#I firmly believe everyone can draw them however they want

[miumiumandoodz]

the only correct way to draw them:

Beelzebub has to fit in Gabriel's pockets

Gabriel has to be kaiju sized

Gabriel has to have ultra yaoi hands

Gabriel's head scale to his body is 1:36

[dragon-kazansky]

Bridgerton shade of blue

Benedict Bridgerton x Female Reader

Benedict bumps into you, quite literally, at a ball while trying to escape his mother's attempts to find him a partner. You decide to humour him with a dance, not realising just how entwined you would become with him. It seems the universe will find every excuse to push you and Benedict together, no matter how much you fight it.

{Masterlist}

{Previous Chapter} - {Next Chapter}

Season one

Chapter Eight - Sparkling diamond

♡♡♡

Benedict joined his sister, Eloise, out in the garden again long after the other had gone to bed. She was smoking on the swing like last time.

As Benedict takes a seat on the opposite swing, she passes him the cigarette. He takes it.

"I found bits of your sketchbook in the fireplace," Eloise says.

"Are you spying on me now?"

"You'd actually have to be interesting for me to bother spying on you," she chuckles.

"The drawings in that sketchbook were abominable," he says firmly. "I could not stand to look at them."

"I believe that is why they call it a sketchbook." Eloise looks at them. "I write in my diary, which is not the same as wiring in my novel."

Benedict chuckles.

"It must be very difficult to want something and not be able to get it."

"Eloise..."

"If you enjoy drawing but need practise, then practise," she goes on. "Hire a drawing master. Find a young lady to act impressed."

You cross his mind. However, he doesn't want you to act impressed. He wants you to be impressed by his work. Genuinely so.

"If you desire the sun and the moon, all you have to do is go out and shoot at the sky. Some of us cannot.

"Look no further than Lady Whistledown. She possesses a huge talent for writing, and yet she must hide away and publish under a false name."

"Yes, because if anyone knew who Whistledown truly was, she'd be strung up for what she said," Benedict states.

"That is not my point. Whistledown is a woman, therefore she has nothing, and still she writes. You're a man, therefore you have everything. You are able to do whatever you want. So do it. Be bold."

Eloise envies her brothers.

"At least that way I can live vicariously through you." She rises to leave.

"Eloise... are you Lady Whistledown?" Benedict asks.

Eloise laughs.

"You're an accomplished writer, always scribbling in that diary of yours. You certainly know everyone else's business. You have more opinions than anyone else I know in London. You would have my full support and admiration either way, sister."

Elosie laughs again.

"So... is it you?"

"No." She looks at him. "Though if it were... do you honestly think that I'd admit it?"

Elosie heads back inside.

Benedict is left with his thoughts.

♡♡♡

The ballroom was elegantly designed. Soft shades to light up the room. You find yourself without a dance partner, however.

Prince Friedrich was in the middle of a dance with Cressida Cowper.

The duke was standing sternly off to the side with Lady Danbury. They appeared to be talking quietly, though judging by the stern faces, it was not a pleasant conversation.

You find yourself gently, and you admire the room. Benedict wasn't here. You couldn't see him at all.

That is not to say you had gone unnoticed. You glance to your left and find a perfectly suitable gentleman looking your way. You smile softly and turn your gaze away.

Tactics of flirtation were not completely out of your power.

Before anyone could make a move, however, the doors at the top of the stairs opened. It wasn't so much the doors that caught everyones attention, more like who had come through them.

You swear you all breath left you when your eyes landed on Daphne coming down the stairs with her mother. She was wearing the most beautiful silver gown you had ever seen, and her hair was beautifully done. She looked like, well, a princess.

In her hand was a feather fan. It went beautifully with her attire. She began to descend the stairs.

All eyes were on her.

Prince Friedrich was at the bottom of the stairs. Not once did he look away. You watch with interest as Daphne gets closer, closer, and closer to him.

The prince leaves Cressida's side to meet Daphne at the bottom stair.

The duke does not move.

Daphne stops.

"Miss Bridgerton, I simply musylt have your first dance." He speaks to her softly.

"It would be an honour, your highness." She curtsies.

A moment passes between them, and then you watch as Daphne drops her fan. Just like that, the prince kneels down to pick it up.

The prince kneeled.

You don't even realise the soft gasp you let out as you watch.

Prince Friedrich offers her the fan, and she takes it. She smiles at him and then gives the fun to her mother as she takes the prince hand.

They dance.

The duke leaves. Though he turns back to look at Daphne before he goes.

