#HOPE ANY OF THESE ARE READABLE SORRY

[twinliches]

wait Lew I have a space law question, how do we decide who gets to put satellites where? like I know there's thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, how close can someone put a new satellite to old ones? how crowded is that situation? and there's a buncha scientific satellites (the only space thing I know something about) that are all in very similar orbits, who gets to add a satellite to that train? do people fight over spots?

good question! generally, there is a freedom of the exploration and use of outer space, so everyone can do what they want up there as long as they don't violate any other laws - and, as long as outer space remains "free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law" (Art I OST). now, what the fuck does that mean, i hear you ask, and to that i shrug and smile politely because we are still figuring that out. outer space is becoming increasingly congested, and it's use is certainly not equal - while the USA owns HALF of the satellites in space, there are many countries who have launched no objects yet, even though many critical infrastructures depend on the access to space. you see the problem.

fights over spots do happen, especially in GEO. this is the geostationary orbit, which is 35,786 km above the equator - satellites here orbit as fast as the earth turns and therefore remains over the same spot of the earth forever, which is crucial for telecommunication (imagine adjusting your satellite dish every minute to watch TV). and those spots are very coveted, as they are very, very limited. there have been multiple attempts of the UN to regulate this on an equitable basis, none of them successful (in my opinion).

equitable access to outer space remains a huge problem and inequalities on earth are often exacerbated in outer space - which is why we need national regulation that actually implements Art I OST instead of ignoring it! (looking at you, US of fucking A)

[mintypsii]

not a part 2, but here's a prequel to this sanuso comic I did last month !!! (takes place the night before ,, technically after the first three panels)

[doubleedgemode]

Just in time before Slayer finally drops, I have finally drawn him interacting with A.B.A (and Paracelsus) because... Please Strive give them some interactions. This is going to be obsolete in like 2 days lol.

My headcanon for the exact moment where they meet again after years is that Slayer holds no ill towards them and if anything he's eager to see them again, A.B.A is shocked and feels quite wary. (Couldn't think any dialogue for her) Wheres Paracelsus gets... a bit... uneased and scared after their last encounter (don't worry, this is still part of the very new awkward meeting, I think he'd keep a cooler head later)

[theloveinc]

i love it when u talk about shinsou. like ur brane is just cooking up some wonderful stuff about this man……

not TO TOOT MY OWN HORN too much, BUT... yeah my Shinso really is the best. Or rather, I should say, one of them.

Something absolutely ferocious about him when he is depicted as beefy and stern but squishy as a gummi bear on the inside. Literally incapable of smiling but can't ever be mean to you, either (unless you're in trouble and he's worriedddd). Thick hands, even thicker heart that just bleeds and bleeds and bleeds for you and only you, HE'D LITERALLY JUST DIE IF THAT'S WHAT U ASKED HIM TO DO. Pine for one billion years if you didn't love him back.

He's gotta be kinda pathetic tho, too. Not in a... lame way, but like: his bed has one sheet on it kind of way, and there's only ketchup in his fridge... like, he sees no reason to pull himself together unless it's you who's asking (he does take care of his cat, though. I really do love a cat man more than anything).

AND SHINSO STILL GETS KINDA JITTERY touching you, at least those first few months. He's so realistic, he's like: "oh I know they can't be chased away that easily har har," but then he's kissing you and he's so scared there's a chance one day it might stop that his heart is hurting and he's making it all intense for no reason. And as you end up closer and closer together on his bed, your knee moving to straddle his lap, YES HIS LEG IS BOUNCING IT'S SO AJSDGLAJKSHFJKAHFKJAHFKJNJKHKJFHADLJKFHA and he keeps trying to distract you from looking at him too hard.

He has to blow your mind w/ that peen of his to make himself feel better about the whole thing. Like why are you hurting all day the next day for no reason and he's acting like nothing happened (except he doesn't brush his hair still asjkdfhjk).

Anyway I could go on fucking FORVER about this guy I want him 20 feet up in my guts immediately I would have 1000s of his children but he barely even wants two I NEED TO USE HIS HERO MONEY TO DONATE TO CHARITY AND HE WOULDN'T EVEN STOP ME.

Thank you, anon!!

[ilovebeingaturtle]

Besides 87 raph what’s your opinion on the other iterations just curious

Assuming you mean the other iterations of Raph? So! Cracks knuckles here we go-

First of all I really enjoy 90s Raph, just the fact? His ass keeps getting into trouble? Like first movie he’s thrown through a window, second movie he gets kidnapped by the Foot, this boy is accident prone and I love it AHA also his accent is super fun. I wouldn’t rank him tooo highly on a list of favourites? 90s!Donnie is my favourite live action turtle overall, but he’s great! And if you add on 07 as the fourth movie for this version of turtles he’s awesome, I fucking love the concept of the nightwatcher!!! And his dynamic with Casey in that movie might be my favourite version of the duo, good Raph all around pats his head

Feel like I should also add on my thoughts about Next Mutation Raph here too while on the topic of like-the live action turtles, but I honestly don’t have much to say yet AHA, I’ve only seen like four episodes so far and I think Venus is the only character I really like from it (she’s so lovely,,,my sweet daughter,,) OH also! Adding on again with live action, I think the fact that Raph is one of the singers for the stageshow tours is fucking brilliant AHA, something about him being musical inclined just feels right for me (maybe because 87!Raphael loves singing all the time so seeing other iterations do it makes me happy? Who is to say) also the suit designs are just really cute I love their goofy accessories

03! 03! I LOVE 03! One of the lamest Raph’s but that just endears him even more to me, his lines are just so. Cheesy and uncool, and they’re delivered with the gruffest thickest accent ever, it’s perfect. He’s also just such a good brother, he can be so patient and supportive, 03 has such a well rounded team man. Like the bonds are so strongggg, you really feel such a connection between all the turtles. Like I adore his back and forth with Mikey, him and Donnie’s dynamic I feel like I don’t even need to talk about and him and Leo are so sweeeeet. Oh! Also! Love how Fast Forward made him the tallest, it’s perfect boy had a growth spurt. (Oh, also I hope this isn’t cheating by bringing up 87, but I love the dynamic Turtles Forever gave him with the 87 turtles. Could it have been written better? Yes. But is the concept of him slowly warming up to them and acting like their older brother adorable? Also yes.)

