#EVERYONE GO CHECK THEM OUT.... their art style is so tasty

[movedto-mrs-bluemarine]

MY BELOVED CHILDREN HAVE FINALLY BEEN CREATED.

Thank you @taikitsune , I hope you're okay with knowing that your skills are being used for Tumblr shitposts (and evil)

[just-a-drawing-bean]

Gift art for @justaduckarts 💖 this is my interpretation of star holder Sun. I know you posted your refs, but before I saw them this is what I was imagining him to look like and I figured I’d draw it. Idk why his head is floating… It’s just how I imagined it since they aren’t animatronics. Anyway it’s a very tasty fic everyone go read One Who Holds A Star!! I’m rooting for Eclipse so hard. Speaking of I was gonna draw him and Moon too but I spent too much time on Sun lmao.

I also wanted to say @0ffisially0ll0 was a huge inspiration for the painterly style. Especially the face. So check them out too. Don’t expect any other art to ever look this good again shjdjfjfksj

[jaesqueso]

The Bachelorette: NCT Edition - Meet the candidates

The season of love is finally here! An interactive series where you’ll get to choose who goes home each week and ultimately who Y/N chooses in the end!

VOTE!!!

Use the above link to vote for your favorite candidate for that final rose and who should be the first five going home! You can vote for the first episode until next friday (11/06) and the episode will come out on sunday (13/06).

taglist: @skrtbabe​ @yutahoes​ @mel-yjh​

If you’d like to be included in the taglist for the series do let me know ❤︎

☽ ・・・・・ ☾

The bachelorette

Hi, my name is Y/N and I’m looking for my prince charming!

I never had much luck with love so I decided to focus on work instead but my friends are all getting married and keep telling me to find someone too, so here I am!

I’m looking for someone nice who makes me laugh. Someone who cares about me and shows me a good time. Physically I’m not picky but I do appreciate a warm smile and kind eyes.

Hopefully this experience will help me find the person who I’ll get to spend the rest of my life with!

Moon Taeil

My name is Taeil and I’m a gemini.

I’m a relaxed guy who wants to live life peacefully and hopefully meet a girl to share my life with!

*winks*

I like to listen to music and watch movies, not very into physical activities because I don’t like when my muscles are in pain.

*laughs*

I usually notice someone’s eyes first, that’s enough to captivate me. Also I like cute girls.

Fighting!

John Suh

My name is John but everybody calls me Johnny. I’m an Aquarius.

I’m a nice guy who gets along with everyone and my motto is just to have fun! My friends may say I’m clumsy but I think things just get in my way!

*flips hair laughing*

I love reading, watching videos and taking photos. Who knows I may find my new photographic muse.

*winks*

I love cute things, and that includes girls too. I also love girls who smile a lot because I’m always smiling too.

Hopefully I’ll find someone to make my days even brighter!

Lee Taeyong

My name is Taeyong and I’m a Cancer.

People sometimes think I’m cold from the way I look but I promise I’m a kind and caring guy! I have amazing eyes and as you can tell I’m very confident.

*winks*

I don’t like dust and germs so I’ll make sure everybody keeps things clean around here. I’m a perfectionist so I might nag a lot, sorry!

*laughs*

I’m looking for someone who I can learn from and that makes up for my flaws.

Finger crossed I’ll meet someone good for me!

Nakamoto Yuta

My name is Yuta and I’m a Scorpio.

I’m a happy guy who cares a lot about everyone. One thing I can promise is that everybody has a good time around me!

*laughs*

I love to play football and working out, I don’t like sitting around doing nothing! If we can do things in the moment why wait?

*shrugs shoulders*

I like someone who has empathy towards others and doesn’t feel the need to “act pretty”, someone who’s real and humble.

Let’s go!

Qian Kun

My name is Kun and I’m a Capricorn.

I’m a very friendly guy and I’m always there for my friends. I love to cook and make my way into people’s hearts through food.

*winks*

I’m an intelligent guy and I love to do magic tricks so I think if I play my cards right I have a chance to get that final rose.

*wiggles eyebrows*

I’m usually attracted to more feminine women who are innocent.

Abracadabra pick me!

Kim Doyoung

My name is Doyoung and I’m an Aquarius.

I’m a very reliable guy, you can check with my friends! I don’t really like to go out, I’d rather stay in sleeping or eating so I’m looking for someone who’s ok with chilling and cuddling.

*winks*

I’m afraid of animals so hopefully we won’t have to do any interaction with any or I might go back home and take a nap.

*laughs*

I want someone polite that knows how to present themselves and that I can take home to meet the parents!

I’ll make sure she falls in love with me!

Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul

My name is Chittaphon but you can call me Ten because I’m 10/10! I’m a Pisces.

I’m the sweetest guy you’ll ever meet and I know how to make someone feel comfortable. Honestly I can’t see what’s not to like about me!

*shrugs shoulders*

I love sports, drawing and playing with animals. Throw me a cat and I’ll be happy!

*laughs*

I don’t really have an ideal type, but I like to get to know someone before love starts to develop.

I’m excited!

Jung Yoonoh

My name is Yoonoh but most people still call me Jaehyun which was my birth name. I’m an Aquarius.

I’m a happy and cute guy, but I also have a sensitive side. What can I say, I’m the perfect guy to take home to the parents!

*winks*

I’m very into sports and I’m a black belt in taekwondo so you know I’ll take down all the competition!

*laughs*

I like someone who is kind, calm and cute. Someone I can easily communicate with and who I can depend on. Extra points if they’re into sports too!

I’m not saying I’m competitive but I’m here to win this!

Dong Sicheng

My name is Sicheng but you can call me Winwin because if I receive that final rose it will be a win-win situation! I’m a Scorpio.

I’m usually a shy guy specially in front of the camera so I apologise for probably not talking much.

“scratches the back of his head”

I like swimming, watching movies and going on vacation, even though I have a fear of heights but I’m good as long as we stay on the ground! I don’t really like being touched but I can make an exception for a nice girl.

*winks*

I like someone who’s more quiet, like me, and also innocent. I want someone who I can laugh with.

Let’s Winwin!

Kim Jungwoo

My name is Jungwoo and I’m a Pisces.

I’m a sweet guy but I’m also funny, just let me entertain you with my on point impressions, you won’t be able to tell who’s me or the original person!

*laughs*

I like to watch and play soccer and I eat a lot of course to restore my energy!

*winks*

I like a bold girl who’ll take the first step. Someone who is determined, knows hat she wants and does everything to get it.

So come and get me!

Huang Xuxi

My name is Xuxi but I like to go by Lucas. I’m an Aquarius.

I’m a very outgoing guy and I always provide a good time in every sense of the word.

*wiggles eyebrows*

I love spicy food! I have a strong digestive system so I’ll eat a lot but maintain my figure because I also exercise much as you can tell.

*shows off his biceps*

I’m usually attracted to someone sweet, shy and innocent.

My lady c’mon!

Mark Lee

My name is Mark and you can mark me in your heart! I’m a Leo.

I’m a simple guy who likes to hang out with friends and play my guitar, that I obviously brought with me. Who knows, I might serenade someone special.

*winks*

I like to think I’m funny but it seems like others don’t get my jokes… Anyway! I am not great in the kitchen so like maybe it’s safer for everyone if other people take care of the cooking.

*laughs*

I want someone who’s honest and loyal, plain and simple.

Time to shine!

Xiao Dejun

My name is Dejun but you can call me Xiaojun. I’m a Leo.

I’m a more reserved guy, I like to be alone but I have a space saved in my life for a special lady.

*winks*

I like to read, watch movies and write songs. I can play several instruments too so I can write something special in several styles, there’s no way I can get that wrong.

*wiggles eyebrows*

Honesty can get you far with me because I believe that being humble brings more benefits. I also like a girl who can communicate well.

Let’s do this!

Wong Kunhang

My name is Kunhang but my friends call me Hendery so you can too. I’m a Libra.

I’m a very friendly and funny guy, everybody loves me, so I know this girl will too!

*shrugs shoulders*

I love to just take a walk and listen to music. Also I might start dancing when I talk so please don’t be surprised!

*laughs*

I like kind people who’ll help others in need. Also someone independent and family oriented.

Let’s enjoy this experience!

Huang Renjun

My name is Renjun and I’m an Aries.

I may seem like a soft guy but I know when to be cold and firm. I believe that you have to love yourself first to be able to love someone else and we need to love someone for who they are and not try to change them.

*smiles*

I appreciate arts. I like to dance and also to draw. I think I might draw us two together so she can see how good we’ll look and choose me!

*winks*

I like a witty girl who won’t be too sensitive to what I say because I like to be honest.

Let’s love ourselves and each other!

Lee Jeno

My name is Jeno and I’m a Taurus.

I’m an easy going guy that gets along with about everyone. Sometimes I may seem quiet and distant but in some situations I’d rather observe than participate.

*shrugs shoulders*

I like to think I’m funny, even if others say I’m not, I just hope at least I can make this girl laugh!

*laughs*

I’m interested in someone like me, easy going and with a good sense of humour! Also someone who can cook.

For love!

Lee DongHyuck

My name is Donghyuck but that’s the sane me, you can call me Haechan instead! I’m a Gemini.

I have a very bright personality and I can definitely cheer everybody up! I am also very affectionate so don’t mind me giving out free hugs and kisses!

*wiggles eyebrows*

I like tasty food, football and anything related to music. I love to dance and make up my own unique moves so please join me, I’ll teach you.

*winks*

I’m not very picky but I like a girl with good vocals and an easy to listen voice.

Ok cut!

Na Jaemin

My name is Jaemin and I’m a Leo.

I am a very bubbly guy and I might get a bit loud but it’s all in good fashion!

*laughs*

I like to dance and to play the piano. My favorite movie genre is horror but it’s ok if she doesn’t like that, she can always hold on to me if she’s scared.

*wiggles eyebrows*

I want someone who’s humble and that puts peoples needs first. It needs to be someone who I can share my heart with.

Wow, so sexy!

Liu Yangyang

My name is Yangyang, yes it’s not a nickname! I’m a Libra.

I’m an energetic and sweet guy. You can trust me with anything and I can give you a good laugh.

*smiles*

When I was a kid I wanted to be a racer, but now I just want to race my way into this girl’s heart.

*laughs*

I like an adventurous girl who’s affectionate and honest and will have fun with me.

I’m very happy to be here!

Osaki Shotaro

My name is Shotaro and I’m a Sagittarius.

I’m a cheerful and sincere guy, happiness is my middle name! I’m curious, impulsive and adventurous so hopefully I’ll find someone who can keep up!

*winks*

I like to watch mukbangs and to play football, but my favorite thing to do is dance so let’s dance together!

*smiles*

I don’t have an ideal type, I like everybody!

Let’s start the adventure!

Jung Sungchan

My name is Sungchan and I’m a Virgo.

I’m a serene and reliable guy, but I’m also a perfectionist and it’s difficult to convince me of things.

*shrugs shoulders*

I like to exercise and play games. I enjoy sunny days the best and maybe I can find some company to enjoy them with me.

*winks*

I’m just looking for someone that matches well with me.

I’m ready!

Zhong Chenle

My name is Chenle and I’m a Scorpio.

I’m a friendly, cheerful and confident guy, even if people get startled by my laugh.

*laughs in dolphin*

I like to play football, play the piano and cook. I am afraid of spiders so unfortunately it would have to be the girl saving me from them!

*scratches the back of his head*

I don’t have an ideal type.

Ok, let’s do it!

Park Jisung

My name is Jisung and I’m an Aquarius.

I may come up as an awkward guy but I promise I’m nice and funny once you get to know me!

*winks*

I have a good hunch so I’m very good at making decisions. I like to play soccer and video games, but not scary ones because I get startled easily!

*laughs*

The perfect girl for me is someone who I can be friends with first.

Let’s live this moment!

