What’s that in your arms?” they very patiently asked, as though the calmer they said it, the more inclined he would be to answer honestly. A futile attempt at coaxing, when Xavier knew better than to ignore the signs of an oncoming scolding.

“Nothing,” he quickly replied, sky blue eyes darting away before they could meet theirs. A very telling sign, if anything; Xavier was weak to them and would always give in with a single piercing glance shooting straight for his heart.

They arched their brow as they set their keys down on the coffee table, before crossing their arms against their chest. “So you’re saying I’m seeing things?”

A trick question. He swallowed thickly, carefully contemplating his answer and then quietly saying, “I didn’t say that.”

“A contradictory claim.” Their expression was cool, but the challenge in their eyes was anything but. “Answer this then, are you holding a kitten right now?”

He stayed silent for a few moments. “Well… no.” Not very convincing—especially not when there really was a pudgy tabby cat swaddled into his soft sweater and lazily swatting at the hem’s loose threads, and his own fingers were busy gently trailing across its head.

A strangled noise left them at the sight and his continued denial. Pinching their nose in exasperation, they shut their eyes for a second. “Care to explain, then?”

“Technically, she’s a little over two years old, so she’s a cat, not a kitten,” he mumbled, half to himself, hoping that they would just drop it. It seemed he wasn’t in the mood to be very upfront today. But he certainly looked like he was in the mood to tickle the pink paws of his new feline friend and boop her twitching little nose.

“Err… lovely,” they strained to keep their voice level and absolutely calm, definitely not freaking out over this… fascinating surprise. “And what’s she doing in our apartment?”

“It’s hers now too.” A bold statement to make, from a man who looked like—were he a cat too, that is—his own whiskers were standing on end. “If anything happens to her I’ll jump.”

“Knowing your luck, you’d survive the fall anyways.” A tired sigh, and then their shoulders were drooping, their fight dissolving all at once. They collapsed onto the couch beside him, and thankfully the cat seemed to be twice as lazy as her new owner was, because she made no indication of having gotten startled, save for a slow blink of her eyes (that was admittedly rather adorable). “Fine, have it your way.”

That sweet smile of his graced his soft features, and for a moment their heart thundered in their chest, reminding them that no matter how much they would try to deny it, they really were weak to anything he wanted—as long as he gave them that smile, of course. “She’s very content like this,” they pointed out as the cat in question yawned, leaning into his finger deftly stroking her forehead.

“I know we’re often on missions, and I didn’t want to risk negligence. So I searched for the lowest maintenance kitty to adopt,” he softly said, voice trailing off at the end and an endearingly tender look in his eyes as he continued to pet her. Glancing up at his beloved, he flushed a little at the amusement on their face. “Sorry. She’s just very fluffy.”

At that they chuckled a little, reveling in the way he let himself get carried away. “It’s fine. I was honestly just worried about precisely that. Pets are a huge responsibility, but she’d be perfectly compatible with us.” They looked down and watched as she stretched her fluffy limbs, before curling back up into Xavier’s chest, a content look on her adorable face and her tail swishing a little in her light sleep. The resemblance finally became clear. “She’s… an awful lot like you.”

“Really?” he mused, a thoughtful expression on his face as he furrowed his eyebrows a little. “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Kind of hard to ignore once you see it,” they snorted a little, though they lowered their voice after they saw how the slumbering cat twitched in her sleep at the sound. “You got all the stuff she needs, though?”

“I may or may not have used up this month’s salary at the pet store.” Xavier sheepishly gave them a half-smile, though he didn’t look apologetic in the least at the prospect of having wasted a ludicrous amount of money on things that the soon-to-be-spoilt kitty may never even use.

Seriously, had he always wanted a cat this bad?

Well. There was no use in admonishing him when he seemed so enamored by the ball of fluff in his arms. In fact… maybe a small part of them fell a bit more in love with him seeing him so content with the (admittedly rash) decision he’d made, and perfectly happy with staying cuddled up forever on the couch.

“Did you name her?” they asked, curiosity lacing their words as they peered at her tiny face nuzzled against his chest. “It’s only fair you get the chance to when you brought her in.”

Really, it wasn’t such a bad idea after all, now that they thought about it. Cats are rather independent, and they knew without a shadow of a doubt that they’d definitely shower her with unconditional love and all the care that she needs. Kind of hard not to, when she was this sweet-looking and lazy all the time.

Xavier nodded, a small flush on his freckled cheeks. A look akin to pride on his face, he smiled up at his lover, slowly cradling the happily dozing cat, and said—

“Her name’s Meatloaf.”

…

“Absolutely not.”

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[elminx]

Practices to Support Yourself During Mercury's Retrograde

Although Mercury's retrograde cycle is not bad and is business as usual, it tends to create stress for some people. Even if you aren't particularly mercurial, you may have to deal with the effects of other people's dysregulations from this retrograde or just the generalized "ick" that tends to accumulate from people being late, tech not working right, and the varying miscommunications which inevitably seem to materialize.

Here are a few practices that have worked for me, or for people that I love to help rebalance yourself during these rougher times. You (obviously?) don't need to do all of these practices - finding one that works for you and sticking with it will likely be more beneficial than trying to catch 'em all.

Don't take things personally - Learning to step back and be objective about other people's shit can go a long way at all times but most especially when the space weather gets choppier. This may look like taking a break from socializing or engaging less with those overly dramatic folks who make their emotions everyone else's business. Boundaries are key here: you can read my boundary spell here for ideas on magically enforcing better boundaries.

Ground, ground, ground - Mercury is a very airy planet, and its retrograde cycle can leave us really stuck in our heads. Any practice that pulls you out of your head and back into your body will be helpful during this time. This may look like sending your energy out of your feet and into the earth like roots, wearing grounding scents, focusing on your body, or simply lying on the ground. Some people find great benefits in carrying/wearing grounding crystals during these times.