I think if I’m going in release order IDW is next? In which case, YEAHHH THIS GUY! The idea that he briefly was alone after being first mutated is so fascinating, I like how it puts a new lens on his loner habits, he’s also just super caring and ah! Good Raph! Him and Pepperoni are adorable and I like how he was the one to reach out to Mikey when like-that whole situation was happening. I have more thoughts but ajshajshsjshajhs ya know-

2012 Raph is like one of my favourites, I think just the fact he’s so sweet and gentle sometimes is just really endearing, he’s the Disney princess Raph! Look at those Rapunzel green eyes, I love it. He’s also just so fucking funny, his dialogue is dripping with sarcasm he’s got quips and it’s great. Plus his dynamic with Splinteeeeeerrr was so fucked gahhhhI just love this little guy man! He’s a good little guy! Like usual I struggle to put my thoughts about 2012 turtles into words I just want to shake them around like dog toys instead

Okay so I haven’t actually seen the first Bayverse movie yet, but I really like Raph in the second! He’s fun! I really enjoyed how him and Mikey are a duo almost, they’re both team purple ooze and that was super fun. I kinda really wish Bayverse had it’s own spin-off cartoon to expand more, I think Out of the Shadows had some strong concepts and it just tripped over itself a lot AHA, oh! Also since this is kinda short, on the topic of movies I enjoyed Batman VS TMNT Raph a lot too, that scene where he talks down Batman and talks about family? Like that sold him for me, both good movie boys

I think Rise making Raph the big brother is amazing, it’s so cool to see things shaken up and his portrayal in the show really does make sense. He’s still recognisable as Raph, but we get to see how a character we love can be shaped differently by new circumstances. All Raph’s have that natural protector role but now we see how him being the ‘Leo’ would impact that-also that aside he’s just a super sweet Raph! I love how he’s still playful while trying so hard to get his brothers to work as a team, I wish we had more episodes where he tries to get them to do stupid training exercises. There’s just something so earnest about this version, you gotta love him

Mutant Mayhem Raph surprised me! If I’m honest, while I don’t find anything wrong with more violent and angry leaning Raphs they’re definitely not the iterations I personally lean to the most? 87!Raphael is my favourite so that’s probably a given AHA, but like this boy completely knocked it out of the park. I love how smug he is, this boy is honestly just happy to be here and he got quite a few laughs out of me. He’s a very well balanced mix of what has come before honestly, I’m super excited to see him in depth in the future. AND HIS WHOLE DYNAMIC WITH HIS BROS IS JUST SO CUTEEEEEE OKAY IM DONE AUSHAJAH

[mbirnsings-71]

Happy Batman day I did not want to actually draw a whole man of a bat so instead you get the shapey cryptid that is him we all know it's true that he's a cryptid totally-

[teaspoonofdragons]

i know im the only fool who gives a shit about this loser but I’m making you all deal with me. suffer

@iknowicanbutwhy compared Yellow Schezo’s cape to bug wings and I went “y eah :)”

They don’t like each other lmao. I think the worst part is that the second page is him trying to be genuine

[mimikusu]

I love the art of your new OC! Can you tell us more about him? What's his name? (Take this as an invitation to ramble about his background and who he is as much as you want, I'm interested to know more <3)

Awwww! How sweet of you to ask! And to give me permission to ramble about him! There's not that much to him, yet, but I can share a short thing I've written for them some time ago.

This is about this piece, in case someone comes across this solitarily.

Simon's eyes were empty, the smile tugging at his lips almost perfect.

"Is that so?"

He asked, looking at the man at his opposite in a way that almost scared Nikolai. There was something behind all the anger, waiting to break through, to tear the other appart and Niko could swear that Ruben did see it as well.

"Maybe we should just..."

But he got interrupted by a sharp hiss from his right.

"Nobody asked for you to calm the waves, Nikolai!"

He turned his head and now that he was directly looking at him, Nikolai could feel his heart skip a beat. Only a fraction in time and space and he could feel the strong urge to jump up from where he was seated and run for the door as fast as he could. His body was glued to the chair, however, like the prey facing it's predator. He was loosing himself into these grey eyes, behind which the never ending cataclystic rage and hate was burning down every last bit that might have been human. No affection, not a glimps of anything but anger, as if he did not even recognize who he was talking to.

"Simon, I..."

"Silence!"

And Niko fell silent.

He did not say a word for as long as it took Simon to eradicate Ruben rethorically, finally collapsing with a sneeze harsh enough to shake the glasses on the table in front of them.

"Gesundheit."

It was the way Ruben adressed Simon, fully unimpressed of the scene he had caused, that did draw Nikolai's attention. He thought Simon would have Ruben's head for this, but the man only sighed, took a deep breath and sneezed a second time before he seemed to be able to control himself again.

"Bless you. Maybe with a cold like this, it would have been wise to stay in bed."

Simon lifted his head to stare at Ruben. He opened his mouth and closed it again, uneffectively stifling a cough in the process. A fraction in time - a glitch in the matrix. His face crumpled and instantly returned to normal, his posture perfect as always.

Niko's jaw dropped almost all the way to the floor. It seemed he did not know the person next to him nearly as well as he'd thought. Simon's facade was perfect enough to make him believe he was as well as he could be. Now that Ruben had outed him, however, he seemed so obviously sick. Simon's lips were parted ever so slightly, his nose unmistakeably pink-ish and his eyes were circled by dark shadows that he'd thought to be the result of another night spent in front of his desk. There was a barely noticable layer of sweat that covered his forehead, speaking of the very bad shape his friend's health actually seemed to be in.

"Simon, did you...?"