In the words of Lady Whistledown, why settle for a duke when one can have a prince?

♡♡♡

The invitation to attend the boxing match came from Anthony Bridgerton. You were rather pleasantly surprised by his invitation.

Anthony apparently needed some help to keep his mother quiet about finding a wife for himself.

You laughed.

You follow the siblings until they reach the prince. He approaches Daphne, but greets you, also. You curtsy.

Anthony then offers you his arm. "Shall we?"

You chuckle and take it, allowing him to lead you over to some seats. As you settle, you turn to the eldest Bridgerton.

"Where are you brothers?" You ask.

"My brothers? Currently talking to one of the fighters." He gestures to the edge of the ring where you spot Colin and Benedict.

You don't even notice you're smiling.

"You and my brother seem to have grown rather close." Anthony points out, looking at you.

"I can assure you there is nothing untoward. Your brother is my friend, as are you all now." You smile at him.

Anthony chuckles.

"Benedict seems to have a lot on his mind at the moment. I am not one to get in the way of someone's business."

"Smart woman," Anthony chuckles.

You nudge his arm lightly and wait for the fight to begin.

As the match is announced to begin, the other brothers find their way to you and Anthony. Benedict looks rather surprised to see you. "I had no idea you were attending."

"Your brother invited me to keep your mother off his back. It seems that is all I'm good for." You chuckle.

"No true, but appreciated none the less," Benedict comments.

You smile, and he takes the empty seat beside you. It does not go unnoticed that you keep your arm looped with Anthony's. He doesn't comment on it.

The fight is intense. You gasp with every hard punch. The men around you cheer on their victor.

You had never witnessed such a match before, and you would be lying if you said you were not somewhat into it.

As the crowd stands, you stand with them and cheer along with the Bridgerton brothers. William Mondrich was their friend, and he was putting up hell of a good fight.

Benedict finds it amusing how excited you seem to be.

Mondrich wins!

You cheer along with the brothers. You laugh at the excitement. It was a thrilling match, indeed.

Anthony helps you down from your seat and speaks close to your ear so you can hear him. "We're off to collect our winnings. I shall see to it you get home right after."

You nod and thank him. As he leaves to fetch his earrings, Benedict turns to you.

"Did you enjoy that?"

You chuckle. "I did. Surprisingly."

"I must say, I did not expect to see you in attendance."

"I am full of surprises."

Benedict looks at you quietly for a moment. "Yes. You are."

You smile and look away. However, his gaze lingers on you for a bit.

Later, the Bridgertons see to it that you get home safely before they head off to the club. A place for the gentlemen only.

Anthony helps you up into the carriage and thanks you for humouring him today. Yo return the gesture and wave as the carriage leaves.

Colin has to nudge Benedict out of his thoughts.

♡♡♡

@callmemana - @lilscast - @imgondeletedis - @benedictbridgertonss - @clownsdiehard - @wxnterwidow333

@sillynilly27 - @autumn-slaves - @ben-has-arrived - @ajdelilah - @aadu2173

@booknerdlife - @tamlinrose - @sarahskywalker-amidala - @cheryyluv - @louschan - @lou-la-lou - @cultish-corner

@hopshusushi - @katherinejess - @nannabug - @afunkyfreshblog - @f0x33 - @dd122004dd -

@jupitervenusearthmars - @orchiidflwer - @bespinnn - @captainlunaxmen - @winchestersimpalababy - @acupnoodle

@ms-fandomgirl - @fablesrose - @anyaisinyourcloset - @meowzerzstuff -

[raguiras]

SKETCH COMIC: Deuce/Yuu at the beach

Reblogging is highly appreciated! 🥹🙏

AAAAA finally another Spade of Storms post! Today is their 150 days anniversary, so I just HAD to post!! More coming soon ^^

♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤

NOTE: My Yuu is named Allen and primarily uses he/him pronouns. However, I tend to change this in comics for general insert purposes.

Part 3 of the relationship timeline (= how they finally got together) below the cut!

More ship content

Previous parts of my Deuce x Allen ship introduction: 1 // 2 // 3

Deuce x Allen blog: @spade-of-storms

Event where you can draw this ship & get art of your own ship back :3

♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤

Relationship timeline (pt. 3)

♠︎♤ POST BOOK 7 ♤♠︎

By now, pretty much everyone at NRC knew that Deuce and Allen had a thing for each other, and many people even assumed that they were a couple already.

Nobody could blame them, though: the two boys were not only inseparable and constantly smiling at each other, but also extremely touchy nowadays. Having built unparalleled levels of trust and being incredibly comfortable with each other, Allen and Deuce did more and more together, eventually even cuddling in public on the regular.