Move Your Body—This doesn't have to be high-impact. Moving our bodies can ground us and return us to the now. Practices like yin yoga or other slow movements may be especially helpful here as they are focused on being in your body and really feeling what you are experiencing. Another layer is to focus on floor poses that put you close to the ground, accomplishing #2.

Focus on what you Eat - this will look different for everyone, and I'm not trying to be a food purist here. We all have foods that make us feel good (in a body way) and foods that don't. Since Mercury retrograde can increase anxiety, paying attention to foods/drinks that are prone to making you jittery and limiting them may be helpful during this time. If your anxiety settles in your gut (mine certainly does), try sticking to your safer foods during the retrograde cycle.

Calming Practices—Again, this will look different for everyone. What activities really bring you back to yourself and a state of inner contentment? Try to prioritize those for the next three weeks.

Write For Yourself - Mercury's retrograde cycles are review moments that tend to bring up many things from our past for deeper processing. Keeping a private journal is a good way to work through these challenging moments. This may look like shadow work or simply recording your thoughts and feelings as they come to you.

Media detoxing - Not only does social media often stop working correctly during a retrograde cycle, but people get really in it. It sometimes can seem like the very worst in humanity is appearing on your feed. This is your cosmic reminder that it's okay to take a break from the news and social media, and that you can unfollow any person at any time. You can always come back and reengage later if you want to.

Do less - retrogrades are an internal phase that encourages pause and reflection. Where can you create more space in your life? Can you breathe and recenter before you respond?

It's worth noting that every retrograde cycle hits differently, so you will likely feel some Mercury retrogrades more than others. The closer the retrograde aligns with your own chart, the more likely you will be affected by its energy. There are also no wrong answers here - if retrogrades make you feel energized and on top of things, great! If you're in a cycle where you want to be introspective, Mercury retrogrades can be very helpful for this process.

Do you like my work? You can tip me over on Kofi.

[thewertsearch]

TT: Are you saying that I will succeed in the mission to destroy the sun? […] You seem rather keen on acquiring a fortune from me considering you are the one with the crystal ball. […] I myself do not care to be an oracle. But I can graciously supply you with one. […] An eager consort has brought you one of my seeds. It appears you have amassed followers who wish to please you. How fortuitous.

If each cueball is a 'seed', then each cueball can probably be developed into an instance of Scratch.

I have a horrible feeling that our Scratched session is going to feature a cueball-headed doggy - which, admittedly, is still a step up from the cueball-headed Cal.

It will accurately answer any question a curious girl can pose. Provided she can see through the surface to read its reply. […] TT: Is that possible? […] Given your title and all the tools of prognostication at your disposal, it seems to me I should be the one asking you the questions. TT: How can I see through it? It seems you weren't listening, so I will state this again in the form of a question. Don't you think I should be asking the questions from now on? […] Don't you think a clever person should be able to acquire information from someone who only asks questions? […] TT: Ok, so what you mean is I should continue humoring your leading questions until you happen to ask certain rhetorical questions that contain information I need.

Really, there's not much else you can do. He's going to steamroll the conversation either way, so you may as well just fuck around.

How does a Seer see? […] TT: With a crystal ball? TT: I already considered that. I don't think I can get the focus of the ball to "zoom in" tight enough on the cue ball's enclosure to read the answers.

Damn, and it was a good idea, too.

Jade has an affinity for Space, and could probably do better, but you're choosing not to involve your friends in any of your machinations. After all, they might try and stop you.

Vriska, famously, can see into these cueballs - or, at least, she could when she had her eyepatch. Convincing her to help would be a challenge, but Rose has been talking up her powers of persuasion lately. Time to put your money where your mouth is, Lalonde!

TT: Should I use magic? Do you believe in magic? TT: Magic is real. TT: I've been using it. Are you sure? TT: Use whatever word you want to describe it. I have magic wands, they are very powerful, and they allow me to be magic. Your questions are silly.

Silly, and a little strange, too. Rose's wands clearly have supernatural abilities, but they're not any more supernatural than the rest of her alchemy gear. They certainly appear more magical, because their supernatural effects have a magical aesthetic - but everything else is magic, too!

Like, come on. Everyone’s been flying around the Medium with rocket-powered devices that never malfunction, burn their passengers, or run out of fuel. What’s that, if not magic? Dave literally made a Frostblade, and it doesn’t stop being magical just because there’s a jpeg of Snoop Dogg on it. You could argue that some of these objects are channeling the kids' own Aspect abilities, but most of them have powers completely unrelated to the element their Player wields.

Hell, we don't even need to point to Sburb to prove magic exists. Aradia was a freakin' necromancer!

[aureatchi]

.🕷.𖥔 ݁ ˖ WHAT A SCAREDY CAT ! — nakahara chuuya

“aw, poor baby. movie too scary, doll?” “shut up chuuya.”

a/n. it’s spooky szn !! so of course i need to write something fit for the occasion…so,, why not do it w my fav ginger-haired!

info. fem!reader. fluff. lowercase ✎. profanities. horror movies, drinking, small argument. it gets suggestive sjwsj, neck kissing. wc. 1.9k

“oh, this is so cute.” 

you and your lover both shared an eye for aesthetics. that’s why you gazed so proudly at the coffee table in front of you when you stepped back to see the finished product—the rounded table was filled to the curved edges with your favorite takeout meal, bowls of junk sweets to indulge in after, popcorn, two wine glasses, and accompanying of course, a bottle of wine. other than the food, there were two lit candles to set the ambiance of the space, and a jack-o-lantern chuuya had carved himself. 

all were organized beside each other to make it look like it came out of a pinterest post.

“i agree,” chuuya replied with a smug smile, also proud of your combined work. he joined you on the side. 

you grabbed your digital camera resting on your couch and took a picture of the cozy scene. 

“before it all gets ruined,” you chuckled. 

chuuya then took the camera, turning the lens towards the both of you. 

“let’s take a few together,” he said, wrapping an arm around your shoulder to pose. you and chuuya were also wearing matching pajamas: black tees and halloween themed pants. 