Simon's gaze turned to Nikolai and still, there was a lot of barely contained anger, yet the way he frowned he looked much more exhausted and as if he desperately tried to fight off another sneeze.

"Goodness, Simon, we could have postponed!" Nikolai sighed.

Simon's frown deepend and suddenly Ruben grinned, placing a hand on Niko's forearm.

"Don't worry dear, you're not the only one he's very succesfully hiding these things from."

He leaned forward and lifted a hand to reach over the table.

"The way his nose wrinkles up here..." and with this, he very softly placed a finger right inbetween Simon's eyes.

Hastily - almost panically - Simon lifted his hand yet again, his body shaken by the third sneeze he'd so hard tried to fight off.

"Ruben!"

Ruben smiled and leaned back again.

"You're an open book, Simon! Whether you like it or not."

"Bless you..." Nikolai mumbled, his eyes fixated on the point where Ruben's finger had been only seconds ago.

Again, he started to question himself why Ruben knew so much about Simon, while to him the man seemed to be almost a stranger sometimes.

It was with great harshness, that Simon got up, making Nikolai almost jump with the sudden movement.

"I'm in no need for your so called 'expertise' anyways!"

"Well, if you say so..." Ruben was composure himself. Still sitting, he gazed up at Simon, who definitely looked intimidating the way he stared down on him, but he did knew as much as Nikolai and Ruben did, that he had no choice whatsoever to rely on Ruben's 'expertise' with his bank being Ruben's major client. It was a classic stalemate situation and Simon being unwilling to accknowledge it, however, did not change that fact.

"Well then..." Now Ruben got up as well. "Let's continue this talk once you got over your cold."

He smiled almost bitterly which seemed to spark Simon's rage even further. He turned around and abruptly left the cafe, leaving Ruben and Nikolai behind.

Ruben sat back down with a sigh and a frown, his eyes glistening with a curious wetness that made Nikolai feel sorry for the man. He leaned in a little closer, placing a hand on small shoulders and Ruben turned his head, his face almost distorted with a sad smile.

"Are you going to tell me now, what it is, the two of you have going on?" He asked and whiped a sole tear from Ruben's cheek.

"He's someone I used to know..." Ruben replied mystically. "In a time where things were different... before I transitioned."

There was not much need for further information and Nikolai could see how much it pained Ruben to even think of it. They were sharing a burden with this man both seemed to be magically attracted to, like rubble in his debris field.

Nikolai smiled and leaned his cheek against Ruben's in a way that he could even feel him shivering ever so slightly.

"Don't worry, love. You will be okay now. I promise."

---------- // ------------

Maybe I should add some words of explanation still.

Actually, Ruben first made his appearance in that christmas-thing I never finished... and my mind created him, because I so much suck for unrequited love. They both studied together and Simon being Simon did simply leave him behind as he decided to abond study. So, from Ruben's perspective everything was somewhat okay-ish (as good as it gets... i mean we're talking about Simon still) and from one day to the other he was just gone for good. They did not meet again, until fate made it so, that the firm Ruben works at as an accountant, asigned him to the department of the bank Simon works in, forcing them to be stuck with one another.

Also, Ruben is transgender and the moment he came out to everyone, Simon started acting weird. It would be logical to think that Simon's decision with abandoning study wasn't motivated mostly by the issues with Ruben's gender, but it was convenient to solve two issues at once by just abandon him as well as the study which was boring him to death at the time.

Finally, since Nikolai is polyamorous and Simon pretending to be okay with it, I like to think that Ruben and Nikolai have an on-off relationship, that mostly is Niko turning to Ruben in an attempt for a more warm and compassionate kind of love, thinking how Simon does not stop talking about how he's only waiting for the right woman to pass his way so he can have a family and children and abandon Nikolai for good. And the way things are with Simon and Ruben, Ruben does not know about them being together, as both, Nikolai and Simon agreed on keeping to themselfs for the time being.

Thank you for the cance! Sorry it's so long! 😭

[angeloftrumpets]

GRRAGHHH part 1

[officialpenisenvy]

I understand your point, and I deeply empathize and relate to the way you're treated in your home country and by your own family, since I too am in a very similar situation. I personally moved to a different area of the country, which is slightly more progressive but definitely not by a lot, so I also contend with the everyday bioessentialist sexism of the heteropatriarchy as well as existing as a masculine lesbian in queer spaces.

You very correctly identify bioessentialism as a problem that invests all of society, and that ends up poisoning queer communities as well. I am very strongly opposed to any essentialist understandings of gender, be it "I have female genitalia hence I am a woman" or "I have a female soul hence I am a woman": we are the gender that we are because we feel most at ease interacting with the world as that gender, and I don't think it's worth it to investigate What is a woman or a man through pointless gender metaphysics; as such, I have definitely noticed a trend in queer spaces of adopting a sort of essentialism-lite which I am not fond of.

I think something that is worth remembering is that queer spaces exist in the context of broader society, and as such they are very vulnerable to outside influence. in a heavily bioessentialist society, as virtually all western societies are, it is sadly normal that queer spaces will be essentialist in turn one way or another: when me and my trans male friend go clubbing we both get read as "nonbinary", which itself is seen as "quirky afab", and this erases both of our gender identities and lived realities.

We live in a society that is very disrespectful and invasive about people's bodies and identities, especially those that are read as female: as such, progressive people in queer spaces are going to be similarly disrespectful and prodding, unless they make the conscious effort not to be. A mother asking her daughter when she's going to have kids and a friend insisting that a masculine woman in a queer space must be secretly a man are born from the same type of disrespect, and both are wrong behaviours, but ultimately the first example is more damaging because of how it replicates and perpetrates wider societal norms about what women must do with their bodies, whereas the second example is definitely annoying and tiresome, but ultimately does not reflect a wide societal push for cis masculine women to transition into men. This push does not exist, and nobody is successfully convincing lesbians to transition in hordes: people in queer spaces rudely speculating about your gender identity when you've already stated it are not representative of patriarchal society's bioessentialist opinion on women's bodies, and while I don't doubt you felt a curiosity or pressure to transition at some point before realizing it wasn't for you (which i have also gone through myself), the only people who have the institutional power and pressure to tell you what to do with your body are overwhelmingly not telling you to transition but to feminize yourself as much as possible.