One day when Deuce had done incredibly well on a test, Allen gave him a cheek kiss out of sheer euphoria. This absolutely made Deuce bluescreen and he later rambled to Ace about it — it was his first ever kiss!!! Did Allen like him back?! Did this kiss mean anything?! Would it be okay for him to give Allen a kiss as well?!

When they were watching a movie together in Allen's room, Deuce decided to spontaneously kiss Allen's cheek, too. The blonde boy got incredibly nervous as he had not expected this in the slightest — after all, he was "disgusting and unlovable" — and simply laughed it off.

Another time, Deuce was comforting Allen during one of his low moments. As Allen went on about how much he hated his body, Deuce was basically rendered speechless and could reply with nothing but sincere compliments on Allen's appearance. This warmed the Ramshackle prefect's heart a ridiculous amount... did Deuce really mean it? Was Allen actually beautiful to him...? Why was Deuce not growing sick of complimenting him and instead always sounded genuine...? After a quick gaze was exchanged, Allen suddenly found every area of his face other than his lips being covered in gentle, soft kisses. "I'm here for you. You're so beautiful."

These happenings caused them to occasionally kiss the other in various places (except for the lips) — yes, including their necks — which shocked everybody due to the physical distance both held with other people. However, it was still strictly "platonic" as neither Allen nor Deuce dared to say a thing. Everyone around them was losing their minds in the meantime — how could they act this lovey-dovey with the constant cuddles, gazes and kisses and STILL not be a couple?!

Deuce was convinced that he was way too average for someone like Allen. Despite the Ramshackle prefect's many flaws, he was the embodiment of perfection in Deuce's eyes. Allen would definitely want someone prettier and smarter, right...? Deuce surely couldn't compare...

Allen, on the other hand, still firmly believed that he was not only ugly, but unlovable, undeserving, and easy to replace. In his opinion, he had to be absolutely perfect in every way to be a worthwhile partner, and his crushing fear of rejection held him back anyway.

Both boys were terrified of destroying their friendship through a love confession. While they strictly avoided the topic of the rumors and of them potentially getting together in each other's presence, both Allen and Deuce secretly rambled to their friends and were desperately searching for advice. No matter how often everyone told them that the other one definitely liked them back, neither of the two teenagers could/wanted to believe it.

Sometimes, Deuce and Allen even talked about their crushes together, describing them to each other's face in hopes of them realizing that the other one was their crush. However, this backfired A TON: neither could believe that the described positive traits applied to THEM, and instead, Allen firmly believed that Deuce was crushing on someone else (and vice versa).

Ace couldn't stand it anymore and forced Deuce to gift Allen a red rose to test the waters. While the Ramshackle prefect did want to believe that the gesture was of romantic nature, Allen instead decided that it was a platonic souvenir from Heartslabyul's gardens — after all, Deuce had described his crush as "beautiful, kind and the most perfect person he had ever seen", which SURELY couldn't have been Allen...

Deuce didn't know what other hints to drop (outside of the fact that he regularly gave Allen gifts, complimented him a ton, got touchy with him despite hating it with other people, was eager to hang out with him all day, and literally KISSED him). Allen simply appeared to be oblivious to absolutely everything.

One day when they were cuddling on Allen's bed while watching a movie, Deuce yet again planted little kisses on Allen's neck and spontaneously decided to be bold, asking Allen if they could finally kiss on the lips. The Ramshackle student blushed and was taken by surprise, but obviously agreed. Their first kiss was innocent, loving and downright PERFECT — both felt as if they were about to explode — until Allen brushed it off as "practice" with a sad chuckle. Deuce's heart was broken within a second.

Allen was so heavily traumatized and convinced that he was unlovable that he genuinely thought Deuce wanted to use him as practice for his future relationship with the aforementioned "perfect, kind and beautiful" crush. Deuce thought the same about Allen — so this wonderful kiss was only practice for the blonde boy's upcoming relationship with his crush, huh...?

Both yet again talked to their friends in search of help, but all they got was further reassurance that the other one DID like them and that there was simply a massive misunderstanding.

At some point, Deuce couldn't wait anymore. He loved Allen more than anything and he NEEDED him, but Deuce knew full well that he'd likely get too nervous and stumble over his own words if he confessed to Allen in person. Instead, he decided to gift the boy another Shiba plushie, place it in front of Allen's door, and attached a letter to it.