[akkivee]

the seasons have changed in arb and autumn has landed!!! 🍂🍁 obviously that means we get new lines for the season!!!!

ichiro: ichiro thinks autumn is a great season to get your body moving in!!!! he’s been really busy with work lately but he tries to make time to exercise outside with his bros. his next line lol, ‘oh are you curious about this light novel i’m reading?? that’s great!!!!!!!! here, i’ll lend you volume 1 of the series for you to read!!!! doesn’t it look like the perfect book for some fall reading???’

jiro: when it comes to autumn, it’s all about sports for jiro!!! but he does sometimes go with saburo to watch a movie. autumn is the season for the arts after all!!! autumn tends to make jiro really hungry faster. he’s wondering what he should do about since it isn’t time for a meal yet

saburo: he says that many board games can be played online nowadays, but since it’s getting cooler, he likes to go out a find a place to play opponents face to face. saburo next mocks jiro for waking up early to go play soccer with his friends. ‘the season for sports? more the season of sports idiots.’ and he then laughs

samatoki: he’s suddenly questioning why there’s this black smoke from the bonfire. ………………oh shit, that’s gotta be rio grilling up something huh??? in his next line, he comments he’s been getting hungry at random times. it’s likely because of ‘autumn appetite.’ as if samatoki would care about something like that tho lol

juto: for him, autumn is the best time to enjoy art. beautiful things heal the mind 😌 and since it’s the season of the arts, it’s a great time to indulge in the calmness of a museum as you enjoy the fine arts the eastern hemisphere has to offer 😌

rio: autumn is a fruitful season but he advises that it’s best you use the time to stockpile for the winter. he then backtracks a little, thinking that statement makes it sounds like autumn is only good for just that. there’s a lot to appreciate in autumnal nature. there’s a lot of good harvests from the mountains at this time of year, so it makes rio especially excited to put his cooking skills to use lol

ramuda: autumn is inspired as a season for designs!!!! ramuda feels that he’s especially inspired in the fall. and because it’s fall, everyone’s style changes pretty drastically so going on strolls through shibuya has been a lot of fun ⭐️

gentaro: autumn can be the season of harvest, reading, sports and the like. gentaro asks the player how do you enjoy autumn? his next line: ‘“on long autumn nights such as this one, i cannot help but think of a love from the past. the moon glimmers, shines bright in the sky and, oh does it make me yearn for you………” hm. perhaps i’ll make my next story one of a love affair.’

dice: the temperature has been falling and dice has been falling low on funds…… well, in time like these he’ll just pay rio a visit and just enjoy a good meal!!! it seems dice also suffers from ‘autumn appetite,’ no matter how much he eats, he’s still hungry!! he’s too poor to be dealing with this!!!

jakurai: autumn is wonderful. it’s great for reading, appreciation the colors of fall in the mountains and fishing in mountain streams……!! there’s so much to do in fall!! ☺️ autumn’s the perfect season to read, that reminds sensei that he has a lot of books still unread. if he can afford to, he’d like to spend the time and read them all in one go

hifumi: host hifumi says that autumn makes him feel a little lonely. but it’ll be alright, if he just takes it slow and relaxes, his temporary melancholy will go away, just like that. malewife hifumi comments that jakurai really likes fall!!! they went to the mountains the the other day and as they walked around jakurai was all, ‘isn’t this nice? 😊’ and then they went fishing in the mountain streams and jakurai was like, ‘isn’t this nice?😊’

doppo: ‘hifumi and sensei went up to the mountains to do some fishing…….. isn’t that nice…… 😞’ he wants be fit enough to walk on the mountain paths with them….. no, what actually comes first is to not be working on his holidays. salmon are very tasty in fall, according to doppo!!!! he’d like to eat salmon with hifumi on their next mutual day off

sasara: “orange you glad the leaves are turning?? i’m so happy i could yellow ‘bout it!!!” ……and that was nurude sasara’s uproariously hilarious joke: fall version!!! how was it??? super amazing right????” he continues to make stupid puns that i’m not going to bother with lol autumn is a treasure trove of jokes tho lmao

rosho: sasara must have sent rosho his joke because rosho is disgusted lmao he got chills and everything. autumn is the perfect season for reading; it’s not to hot and not too cold. he asks if the player if they would like to drop by the bookstore after he’s off work.

rei: it’s starting to get cooler huh? rei’s happy can finally wear his best fur coat out and about now. so apparently sasara also sent rei an email titled, ‘autumn joke,’ but doesn’t want to open it lmao so he wonders if rosho has so rei can ask if he should bother lol

kuukou: sweeping up the fallen leaves is never ending!!!! they just keep falling one after the other!!!!! but looking at all the leaves piled up makes him want to roast up some potatoes

jyushi: autumn is the season of music so this time of the year is actually pretty exciting for jyushi and his band!!! vkei king jyushi: ‘and so with the fallen leaves my master has gathered, i called forth the holy flame and thus!!!! the golden holy grail has been created!!!!! It was sweet. fragrant. truly delicious.’

hitoya: ‘if you’re wondering what ‘the golden holy grail’ is, it’s just a roasted yam………..’ lol and even tho he’s gotten used to the weird way jyushi talks, it’s still pretty difficult to understand him. he next comments that autumn is a great season for tourism. he asks the player if they’re going to check out the mountains

[bbboney]

ok since i am so mad i am going to recommend people my friends arts to look at and enjoy and reblog and compliment

my best friend and brother zach @lancerinoh has the cutest and silliest art. look at his stuff if you like crunchy cartoony stuff :) his art is very square! he is also improving literally all the time. he doesnt post a whole lot but he does draw a lot! if you give him support you might see some more

duck my friend duck @lulu-draws-stuff has a very soft textured style! look at their stuff!! they have a lot of ocs and their colors are so good. their art looks like itll give you a little cheek kiss and let you give it a hug

my bestie fishy @somethingfishysgoingon has such fun arts :) also their persona is a walking fish bowl whats not to love. they have fun and interesting characters too!!! i love their work :) check their art and ask blog out if you want to see some epic art that might remind you of tasty pasta noodles.

ok those are my 3 besties. i am calm now that ive complimented them and recommended them 2 everyone :) if anyone i listed wants to b taken off the list or. not be tagged anymore just lmk

[lesserfandomappreciation]

Good to see you! Always glad to get a Red Shoes ask! How are you? And thank you! I really appreciate that! I’m working on getting a little better each day!  BTW, how did you develop your art style? It’s so cute!

Jelly boys (RSaT7D)

Merlin

Merlin loves his s/o. Truly, unapologetically with his whole heart and mind. He thinks he’s not obvious but mage, please. He openly swooned over Snow White what makes you think he’d be different with s/o, it’s just a matter of whether or not they notice. Knowing that Merlin is aware he one very lucky man and that most wished they could be so lucky. And are willing to try their luck, regardless of his s/o being in a relationship, thank you.

Drama prince. You’d think he was campaigning for dumbass of the year sometimes. 

He’s not jealous! Why would he be jealous? It’s not like he would care some scumy person with no sense of personal space hit on (Name) and tried to make them blush. Save the baseless accusation for someone who cares, says Merlin as he wraps an arm around s/o and refuses to leave their side some time the offender has already left. The idea of it really. 

You mentioned Jack’s jealousy and that brings up an interesting point when it comes to Merlin. Jack is secure in who he is and where his relationship stands. Merlin has only one of those things, and it’s the latter. From what we’ve seen, the wizard has a lot of deep-running insecurities that are tied from his sense of self-worth. Sure, he shows off, says “You just got Merlin’ed” unironically and gloats over some of his victories, but give him a moment to self-reflect and he runs from himself. He spent an entire year as a dwarf specifically because he put all his worth on his outward appearance.

This applies to his s/o in that Merlin doesn’t see himself as enough for them. (Name) is amazing, look at them go! Have you seen them? Have you seen him? They deserve the world and instead they’re stuck with him. Unlikely as he is to say it, Merlin is genuinely frightened of the day they wake up and realize they deserve someone fitting, better. 

Out of the three, his is the one that needs addressing the most. Jealousy in general isn’t inherently good or bad, but that depends on where it stems from. Jealousy based on self-hatred can have long-term problems for all parties involved if left unresolved. Merlin wants to be enough. Merlin needs reassurances, enforced boundaries and uplifting praises for him to realize that they’re not going anywhere. 

Prior to this pivotal moment, his go-to method to dealing with awful people was lightning, possibly getting pouty about it. Nowadays he’s unfortunately learned from Jack that unrelenting affection is a fantastic way to deal with unwanted attention and my, if it doesn’t work wonders.

He’s a monster now. Slides up to s/o, arm around them, flirting with them as if the person wasn’t there.

Still gets pouty a bit at times and needs cuddles. 

Arthur

I have to be honest, Arthur’s jealousy was a pain and half to figure out because it is hard to pin down. A jealous Arthur is nigh-impossible to tell apart from a generally protective and chivalrous Arthur. Dwarf-form, human-form, it doesn’t matter - if someone he cares about is struggling to defend themselves and the other person can’t take the hint he’s going to step up between, telling them to back off. 

The reason it’s so hard to tell apart because even Arthur isn’t 100% sure what he’s feeling in that moment with his s/o. For all the self-hyping the F7 gave themselves, Arthur and the others seem to have exactly 0 experience actually being in relationships (he thought a slap was a gesture of affection this man hasn’t a clue what he’s doing). Getting kissed by a thankful princess is worlds different from building a bond with someone, caring for someone. The first time Arthur is struck with jealousy, he’s not at all sure what he’s feeling. He just knows his heart is gripped tightly, his blood is running hot, and that he’s not about to let some scumbag continue to be rude to (Name). 

Look for his reaction afterward. That’s the ticket for an outsider looking in to figure out something’s up. When Arthur is protective (about anyone he cares about), the second the issue is dealt with he’s first concerned about their well-being and then pretty positive about being able to protect his loved ones. When Arthur is jealous though, he goes quiet afterwards. He’s not mad at anyone other than himself, because he doesn’t know why he got so fired up and he views (Name) getting harassed as a failure to protect them. He’s sullen, but will make an attempt to hide it if asked about it.

The jealousy Arthur experience comes from the same places as his protectiveness. Concern and duty. The incident with Snow White being in danger by guards and his doing nothing has definitely left an impact on him and it’s made his concern for others, even strangers, all the higher. In this case, the person he’s worried about is his s/o and that adds a burst of affection into his actions he’s not used to being there. Duty comes into play in terms of his beliefs and morals. Arthur has a really strong moral compass, with ideas on what is right being pounded into his brain early on. He likely has a sense of what he should be doing in a relationship, and what his “duties” are to his partner. They’re not all bad, but they do need a reality check. 

He’s ashamed to admit he’s jealous. He’s not supposed to get jealous - Arthur trusts his partner! Yet, he can’t deny he hates seeing them being harassed.

Also, the childish, selfish part of his mind he pretends to not have can’t stand that some schmuck is getting their attention when Prince Arthur is right here, hello? Don’t tell anyone, he’s embarassed. 

Arthur doesn’t need much in terms of redirecting. A good reminder that his s/o is grown and will absolutely call on him if they need his help quells a lot of his concerns. Time in the relationship also helps - the more he knows and builds his relationship with s/o the more relaxed he’s going to feel. He winds up being the guy who will look to s/o to see if he needs to put someone in a headlock. 

Should he get pouty (happens to everyone really), this man is such a slut for physical affection, hand-holding, hugs, sweet peppering kisses that any combination of them will get him to give the goofiest smile. 

Hans

Now here’s an interesting one. Hans is like Jack in that he’s secure in himself and his relationship. He trusts his s/o like crazy, respects boundaries, has enough emotional intelligence to know when he needs to step in versus when he wants to step in and follows through on that. But. He dislikes people disrespecting his s/o strongly, has pretty quick strong reactions (he knocked out Snow White with a pan), and puts his foot down with no wait time required.

When he spots someone pushing it what’s a guy to do but inject themselves into the conversation? It’s hardly his fault the sleazo ran off when Hans grabbed (Name)’s hand and talked to them sweetly, all while giving the offender the glare of a life time. 

Oh yes. Hans is that guy. Sure he could try to be tough (like Arthur) or pretend to be tough (like Merlin), but where’s the fun in that? This method lets people know (Name) 1) is taken. 2) in a very healthy/happy relationship 3) has a boyfriend who is right there and 4) their boyfriend will use a shield as a weapon if need be. It’s foolproof!

...Well, almost foolproof, save for the part where Hans decides to not talk about his feelings. Emotionally intelligent when it comes to others, Hans himself is not good about expressing his emotions. (Name) was the one who had to deal with that offender for so long, they’re the ones who were actually affected by the offender’s actions, Han’s feelings should be on the back burner then! This thought process is flawed. He views himself as the caretaker and not as someone to be cared for like he does for others, and that mindset is going to lead to a lot of bottled feelings if not dealt with early on. 