I'm not sure how to word this, but to me this is a bit like missing the forest for the trees: bioessentialism and misogyny lie at the root of every single western society and they must be eradicated, which is something we can definitely agree on; however, I think it's pointless to get angry and frustrated at posts on the internet that are clearly targeted at trans men and their specific type of masculinity, and I think such a passion would be better served by trying to eradicate essentialist mindsets in your own queer spaces by promoting a performative understanding of gender as well as respect for people's stated identities. You're very young, as am I, but I think it's far more fruitful to try and change our real-life communities than it is to get angry at the things we see on the internet, though the latter is certainly more immediately satisfying.

[grumpyoldhag]

I can't believe I finally done this :') (thank you my hyperfixation!!) please enjoy♥ edit: I hope the text is readable../// edit2: I double-checked the text on any mistakes, if there's any - I'm sorry, english is not my first language :') edit3(sorry, I keep forgetting stuff!!!): I'm totally free for any questions for this Rick! (even though I probably won't create a second page specifically for him cause bro… just one page of mine makes my head hurt enough, so sorry for that ahah).. I also love all kinds of interactions, roleplaying etc.etc., so please feel free to bother me with that! ♥

[milliesfishes]

i know it’s been forever (a day) bc i’ve been busy being my own sugar mommy (working my summer job) but i have all the thoughts

like ttpd (the song) is giving best-friends-but-maybe-something-more reader + coryo until the games and then he’s being all cozy with lucy gray

and readers over here like i know everything about you and who you want to be, i’ve been here for you all along, if u really think that any other girl will be even half the partner i’d be then good luck babe

(who else decodes you? / who’s gonna hold you? / sometimes i wonder if you’re gonna screw this up with me? / i laughed in your face and said)

im sorry in advance for all the world vomit lmao

౨ৎ꣑ৎWho Else Decodes You?౨ৎ꣑ৎ

[fem reader] contains: injury, jealousy pairing: coriolanus snow x fem reader summary: you know coriolanus like the back of your hand, and yet he runs to another girl the first chance he gets author’s note: so sorry this took forever! I needed very specific vibes for this and I hope it's good! Pinterest Board Spotify Playlist

Your sheets were silken, soft to the touch, but they felt better when he was lying next to you.

Opening your eyes just a hint, you reveled in the glow of the morning sun filtering through the curtains. Coriolanus was sprawled out next to you, remaining deep in the throes of sleep. His curls were a messy halo across his forehead just as they were every morning, and you delighted in the sight of him, knowing he'd smooth his hair as soon as he awoke.

The broad plane of his bare chest was vastly uncovered by the comforter, and you traced your finger down the bump of his ribs. The heat of his skin exuded from his body like a fire in the hearth, warming you right up just by being next to him.

Resting your chin on his shoulder, you let your hair fall to the side as you studied him like a book. If your Coryo was a genre he'd be a classic- renowned and readable if one took the time. Not many people did.

His lashes fluttered like butterfly's wings, and you shut your eyes. No need for him to know you'd been staring at him.

Shifting under you, Coriolanus made a quiet noise as he emerged from his dreams, one of his big palms rising to rest at the crown of your head. The intimate gesture was a spark in your quiet heart.

Thumb raking through your strands, his other hand settled by yours on his stomach, clasping your limp fingers in a delightful knot. At that, you allowed yourself to unfold your eyes, looking up at him in an innocent way.

Coriolanus had never been one to smile easily. His face was hardened all too often, by the survivalist ways of his life in the cutthroat world of the Capitol. But now the corners of his lips were lifting just barely upwards as his cerulean eyes drowned yours in the best possible way.

"Morning," he whispered, voice slightly raspy with the cobwebs of sleep. Coriolanus rubbed your arm and dug his nose into your hair, inhaling softly.

The mornings with him were sacred, locked away in a vault for your darkest hours. At your insistence, he stayed the night often. His trust was not an easy thing to come by, and yet you were in possession of it. You knew of his living conditions, of the Snow's maintenance of their surname's image. It was a gift how at ease he was with you. So much so that he was able to slip smoothly into unconsciousness with you right there in his arms.

Friends. Best friends. That was your title and yet you were tangled in the sheets of your bed like lovers. And you couldn't ignore the familiar flutter in your heart when he peered down at you, usually icy eyes softened.

"Can we stay here all day?" you questioned in dulcet tones, tracing a patch of his skin. "It's so cozy."

"We've got to get to the school," Coriolanus shifted, sitting up in the bed and bringing his hand to his forehead. "The Reaping-"

"Yes," you murmured, rubbing his side. Your satin-like hair was a waterfall over your shoulder as you propped yourself up on an elbow. All Coriolanus had been able to talk about was the Reaping in the past few weeks. Ever since he'd been selected as a Mentor.

It was a high honor, although it came with a heavy price. To groom a child for death as a spectacle was no easy thing. You had opted out of the selection of students poised to be mentors, personal fear and heartache for the soon-to-be victims eating at your psyche.

You were privileged in that way, you knew. Coriolanus didn't have a choice if he wanted any hope of attending the University. He was proud, your boy, refusing to accept even a penny from your family's expansive funds. Through your late father's investments, you could have paid to keep the both of you comfortable in a penthouse in the city, tuition and food the furthest of worries.

Watching him now, donning his dress pants and shirt, lacing up his too-small shoes, you wished he would let you help. The white shirt was exquisite, clandestine work by Tigris- his fashion-centric cousin. Coriolanus had a talent for making anything he wore appear regal- a byproduct of his last name no doubt.

Rising, you disappeared into the closet to find a dress appropriate for the event. Though you were not a mentor, all students at the Academy were invited to the celebration. You would have begged your way in anyways, eager to watch your best friend receive his tribute.