“okay!” 

click! click! click! 

the trio included a picture of you holding up a heart with your hands as chuuya’s arm encased around you, a picture of you turned towards him with your arms around his neck (you realized the flash was very bright), and one more of you kissing his cheek. 

“awh!” you widely grinned as you looked through them, giggling to yourself when you noticed how the camera captured chuuya’s conspicuous blush in the last photo. 

“what’chu laughing at?” he asked, looking over your shoulder. 

“nothing, it’s just cute,” you replied, putting your camera away. “can we eat now?” 

“yeah,” he replied, motioning towards the snug sofa nuzzled with your cushiest of blankets.

you enveloped them around you as chuuya grabbed the remote control to browse movies on the tv. 

RANKED #1 HORROR MOVIE THIS YEAR!

“wanna watch this?” chuuya asked, hovering the selection over the movie. “i just realized we’ve never watched a horror movie together.” 

“yeah, if you want me screaming and retreating on your lap every five minutes.” 

“exactly,” he replied, smirking. “that would be nice⎯”

“too bad. i was joking. i don’t get scared easily.” 

you held an opposing smirk back, but in reality, you did get agitated easily, especially when jumpscares were involved. but you felt stubborn and didn’t want to give what chuuya wanted, so you decided to take it on as a challenge. 

and he seemed to sense your game too. “better not catch ya lying, doll. there’s consequences for everything.” 

“what do you mean by that?” you asked, your face heating up, but he gave no answer to your avail. now you really had a challenge. 

“…whatever. i don’t need to know anyway. i’m not getting scared.” 

“hm,” chuuya said as he clicked on the movie. up popped a screen with the synopsis of the two-hour film, including all of the content warnings. 

…murder, blood, sudden jumpscares…

oh shoot.

chuuya pressed play, and immediately, the movie started.

…

the first twenty minutes were actually okay. there hadn’t been anything too much to frighten you yet⎯eerie music, corporate workers, and dark rooms were the only thing you had seen so far. 

“damn, when does this good?” chuuya mumbled, finishing eating the last of your main course. 

you were glad things hadn’t been intimidating to you so far. but you also knew your lover was awaiting for something to happen, something to cause him to win.

that wasn’t going to happen. 

you were snacking on the bucket of popcorn when suddenly, a creepy humanoid creature engulfed the screen, accompanied by a petrifying sound. there was no way to see that coming⎯there was no warning. you couldn’t help but squeal and jump slightly on the couch, the bucket of popcorn following. luckily, it wasn’t so much that it fell and made a mess. 

“o-oh shoot! chuuya, i thought i saw a spider!” you said right after the moment passed, turning your head and making it look like you were searching the cushions for a spider. you knew he was watching for your reaction the entire time. 

“spider, yeah?” chuuya asked, amused. “nice excuse, sweetheart.” 

you crossed your arms. “okay! that was a mild reaction! i didn’t jump on you so that doesn’t count.” 

“scared yet?” 

“nope!” you popped the p. yet, a shiver went down your spine.

you continued watching the movie. more horror started to seep in, grisly scenes causing unease. you weren’t sure if you preferred those drawn-out sights to the jumpscares, but you could hide your reactions better with the former. you hadn’t seen any more sudden clips yet, thankfully. 

“yikes,” you and chuuya said when a corpse got shot multiple times even after they already died and then mutilated. 

“i’m opening the wine,” chuuya said about an hour and thirty minutes into the movie. 

“alright,” you replied, not opposing. you probably even supported it. maybe if you drank a little, you wouldn’t scare so easy.

especially because you could feel the plot’s climax approaching. you were already suffocating a couple of pillows on your lap in anxiousness. 

chuuya poured the glasses and handed one to you. you quietly finished yours quickly so you could have it refilled. 

“oh shit!” you shouted when the main character suddenly made a super stupid decision⎯as you probably did too by pretending that you didn’t spooked⎯of course resulting in a chase by the disgusting creature that popped out of nowhere earlier. you clutched the pillows even harder, but you couldn’t take your eyes off the screen. you needed to prove to chuuya you weren’t lying to him. 

the wine was not strong enough against the fear-fueled adrenaline that surged through you, paralleling the intensifying background music. 

stupid chuuya. he made sure the volume was cinema-loud. it did not help trying to drown out the creepy atmosphere that engulfed the entire room. 

the figure suddenly appeared in front of the protagonist with a dramatic scream.

“AHH!” you screamed too, but immediately bit down on your hand right after. 

but then it happened again. the main character turned a corner, and it popped up again, even more disturbing than the last time. 

“AHHH!” 

you screamed again, jumping on chuuya to try and bury your face on his neck. your heart was racing from the images you had seen. 

but he had other plans. 

“aw, poor baby. movie too scary, doll?” 

“shut up chuuya!” you replied, yet you still gripped tightly on his shirt. 

but then, chuuya pushed you off of him.  

“chuuya!” you tried to climb back on him, but something was preventing you from making contact with his skin. 

“…are you using gravity manipulation?!”

“i thought you said you wouldn’t get scared,” he taunted with a smirk. “eyes on the screen, brave girl.” 

“you’re so mean!” you shouted, but faced back toward the tv. he had even gone out of his way to use his ability to turn your own words against yourse⎯

“AHHH! WHATTHEFUCK!” 

you were already screaming as the creature finally caught the main character, but you weren’t alone as chuuya cursed and pulled you on top of him, horrified.

“DAMMIT. what the hell was THAT?” 

“put us down, we’re FLOATING!” you cried. it didn’t help at all that you were both scared and floating above all solid surface, even though it was only about three feet.

“s-shit, sorry!” 

he rested the both of you down on the sofa once again. you had missed most of the eerie epilogue, but you didn’t really care when your brain had now conjured a new character for your nightmares. 

chuuya poured the last of the bottle’s contents into your glasses and handed you yours. you finished the cherry-red liquid instantly to try to get some relief. 

you turned towards chuuya right after to see that he had done the same. and then, you broke out laughing. 

the ginger-haired raised an eyebrow and glared back at you as you continued to stare at him and snicker.