What Hans needs is honesty. Direct confrontation on this, because he will try to skirt around the issue instead of talking it out if possible. Once the direct communication is had, it’s a long journey of learning to be vulnerable, validation of feelings, and understanding what a relationship of equal give-and-take looks like that leads to him bettering his response to jealousy. 

Hans still is the guy who smoothly cuts in, but nowadays its followed up by a dual session in the kitchen where the both of them can get frustrations out by kneading some dough. Nothing like the promise of warm tasty bread to distract from the offenders from earlier. Along with floury kiss marks on the cheek. It’s the one time he doesn’t mind a mess in the kitchen. 

[golden-deer-dear]

Claudeleth Fic Recs

I love fic recs. I love Fire Emblem. And since I can’t really focus on anything else right now, I decided to just promote my favorite Claudeleth fics out right now. If you’re looking for something to read, then check these out because they’re all amazing. In no particular order, here are my top five fics. (Many of these authors have other stories I love, but I decided on one per author for this list.)

Fate and Other Lessons by DistractedSiren, Byleth/Claude, wip - 33k

When she'd been a young Blue Lion at Garreg Mach, Byleth had been certain that Claude von Riegan, leader of the Golden Deer, had done everything in his power to make her life difficult.

Now, four years later, Byleth finds herself teaching at the Officers Academy alongside her old rival, and he's just as annoying and distracting as he was when they were eighteen. He's also at least twice as handsome. The pair are quickly back at each other's throats, only Byleth has no idea that now all of their interactions are fraught with sexual tension. Claude, on the other hand, is hardly aware of anything else. And their students? Their students are on the verge of locking them in the Goddess Tower together and leaving them there until they figure it out.

I love this AU so much. I find AUs fascinating, but it is sometimes hard to find one that keeps the characters’ personalities in tact. Not only does this one do so, it is one of my favorites because of how on point the characterization is written. The plot is intriguing, and I am immediately drawn in as soon as I start reading. This is one of those fics that as soon as it updates, I’m immediately pouncing on it to see what happens next.

If you’re looking for a well written fic with amazing characterization and some tasty slow burn romance, this is exactly what you want.

Point and Shoot by doylesmom, Byleth/Claude, 7.4k Once the war was over. Maybe they could all move on with their lives, then. Bernadetta could retire and never have another trauma induced episode again. Hilda and Marianne could finally get married. Ignatz could finish art school. Sylvain could come out of hiding. And maybe, maybe, if they were both still alive, she could confess to Claude, her best friend, who she loved more than she had ever loved anyone or anything in her life.

But that day had not come yet, and that time was not now, and as she took his hand as he helped her out of her seat, she could only pray, pray, pray that that day might come soon.

I got distracted writing the review for this one because I needed to read the fic again as soon as I opened the page. Apparently this is the author’s first smut, and that is just insane to me, because this fic literally has my favorite claudeleth smut scene. This AU is intriguing, and that is coming from someone who normally gives Mafia/Crime AUs a wide berth. I want to know more about this world, and the fact that we’ll be getting a sequel in a few days has me super excited. Byleth and Claude are still wonderfully in character, even with the dramatic setting shift, and I love it so much.

This story showcases some amazing writing talent. If you’re in the mood for some interesting world building, and some amazing smut, I strongly recommend you read this fic.

For Whom the Stars Shatter by Cirrocumulus, Byleth/Claude, wip - 50k

“I would have made you Queen of Almyra, eventually”, he whispered against her collarbone, sensing her discomfort. Part of her could have indulged in that fantasy, even then, but whenever she raised her eyes to wrinkled folds born from laughing she would count his crow feet like the years that passed.

20 years ago, Fódlan had been granted peace by the King of Almyra in a battle written down in history. Now, the anniversary crept ever closer, and with it old feelings and new ambitions. But time divides people, and he had been giving his away while she seemingly hoarded hers. Yet the rings on their fingers were ever present, stuck in pipe dreams of the past.

Oh man, I could literally go on all day about how much I love Cirro’s writing style. It has this beautiful, poetic feel to it that hits along the lines of a Shakespearean tragedy. There is so much pain and yearning in this fic, but it is such a good hurt. This is exactly how I would imagine Byleth behaving if she was made Archbishop, and just the tension and love that still exist between her and Claude is so good. It usually takes me all day to read a new chapter, because I’m just mesmerized by the writing that I’m going back to reread lines I just read. It overflows with symbolism, which I am just a huge sucker for.

Are you looking for something with angst and longing? Something that is just the epitome of beautiful writing? Then you’ll want to check out this fic.

last kiss by wanderlustt, 3.8k

Five men who've stolen kisses from Byleth, and the one man who steals her last.

Oh my god! This fic is full of desperation, and the writing is done in such a style that it conveys Byleth’s feelings perfectly. I have read this fic at least five times by this point, it is just so good. My heart ached the entire time I was reading this, and that feeling did not dull upon rereads.

I can’t say much more without giving away plot points, but everyone should read this fic. Just stop what you’re doing right now and go read it.

to fall in love again by mochee, 12k

"Who are you? Are you a spy for Edelgard?" "It's me, Byleth," she says, almost desperately. Claude’s next words cut through her like a knife, so earnest and true that she doesn’t doubt them for a second. “I don’t know a Byleth.” -- Or: Byleth comes back from her slumber to find out Claude has not only been ill with Hanahaki, but that he was forced to undergo surgery. There are consequences.

It’s a hanahaki fic, so you know you’re in for some pain. This is another AU I don’t typically seek out, but man am I glad I gave this one a chance. This fic has a unique take from what I’ve seen from other hanahaki AUs. The end of the first chapter had me literally gasping out loud in shock. I made the mistake of reading this right before I was supposed to go into work, and I could not put it down. I was trying to take sneak peaks of it whenever I got a chance, I just needed to know what happened next.

Yes, more angst and pain, but the payoff for this one is so beautiful. Give yourself enough time to finish this before doing anything else, because it will engross you and you won’t put it down.

I enjoyed doing this, so if you guys would like more fic recs at some point in the future, let me know. Go enjoy these wonderful fics!

[caroline18mars]

A Man On Fire - Chapter 54

“How many more shows here in Italy? Because I keep eating and eating and eating, it's been so long since I had food as decent and as tasty as this”, she pushed another piece of bread in her mouth with a sigh “and if I keep at it, I'm well on my way to gaining a whole lot of weight”. Jared took another mouthful of his granola and shrugged “so? Even more woman for me to handle, mmm love it” with a grin, earning himself a kick under the table, “not funny! Oyyy I'm stuffed” she leaned back in her chair holding her hands on her stomach. “Again? I remember you saying that a couple of times as well last night” he flashed her a dirty grin, “can we talk about anything else than sex for a minute?” she rolled her eyes in mock-drama. “Nope” he leaned back, happily chewing “ok, ok, let's talk about your paintings, where will the magic happen? Do you want me to book a seperate hotelroom where you can paint? Or do you want to work at the venue? I guess you don't want to be moving them from our bedroom to another hotelroom to a venue, there'll be enough damage moving them from city to city or even overseas as it is” he leaned in again sipping his coffee. “Damage? Oh darling, Leonardo Da Vinci crossed the Alpes with Mona Lisa rolled up in a bag hanging from a donkey when he moved to France to be with his lover, I'm sure my paintings will survive” she leaned in to him too and tapped his nose with her finger. “Really?” he was genuinely impressed, “really, so one step to the left or right too far and the most expensive, most famous painting in the world would have been no more, sometimes you've gotta take a risk you know?” she nodded. He rested his hand against his cheek “promise me one thing? If we get to Florence tomorrow, you show me around town? Show me Da Vinci and Michelangelo and you tell me everything you know about them, I didn't get nearly enough art history classes as I should have wanted, I love it, and hearing you talk about these anecdotes it's like watching a documentary, which leads me to the next brilliant idea, making an art history docu your style?” he rattled, getting lost in the dream already. “Hold it, wooahh, back up back up, Jared, hun, Jay?” she shook her head as he just kept spewing ideas and grabbed his hand “just let me paint, ok? Besides the fact that absolutely nobody would be interested in the topic, there's no way I want to be in front of a camera, I don't have the need to be in the limelight, I'm quite happy in the shadows” he scrunched his nose, not happy with the answer but knowing full well this was not a woman whose arm could easily be twisted “but you'll still show me around Florence?”, oh silly man you're absolutely adorable “of course I'll take you around Florence, just put on your walking shoes and don't you dare start moping when you get fed up with all the musea we're gonna do”. Harper leaned in to him, pushing a little kiss on the tip of his nose “and if you're a really good boy, I promise I'll buy you an icecream, ok?”, her giggle was contagious “and are you gonna spank me if I'm a bad boy?” to which she encouragingly wiggled her eyebrows.

Strolling through the park on their way back to the hotel, duty called for Jay in about an hour, he held her hand tighter than he ever had, squeezing, letting go, squeezing again, oh yes this was an internal convo with himself “Come to a conclusion yet? I hope so because I think I've already felt a bone snap in my hand”. What? His head whizzed to look at her “what?” he held up her hand to check the damage done, “wanna talk about it?” she raised her eyebrows when she looked into his eyes “just goes to show how dangerous your thoughts really are”. Something was brewing, that much was clear if him biting his lip and the unintentional harder squeezing of her hand was anything to go by, oohhh trouble, definitely trouble, she almost braced for his reaction “it's just..”.  It's just what, Jared? I'm so not ready for whatever this is, “you're scaring me now, ok so what is it? You changed your mind and you want to end it after all? For fuck's sakes Jay” she babbled, getting more anxious by the second. His head shot up again and he took her face between her hands to calm her down “No! That's not it, I didn't change my mind..it's not about us, I just have bad news” his eyes became darker again “I was thinking about how to tell you this, but I guess there's just no right way..Shayla..she's coming back on the road with us” he blurted it out and watched her face go instantly pale like someone had punched her in the stomach. “You're joking, right?” she whispered, ugh why did she feel like the ground was gonna dissapear from underneath her feet? “Jay?” her eyes pierced his, “it was Shannon's idea, there was nothing I can do, I'm so sorry babe” dissapointment, hurt, it was all there in those beautiful brown eyes. “What's next? I mean Sean's back, now Shayla, within a month or so you're probably gonna tell me that Val's part of the gang again too. It just doesn't matter what they do, does it? And I don't matter, and neither does everything they did to me, because I'm temporary, right?” she blurted it all out, the frustration, the pain, just when she thought they could finally get back to being a normal couple, there was always a spanner being thrown in the works.

“Harper, babe? No stop” he followed her as she started walking again “you're not temporary, ok?” and caught up with her “listen to me” he stopped her by jumping in front of her and grabbing her hands “Shannon tried to do good, we really need an assistant and she knows the business, ok? And Val isn't coming back ever, you have to believe me! I swear I don't want this to come between us, you're all that matters to me, not Shayla, not Val, not Sean, I don't care about them, I only care for you, I love you”. Coco took a deep breath and looked at him “I love you too..in my heart I know where I want us to be..but it's always one thing after the other, I just want to have some peace and quiet” she sighed, grabbing his hand “let's just walk back to the hotel, if anything those three fuckers can be an inspiration for a painting and I definitely need a word with Shannon”. So relieved she wasn't angry, he pulled her against him “fuck them all, this is about us not about them” and kissed her lips, god that man's kisses were pure gold, reassuring, firm, hot, tender and demanding at the same time, she wanted a real life with him, settle down and have millions of babies with him..whoaaaa hold on a minute, getting way ahead here, the only thing she wanted right now was a normal, quiet life together, 'quiet' as in out of the spotlights, not like the soap everyone was expecting it to be.