Rifling through the selection, you decided on a black number with thin straps, hugging your figure and flaring out subtly toward the bottom. Removing your nightdress, you tossed it over a chair and stepped into the other garment, zipping it up as high as you could.

When your fingers were unable to stretch any further, you poked your head out, calling, "Coryo? Would you help me?"

His shoes clicked on the wooden floor as he approached, one hand steadying you on your waist while you drew your sheet of hair over your shoulder. The zipper crawled up your spine as he closed the gap between fabric, reaching over to brush your hair back behind you when he finished.

The mirror positioned in the corner of the room painted a picture that passerby couldn't possibly guess the context on. Coriolanus and you cut a striking pair, making your foolish heart leap at the idea.

Squeezing your shoulder, Coriolanus left you to ponder at your reflection, digging through his school bag for something. It had been a miracle you'd been able to convince him to spend the night at all with how meticulous he was. But your honeyed musings about how he needed a good dinner and night's rest before the ceremony had won him over. Before you'd known it he'd been passed out under your blankets with a belly full of roast, lulled by the motions of your nails scratching his head.

Inside and out, you knew him, had memorized him better than any textbook passage, could unravel his tangled secrets quicker than any detective. He took your heart by storm.

Slipping your feet into your shoes, you picked up your purse and checked your recently finished makeup one last time, casting a glance at Coriolanus, who was fiddling with his curls again. You capped your lipstick with a snap, dropping the tube into your bag and turning to him. "Ready?"

When he looked at you, his oceanic eyes held a promise of storms. You reached your hand out and took his, offering the tiniest smile. "It's going to be okay."

Closing his eyes briefly, he inhaled once and gave a single nod. If you'd put your hand to his chest, the stampede of his heart under it likely would have worried you. The tendrils of hope crept between you as you tried to will your words into him.

Sticking his hand into his bag, Coriolanus withdrew twin flowers you recognized as his grandmother's precious roses- the special rooftop ones reserved for special occasions. Snapping the stems, he fixed one behind your ear, thumb featherlike. The gesture swelled your chest and warmed you from the inside out. "For me?"

"The Grandma'am insisted." There it was- that almost smile that told you the flower was coming from him too. Coriolanus steadied it in your hair, the petals brushing you like a kiss.

"Thank you," you whispered, touching your lips to his cheek. A slight flush brightened his face, and he looked away as your hands came to the one of his holding his own rose. Gently easing it out of his grip, you fastened it to his vest, taking care not to scratch his white shirt with the pin. Ironing out invisible creases with your hands, your eyes found his once again.

Friends. And yet it didn't feel like it. Not one bit. Electricity seemed to crackle in the line connecting your gazes, and you swore something flashed across his irises. The rose didn't mean nothing.

Half-dazed, you tentatively unearthed the feeling stored in a drawer stuffed to the brim with secrets. One more passionate and powerful than you were used to stood tall above the rest.

Though it was strong, it revealed itself in memories; quiet, simple things so delicate they could be gone in a blink. This feeling was rain pattering against the roof, it was flowers blooming between the cracks in the sidewalk. It was blue eyes and golden curls and a try-not-to-smile that arranged itself in a way that bloomed through the walls of your heart.

Somehow you had known what it was all along. And yet now its foretelling had come to pass.

What if he loved you too?

The Reaping was a lilted event highlighted by the revelation of Coriolanus' tribute.

District Twelve. You could have strangled the Dean lost in the throes of his beloved drug for what he'd so obviously done: set Coriolanus up for failure. From where you were sitting you could see the resignation on his face as he watched the Lucy Gray Baird in her rainbow dress part the raggedy crowd like the Red Sea.

Then she slipped a wriggling snake hidden by her hand down a girl's dress, and your attention was piqued. Bold. Maybe there was optimism yet. Coriolanus stood sharply; eyes glued to the screen as he watched his tribute dragged up the stage by stone-faced Peacekeepers. The mayor's hand struck her face, and she fell to the ground graceful as a ballerina, hair hanging over her cheeks.

And then she began to sing. Lilted as a bird's song, clear as a bell, her voice rang over the crowd, rich enough without background music. Lucy Gray's chorus needed no accompaniment.

The entire hall was entranced. Your eyes tore from the sight, instead watching Coriolanus. Even from where you were sitting you could see what you'd tried to instill in him only hours ago.

Hope.

The time following was a film reel of interconnected pictures. In later days you would recall them and only be able to see brief flashes of memory.

Coriolanus behind the bars of the Capitol Zoo's cage. Lucy Gray Baird standing tall and proud despite her forced surroundings, her rainbow dress a bright contrast to the rest of the setting. He had told you his plan to greet his tribute, but you'd had no idea of his exertions until you saw him on the evening news. Even if his Academy uniform hadn't been such a bright red, you would have known those curls anywhere.

She was stunningly lovely standing beside him- a flower of adversity if there ever was one. A flower with a song. Speaking of flowers, one of his was tucked behind her ear just as it had been with yours the morning of the Reaping.

A pang echoed in your chest at the sight of him, holding hands with her and greeting the citizens of the Capitol who'd come to gawk at the forced participants of a cruel game.

You had turned off the television at that, bringing your knees to your chest. He was just helping her. That was his job. He only wanted her to trust him in order to reach his end goal. Was it manipulative? Maybe. But it wouldn't matter if she won. It would be good for the both of them.

Coriolanus kneeling beside Lucy Gray, sharing a sandwich with her. You hung back behind the crowd, having accompanied him but not wanting to scare her away. He spoke in hushed tones to her, and you watched with a sinking heart as a smile split his face like a sunrise at something she said. A full smile.

After that, you saw him rarely. He was either at the zoo with her or at home writing things up both for the games and for school. Coriolanus used to do all his work with you by his side.