“i-i didn’t know YOU were a scaredy cat,” you tried to speak, but it was hard when you were overcome by laughter. your stomach was hurting and your chest was heaving, but you couldn’t stop. 

“shut up!” he shouted. 

“i-i can’t!” you replied, continuing to laugh. “how ironic⎯it’s one thing for me, but the port mafia executive? getting scared?!” 

you were only silenced when chuuya had pulled you on his waist once again. 

“if you didn’t think you were in trouble for lying, you definitely are now.” 

you immediately stopped, staring into his eyes. you had forgotten about his temper.

“wait, i’m sorry!” but your apology was futile because you were immediately lifted once again but this time, higher and alone.

“put me down, chuuya, i’m sorry!” you screamed, about eleven feet off of the floor. you really hated his ability sometimes.

“why should i?!” he observed you from the couch, trying to grab onto something but stuck inside a sphere of air. he would never try to hurt you, even while he was mad, but currently, his ego had been offended by your words.

“i was joking, chuu! i didn’t actually mean it⎯i promise! i’m sorry, i’ll make it up to you.”

you were slowly lowered, relieved once your legs hit the couch.

“i’m sorry,” he said, quietly after you had made sure you could stand on floor again. “i got carried away, plus you weren’t wrong.” he sighed at the confession.

“it’s okay,” you replied, straddling his lap. “that just makes the two of us scaredy cats. i think that’s cute.” you booped him on the nose.

“but you’re the bigger one,” chuuya provoked.

“no! you are!”

“you are!”

“you are!”

“who’s the one on my lap?” he asked, moving a piece of your hair out of your face as he smirked. “just as she foreshadowed earlier too?”

“shut up,” you replied, but he had gotten you where he wanted in the end. “want a trophy or something?”

“no, you’re just gonna make it up to me now.“

he pulled you closer, and kissed you softly, seeing if your reaction would allow him to continue.

you pulled back. “if this is what i have to do, that’s easy.” you leaned back in and resumed the kiss, lifting your hands to play with chuuya’s hair. you could still taste the wine on his lips⎯it made you feel even more high combined with the tension between you two as he kissed you deeper.

he pulled back for the both of you to catch breath and then spoke.

“you’re funny if you think that’s it, doll.”

he moved one of his hands to move your hair away from your neck and the other to cup your cheek on the opposite side.

he started kissing there, and then, sucking.

“…chuuya?”

“this is for lying to me,” he said, focusing on the spot. once he was done, he moved to another.

“and for making fun of me.” he sucked again, until your neck had two new red marks.

“…keep going.”

“yeah? want more?”

“yes. it helps me not think of that scary murderer in the movie.” chuuya laughed.

“alright, i’ll help take the scaredy cat’s mind off of the things that bring her fear.”

“hey! stop calling me th⎯”

you were silenced as he went back to what he was doing, until your entire neck was filled with shades of red.

reblogs are cherished. <3

© AUREATCHI 2023. no reposts or translations. do not steal — including this post’s banners (they’re mine).

[myprincejacaerys]

The instant Aegon laid eyes upon him, staring down at his crippled form with that cold, expressionless face of his, panic surged through him like wildfire, setting his body ablaze with terror. His younger brother’s calm efforts to hush him only fanned the flames, intensifying his distress.

“What do you remember?”

After a few laboured breaths, Aegon managed to answer.

“Nothing”

The stone mask was completely unreadable, and Aegon found himself gasping in agony as his brother gently enlaced their fingers before pushing something into the most damaged section of his burns.

Aemond leaned over him, daring to come even closer than the apparition had only moments prior, taking no notice of his brother’s anguished whimpers of pain caused by his mockery display of affection.

“You challenged Meleys”

He couldn’t breathe. His surroundings blurred into indistinguishable blobs of light and darkness swirled together as his tormentor refused to let up.

“It was foolish”

The words were dripping with saddened sympathy, and had it been anyone else, it would sound like a younger brother grieving the horrific injuries inflicted upon his beloved sibling.

But Aegon wasn’t just anyone else. Aegon knew his brother better than anyone, even more than their dear mother. Whilst that knowledge had failed to shield him from the unseen danger Aemond posed to him before, it now allowed him to see the stark absence of anything genuine in his brother’s expression.

“I remember nothing”

The words seared his throat like acid as Aegon forced them out of his throat. It was far too early for him to even attempt speaking, but somewhere in his milk-addled mind, he understood exactly how dangerous this situation was.

The outcome of this exchange would dictate his survival.

At least for now.

Aegon's capacity to discern his brother's true intentions was not a one-sided affair. His initial reaction had already betrayed him, meaning Aemond now knew for certain that Aegon has recollection of what truly transpired at Rook's Rest—the real reason he had come so close to being slain.

However-

If Aegon could demonstrate his understanding of this delicate situation, if he could persuade Aemond that he posed no threat, then perhaps his brother might be inclined to spare him.

After a moment, it seemed that Aemond was satisfied with his response. His brother placed a gentle hand above his head, a subtle yet threatening reminder of their power imbalance. Aegon closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain as his brother drew even closer to him.

But it never came. Instead, he felt the press of a soft kiss above his injured brow.

Aegon had never been more afraid of anyone in all his life.

- The Art of Betrayal, Chapter 2

[josy-woodhouse]

I want in on talking about Annabel and Prospero.

Since most posts I've seen are about how nice it is to watch them being healthy for one another (it really is, I adore their dynamic) I decided to talk about how neither of them would hesitate to kill one another eventually.

First of all both Annabel Lee and Prospero are calculative people. Both of them care for only the outcome and how to get there. I have seen people call Annabel a hypocrite for protecting Prospero because he's important to her after what she did to Duke and I entirely disagree, more on the rescue from Ada later. We have established that Annabel really doesn't care that everyone in the academy (except one, if the Deans can be trusted) is doomed.