They took their time to get back to the hotel, talking, connecting, “where would you like to have dinner?” he pushed a kiss in her hair as they turned the street of their hotel, glued to each other. “Anywhere is fine really, as long as it is just you and me” she snuck her hand into the back of his pants, just above the curve of his butt “I think this is my favorite part on your body” she squeezed his warm skin there. “Finally someone who doesn't want me entirely for my massive..” he paused for effect, grinning from ear to ear, “that too of course, but in broad daylight I prefer this bit” she smiled at him but it was Shannon who burst their bubble. “Hey beautiful, and I don't mean you bro” he just skipped down the steps and up to them, but when he wanted to plant a kiss on Harper's cheek she pulled back “that's a little hypocrite, don't you think?” she hissed. Shannon looked at Jay with a panic in his eyes, but he just shrugged to show him that this was none of his business, “why don't you and I take this inside?” she let go of Jared and walked up the steps to the entrance. “Is there something you need to tell me, Shannon, or is this your way of showing me how much you really hate me?” she plopped down on one of the couches in the lobby and zipped open her jacket. “Harper..I..” Shannon was crumbling in front of her eyes, he looked like a little boy that was being put in his place “so Jared told you?” he sighed while his brother came walking in as well and sat down next to her. “Of course he did, did he have to wait until she finally showed up here and you'd make it a nasty surprise? You must really hate me” there it was again, her thinking he hated her, “Coco, I don't hate you, really I don't and it pains me that you think I do, we're in a bit of a pickle here..I mean we really need someone to take over all those tasks we don't have time for and Shayla seemed like the best option”. He shuffled uncomfortably in his seat when the waiter brought the coffees Jared had ordered, “both Jared and I know what they've done to you so we've decided to put a special clause in their contract: if they give you even the slightest bit of trouble, they're out”. Coco took her cup and leaned back in her seat, her eyes locking with Jared's for a moment, god he was gorgeous, the way he sat there in that beautiful diffuse light, his cheeks rosy from the cold morning walk, he did need a shave though..mind wandering again, take care of the older Leto first. “It's your show and I do realize that I'm a guest on this tour as well so I'm not the one to interfere but I have to admit it shook me” she sipped her coffee, warming her hands on the cup while she glared at Shannon. “I get that but I hope you can forgive me?” Shannon gave her a careful smile “Nope, not just yet anyway” she shook her head and focused back on her coffee.

”I think you're the only one who can get under Shannon's skin” Jared smiled, sipping his tea “look at him, he's completely shook up”, Harper put her cup back down and nervously ran her hand through her hair “I didn't mean to, I don't want him to think I'm an egotistical bitch who thinks this is all about her because I don't, maybe I should go and apologize..”. Jared pulled her closer and kissed the side of her head “Oh no, you don't! Let him stew for a bit, let it sink in..” while his brother shuffled back over to the lounge “we have to go..uhm..Harper, wanna come along?”. Harper grabbed her bag “no, I'm gonna try out all those beautiful colors, you know..just keeping sane” and stood up, Jared pulled her against him and whispered “you sure? I don't want to miss you”. Her finger ran over his leather jacket “I'm sure, I take it she'll be landing shortly? And I don't want to be confronted with her just yet..I'll miss you too, but at least we'll be doing something we both love to do” why did this beautiful freak have to be so damn sexy? He was talking just now about getting under someone's skin, but damn he, his name, his whole being was already tattooed a million times under her skin. “Ok..I love you, remember that” he whispered, unable to leave her lips alone, “too mushy, Leto, too damn mushy” she acted all tough, but her inner voice wanted to scream that she loved him too, more than he could ever imagine, but to be that vulnerable? Oh no, not in a million years, she had been too vulnerable in the past and look where it got her, nope, she was a tough cookie and she could resist anything. Something as normal and simple as watching him leave almost became unbearable, this had to stop, she hated being so dependent, not being, feeling, definitely feeling, there was a difference! The van that took him away hadn't even turned the corner or her phone bleeped

From: BJLCubbins

To: HCDeRobiano

Subject: Not my first but definitely my last!

Babe,

Just stop me from popping the question, because I'm about to,  put my feet back on the ground because right now I don't see any reason why I shouldn't just ask you to marry me.

My love for you is scaring me

Loveyouloveyouloveyou

Your fool Jay

Her heart hammered in her chest, whatwhatwhatwhat? She read it again, he actually did ask..wait no, get it together De Robiano

From: HCDeRobiano

To: BJLCubbins

Subject: Re: Not my first but definitely my last

Oy Leto,

Did you drink paddo-tea? I'm just gonna ignore this because you're probably gonna eat those words by tonight, why? If you're asking me to stop you from asking, then I'm stopping you here and now! Breathe! Think about how impulse marriages don't work in 95% of the time, feeling better? Good!

That being said, I love you too, very much, you adorable fool of mine

Coco

Hitting the 'send' button, her heart sank, there was no turning back anymore, did she ever think or want to get married? God no, but with him? Absolutely! Ah well, too late now, what are you thinking, they had known each other a couple of weeks, no ok, done, ridiculous idea!..or not?..paint Coco, just paint!

[i-writeandread-blog]

A Portrait of a Tortured You and I - Chapter 3

I had the bungalow to myself, but that's only because the VIP didn't sell out, otherwise, I'd have had a roommate.  I took advantage of the private bathroom and cleaned up properly.  I was distressed by my upgrade.  Not because I wasn't happy to experience it, but because I didn't need it nor want it.  Sure, I loved the band and I was a bit of a Jared girl.  But after fawning over him for the first five or so years, I became more realistic and began just to solely appreciate what Mars was all about; community, art, music, friendship, fun, connection.  The eye candy aspect was there always, but wasn't anything more than just a nice thing to look at.  I had been blessed through the years to have done numerous meet & greets, and was even around during the Artifact days getting the opportunity to go to the screening.  Heck, I was even at the Hive the night of the bomb threat.  This was probably why I was always broke. I spent all my money on Mars.

So these things afforded me opportunities to meet the band numerous times.  I just couldn't justify spending over $10,000 dollars to have even more access to Jared.  I could spend that money on four camp mars trips, rather than just one.  Not that I had access to that amount of cash in one sitting ever.  But, the point was someone spent it on me... and I didn't deserve it.  It should have been someone who never had the opportunities that I have had.

I got dressed and made my way out the door just in time for the vip welcome wagon to come around so they could let us know what was in store for us.  There was a total of 17 of us.  I was surprised that many people had shelled out the money to do this.  I knew only three of them. I wasn't surprised by them, they always did the most expensive packages.  I had no idea what they did for a living, but I wondered what it was.

We were escorted down to the stage area, where they had roped off a small area right at the stage for us. Since everything was outdoors and in an open area, anyone on the island already would be able to see the soundcheck, but they had sectioned off a perimeter of about 60 feet around the stage so no one could get too close to the action. It all seemed so strange to me. Paying so much when at 61 feet away you can see the exact same thing, but to each their own. I guess.

I shouldn’t have been letting it nag at me the fact that someone did this, but I should explain why it bothered me in more depth. I had been an Echelon almost since the inception of the band. I went to events, met so many interesting people, became friends with some. The usual stuff, I did some light street teaming, but I was always sort of in the shadows. I have a very outgoing personality, but for some reason I stayed pretty much to myself. I knew the familiar faces. Waved and nodded. Spoke to a few here and there. But Mars was very personal to me. I was drawn to them for reasons I couldn’t begin to explain to an outsider. For me, when Jared says, “it’s only for those who understand,” I have to say that is a million percent true. I’m sure every Echelon feels the same way and we all have our private reasons (or public) for why we needed them in our lives. But because I stayed to myself, I always felt like I knew everyone, but no one knew me. Even on social media... I knew of people, but I didn’t engage with them. For every outspoken “fan” like Natalie, there were probably 5 of me. It didn’t make sense. I wasn’t a part of that outspoken and well known clique.

Then another thing was the idea that I was being pitied. I knew I was a victim. I was a weak person. I didn’t want others to know it. No matter how strong I tried to be, I just wasn’t. I was disappointed that I would have to pass on Croatia, but I was certainly not wanting any charity. Yet, I received it anyway. From a total stranger, who I assume knows nothing about me.

The last reason, and Shayla picked up on it right away was the tiny bit of fear that I was being lured here, only to be hurt... whether it be emotionally or physically. I never didn’t feel safe around Mars, but I think it was a combination of the attack on me and then the way Natalie had treated me online -when I told everyone what happened- that made me no longer feel at “home.”

And yet here I am, feeling like I have to enjoy the package for all it is and get this persons money’s worth and that felt crippling. I felt like I was being forced to vacation, if that even makes sense. And don’t get me wrong, I do want to have fun, let my hair down and let loose. It was my favorite band. The only band I truly ever listened to and was so loyal to. I loved them. Everything about them. Nothing about Mars had changed. It was me. I was different. I didn’t know how to reconcile with that. I wanted my old self back and I didn’t think it would ever be possible. I was angry.

What those boys took from me (and unjustly so, as I hadn’t been the one to refuse them service) was my identity. The only thing in this world that belonged to no one else. I was mad at them. I was mad at myself, for letting them win. If they saw me on the street they probably wouldn’t even know who I am. Would I recognize them?

I was snatched out of my daydream to the sounds of cheers. I looked up and both Shannon and Jared had walked onto the stage. Shannon waved at us with a drumstick in his hand and sat down at his set. Jared walked over to us. I was on the end furthest from him. He leaned down to shake everyone’s hand, having mini conversations as he went down the line. When he reached me, he took my hand in his and said, “long time no see kitty cat.” I responded with, “who’s fault is that?” Then he jumped down and hugged me. The embrace caused a gasp from a few around he and I.

I was used to Jared doing things like that. Like I said before, I’ve been around awhile. But never has he ever been so affectionate. Not to me at least. I was honestly surprised he even remembered my name. Of course, he was the one who came up with kitty cat. It happened a few years back. I was at a meet and greet. I think it was a show in Atlanta, and when I walked up, instead of the usual procedure where you say a quick hello and take an equally quick picture, then walk away... he said to me: “I think it’s high time we were properly introduced. In all these years, I’ve never caught your name. I wonder why that is. Anyway, I’m Jared.” He extended his hand to me. I shook it, swooning the whole time and responded with, “uhhh cat umm Catherine.” He laughed at my stutter and said, “cat, like kitty cat? Cute. I’ll see ya around.” Then I walked off. I “met” him at a few meet and greets after that, but he hasn’t referred to my name or nickname since. Until today.

He was always so charming on stage whether it was an actual show or a soundcheck and today was no different. He sang little bits from various songs, only singing full versions of a couple. In between each one he’d make a joke or two. He danced around, shook his butt, grabbed one of the girls and brought her up to sing a few lines of hurricane. He joked about how we could do the concert better than him. And then it was over. We were told that dinner would be served in about an hour and sent on our merry way.

At the last camps we served ourselves in a buffet line. I believed that was what we would be doing here as well. Usually everyone comes, grabs their food, tries to find a spot to eat, does that quickly and moves on. It’s not something to write home about. I think majority of us don’t even look forward to the food (it is delicious) because our minds are on having fun. So breakfast, lunch, and dinner are more about sustenance rather than a milestone event. I had a mini bar style fridge in my bungalow already stocked with snacks and was just going to grab something out of there. I didn’t want to be social just yet, and I was sort of still jet lagged from flying in a few days ago.

I laid down on a much softer bed than I had expected and brought up the notepad on my iPad. I felt like writing. I wasn’t sure about what just yet, but I felt like I could breakthrough my writers block and start something. After about 45 minutes and two chapters, I heard people milling around outside. I grabbed some chips out of the fridge and a can of coke. I didn’t want to stop since I was actually on a roll, but I didn’t want to not eat something as it had been hours since my early breakfast this morning.

I was mid way through a paragraph and had a chip dangling in between my lips when I looked up and saw someone standing there. I jumped. The bag and it’s contents flying everywhere. The look of pure terror written all over my body.

“I’m so sorry, Miss. I knocked several times.”

“It’s okay, I think. Umm can I help you?” I was ready to scream if need be.

“Your presence is required at dinner. And don’t worry about cleaning that up. Your butler will do that.”

“Butler?” I said quizzically.

“Yes, Miss. Each bungalow has a private butler. They’ll restock the refrigerator if needed and clean up. They’ll be bringing you fresh towels daily, and should you need anything they can help out. I’ll walk you to dinner.” I shook my head. “That’s okay, I think I know where to go.”

“No, it’s in a secluded area. Come, follow me.” She started walking fast and I struggled to keep up. She apologized and flagged down a golf cart. We hopped on and were whisked away and past the main pavilion where the diners were eating. It looked like the last ferry had arrived, but I wasn’t sure. We arrived at an area that looked very much off limits for the regular guests and she pointed to three tables down by the water. At each table were the other vip guests. “Here ya go, and please check your itinerary next time. Everyone is waiting for you.”