The media outlets were fond of showing him and Lucy Gray, reporting on the Snow boy and the songbird. You had tried to ask him about his affiliation with Lucy Gray, but he assured you it was pure strategy. He didn't know you loved him, though.

Coriolanus hadn't spent the night since the Reaping. The side he usually slept on grew cold. It still smelled like him, and that was a haunting thing. Whenever you asked him over he cast a net of excuses, claiming he needed to go see Lucy Gray in the morning or that the mentors had a strategy meeting.

As you stared up at him, with his eyebrows drawn taut, mouth no longer offering even a half-smile, a feeling of dread awoke in your heart.

Avoidance was your friend in the next week. The buzz of the games was impossible to ignore, and your feelings became matted in a bloody tangle. Tidying your room, you found little things he'd left behind. A pen, a spare shirt, a notebook. Opening the cover of the latter, you saw his neatly scribbled notes. For a moment you pretended it was a love letter.

It all came to a heading after the attack in the arena.

Everything was a blur after you received the news. Your feet were moving before you knew it, stumbling down the stairs. The driver on the way had to have been breaking every speeding law, but it still wasn't fast enough for you.

You didn't have any idea how you made it up to him. There was no recollection of asking someone where he was, or even a room number. But somehow you were at his side, taking his clammy hand in yours and collapsing to your knees beside his bed.

Tigris told you in a hushed way of how rebels had somehow bombed the arena, how there was a fire and rubble, and Lucy Gray had pulled him out of it. His leg had been in worse shape earlier, but it would heal soon.

A surge of gratitude shot through you. Thank heavens for Lucy Gray. Coriolanus was stirring now, his hand gripping yours as his lids revealed those oceans you'd missed so badly. And now his half-smile was back. He murmured your name and you could have burst into tears.

"You're okay," you murmured, other hand coming up to smooth curls back from his face. The way you knew he liked it.

"What happened...Lucy Gray..." he muttered, sitting up. A cold feeling of disheartenment washed over your heart. You opened your mouth to respond when the sound of music echoed from the hospital television on the wall.

There she was. The answer to his question. Lucy Gray's voice poured from the scratchy speaker, singing about a tale of lost love, paired with her guitar.

Coriolanus swung his legs over the side of the bed, getting to his feet nearly in a trance. His lips were parted, eyes fixed on her. Donations were pouring in, likely the most of any other tribute. The look on his face was of pure awe. It was as if he'd watched an angel descending.

Your heart sunk below your feet. Tears pricked your eyes as the chilling fingers of want gripped your arms, pulling you back into the shadows. He was falling for her.

It hit you like a punch to the gut, and you wanted to curl up on the floor beneath you until the ground opened and swallowed you up. Your love was a disease now that you didn't want to cure anyways. Even if you did, there wasn't one in sight.

The program ended, and Tigris excused herself, telling you both she was going to find something to eat. You sat at the chair beside Coriolanus' bed where he'd resumed his spot, despondent in the chasm of your thoughts.

She didn't know him like you did. Every hidden desire and pain of his fit into the palm of your hand, and you protected them just as he did. Time had slipped through the cracks and buried you, every shred of history with him flashing through your mind.

Walking to school together. Him coming from a particularly hard class to where you were sitting and resting his head in your lap. At your family's dinner table, trying not to overindulge. Asleep beside you, whispering that he felt safe.

You had been in front of him this entire time, holding him and loving him beyond everything. And yet here he was, running to a girl he knew so little of. Sabotaging everything you wanted to give him.

Even through all this, you couldn't find it in yourself to hate her. Lucy Gray was in the business of making it out alive. Whatever means she used to attempt a win were out of survival.

It was as if you'd pricked your finger on one of his rose's thorns. As you looked at him, you had the thought that he was drawing out of reach. Your Coryo was nearly lost to you and there was hardly anything to do.

He looked up at you, reaching for your hand. Letting him take it, you kept your eyes on his face, thoughts distant as he spoke.

"I think she has a chance," he said, voice bordering on excitement. "I think she can win. It'll all work out."

Bittersweet, you nodded, eyes falling to the floor. "You make a good pair." Every word was soft, and you avoided his eyes.

"Hey..." Coriolanus squeezed your hand, and you raised your gaze back to him. His features were drawn in a sincere way, and your demeanor lightened just slightly at the sight. "I want to get the prize. Go to the university with you. That's what this is all for."

"You look at her differently than that." Pursing your lips, you stood and let go of his hand.

Coriolanus frowned, throwing aside the covers and standing. "She might be the answer to all of this."

"That's fine," you said, turning away. "If you want her-"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, taking your elbow and forcing you to turn and face him. "I leave my things in your room. I gave you one of the roses...you're special to me, you have to know..."

"Then why have you abandoned me?" you questioned quietly, the tension between you thicker than a rope. "You're letting go."

"I'm doing all this for you," he emphasized, and your eyes widened slightly. "You..." he swallowed; mouth pulled tight. "I need you. If you ever left...I don't know what would happen."

Usually you had to comb through the depths of him eyes to find what he was feeling, but now it was right at the surface. Brimming and calling you. What he felt wasn't nothing.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Coriolanus demanded, holding you by both arms now. His words were not aggressive, but worried.

A thousand things stemmed from your core and climbed your being like vines on a stone wall in a secret garden. Fabled to act, more likely to yearn, your feelings bubbled and churned in your ocean of secret lives. Maybe once you would have poured your soul out to him, but the words were withered from lack of use.

"You weren't mine," you said weakly, leaving it at that. "Not mine to have or to lose."

Something changed in his face. He loosened the bands of his hands on your elbows, instead taking one of your hands and putting it to his heart. It beat a steady rhythm against your palm, that quiet assurance that he lived. Searching your eyes, Coriolanus breathed, "I think I've always been yours."

A myriad of scars and knotted emotions emerged in you. All these hours, all of what had seemed like tricks. And there had been something there the entire time.

You felt it right then- the connection. He was a tongue you spoke fluently, and now you were grateful for it. It sparked a fire in your soul that encased a promise echoed in his eyes.