I don't think Annabel's general willingness to sacrifice people needs to be discussed.

Now, I'm leaning a bit far out the window here, but take a good look at Prospero in the left picture above, he looks more frustrated than anything. His chances just got a lot worse, he needs to rethink his strategy and on top of all that Ada is invading his personal space again.

Moving forward to what I think makes their mutual betrayal inevitable, the episodes after the Mansion Arc (this is were it gets interesting):

Until now we have seen Prospero mostly be mildly bothered by whatever is happening. When everything fell apart during the Lesson and everyone except for him apperently just did not do their job, he seemed like he was about to explode and seriously questioning his choice of team. Everyone else appeared to just want to go on with the day, Prospero however demanded answers, proving that he cares to win this entire game without getting side tracked.

Further his behaviour during the lesson shows that he actually doesn't get how anyone else would still be reluctant to kill their friends here. He was genuinely not expecting anyone to act out of empathy anymore.

And after the widow's watch affair and him witnessing Annabel freaking out after the labyrinth and smoothly asking about Pluto instead of giving an explanation, he is surely just one big-ish failure or unwillingness to take action away from openly confronting Annabel how it can be that whenever she is alone with Lenore, things go south ways, how whenever people want to act against Lenore, she calls it a waste of time despite the growingly obvious threat that Lenore poses.

I think Annabel actually does matter to him, and I think he matters to Annabel as well, but both of them expect something really specific from one another and sympathy alone means little to them.

Now about Annabel saving Prospero.

I believe this says everything:

Since Annabel is a chess player, get ready for chess metaphors:

In chess, most gambits are about giving away a pawn. Why? Because a pawn has very little value on its own and sacrificing a pawn in order to get a slightly more profitable structure on the board can actually be worth it.

Sacrificing a queen? If you do something like that, you better be 100% sure you're seeing a forced checkmate.

Not only is Prospero's spector really powerful, Prospero is also the only thing keeping Annabel in control of her own team right now. Other than Prospero who's supporting her as long as she keeps bringing results, she is stuck with Ada who is a complete wild card and useless most of the time, Morella who is only half on her team, Will who is loyal mostly to Montresor and Montresor who constantly challenges her leadership.

The way things are standing right now, everything she has build would fall apart the very moment Prospero is gone.

Also, what if Annabel and Lenore have to stay long enough for their teams to start falling apart? Whom does Annabel want to face in a one on one? Someone like Montresor who's spector can very much use brute force against her or someone like Prospero who's spector is similarly unforceful as hers?

We even saw, that Annabel can just simply neutralise Prospero's rats with her fog, leaving him with no real attack on her. While he applies her with status conditions she can use her blossoms to attack him after she used her fog to make his rats disappear like she did on the widow's watch

Annabel did not safe him because she likes him, which she does. She saved him because he is a very important piece for her game and no real threat to her in the long run.

Prospero follows Annabel not because he likes her, which he does, but because she keeps bringing results. Or at least she did until rather recently.

[wombywoo]

i know you have probably been asked this so many times — but what brushes do you typically use? any helpful videos i can reference to get portraits and overall realism sketching down, maybe ones that you used starting out? or just.. tips overall?

artists like you and m0cktails really inspire me to try and pursue a different route with my art, one that was totally unexpected but pleasantly rewarding when i tried it out!!! you have a great eye for features and overall composition of a piece, i started being a fan due to your ghostsoap art but i honestly think ive started to like seeing your OCs too haha

please don’t feel pressured to answer i know i kind of asked a lot!!

Hey there! I've briefly reviewed some of the brushes I use in some posts here and here! For the most part, I stick to one standard brush, as well as the airbrush and some other 'effect' brushes as I need them. I'm a photoshop devotee, unfortunately 😔, so a lot of my process is futzing around with their admittedly stellar editing tools

Truthfully, I don't have any concrete tips or videos for this sort of thing. I started out as a pencil artist, doing more and more realistic portraits the better I got, and then eventually turned to digital art (a bit reluctantly) So a lot of that was just self-taught; finding my own way how to implement certain techniques, and amassing a foundation that would allow me to draw all the stuff in my brain, lol

As for advice--I'd say to learn how to evolve out of your comfort zone. It's good to know what type of style or subject matter you feel you're best at--this is a natural inclination most artists have, and it informs the pieces your mind wants to create. But try pushing the limits of what you think might be 'too tedious' or 'too advanced'. More often than not, the thing holding your art back is that gut instinct of 'I can't do this, so why bother trying'. I used to feel this way about hands (enemy of the state, confirmed) And yeah, the easy cop-out is to just shove them all in pockets or behind backs etc. But in learning how to overcome that obvious challenge, I grew to really appreciate the way a hand can shape a composition. In fact, I have to hand it to--💥 ✋

Anyway! My next bit of 'advice' would be to go absolutely bonkers nuts with references. Don't listen to any fraud or fool who says using references is cheating !!!!! They lie!!!!! I swear, my art only looks the way it does because I am a reference hound who spends hours and hours on google/pinterest/stock sites for the perfect angle of the perfect pose, just so I can relate it to the image I have in my head.

For realism--look at real stuff! This sounds dumb, but it helps. Start paying closer attention to people around you; their faces, the way the light accents certain things, unique features, etc. I'd suggest figure studies if that's something you're into (I don't do studies, personally, because I just jump into massive pieces and can't do anything simple 😅 welp) but it does help immensely to study humans in real life and try to translate that onto the page

So yeah. Tbh, the best method for improving art is to simply DO IT. And the fact that you're seeking out further advice and tips means that you have some motivation--so use it! Hope this helps <3

[deliciouskeys]

Butchlander and "How could you forget your son's birthday?" because I am 80% certain neither of them know the exact date of Ryan's birthday, if I'm honest. And neither do we. But if that's too 'bad parenting,' "I won't be sympathetic until you see a doctor' is always a good go-to for these two as well.

This might be more of a downer than what you had in mind, @bisexualhomelander, sorry. Butchlander but it's gen and might almost fit into circa s4 canon if you don't think about the exact dates too hard.