I walked down and heard light huffs and puffs as I got closer. Someone said, “you’re late and we are starving.” Jared stood up and said, “that’s not necessary. She’s here now and the food is still warm and tasty.” I looked around for a place to sit. The tables were arranged so that the table Jared was at was facing all of us. I noticed that each table setting had a name plate. I couldn’t see mine.

Jared laughed and pointed to a chair next to his. I shook my head no. He walked over and ushered me to it anyway. Whispering in my ear, “this is your seat.” Motioning to my name. I was sitting in between him and Emma. Shayla was on his other side.

“I don’t understand. The rest of the group is at the other tables. I’m not crew.” Jared waved his hands to stop me. “I didn’t make up the seating chart, that’s Emma’s purview. But I know enough to just follow what she says. A mad Emma is a force to be reckoned with.” He laughed. I looked out and everyone was glaring at me. “I really should go sit at one of the other tables. But before I do, I have to know... Jared did you arrange my trip here?”

He looked at me very puzzled and said, “what are you talking about?” Shayla looked at me dead in the eyes and shook her head no.

@msroxyblog

[latvian-parisienne]

Day 11 - Traveling around part 1: Reims

What’s the best thing to do when you don’t feel very well? Buy cheap train tickets and make yourself feel better in the blink of an eye.

Although Paris is extremely beautiful itself, the whole France and region around is astonishing, too. When on Friday afternoon I found tickets to Reims for 4.99 EUR each way, it was only a question of with whom I would go rather than whether I would go. At 9:15 1.55h in a bus, then around 8min in a train to Gare du Reims and you are there. Then catch the bus at 18:15 and you’re home at 20:15, just in time to analyze one reading for European Economic Law. And 7 hours is enough to explore the beautiful, however, small city of Reims.

That’s how a managed to gather a team of four travelers from India, Hungary and Taiwan ready to join me in my daytrip. Before going to Reims, I remember having been there quite a few years ago; however, nothing apart from the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Reims had remained in my memory. I remembered that being beautiful, but nothing much. This time, maybe because I was older and could explore the city more properly, I will hopefully remember more.

“Je suis rémois“ is written all over their souvenirs, apparently reminding that not only Paris can be considered a touristy city, but also Reims and that you can be proud to call yourself an inhabitant of Reims. And they have lots to be proud of! The small city is still full of tourists, clean streets, cosy trams, beautiful architecture, tasty champagne and macarons, and museums which are free of charge for students.

When we had arrived to the cathedral, we were amazed and simply very happy about having arrived to a place outside of Paris. It was not overcrowded, it was light and it had a very warm feeling to it.

Afterwards the only problem of the trip started (apart from the fact that we almost missed our bus and I got totally anxious) - we wanted to find something to eat for a normal price. That was definitely a challenge. Although there are cafeterias on every corner, if you don’t feel like paying 10 EUR for a dish, you can’t find anything, and our wish for “eating something French” ended up being “eating something cheap” which was a burrito. It was tasty and offered Cheddar sauce as well, which completely improved the whole burrito experience for us as cheese lovers.

If you choose to go to Reims on Saturday, keep in mind that museums open only starting from 2pm, which for us meant that we have around 2 hours to hang around and wait for Musée des Beaux Arts to open. What did we choose to do? As Reims is located in the region of Champagne and is said to have one of the best champagnes in the world, we decided to drink some champagne even though it was only midday. Nothing’s wrong with that, right? 

Most of the cafeterias offer glasses of champagne as well; however, as imagined, they can be super expensive (even up to 10 EUR per glass) so we walked around several places to find one which costs the least. We were so desperate that some of us even suggested buying a bottle of champagne in the supermarket and then just drinking it in the park, but by doing that, the whole point of drinking the champagne would kind of lose its charm. In the end we bought a bottle for 32 EUR, which meant 7.5 EUR for each of us (for two glasses), therefore, the deal turned out to be pretty cost-efficient for us. You just have to walk around and look for the prices, and don’t forget to ask the representative of the restaurant whether it is allowed that you drink only champagne and that you don’t order any food.

In a slightly tipsy mood we decided to go to Musée des Beaux Arts and Le Palais du Tau. Both entrances for students were for free. While Musée des Beaux Arts was really interesting and provided great artworks, Le Palais du Tau was slightly disappointing. It should be a palais, but at first we did not even notice it, because it was located next to the gracious cathedral and is surpassed in its beauty. Of course, we entered it anyway, and it looked like the staff was preparing the palais for some wedding celebration later in the evening of the following day, but it still felt cold, empty and we had expected more. However, if you enjoy ancient history, this palais and the museum inside it might be for you, since it is home for many ancient sculptures.

Then we went to a cute sweets shop, similar to La Durée only more Reims style. It was called Fossier and it had lots of different sweets to offer, including everyone’s favorite macarons. The pink interior and the possibility to taste the sweets before buying was definitely encouraging; however, it was still not a good enough reason to buy something. Not so much because of the prices, but because of the fact that I would eat everything and the initial idea of bringing them home to my family just would not survive.

And then it was already time to go home. The train to Champagne Ardennes TGV where we had our bus was leaving at 18:01, while the bus was departing at 18:15. There are 8km between the two, so it is not really walkable.  Crazily enough, we managed to get there on time although me as a normal Type A person freaked out and already checked the prices of tickets for the following busses. They were only 5 EUR, so I calmed down - bus tickets to and from Reims really are not expensive.

That was our 1 day trip to Reims. And let me tell you, traveling is addictive because I already started checking out bus tickets to different cities on my way home. And I found some! So other travel experience stories will be coming soon as well!

[tracle0]

22/11

I was tagged by @joyful-soul-collector​ (thank you this is possibly one of my favourite tag games) ... Okay also also before I could finish this up, @hyba also tagged me so uh it’s 22/11 instead, ty ty. You two might want to check the tag list cause uhhh you might be there who knows not me c:

The rules are: Answer the 11 (22 this time but hush) questions, make up your own 11 and then tag... I think it’s 11 people but I don’t know 11 people who I haven’t already tagged so...

I sort of started spamming pictures to answer a question so I’m gonna... put the pictures under the cut. 

1. Have any of your OCs ever stolen something? What did they steal, and why? Oh yeah sure - the first one I can think of easily is Cain. He used to live on the streets so had to steal to survive. But he’d also work for money. He’s not heartless, just desperate. 

Also now I’m thinking about it, Tag would definitely be the kind of guy to just... hey I know I’m meant to hand this gear in but... no-one will miss it so.... he steals to amuse himself with the gadgets he gets. 

2. Did you ever have imaginary friends as a kid? What were they like? I copied my sister in having pretend animal friends, but not really. Who needs imaginary friends when you have real-life ones lol I was a lot more liked as a kid.

3. Do any of your  OCs have a favorite article of clothing? Why is it their favorite?

Uhhhh

Um.

Yeah, you could say that. 

Andy likes his hoodie because it’s a thing that is only his. He didn’t get it from Murdock, I honestly don’t know WHERE he got it from, but it’s his, and the fact he owns anything means a lot to him.

Cain likes his because it’s one of the few things left over from when he was younger and again, it’s his. He didn’t steal it. It belongs to Only Him. He feels comfortable in it. 

4. What do you fist develop about a character when you make one up? Do you think of their appearance first? Their personality? Their backstory?

Honestly? It depends. Backstory always comes after, but personality and appearance often intersect. I know for WIP 3 I thought of personality and traits first, and for Collateral it was appearance first. I think for Sonder it was more.. their role in the story? ‘Oh hey this is the antagonist, this is the protagonist, this is the love interest wait I hate romance, okay, side kick’ etc

5. Fluff or Angst?

If it’s not romantic? Fluff. I made myself angsty enough when I was younger, I want more happiness in my life.

6. Remember the color of that dress that everyone was debating about however many years ago? The one that was blue and black, or white and gold? What colors did you see?

The correct colours.

7. Pick your bubbliest, happiest OC. Now tell me what will make them turn into your worst nightmare. I wanna see what makes them the angriest.

Oh boy, let’s see uhhh... Tag. Tag from WIP 3 who is undergoing the process of a name change. 

Seeing someone he loves die would twist him. Being isolated would eventually break him. Being unable to do what he loves would definitely upset him also. 

Also idk if you’ve heard about it but in his world, there’s a nifty ability called being a silvertongue and I know at least one silvertongue is not gonna exploit this but I also know of another who would even on this19-year-old kid so maybe it’s not by choice but that could make him a nightmare. Just sayin’

8. Now pick your angstiest, most emo OC. And tell me what would make them blush and giggle like an idiot. I wanna see what makes them the happiest.

Okay for this one it’s a tie I write a lot of angsty characters. 

>Andy - seeing something just. Really funny. Oh did Sam just fall over in a ridiculous way? Fantastic. That’s actually how they first have a proper conversation. Sam falls over, he laughs, they talk.

>Cain - anything awesome that Duck does. Oh hey what’s up Goose oh you drew this radical picture? /tearing up/ it’s so great oh my gosh you’re so talented. That’s more being happy than giggling but can you see Cain giggling? No, me neither. 

9. If you could have any mythical creature for a pet, what would it be?

Dragon, next question.

10. What’s your go-to thing for when you’re hungry but don’t have time/energy to cook something?

Fruit! It is! Very good! And tasty! Apples have a good cronch! Oranges are mmmm juicy. Banana? Yes nice thank you. Oh wow we have strawberries? What a sweet treat. Also healthy!

11. Do any of your OCs have scars? Would they be confident enough to show them in public (like at the beach)?

Oh yeah sure man. Andy’s got multiple from... ‘training’. He doesn't show them off. Cain, Duck and Theo have all been badly burnt on the arms, and Cain ‘’shows it off’’ just because it makes him uncomfortable to have his arms covered. And uh Raya probably has some sort of scar on her knees or elbow from rollerblading. Because you do fall over and it does scar.

And now for Hyba’s questions, lez go bois

1. What cultural value do you see in writing/reading/storytelling/etc.?

I think that without storytelling specifically, humans would be so... mundane? We’d be no different to any other animal on the planet. Creating anything, be that stories or art or literally anything is so... human. To take that away would be like taking away humanities soul. The cultural value isn’t really measurable - storytelling makes up the culture. 

2. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

Honestly, I have no idea. I try to entertain myself, and if other people like it too, then that’s neat. But because I’m writing for myself, I anticipate everything, so I don’t know if it’s original or not. I know it delivers what I want! But is that readers want? Who knows!

3. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

Crow. Not even as a writer, just... dude crows are so damn cool. 

4.  What do you think most characterizes your writing?

I’m not quite sure about the phrasing so uhhhh represents? Google is telling me ‘describes’. 

In which case, a midnight fever jolting you out of bed, moments before you could fall asleep, and puppeting you to a writing surface so you can splurge ideas onto it sounds about right. 66% of my WIPs have elements in them that were based on dreams. 

5. How do you select the names of your characters?

Mostly? Spite. ‘Oh Trade, you can’t have a bad guy named Andy, all Andy’s are good’ NOPE NOT ANYMORE SUCK IT. I also have a friend who is really good at coming up with names that fit the exact mood of the character so I go to her a lot. Sometimes they’re puns. 

6. Choose one of your OCs (or more). How would they want to be seen by others?

Sam from Sonder wants to be seen as someone people can talk to, but also someone who pursues a science because yes sociology is a science to her, shut up, don’t talk to me if you’re going to mention the words ‘paradigm’ or ‘objective’ thank you.

7. How do you find or make time to write? Are you consistent or do you write whenever you get the chance?

Hahahahahhahha.

In the past few months, I’ve not been writing because I’ve had exams. Before that, I wrote at every chance I had - being a student, I had a fair bit of free time during the day, so I’d use that to write. But for a while, it was a nothing on the ‘what has Trade written recently’ chart. 

Going up again boiiis

8. What does literary success look like to you? Is it important for you as a writer?

Literary success? That’s... a very interesting question. I think I’d be satisfied and feel successful if one person told me that my book helped them through something. 

Jokes on me, I’ve already had that, my books helped me, I have already succeeded, see you losers in hell.

Also fanart but uh who needs fanart when you draw enough for five armies?

9. Are there any scenes that you’ve had to edit out of your WIPs? Can you tell us about them if they don’t spoil the book?

YES oh lord yes okay so in Sonder, chapter 15, I decided around draft 2 that I wanted a scene where Atlas got drunk. I made up reasons for it, asked lots of friends about what it was like to be drunk (as I personally have never been drunk), attended parties to get first-hand research and did so much preparation. 