He loved you too.

[leidensygdom]

hello!! i love your art so much, your colors are beautiful and your characters are just so 👁️👁️ and i adore seeing them on my dash :)

i had a question about how you do the details on your fabrics: how do you keep the patterns on clothes on a body looking so,,, clean and readable while also making it make sense on the form under it?

like the cape/sleeve(? idk what it is but it looks cool as hell) on the magnolia commission pattern looks so cool and it's still readable on the fabric (like, if i wanted i could probably do a silly sketch of it) BUT ALSO it seems to make sense with the folds so it doesn't just look unnatural and stiff?

i'm so sorry this is kind of a long ask but like. would you be down to talk about your process for patterns on clothing? it's cool if you're not, that's totally fair, just figured i'd ask

have a wonderful day!!

OOOH Thank you so much for the ask!! I wanna do a more in depth tutorial, but I tend to make patterns in two different ways, with one being fully hand-drawn and the other playing with mesh transforms or the... Uh, liquify CSP tool? Let me find examples

This is an example of a fully hand-drawn pattern. No trickery here- Only trying to eyeball everything. It's kinda a lot of work to draw it manually, but it's the more convenient option if the character I'm drawing doesn't have files for the patterns, or if the files are a bit too different from my usual style, as they could potentially not look great with my linearted or painted style

And then- For cases such as Nolia's cloak, I did the entire pattern as a separate file, then placed it using Photoshop's mesh transform!

Here's a WIP file from when I placed all the patterns after finishing the lineart, where you can see them in full contrast. I tend to keep my patterns in different files- The black parts here are not joined with the base color of the cloth, so I can bring nice highlights and texturing when they're meant to be golden inlays, for example. Now, the Photoshop mesh transform is a bit finnicky to use, and I don't have any proper step by step of it- I could potentially record how I do it someday. But let's take the humble cylinder and demonstrate it quickly:

So, the mesh warp tool is the one on the right- You can see these sort of blue lines creating a mesh. I'm sure CSP has it in it's pro level or something? Correct me if I'm wrong. You play around with the different sections, move it to the right place, and put it on the cylinder. This is a very simplified form. You can make many subsections to your meshes (that's 3x3- you can have stuff such as 20x20) for when you have multiple folds.

And then you can just shade your pattern accordingly so it fits the volume of the drawing, and- ta-daa!

This is by no means an easy method. Sometimes you can get away with the Liquify tool (which CSP has and it's very decent), which I've used when the pattern in question was over a simpler surface with few folds. It takes some practise to use that well, and it isn't gonna be the best for complex ones, but it's also an option. Let me do a lil compilation of some patterns I've done and which tools I used for each!

The tool I use highly depends on the time I have, the level of finish for the drawing, and so on. CSP's liquify is probably the fastest but gives simpler results, drawing them manually works better with some styles and more organic/less geometrical patterns, the mesh tool takes a bunch of time but it's great for small repeating patterns that are meant to be very precise or geometrical.

If people would be interested in it, I may someday do a video tutorial of me doing a pattern and then putting it over a folded cloth. I do hope this can help a bit tho!!

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Hi, first of all I wanted to say that I really appreciate your blog. Your political ramblings are always fun to read and still have the seriousness they deserve and I particularly like that you reference your sources, images and so on.

I did want to ask about those sources: how do you find them? Just a general internet search about a theme? Or some journals you read regularly (keeping in mind that medias have to be read with the context in mind of course) maybe even other blogs?

thank you and in any case I wish you to have a lovely day!

Hello! Thank you so much, this is so kind! Political blogging is something that just sort of happens to me. I never mean to do it. I'm glad others enjoy it anyway

Sources: so, there's a mix. I think I might have mentioned this before, back in the midst of Clownfall, but my husband is a Doctor Who nerd who, many years ago before social media was really much of a thing, joined a Doctor Who mailing list. There, he met many other nerds, and became friends with them.

They were a bit older than him, so grew up and got jobs and that before he did. Some of them became legit Doctor Who writers, like Paul Magrs and Lance Parkinson; but others, crucially, became political journalists. These people are now among the top political journalists in the land, so Steff gets tremendous amounts of news from them; previously on Twitter, and now on Bluesky, he therefore gets to see a lot of the headlines and memes and the like as they happen.

But, yes, a lot of it is also Google searching and hunting down sources that are as reliable as I can get them. I have a fair bit of professional practice at that part. A big thing is that modern newspapers often link back to previous articles about events that built up to whatever scandal you're researching, which is very helpful for making sure you get the background before you jump in; I also like cross-referencing between two or three reliable publications to see what details are generally agreed, and then making sure to link to the specific sources for anything that's only popping up once.

In my case, I also write these to be a bit funny? So that they're readable by people who are otherwise turned off by the dry wall of text presented by traditional politics reporting. So, I also amass a collection of memes and things by (a) getting my husband to save any he likes on Bluesky, and (b) checking the outputs of political comedians to see if they've produced anything fun. I got a LOT of mileage out of Michael Spicer's the Room Next Door sketches when trying to illustrate what various UK politicians were like.

In the case of yesterday's Korean martial law post, that was a bit trickier than normal because primary sources were obviously Korean (in which I can only say hello, yes, no, thank you, sorry, wow, and amazing). So, I did more cross-referencing than usual. If I could find three agreeing on a fact, I chucked it in (insofar as that was possible) - the times where that wasn't an option, I tried to include photo or video. But also, that was a broader strokes post than I'd normally do. In terms of the speed of development and the twists and turns that developed, it was possibly equivalent to Liz Truss' fracking vote? Which, if you compare the two, way more detail went into Truss because I was much surer of the sources. And, of course, that one was about my own country's political meltdown; I knew more already.

Anyway, I hope that answers your question. Have a great day!

[ccrisalright]

Kinderronpa: Loop's End (Kindergarten x Danganronpa AU)

Let's keep the party going, over and over and over.