Prompt #99 'How could you forget your son's birthday?" from the drabble challenge.

Butcher doesn't startle when he enters his flat and sees a shadowy figure seated at the small table near his kitchenette. It's dark in the room but he'd recognize that silhouette in a heartbeat. He also must have sensed an unfamiliar breeze coming from underneath the door before walking in, so he had a strange premonition his bedroom balcony door was ajar.

"You left your window unlocked," Homelander says, as if that absolves him of any social faux pas.

"And you got nothin' better to do than prowl around here." Butcher asks, turning his back to Homelander to hang up his coat in the closet, taking care to act as nonchalant as possible even though he's tense and instantly angry, and the anger feels like prickling on the skin of his back where he imagines Homelander's gaze is landing right now. "Haven't you ever heard of texting before showing up?"

"Your apartment is easier to track down than your burner phone numbers," Homelander says.

"So what do you want then?" Butcher asks when Homelander doesn't volunteer any explanation. He walks right past him, as if this monster in his flat poses zero danger. If Homelander came here to pose danger to him, he'd already be dead, Butcher figures. "Last time you wanted to find Ryan. Now you have him and you're still coming by?" he asks when there's still no response, and puts the kettle on before leaning back against the counter.

Homelander is sitting ramrod straight in the chair, cape carefully draped to the side of his seat, gloved hands clasped on the table, as if he's a fucking student in grade school trying to impress the teacher.

"Ryan's asleep," he finally says. "I just wanted to ask if you happen to know… when his birthday is."

Butcher barks out a laugh, then grows irritated when he realizes he doesn't know the answer. "And you came to ask me?"

"I wanted to avoid asking him…" Homelander adds. "And you might be the only person who'd know."

"Well I don't know," Butcher growls.

"You had him for more than a year…" Homelander trails off. 

"I wasn't babysitting him that year," Butcher says, but as soon as the words are out of his mouth he regrets them. There's really no excuse for him not to know. To never have asked, even. Why the hell is he admitting this to this cunt?

"Then maybe ask 'Aunt Grace' or whoever it was who was taking care of him." Homelander says, and Butcher's a bit unnerved that he knows her name, but then again why wouldn't he. Cunt's got a good memory for faces and names from what Butcher can tell. He can probably find Mallory himself if he really wanted to.

"Did it ever occur to ya that you could just ask him direct?"

Homelander sighs and rolls his eyes as if it's a stupid suggestion. "I could. But I wanted to surprise him. And I–"

"And you don't want Ryan to realize you know nothin' about him, cause his mum hated your guts and never gave you the time of day."

"Apparently she didn't give you the time of day either," Homelander mutters. "It's just that it's August already. And I figure, if he was born on time it must have been late September or October, so it's coming up…"

Butcher's hand pouring boiling water into his cup starts shaking and he can feel his heart rate rise, full of anger and adrenaline. Homelander hears it too, apparently.

"Oh please. It's well in the past. You should be flattered I remember the ballpark date."

"It was January 8th. Get out of my house."

Homelander rises to his feet slowly. "Fine, don't help me figure it out. Maybe he shouldn't be celebrating his birthday anyway. Born to some normie, trapped in a compound– what's there to commemorate? We'll just celebrate the date when I found him. That's when his life really began anyway."

Butcher's hands are clenched into fists, and he doesn't really think before he acts, just lobs the mug of hot water he just poured right into Homelander's face, watching it smash into pieces, the cunt's expression hardly changing as steaming water drips down forehead, nose and chin. 

"See you around, William," he says, running his hand through his hair to brush the water out, and walking to the veranda to fly out the same way he came in. "Thanks for nothing," he grumbles over his shoulder just before he catapults upward into the night sky.

'Thanks for nothing' Butcher repeats to himself, still shaking with pent up rage, fists still clenched, woodenly walking over to fetch the brush and dustpan and clean up the mess of ceramic shards all over the floor. 

Becca stands in the corner of the room watching him, a sad judgemental expression on her face. But it's not Becca, it's not even Becca's ghost, he knows it's just his own addled brain's picture of her, so it's no use asking her when Ryan's birthday is. She'll just give him the cryptic runaround, like when you try to learn something from a dream.

He empties the dustpan into the rubbish bin, gets his phone out and texts Mallory. Better to know late than never.

[nukaberries]

howdy! if this blog is still active, could you do new vegas companions react to courier six being a synth? idk how they'd find out, prolly either six telling them or a close call with a courser. it's up to you!

This puts anything I've ever requested on Tumblr to shame because this is such a cool idea?? I'm obsessed with crossing over the Fallout games - which is probably why MacCready's my favourite companion - so I find stuff like this so fun to write. I also just love requests like this because it gives me the chance to challenge myself, I feel like I write the Fallout 4 companions better (I definitely have more hours in 4 than any game), so I love getting the opportunity to write for New Vegas companions too!

//

Companions Reacting to the Courier Being a Synth (Includes: Arcade, Boone, Cass, Lily, Raul and Veronica)

Arcade Gannon When the courier reveals the truth to him, he's more embarrassed than anything that he didn't figure it out himself. He's never seen a robot look so unmistakably humanlike before, leaving him with a lot of questions for the Courier. After all, he's seen them eat, drink, sleep and bleed like any normal, breathing human would - can he even be sure this is the same courier that he first met in Freeside? For a while, Arcade will keep a wary eye on the courier, unsure what to believe, whether he can trust the courier, whether he's been able to trust them at all. Eventually, he comes back around, which is arguably worse for the courier, as they spend most of their time answering questions like "do you have an off switch?"

Craig Boone He doesn't think much of the strange man who'd just tried to ambush the courier, even in spite of the odd outfit that was surely far too warm for someone to be wearing in the middle of the desert. It's only when the courier appears shaken up and Boone finds some kind of component when looting the man that he thinks to question anything. The courier is dismissive at first and says that they simply just got caught off guard by the assailant, of course, Boone doesn't believe them but he doesn't see the point in pushing. When the courier inevitably tells him, it doesn't change much for him, he'll naturally be curious at to how the courier's existence is even possible, but as long as they're still willing to take the Legion down with him, he doesn't care what they are.