Wrote the scene, was pleased with it, left it to fester. Two years and two drafts later (now), I’ve come back and realised oh hey that scene is utterly useless and de-rails the plot. Time to remove it I guess. 

I rationalise it as ‘well you wrote it and you had fun but it’s not needed, move on’ and that works well for me. 

10. Would you feel comfortable publishing or sharing your writing using your real name, or would you prefer a pseudonym?

Pseudonym 100%. As cool as it would be to be able to go ‘hey I wrote this’ to people, the terrifying ordeal of being known is horrific, and people being able to track all my past activity from when I was literally seven is my worst nightmare. I wouldn’t even tell family or friends if I could get away with it. 

‘Hey [real name], there’s a book at Waterstones called Sonder? With the exact same characters, plot and writing style as you have? But it’s under [pseudonym]?’ ‘oh hey, really that’s wild. Anyway,’

11. When writing, do you try more to be original or do you prefer to deliver to readers what they want? Do you think that a book can do both? Which is more important to you as a writer?

Oh hey, this is like question two but MORE. Standing by my previous answer, I think a book can do both - people want a happy ending, usually, but you can always be original in how you do that. No two stories can be told in exactly the same way. And hey - even if people do guess what’s coming up, that’s good. 

As a writer? It’s most important to entertain. I don’t try and catch people out, I just deliver the story I have in my head and then edit it mercilessly until I’m pleased. 

Questions!

1) Design a mask for an OC to wear. Would it cover their whole face? Is it a mascarade mask? Is it fancy or simple? Bonus cool kid points if you draw it.

2) Which OCs like spicy food?

3) Which OCs can take care of a plant - an orchid, to be exact? 

4) Do you tell stories in any other medium beyond writing? eg: art or roleplay or...? 

5) Do you have any irl items that you have because ‘oh dude this is something that’d totally be in my story’? Can I see them?

6) What’s the first book you remember buying? 

7) Do you have any weird collections of things? As an example, I have a skull collection and a collection of... what’s best described as doll body parts. Anything just... weird that you have a lot of? Can I see it? 

8) Which OC gets distracted by watching birds and which OC is like ‘dude stop watching the birds we’ve got STUFF TO DO’

9) Have you ever met a published author? Who? 

10) Are you a person who likes tea or are you a person who prefers coffee? If the latter - dude c’mon tea is so much better smh

11) Have you backed up your files recently? Do it now. Please, for the love of god, back up your files. 

Tagging!

@hyba @joyful-soul-collector (dunno if I’m allowed to tag the people who tagged me but fukkit here’s some more questions you eggs) @kaatiba @albatris @timetravelingpigeon @note-katha (hi we have barely interacted but nice new username) @nymph-of-diana (on your main if you want, idm c:) @writing-and-nutmeg @futurity-writing @osteoprecocious and @thatfizzyyyy 

Honestly, the fact I made it to 11 is - wowza. Uhhh if you don’t want to then don’t, if you do want to then PLEASE do and then tag me so I can see your answers, I’m curious. 

Ciao.

[roslinadama-sinequanon]

Auld Lang Syne-A New Shandy Fic

This is a little later than planned. Due to some winter winds, I was without power for almost the whole day. But, the power is finally back on and here is the latest in a year of FUSRIA stories that I began last Christmas.

I hope you all have a great 2019!

It's New Year's Eve and Sharon and Andy celebrate with friends at a Gatsby-style party on the Queen Mary, then enjoy a relaxing New Year's Day together. Just a quick little fluff, finishing up the first year of the Shandy marriage.

You can read this here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13166086/1/Auld-Lang-Syne or here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17266316

or right here:

“Sharon, you almost ready? Don’t forget, we have to pick up Provenza and Patrice.” It was New Year's Eve and Andy by default was the designated driver.

“I’m coming.” Sharon spritzed a little Black Opium on her wrists, her neck, and, what the hell, her cleavage for good measure. After one last look in the floor length mirror on the door of her walk-in closet, she slipped on elbow length gloves, grabbed her purse, and stepped out into the bedroom.

“Andy.” His name came out rather breathless. Her sexy as sin husband was leaning against the fireplace in a pose meant to allure. And it did. His light brown suit, plaid check vest, and dark brown bow tie were stylish and dapper, and as she approached him, her insides did a little butterfly dance at the twinkle in the rich depths of his velvet brown eyes. “You look like you just stepped out of ‘The Great Gatsby’.”

“Well, uh, that was plan…right.” He could barely speak, his tongue felt thick and he could not stop staring. If he looked like something out of the pages of  ‘Gatsby’ than Sharon, in her vintage 1930’s gold lame gown, a liquid satin that clung to every curve before spilling sensuously about her long legs, was the glamorous epitome of a Golden Era movie star. She smiled at the jaw-dropping look he was giving her and twirled around, giving him a view of the plunging back.

“You like?” She asked.

“You really have to ask?” He stepped forward sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her in tight. “You sure we have to go to this party?”

Sharon shivered as he began nuzzling along her neck. The man did know her weak spots. But, she pulled back with a throaty little giggle before he got too carried away. “We paid an arm and a leg for these tickets, we’re going.”

“Okay. Okay.”

Provenza’s response when he saw the two of them in shades of gold and brown was to roll his eyes. “Eh Gods, do you two always match?”

Patrice shook her head. “Don’t listen to him, you both look stunning.”

“You too, Patrice,” Andy kissed her cheek. “You, on the other hand.” He gave a glance at Provenza, who had done nothing but grumble about having to a New Years Eve party. “You look like Edward G. Robinson.”

“A mighty fine actor. I’ll take that as a compliment,” Provenza huffed.

The party was on The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach. Each deck and ballroom had a differently themed celebration. They planned to attend the Art Deco era festivities. Stepping onto the huge ocean liner, now a hotel/tourist attraction really was like a journey back in time. And, when they walked into the Grand Salon, decorated in rich black and shimmering gold, the centerpieces dripping with feathers and pearls, and a jazz band playing in the corner, they were transported back to the 1920s and 30’s when speakeasies and jazz were all the rage and Hollywood was in its heyday.  Also joining them for the evening were Gavin and his partner Elliott, it was Gavin who had convinced Sharon to get tickets for the event, and Sharon’s good friend Rachel and her husband Jim.

They enjoyed a tasty, elegant dinner, and then spent the night dancing to big band swing music. Well, some of them of them anyway. Andy could really cut a rug and Sharon loved to dance, so they were out on the dance floor all night. Provenza refused to get near the floor unless it was a “slow one“ but, thanks to Andy, Gavin, Elliott, and Jim, Patrice was not short on dance partners.

At the countdown to midnight, cheers filled the air and balloons dropped from the ceiling. Sharon wrapped her arms around Andy’s neck, pulling his face closer to hers.

“Happy New Year, baby,” he said.

“Happy New Year.” They grinned at each other like the sappy newlyweds they still were, then kissed in 2019.

Afterward, while the band played ’Auld Lang Syne’, everyone sang along, then moved out onto the deck to watch a dazzling fireworks display over the water, with the glittering lights of LA off in the distance.

Sharon snuggled back against Andy with a little shiver. The wind was cool off the water. Feeling her chill, Andy slipped off his suit coat and wrapped it around her bare shoulders. She gave him a smile of gratitude and then gazed off at the bright bursts of color in the sky. For many years, New Year's Eve had been bittersweet for her. She was happy enough in her life, even happier once she had gotten the job in Major Crimes. But, after her children had left home, there had always been a feeling that maybe her best years were behind her. Not anymore. She could look back nostalgically on the previous year, but she had nothing but excitement for the new year ahead and the things she and her husband had planned.

With the fireworks display over, they returned inside and made their way to the Promenade Café where a midnight breakfast buffet had been laid out to help them refuel after all that dancing.  Sharon chose a mimosa with a couple slices of French toast, while Andy had straight orange juice and a veggie omelet. They both had bowls of vanilla yogurt with the house-made granola.

“All that food and you choose yogurt and granola.” Provenza grimaced and shuddered as he sat down.

Andy eyed his friend‘s plate. “Better than that heart attack on a plate.”

“He’s right, Louis.” Patrice shook her head at the pile of biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes that filled her husband’s plate. “You’re never going to be able to sleep tonight after eating all that.”

“Well, it will be worth it.” Provenza dug into his biscuit and chewed with gusto.

By the time they finished eating, dropped Patrice and Provenza off at home, and then continued up the coast, Sharon and Andy did not get home until well after 2:00 am. Exhausted, they slept in late New Years Day, enjoyed some lazy cuddle time, and then had a simple breakfast of buttery croissants, fruit, and coffee out on the sun porch. Feeling a little more refreshed after their coffee and showers, they changed into jeans and sweatshirts and made the quarter-mile walk down the hill to the beach. It was low tide and they walked along the hard-packed sand, hand in hand, seagulls diving and cawing overhead.  After about a mile, they stopped near an outcropping of rocks and sat in the soft sand, watching the waves crash into the rocks and enjoying the feel of the January sun on their faces. Sharon laid her head against Andy’s shoulder, enjoying the peace and tranquility. She loved their walks on the beach. They stayed that way for quite a while until dark clouds started to move in and it looked like they might be in for a shower.

Back at the house, they took down the Christmas tree that had been up since the weekend after Thanksgiving. Christmas was Sharon’s favorite holiday and she always tried to hang on to it for as long as possible. For her, Christmas started the day after Thanksgiving and didn‘t end until New Years Day. When the kids had left for college and she’d moved into the condo, it had been easier to have a fake tree--though she always sprayed it with that pine scent because what was a tree without its scent. This year, in their big new house, they had bought a giant live fir, and even though they had had the guy at the tree farm make a fresh cut, and Sharon had faithfully kept the tree watered, it was still clearly time to take it down. While Andy dragged the tree out to the backyard, he left behind a trail of pine needles and broken branches. Sharon followed behind him picking up the dead branches and by the time he returned she was vacuuming up the needles. With that task completed, they sprawled out lazily on the big leather couch in their family room to binge watch college football bowl games on their 65-inch TV, Andy’s first purchase when they bought the house. With Rusty up in San Francisco enjoying the New Year festivities with Ricky and Tess, they didn’t bother with supper, simply munched on cheesy nachos with guacamole while they watched the games.

Overall, 2018 had been a great year and with a new baby on the way, Ricky moving closer to home and a trip to Russia to watch Emily on tour at the Kirov and Bolshoi ballets looming ahead, 2019 looked like it might be even better.

[banndsand]

If there’s one thing I’ve learned

it’s that I can’t manage to stick to one hobby for long. So why not just make a variety blog?

Today’s theme:

Anime

Or more specifically, fall 2018 anime. What’s been good? What’s been meh? What’s been just awful? (Just kidding we don’t talk about that last one.)

Run with the Wind

I knew this would be near the top of my list in the first few minutes of the first episode. When Haiji asks “Hashiru no suki ka?” and Unison Square Garden takes it away... I just, oof. I knew I’d watch this one to the end.

But for those not immediately sucked in by the first 2 minutes, what the heck is it?

Run with the Wind is a show about a rag-tag group of college guys who have been gathered together in a mad attempt to run the Hakone Ekiden, a big ol’ relay marathon type race in Japan which afaik is a Big Deal TM. These dudes generally have little experience running, so it seems ludicrous that they could accomplish such a feat, but that’s honestly not what matters.

Like running itself, it’s every step you take along the way that matters, not the finish line. These are good boys (plus one very good dog) who are just doing their best to improve. Skepticism gives way to hope as you see these boys progress and come together as a team. There are of course challenges along the way, clashing of ideas, and even rivals and potentially some big dramatic twists. That last part I just figure is coming based on what I’ve seen so far.

Of course the show also looks great. The style reminds me a lot of Haikyuu which I super enjoyed (it’s actually the show that got me into sports anime)! Sometimes you can tell CG models are used, such as when there are just way too many runners on-screen at once, but tbh they look fine. CG has come a long way and the technique is used pretty sparingly in this show.

The characters are great. Everyone’s got motivations for taking part (or not taking part) in this race. They’ve all got their own personalities and struggles in this, and you can probably find yourself in at least one of them at some point in the show.

So yeah, Run with the Wind. I highly recommend it.

Next up...

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Oh no, another isekai?! Oh yes, another isekai!