Hey! This au is a joint one with @greyzanticz, who completed half of the refs! My previous post was deleted because it only had half of the designs (the ones I made). Sorry for any confusion!

At the moment. this au is just gonna be refs and the occasional doodle from me or Grey, but there are death orders, motives, backstories, and a plot mostly laid out.

I'm not gonna spoil anything, but if you want to know anything about the characters, relationships, ect, I'm more than willing to answer asks (answers would be ran through me and Grey).

This au might become a series of posts with the plot, it might become a readable script, a video series (unlikely), or it could become nothing. But I hope you can enjoy the art me and Grey have made either way!

(Also we might add the KG3 people officially after the games out, but no promises)

Anyway, to the main event:

When 13 gifted students are accepted into the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy, they expect a normal school life.

Of course, that's not what they recieve.

How will they fair in a killing game, run by a duel personality apple, filled with weird robots who act unusually humanlike (including an ultimate herself), and what feels like infinite secrets to discover?

Well, spoiler, most of them die.

Who? When? Why?

Guess you'll have to stick around and find out!

Someone worked real hard to give you all a good show, so grab your popcorn, and enjoy!

:)

[raffa-taff]

do you have any alphonse fic recs?? I'm literally starving for any fanfictions that recognize the complex character he is and dont sideline him. please.

Hell yeah brother I got recs

Sorry for the wait!

These are just some fics I enjoyed reading (or from what I remember anyways), most of these are angst or some kind of hurt/comfort and please mind the tags🙏 I don’t think any of these recs have super heavy material (again from what I can remember but still). I’ve highlighted my faves in orange (hope that doesn’t cause readability issues) this will also probably be a long post sorry!

Most of thornbacks fics are pretty good in terms of how Alphonse is written, I don’t think they’ve done any fics centred on only Alphonse but every time I read a thornback fic I like how Alphonse is written in them, and in most of their fics Alphonse and his feelings are never really forgotten which I appreciate.

“Simple things” by PrinRue over on fanfic.net (I love this one so much, it’s still going atm too!. It’s not solely Alphonse focused but it does have like Alphonse focused chapters if that makes sense and I love them so so much and there’s a lot of great writing for Ed, winry and even pinako which is always great, it’s my fave fma fic atm)

“Close your eyes I’ll be here in the morning” by alphonselrics ( I read this one a while ago so I can’t remember much of this fic aside of bits and pieces here and there but I remember getting so excited every time I saw it had updated and that I enjoyed reading it a lot. Fic focused on als recovery. )

“You don’t have to go through this alone” by September bugs ( another post promised day Alphonse fic, with some parental riza and Roy thrown in. Mostly about Al struggling with his body and being overwhelmed by his regained senses, sweet ending :] )

All of the fics in “Alphonse elrics guide on how to spend your sleepless nights” by c_c_cherry (I always find myself going back to read this series every once in a while, the second one with riza is my fave)

“Musicology” by DeadlyGlacier ( just a really sweet Alphonse and winry fic )

“Of hospitals and health” by ReminiscentRevelry (post promised day fic with Al and Roy talking in the hospital )

“50 ways to explain a suit of armour” by kastaborous ( I remember finding this one pretty funny and an enjoyable read, there’s also an Edward variant by the same person I’m p sure)

“You can do that?” By waddlesthejoghog (gay Alphonse Elric, need I say more?)

“I fell in your arms tonite” by LAON (Elric brothers Ough💔)

“The fullmetal alchemists” by RoboticRainboots (not exactly only Alphonse focused but Ough Elric brothers again)

“Sherman, the rock” by Bookwrm389 (Alphonse being silly, I love him, and Elric brother banter. Mostly a humorous fic)

“Little wonders” by ADreamingSongbird (nice Alphonse and winry fic)

“You’re the only song I want to hear” by ADreamingSongbird (amazing fic, really, really good. Delves into how Alphonse feels just after being transmuted and does it really well in my opinion. I remember reading this one for the first time and going back to re-read sections because they were so good to me. Makes you feel really sad for Alphonse and the horrible things he must’ve been going through post transmutation and actually made my chest hurt those first couple times reading it, honestly can’t recommend it enough, if you read any fics from this list please let it be this one. Very sad but with a little nice moment with Alphonse and winry at the end)

“What” by bees cheese (silly fic from an outside perspective of someone listening to Ed and als convo)

“Life where we all are” by elkatt (hughes and Alphonse 💔)

“Dignity” by FollowerOfMercy (lovely fic, really, really like it, has some angst and takes place in the early days post-transmutation. Alphonse trying to regain a sense of humanity💔 and moments between him and pinako, my fave)

“Camping and cussing” by wakingnightmares ( silly sibling banter that makes me smile)

“Chasm” by AnEquivalentExchange (takes place after the scar fight)

“Touch” by TwitchySmurph (little fic taking place a bit after the transmutation)

“The old tomorrow doesn’t exist anymore” by Alphonsevebop (long fic with an interesting plot, focuses on Ed and winry too but I remember liking how Alphonse was written and being excited for updates)

“His little brother” by plateofpie (very sweet and I remember liking the premise of this one, feels realistic too, which I liked)

“An armoured cage” by plateofpie (really liked this one but I felt so bad for Alphonse gah💔 love reading fics about how people react to Alphonse and what he looks like in the armour. He’s still so young too and I feel like he’s written really well here, Alphonse oughhh💔 takes place during canon and focuses on the kind of attention Alphonse would probably get due to his armour and how he feels about it)

“What makes a human” by Emmmmy ( focus on Roy and Alphonse. Really like how Alphonse is written in this one, he really feels his age and the back and forth with mustang is so enjoyable to read imo)

And that’s all!

I apologise if this was too long but I wanted to make sure that I had some good picks for you since Al-centred fics can be hard to find, these are just some of my faves, I think I might have more actually but I can’t remember. I also apologise for some of the rambles next to the fics too but some of them are so good I just have to and I felt it might be a good idea to give a basic rundown of some of the fics anyways. Okay byeee! :]