Cass Similarly to Boone, the revelation of the courier not being as human as they seem doesn't particularly bother her. She'll probably make a couple of jokes here and there, usually ones that the courier has heard a million times before. It doesn't make any difference to Cass though, sure, it's a little weird but she'd seen weirder just by minding her own business at the Mojave Outpost.

Lily Bowen She's fully aware that she's in no place to judge the courier for what they are and she makes that clear the moment that her companion reveals they're a synth. It doesn't necessarily change anything about the courier for her and if anything, she encourages them to talk about what they went through at the Institute, so long as they feel comfortable telling her. She'll remind them that she's still their grandma and she loves them no matter what.

Raul Tejada When you're around for long enough, you hear a lot, specifically whispers of robots posing as humans in the East, spying for their masters and replacing innocent people. Of course, none of that ever sounds like more than old myth to Raul. That is until a run in with what the courier later explains is a courser leaves Raul to deal with a revelation about his new friend. Admittedly, it's a lot for him to take in, especially after hearing so many bad things about synths for so long, but eventually, he figures nobody would want to make a synth replacement of him and if he's been able to trust the courier for this long, then surely he still can.

Veronica Santangelo Being a Brotherhood Scribe, Veronica knows quite a bit about the Institute already, but since hardly any of her fellow comrades have actually gone to the Commonwealth, her knowledge is limited. Still, it causes some uncertainty when the courier tells her the truth about their identity. She's only ever heard bad things about synths and this does seem like the definition of technology gone out of hand. It takes Veronica a while to warm up to the idea that her friend isn't going to bring her or anyone else any harm, but it'll take a bit longer that it would the others to earn back her trust.

[pillow-ghost-nan]

VERY LONG wolfstar fanfiction rec list PART 3

PART 1

PART 2

At the moment it's the last part thus it's the shortest. After I read some more fics the next part will appear lol. Also I'll probably soon make a doc document with all the fanfictions from every part

Please let me know if any link needs fixing or if there are any mistakes. Enjoy!

Multi-chapter:

that’s the art of getting by by sarewolf

Rating: M, 40k words “What do you want me to do?” Remus says, tiredly. All he wants is to curl up on his bed. Smoke a pack of cigarettes. Get drunk. He can’t stop looking at Harry. “Remus...” Dumbledore is gentle. Remus hates when he has that tone. Hates that he knows it will hurt. “There is no one else left.” A bitter laugh escapes him. “So you’ll curse the poor thing with a werewolf for a guardian?”

The Cadence of Part-time Poets by motswolo

Rating: M, 990k words “They’re… chaos,” Remus said firmly. “And chaos is—” “Rock and roll.” He looked at Sirius sharply, and for once, matched his grin. “Yeah.” “Maybe that’s my excuse then,” Sirius said. “I cause a bit of chaos now, and maybe one day, it’ll turn into rock and roll.” After losing his mother at age eleven, Remus has spent the better part of the last four years bouncing from school to school or else running around London and pretending as though he wasn't the kind of well-bred boy his father brought him up to be. Now, with his chances all run out, Remus is sent to Hawkings Independent School as a last-ditch effort to clean up his act. There he meets the very people who will set up the rest of his life, and is forced to confront the pieces of himself he'd long thought had been lost.

Made of Magic by lurikko

Rating: E, 24k words In 1905, in 12 Grimmauld Place, Remus Lupin has a job. His job is to find whoever or whatever is haunting the house and Mr. Black, its eccentric owner. The house doesn’t like him, but Mr. Black does.

An Impossible View by Shay_Fae

Rating: E, 24k words After the war, Remus tries to move on. Or, it takes more than an ocean to stop Sirius Black from getting what he want.

Liebestraum (part of Liebeverse)  by lunchbucket 

Rating: E, 101k words “Do you still have a lot of friends in the area, then?” “None,” Remus answered simply, which felt much easier than explaining at the level of detail that the question actually deserved.

Stealing Harry (part of Stealing Harryverse) by copperbadge

Rating: M, 100k words In an alternate universe where Sirius Black never went to Azkaban, Harry divides his life between the Dursleys' house and Mr. Black's bookshop -- until Sirius realises what the Dursleys are doing to him, and takes him away from their care.

Honey If I'm Not/If You're Gonna Series by BrigidFaye

Rating: T to M, 84k words In the tumultuous summer of 1981, Remus left Sirius in tears in London and disappeared. When their paths cross again 10 years later, is the love that existed between them enough to win out over all the pain?

The Weather Inside by earlybloomingparentheses

Rating: E, 43k words Sirius rides a flying motorbike, and snogs strangers in pubs, and strikes moody poses Remus finds irritatingly attractive. But for Remus, who drinks milky tea and wears flannel pyjamas, there's a chasm cracked right down the fault line between wanting and doing. How he wants, though. How he wants.

Hard To Find by accioromulus

Rating: M, 13k words The air conditioning is already broken, Sirius's back has been effectively glued to the leather seat via sweat, and this road-trip may have been a Very Bad Idea.

Into the Fire by wilteddaisy (taotu)

Rating: E, 153k words While war brews on the horizon beyond the walls of Hogwarts, the infamous Triwizard Tournament resurfaces just in time for the Marauders’ seventh year. When the students of Beauxbatons Academy and Ilvermorny School arrive, the champions are in for three unprecedented challenges. Meanwhile, Remus still has feelings, James is still trying to get the (Head) girl, and Sirius has revelations.

Oneshots:

Now I Wanna Be Your Dog by pixelated (prettyremus)

Rating: E, 20k words Stooges and smokes cigarettes and wears his hair much too long and spends more time serving detention than not. And is way too forward about his sudden feelings for Remus. (A story about teenagers and summer love in the 70s.)