Lately I’ve been giving a lot of isekai shows a chance and have been pleasantly surprised on numerous occasions. I quite enjoyed Overlord, though I came close to dropping it a few times. I found How Not to Summon a Demon Lord uh... fun, if only in the way where you can just turn your brain off and try to laugh at the ridiculous fanservice. These shows where the protagonist is OP as heck have regained some freshness after the likes of Konosuba and Re;Zero have redefined the genre by turning it on its head.

You may be asking yourself “so what’s this got to do with Slime show?”

Yes, yes, I’m getting to that.

In That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, the titular Slime character (who I will refer to as Slime-san) used to be a regular human, until he went and died. His dying words were used to generate his new form in a new world. But people say weird stuff when they’re dying, don’t they? Oh yes.

Slime-san us the result of some borked interpretations of regular, if slightly odd, statements. Making far-flung interpretations is the kind of thing that I love to do just as a mental exercise, and is thus a great start. This was probably the lure that brought me to the hook.

Awoken in this new world, Slime-san does what any person in a strange world would do, they interact with their environment in the only way they can, by absorbing stuff in their slime body. This leads to the character combining more weird stuff together to get weird results in ways that take me back to the days of Kirby 64, where combining abilities was amazing and novel. Oh yes, this hook looks tasty.

And of course, the art style is great. Even in a cave, with a character who is for all intents and purposes just a soft orb of slime, this show looks great! Every episode I am again floored by the wonderful art style and animation bringing this world to life.

And you know what’s the best part?

For the first month or so of watching, there were almost no boobs in the show at all!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with boobs, but in this day and age of isekai shows that are more fanservice and self-insertion than anything, I am so freaking ready to have a break from the squishier parts of female characters. We have our squishy main character, Slime-san, so why should we need anything more?

(Of course there are some more fanservicey characters and scenes later on, but it feels a lot more manageable and not just forced on the viewer from the start.)

The one flaw I hear often for this show is that the main character is overpowered, so it gets boring after a while. I can see how folks would come to this conclusion when reading the manga, but when watching the anime week after week, it feels like there is still enough tension and/or uncertainty for things not to get stale, especially when you take into account the show’s other redeeming factors. ...Plus I’ve seen plenty of shounen series go on forever with undefeatable main characters (I won’t point any fingers) so I’m not really sure what people are expecting.

All in all, if you feel you might get tired of that kind of thing, then it might be worth skipping That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, but I honestly feel like the show has so many redeeming qualities that I just can’t seem to get tired of it. I look forward to seeing how far this series may go before that happens.

Zombie Land Saga

Hey do you like idol shows? No? Well how about giving this one a spin anyway?

Honestly, I have to watch more of this show. The main thing holding me back is the fact I like it so much that I want to share it with people, and then scheduling problems get in the way.

This show is absolutely hilarious. I don’t know if the plot will ever make sense, and I honestly don’t care. I just want to see these zombie gals try their best to make sense of this situation they’re in. And of course I want to see the manager shout. I just need more of manager man’s shouting in my life. I don’t know why.

The characters are funny and endearing, all exceptionally cute waifu material, and they’ve all got their own background (i.e. previous life) to grapple with before they can really shine as idols. Their goofy antics as a group make for some really crazy shows, which is refreshingly different from (as far as I know) just a bunch of CG idol girls jumping around in fancy costumes for 4 minutes per episode.

So just give it a look. If you aren’t into it after an episode or two, that’s fair. But otherwise it is way too easy to overlook this crazy rollercoaster ride of a show.

Anyway

this post is getting obscenely long, I’m gonna wrap things up and say to go check out these shows. I think when the season ends I’ll try to put together a more cohesive overview of the season’s anime. I’ve got a few ideas.

Of course I also want to hear what y’all have been watching in the comments below. I am always down to check out any shows I may have overlooked! That’s usually how I find my favourites. So don’t be shy!

[zenruption]

Treefort Day 3 = Still Going Strong and Loving It.

by Your Intrepid Treefort Explorer Brian McKay

What happens when you’re so wiped out from walking and watching bands? You sleep until 2pm and then go do it again.

Day 3 of Treefort was bandopalooza supreme. A mixture of mostly smaller acts and some in snippets of a few songs before moving on to the next, made it the most bands I’ve ever watched in a day despite not getting downtown until 5.30pm.

Bear in mind, Treefort is much more than bands. There is art, food, beer, yoga, speakers, and more. Just as you will realize how you’ve missed this act or that act that you wanted to see, there are also other Forts you wish you had made it to. Walking last night, I was forced to confront the tragic reality that there aren’t three more of me to take it all in.

Well this music whore better get on with it and get ready to go hit it again.

After yet another tasty burger at The Owyhee Tavern (seriously, they are that good), the wandering began with another first stop at the Radioland stage. Oh, Rose, from Olympia, Washington was on stage. Fronted by Olivia Rose, this band was impressive and melodic. Olivia’s voice is the perfect ballad voice, even when those ballads peak into an aggressive sound that pulls you in. They play again today at 9pm at the Neurolux and are absolutely worth a stop in.

Non-drinking Brian still had to stop in at Alefort and see what is up. The new organizational structure by beer types, as opposed to brewers, is far superior. Having volunteered at Alefort in the past, all I could think was, “Wow. I probably still would have been able to move after a shift done this way.” The light crowds that have come with COVID make for a relaxing experience tasting all of the amazing microbrews from around Boise and the Northwest.

Ok, what’s up at the main stage. Ohhh jazz. Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, from L.A., is unreal. Wow. As a jazz lover, this was beyond. He and his band take jazz and twist it into something unexpected. They take different cultures and styles and pull them seamlessly into each other. A lute, bongos, keyboard, drums, acoustic bass, and Adjuah on a wailing trumpet, is like being transported to a jazz heaven where all of the past greats would be watching him and just saying, “Wow”. The great Miles Davis would have been impressed. This isn’t jazz, it is jazz with purpose. It is jazz that speaks of oppression and redemption. Let’s get some video up on this shit for you.

Next up was a walk to el Korah for some great music. El Korah is that kind of wonderful, old venue that has great sound and a ton of acts that aren’t on the main stage but should be soon.

El Korah was the intended stop for a band I had planned on seeing, called Waltzer, but I was more than fortunate to catch Esme Patterson. Hailing from Denver, Esme is backed simply by acoustic bass and drums with her on guitar. When listening to music, feeling is all that matters. Esme will make you feel like angels could be real when you hear her singing her down tempo and emotional songs. Writing through the pandemic, she addresses loneliness frequently and all I could do is sympathize and realize how she was expressing what I and so many others had felt the last year and a half. It’s possible that everyone in that crowd kind of fell in love with Esme during her set. Closing with an acoustic set in the middle of the crowd, the rare “crowd being totally silent” was witnessed as everyone listened for the much quieter song. She captured hearts.

Waltzer was the main act I had come to see. An invite from their label, Big Hassle, had piqued my interest after watching their videos. Letting them know this really made their day. A small act out of Chicago, they are in startup mode and you’d never know it. This is an act that has massive potential ahead and should never have a room that isn’t packed. Massive is the word for them. At times, it can feel like you’re floating while listening to them. They play again today at the Hideout at 4pm. So… yes I’ll be watching them again and giving them the full review they deserve.

Blood Lemon was up next at el Korah and was excellent. Unfortunately, two songs was all that could be mustered before having to sit in the cool, retro lounge downstairs for some relief. Again, amazing vocals. It was like el Korah hit the vocal goldmine for 3 acts in a row.

Ok, time to move. Having seen a card for Gilda House in the men’s room, hey why not? Yeah, this is how you do Treefort, see something in the bathroom and think, “I should check that out.” So off we are to the all ages venue, the Shredder.

The Shredder is just a great little place with a myriad of wild decorations and old school cabinet video games. You have to love it. Teenagers now are so lucky to have great venues like the Shredder. In another testament to Treefort, an all ages venue doesn’t mean it is just the teenage crowd. All over Treefort, ages vary widely. From kid to grandparent, this festival is truly for everyone.

This deserves a video. The last song of Motrik was unreal. Walking into the Shredder and catching only the tail end, I wished I had seen the whole set. Yet another band out of Portland, they credit some of the great old German acts, like Kraftwerk, as their influences. Oh hell ya. A kid walking out said to me, “That was fucking insane!” He was right. They play tonight at 9pm at KIN and are a must see.

Gilda House was fun. Fun and notable for the integration of heavy electronic sounds and beats reminiscent of some of the coolest synth bands of the late 80’s and  90’s. Plagued by sound problems from the mixer, only two songs were watched but enjoyed. Gilda House isn’t an act that will ever be huge and her vocal talent seemed to be a little off, maybe due to trying to ignore some of the sound issues. Nevertheless, she is high energy and enjoyable.

Wow. My feet hurt so much. A long walk to Western Proper for two songs from local party band, Lounge on Fire, was as fun as can be at the point of exhaustion. Having never visited Western Proper, it looks fun in a “I will probably meet some assholes here that make a couple hundred thousand a year think they are the shit but it’d still be cool.” Replete with mini bowling lanes and a comfortable looking bar, the acoustics aren’t great, but again… could maybe be fun some night when I’m not exhausted.

Three songs from the phenomenally fun bluegrass band, High Pine Whiskey Yell, at Pengilly’s and it’s now 1.30am. These guys are local and a blast! Check them out for some hootin’ and hollarin’.

Notable this year is how quiet COVID has made downtown Boise. Even the usually packed 6th and Main wasn’t busy. Still, young, drama couples with the girlfriend screaming, “Don’t touch me”, never go away. Entertainment can be found everywhere, right?

How many acts was that?

Chorizo time and peace out.

[smokeybrand]

Brand New Age of X

What Jonathan Hickman is doing with the X-Men is f*cking incredible. This sh*t is seriously some of the best comic writing i have ever had the pleasure of reading, in years. It’s been literal years. Look, if you know me, then you know i shill hard for Marvel but, even i have to admit, a lot of the content they were dropping in the 2010s has been wildly sub-par. I’m all for inclusion and representation but i always believe it has to be in service to the plot, to the character. Marvel got away from that and just started injecting brown people into situations that were poorly written. This effectively alienated these characters from a wider audience almost immediately. Kamala Khan and America Chavez immediately come to mind. I actually really like Miss America and thought she carried a great potential as a queer, Puerto Rican, woman who is a legitimate powerhouse but then the identity politics and agenda pushing absolutely ruined her character. The same sh*t happened to Carol Danvers when she got her big Captain Marvel push. It's like you have to abandon everything that might be seen as “problematic” to curry favor with a loud ass vocal minority, when that sh*t isn't even necessary. You don't have to ruin these charters while courting the Manbuns and Tumblrinas. It’s horrible writing and cripples any narrative you try to craft. Hickman does not fall into these traps. He has a story he wants to tell and he tells it exactly how he wants to, politics be damned.

Hickman is a pretty prolific creator, he does both art and writing but his claim to fame was that Fantastic Four run where the Future Foundation was introduced. I never gave a damn about the Richards family outside of Doom and Valeria but his narrative really drew me in. Dude has worked that magic again with his take on the X-Men. This whole Krakoa situation is so goddamn excellent, it's bewildering to think that these titles are being released by the same company which farted out that Empyre mess. Comics, as a whole, is a floundering ass industry, for a lot of reason, but poor writing is definitely the main one. This sh*t is collapsing in on itself and it's all because the content is whack. I sh*t on how hard DC wanks their Bat-Family but Marvel is guilty of uninspired profit chasing, too. Trends come and go but good, well written, well drawn, content innately carries universal appeal. You're never going to please everyone, especially in this age of outrage and triggers so why try? Just write great stories. Write great characters. Tell the narrative you want to tell and let the chips fall where they may. If it's good, it'll be well received. If it's trash, you'll definitely hear about it. Don't pander to one audience like they're the gatekeepers to all things profitable. The second you do that, everything you want to accomplish goes right out the window. Their understanding of what is “good” is too narrow, too constrictive, too shackling. That shortsightedness is always so frustrating because, again, if you write dope sh*t, the audience will come.

Take the Thor comics. Odinson's books have been excellent, ever since Gorr graced those pages. They have everything the Twatter clan looks for in their media; Representation, inclusion, and visibility. The difference in how the Thor titles go about that and, say, f*cking Disney Star Wars, is completely different. All of that sh*t the Blue Checkmarks demand is organic to the plot in the Thor books. Nothing is forced or shoved down your throat. You never feel some kind of way about what you're reading, no one is preaching to you, but those very real, very necessary, aspects are present. All of the the gender politics and PC rhetoric is in service to the characters, it doesn't define them. In a book about an extraterrestrial, half-elder god, who wields a magically enchanted hammer which commands lightning from the heavens, you have some of the most captivating examples of how to write humanity and that sh*t is astounding to me. Moreso, those books are telling good stories, overall. It's not hard to do both. The current run of Cosmic High Father Thor just threw a whole ass curve ball with some brand new Mjolnir mischief. On the other end of the scale, we have f*cking Knull. I hate Knull. Knull is Marvel's answer to The Batman Who Laughs and represents everything that is wrong with modern comics, just like it's DC counterpart. Was there potential? Sure. Was that potential realized? F*ck No. Was his power wank earned. Double f*ck no. Lousy writing is lousy and I hate it. I f*cking hate Knull and everything it represents.

Hickman has meticulously rafted a narrative closer to that tasty, compelling, richness in the Thor books, rather than whatever stupidity is going on in the Venom series, and i am here for all of it. When i heard what this cat planned to do with the X-Men, especially coming off that weird ass Time-Displaced Young X-Men nonsense and the abysmal Age of X-Man mistake, i was a little hesitant. I understood the degree of dude’s talent and the unbridled creativity he has, but i never expected things to unfold as dope as they have. House of X and Powers of X were goddamn strokes of genius. These books immediately recontextualized what it meant to be a mutant and how far these people would go to be whole. Watching Xavier go full f*cking Magneto was insane and revealing that Moira MacTaggert is a secret mutant that can go back in time, was mad surprising. I love how her plan came together and how Krakoa came to be. Moira Mactaggert, Moira Kinross as she was originally named, Mother Akkaba as she used during her stint as Apocalypse's right-hand as she struggled to preserve her people, or Moira X as she eventually claimed for herself after Krakoa triumphed, is easily the greatest McGuffin in comics and the way Hickman used her to uproot everything w know about the X-lore was inspired. Her ten lives, the futures we glimpses, were outstanding experiences to behold. I love how the Council effectively threatened the entire world into recognizing their sovereignty or outright bribed the rest of the world with mutant cocaine. I love that i gt to see my favorite characters, living side-by-side, hero and villain, with a strong bond in who they are. More than anything, i love that this entire arc has proven Apocalypse right.

En Sabah Nur is my favorite mutant in all of Marvel. He’s easily my third favorite, all-time, Marvel character after Spider-Man and Doom. Admittedly, Apoc is probably tied with fellow Muties, Magik and Talon. I've loved Illyana since her New Mutants days way back in the 80s and Laura immediately wormed her way into my favor with her appearance on that X-Men Evolution cartoon. For those that don’t know, Talon was the actual X-Codename given to Laura Kinney when she first made her way to the X-Mansion. Most people don’t know that They just refer to her as her Weapon+ designation of X-23. That was a tangent, I'm sorry you had to see it, back to my point. Apocalypse is a straight up dog. He’s lived for centuries, wields ludicrous amounts of power, and has championed Mutantkind for centuries. To see him relish what Xavier, Lensherr, and MacTaggert have built is a real joy. This was Apocalypse's dream for his people. This is what Apocalypse wanted to create. Krakoa is everything Apocalypse has fought for. Mostly. There have been revelations recently. I have budding fascination for where Hickman is next taking my dear Children of the Atom.

The first volume of X of Swords dropped today and it’s f*cking incredible. I’ve been on the fence about this sh*t because all of the preview solicits were kind f bunk. That preview art was corny as sh*t. Pretty sure i saw an Old One in the corner but none of it really gripped me. It looked poor. It looked like that old Ultimate Spider-Man, Mark Bagley art. I hate that dude’s style so I immediately checked out, though, admittedly, there were some very cool designs presented. I was instantly smitten with the draft of the original Death because of my Anubis fetish so there was at least that for me to limply anticipate. Imagine my surprise when this book dropped, the art delivered by Pepe Larraz was exceptional, and the narrative was not only outstanding as f*ck, by the entire arc is Apocalypse centered. We’re introduced to Apoc’s whole ass family in this run. His bloodline, His descendants. Dude has kids. He had a wife. He has a grandchild! There are Mutants, out in the wild, who are blood kin to Apocalypse and have, I assume, undergone the same augmentations as the rest of his Horsemen. What kind of powerhouse f*cking monsters did these people become? That, on it's own, blows my entire f*cking mind, but then we have all of the reveals about Arakko, itself. This sh*t is how you write great comics. This is how you subvert expectation. This is how you install intrigue and keep your fan base coming back for more.

Hickman's X-books are absolutely unassailable in my book. I love where he’s taking these characters. I love that Marvel let’s him play with the entire Mutant roster. I love that he’s using these toys to build some of the best stories in comics since Marvel’s last, great, narrative run. My Spider-Books are letting me down at the moment but if we keep getting sh*t as dope as the X-titles, i think it’ll be fine. I mean, Thor continues to be the best thing coming out of the House of Ideas, but Hickman is giving those stories a run for their money with his own. Hell, even Daredevil seems to be coming with some of that narrative heat as of late. His book feels far more gritty than it has in probably decades. Old Matty Murdock feels like he’s found that Frank Miller spark again but that remains to be seen. What i know for sure is that i am fully on board with whatever Hickman plans next for the world of X.

[arplis]

Arplis - News: 2020-04-26

As we all watch this incredible scenario play out, it’s safe to say that no one can really believe the far-reaching effects of this pandemic. Loss of life and livelihood are everywhere. It’s up to all of us to help stop the spread of Covid-19. People like those in the healthcare industry are doing an incredible job, putting themselves in harm’s way to help others. My sister is one of those. She is an endoscopy specialist in London usually away from the main part of the hospital. But she is now working as a general nurse with people suffering with Covid-19. Her courage – and the courage of others like her – deserves all of our respect… and whatever we can all do to help control the spread of this disease honours their bravery. For us, Christina and I have decided to self-isolate. We have elderly and at-risk friends and family, and the thought of passing this terrible illness on to them horrifies us.  Remaining isolated and continuing to tell stories and (hopefully) entertain is what we can do to help the situation. So here’s what we’ve been up to in our isolation. And if you’re also on lock-down, we’ve got some tips on how to make the most of your isolation. Stay safe, keep dreaming of distant lands… and keep washing your hands! Cheers – Jim & Christina x The hardest thing about isolating is staying indoors a lot, especially when the day’s as pretty as this. But isolation doesn’t mean you have to live like a hermit.  As long as you’re careful, avoid any close contact and choose places that aren’t busy when you go out, you should be ok.  The worst part of this virus isn’t that you might catch it; it’s that you might pass it on without knowing. That’s the part that scares us. Christina and I are lucky that we have this beautiful garden at our disposal. After a long day of being cooped up inside, we’re enjoying a delicious glass of vino and a few games of backgammon. If you have a favourite board game (not Monopoly), now’s the chance to bring it out.  It looks like Christina and I won’t be travelling again any time soon, so we’re doing some of the things that we’ve wanted to do but haven’t been home long enough to finish. My chilli plants have started pumping out crops and crops of fruit, so I’m drying them to make chilli oil. It’s very easy – find a sunny window and just hang the chillies up by their stems. I’ve used a length of picture wire. They take between three days to a week to dry completely. Then you chop them up and put them in a jar of oil. After a week or so, you should have a tasty spicy dressing. Tonight, I’ve cooked up an Indian curry for dinner. Just melting a blob of butter into the saag tarka dhal with my blowtorch. Nothing like a bit of food theatre! One thing we’ve changed that’s made a big difference to our days in isolation is we’re eating up to the dinner table more. Rather than eating on the sofa in front of the TV, this change of scenery helps with the tedium of being stuck at home. We’ve also started a new thing where we put on music that represents the food of the country. Spotify has playlists specifically for international food! Tonight is obviously Indian music, but other nights we’ve played Italian classics (That’s Amore!) for our risotto and French cafe style tunes to go with our cheese plates. It’s fun and a way to travel without leaving the house. I love getting into the kitchen and this isolation is creating the perfect opportunity.  Christina’s about to tuck into one of my signature sausage rolls for lunch. These are super easy by the way. Frozen pre-rolled puff pastry sheets and sausages with the skins removed.  Lay the sausage meat on the pastry, roll it up and seal it and whack it in the oven (180ºC for about 15 minutes). Before you cook them, these freeze really well too by the way. Cook them from frozen at 160°C for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. It’s important to keep doing the things you normally do – especially those that make you happy. Thankfully we have plenty of gin, dry vermouth and olives in the house at the moment for martini o’ clock! Back in the kitchen, I’m baking my weekly loaf of bread. You can use regular flour but strong bread flour is better. Then you can add all the seeds and things in as you go. If you’re interested, I’ll be sharing my recipe and method for baking bread later this week – though if you’re thinking of baking your own, best start hunting for baker’s yeast now – there seems to be a shortage for some weird reason. If there’s one thing I am genuinely happy about it’s my wine club subscription to Cupitt Estate. These guys – with their beautiful cellar door in Ulladulla, NSW – make superb wine and are still sending out their top picks. This is a great way to keep your wine stash topped up and also to help local producers. If you have a favourite winery, why not look into whether they have a club you can join or if they’re still delivering? Tonight, we’re enjoying a bit of cheese with one of our new wines from Cupitt’s – the Slaughterhouse Red – a Shiraz Cabernet blend – while we finish this surreal miniseries on Netflix. If you’re looking for a really weird show to watch, check out the Tiger King.  Travel tips for self-isolation So much of travel and our motivation to see the world is based on creating memories, so why not tap into those memories you’ve already made and revisit some of the incredible places you’ve been to? Whether that’s just looking through old travel photos – or even making them into an album you can have pop up on your TV when it goes on standby, or making a dish that you ate while you we were away (like the taralli from Puglia we made at home) or music that reminds of that time you were away. Here are some other clever ways we’ve found to travel without leaving your house. Visit virtual Chicago Our friends from Choose Chicago tourism board sent an amazing list of things you can see and do just with the aid of wifi. Click here to download the pdf and sit back to explore the Windy City! You can take an architectural tour of Frank Lloyd  Wright’s home, visit the beautiful Art Institute of Chicago, go into the Adler Planetarium, peer into the wildlife of the city’s zoos and aquariums, learn recipes from Chicago’s finest chefs, and even hook into the world-renown music scene here all through the click of a hyperlink. Cook along with Thai chefs and eat like you’re back in Chiang Mai The Thai tourism board – Hug Thailand – is working with Chat Thai, an excellent Thai restaurant in Sydney running live-stream cooking classes on Facebook! Every Friday at 4pm, check out what the kitchen is cooking.  This really reminds me of when we had a cooking lesson in Bangkok recently – the most fun we’ve had on the road! You also get the recipe and can watch the lesson in your own time! Get help with that novel you’ve been thinking about They say there’s a book in everyone, the only problem is never having the time to get it started.  Well, you’re at home now, so why not try your hand? If you’re not sure about where to start, how to get the middle going or what you do to finish, you should check out the online lessons from the Australian Writers’ Centre.  I did a course for feature writers years ago with these guys and it was brilliant. I’m sure their fiction-writing course is just as good. If you can’t go to the places of your dreams, perhaps you can create them.  The AWC also does a course on content creation, which is just about the smoothest segway to my last idea… Start your own blog! One of the main reasons we started Mr & Mrs was so that we could google our own lives! Having a searchable resource online of what you’ve done stops the frustration of trying to remember what you did at Christmas last year. It also started out as a creative outlet for me and a place for Christina to put her beautiful photos.  From that, I’ve turned this into my full-time job and Christina – as well as Hair Romance now runs Photography Romance with her sister Mary. There are so many more reasons to start your own blog too, and if that’s something that interests you, check out our post on how to start your own blog here. It explains the basics of starting up and has advice about hosting (use our special link to BlueHost here), platforms and domains and platforms. We hope you’ve enjoyed this Weekly Edition and that you’re safe and well. Keep your chin up and let’s hope we’ll all be free again soon! Cheers – Jim & Christina xx The post Travel without moving – an isolated lifestyle appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance. #WeeklyEdition #Isolation #Lifestyle #Travel #InstagramDiary

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/2020-04-26