Our Private Universe by busaikko

Rating: E, 12k words Watch Remus, Peter said, look for evidence; but what Sirius found was something different. Christmas 1979.

Heart and Soul by shiftylinguini

Rating: E, 4k words  The dumbest thing Remus ever did was ask Sirius what he wanted to do for his 21st birthday. The smartest thing he ever did was agree to do it.

Pear-flavoured or: A Short Guide to Caring for your Werewolf at Home by LucyInTheSkye

Rating: E, 11k words November 1980. Also starring: The Moon.

A Stolen Hour by LuminousGloom

Rating: E, 4k words Prompt: "Sirius talks dirty." A very fruity account of the goings-on on one winter afternoon in seventh year.

This Is Not Your Year by montparnasse

Rating: E, 17k words 1979, year of war and obsession and sleep loss and sexual frustration. Sirius is hoping to go out with a bang and not a whimper; enter Remus, stage left.

the son and heir of nothing in particular by aeridi0nis

Rating: E, 24k words “There’s nothing keeping you here. You know that. And,” Sirius continues, “we don’t see enough of you.” Remus lifts his gaze up over him. He’s been rationing the sight of Sirius, today, see. Each glance, etched into his retinas and tucked into the jacket of his father’s hand-me-down suit. Like a smoke, like a pear drop. Something sweet. His mother is dead and he is thinking about putting his hands beneath his best friend’s shirt. Often, he worries that eventually resenting himself is not going to be enough, and he’s going to start resenting Sirius, too, for the mess he has made of him. or: Remus is nineteen and tired, now. And he knows that if he and Sirius were ever going to become anything—if Sirius loved Remus the way Remus loves, and will probably always love, him—it already would’ve happened.

The Light On Your Door by saintgarbanzo

Rating: E, 10k words Despite his many ventures into self sabotage and a tendency toward cynicism about himself and his future, Remus never anticipated that he would quite so literally fuck himself.

For The Hunger by sqvalors

Rating: E, 8k words To refer to the situation as a break-up would be generous - that would mean acknowledging the existence of anything to break up from, which Sirius would argue stubbornly against and Remus wouldn't try to make a case for, despite the hollow yearning in the pit of his stomach.

The Hogwarts Quidditch Cup of 1977 by jennandblitz

Rating: E, 2k words Quidditch celebrations take a turn for the better. Or, Remus and Sirius celebrate a Quidditch win with sex.

The Haven Hotel (part of Affairs Series) by NikiAlex03

Rating: E, 12k words “So?” Sirius asks. “What do you think?” Remus thinks that he understands now— this weekend is a test, of sorts. He’s determined to pass it.

Light in August by orestesfasting

Rating: M, 21k words Summer, 1977. With the full moon approaching, Sirius heads up to the Lupins' countryside cottage to make himself useful. Or to make a complete and utter arse out of himself, because really, that's all he can seem to do around Remus these days.

Under a Strange Red Moon by earlybloomingparentheses

Rating: E, 12k words A breathy, high-pitched moan, and what is happening, it’s 8 a.m. in their kitchen, Remus is making toast, this is only meant to happen when it’s the middle of the night and they’ve just got back from patching up Muggles or putting out magically-set house fires or battling with a Death Eater who failed to Disapparate quickly enough from the scene of the crime, they’re meant to be frantic and desperate and—Sirius shoves down his panic and surges up to bite Remus’ lips, suck his tongue down his throat, and when are they not desperate and frightened these days? The war is shattering their world into a million pieces, and Sirius and Remus try to hold themselves together.

Necessary Supplies by xylodemon

Rating: E, 4k words In which James is a menace, there is a problem with the plan, and a misunderstanding results in awkwardness and boyfumbling.

Sweat or: Guided by the Senses by LucyInTheSkye

Rating: E, 4k words January 1980. Remus encounters an intriguing smell.

[cookiiemancer]

Hi, I’m back! I had a few unasked questions that just stuck with me for a while, and I finally broke! I hope you don’t mind answer them! It’s ok if you don’t want to! 🧡

- Who’s the youngest?

- Who’s more rebellious?

- Who’s better at talking with angry adults?

- Who hates cleaning the most?

- Do they make challenges with each other?

- Have Sun or Moon (or both) ever had a fight with Eclipse? (If so, who wins 90% of the time?)

- How did Sun and Moon find out about Eclipse?

- Who’s your favorite to draw, and least favorite to draw?

Sorry if that was way to many questions! I’m just a little curious, that’s all! Hope this doesn’t bother you, either.

Hi! Please don't worry about sending too many asks! I am happy to answer to any questions and sometimes i get a nice idea for a picture. I do really appreciate every single one i receive, even if i don't answer them all :)

Who’s the youngest?

Sun and Moon are both the youngest!

Who’s more rebellious?

This one I didn't think about it to be honest. I wouldn't be able to tell right now who.

Who hates cleaning the most?

Sun! He hates messes but hates cleaning even more. He stands it better when, there's other people helping him clean.

Do they make challenges with each other?

Yes! Most of them are harmless ones, like winning games, dressing as each other (the kids love this one).

Have Sun or Moon (or both) ever had a fight with Eclipse? (If so, who wins 90% of the time?)

When it comes to physical fights, uhhhhh... Once, at the begining. Emotions were very high and Eclipse was very confused. He's stronger than you think. Other fights, well, they try not to, and if it happens, they try to get to a midpoint.

How did Sun and Moon find out about Eclipse?

They were contacted by Freddy about a prototype found in a warehouse. They found soon enough that the bot was actually sentient once powered on. Old Papa bear thought that those two would be able to help Eclipse get adjusted. It took a bit of time.

Who’s your favorite to draw, and least favorite to draw?

Fave to draw? Ya boy, Eclipse. I am quite proud of the design lol. I don't really have a least favorite. Depending of my mood or how the art comes out I do get frustrated sometimes when Itry to get a specific pose or expression and fail.

These were fun! ^-^