Unfortunately, this also backfired. Allen was convinced that the letter was a prank; he was convinced that someone was impersonating Deuce and recreating his handwriting with magic in order to give Allen wrong hopes and possibly destroy the friendship he had with Deuce (however, Allen did keep the letter and plush Shiba). When Deuce heard about this, he was even more saddened — what did he have to do for Allen to realize that he was not only worthy of love, but actively loved by Deuce? What did he have to do for Allen to realize... that Deuce wanted him more than anything else in life? There was only one way left...

Deuce planned the confession in detail and even practiced in front of his mirror. He bought twelve red roses, two matching gumball machine rings, and another plushie. Additionally, Deuce also wrote a second love letter.

He then invited Allen to a blastcycle tour, which the Ramshackle student obviously agreed to. When it was time for them to go, Deuce showed up at Allen's window and blasted "Baby" by Justin Bieber at full volume, and once inside Allen's room, Deuce gifted him the bouquet. But this time, Allen couldn't just mentally brush it off as a platonic gesture — he saw the desperation, sincerity and love in Deuce's eyes, and took the flowers with a bright blush while nervously thanking Deuce.

The two teenagers went off to the beach, with Allen holding onto Deuce tightly as they rode the blastcycle.

When they arrived at the beach, Deuce's heart was pretty much beating out of his chest. After a short walk, the blue-haired boy gathered all his courage, breathed in deeply one last time, took the gifts out of his bag, and went on one knee in front of Allen.

Allen's heart was beating out of his chest as well. He couldn't deny it any longer, his insecurities couldn't deny it any longer — this was indeed a confession.

Allen opened the letter and teared up immediately upon reading Deuce's sweet words. It was another sincere love confession, this time handed to him directly by Deuce. There was no excuse and it couldn't be mistaken for a prank. The Heartslabyul student kneeled in front of Allen, looking up to him with the most desperate, nervous puppy eyes — Deuce wanted nothing more than to date him.

Allen couldn't believe it yet and started crying. Deuce actually loved him... Deuce genuinely wanted to be with him. All his life, Allen had been told that something like this was impossible... but here he was now, being confessed to in the sweetest way by the sweetest person he had ever met. He was loved.

Deuce slowly got up to comfort Allen, but instead, the Ramshackle prefect initiated a kiss. This time, it wasn't "practice" — it was their first genuine kiss as a couple, and it became one of their most treasured memories for both of them.

They were officially together now... and little did Allen know that they'd stay lovers for the entirety of their lifes.

"I love you." — "I love you, too."

Deuce and Allen had fixed the mistakes of the past; Allen's previous incarnation had died before Deuce's got the chance to confess. And in their next lifes, they'd be together as well.

They were destined to find each other in every universe.

♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤♠︎♤

Fun fact: There are 3 Spade of Storms days.

22th March: The day when I first decided that I want them to be together in an old rp server. It was likely the first official confirmation of the ship, and it was 150 days ago.

20th May: The day when they got together in the canon lore.

27th July: The day that's exactly in between of their birthdays (3rd June & 20th September).

Thank you very much for reading! 🥹🥹

[oxymorayuri]

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟸 – 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠 | 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑔𝑎𝑟 𝐷. 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑎𝑤 ✘ ♀ 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

Story: The princess of Tanata (Long Fic)

➽ Click on this link to see all chapters.

Spoiler: none

Warnings: none

slowburn with plot

Wordcount: 5816

Text in italics emphasizes the reader's thoughts

Have fun, kiss kiss ♡

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝟸 – 𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠

The weather on the sea is stormier than it has been for a long time, but you love to watch the spectacle on the sea. No matter how wild the sea is, you could fall asleep on the spot. You close your eyes for a moment because the smell of the rain is just so soothing. You hardly get wet on the huge branch, of the even larger tree. You enjoy the sporadic and cool raindrops on your skin. You listen to the waves crashing against the cliffs. You don't even notice how you slide down slightly. It was already too late when you opened your eyes again but you were able to grab a vine just in time. Your white dress is partly sticking to your skin and partly blowing in the wind. Once again, you will be late.

"Grandpa won't like the way you look (y/n)" you chuckle to yourself as you put your free hand in front of your mouth and continue to hang on to the vine with your other hand. You swing back and forth on the vine to get back on the branch. Actually, you just wanted to do your task quickly and then go back to the village for the ceremony, but even as a child you were always drawn to the sea.

You still need some momentum to reach the branch when suddenly a sound appears in the sea. Your gaze wanders to the sea while you hold onto the vine with both arms.

Something unbelievable is happening before your eyes.

A huge, shiny, yellow vessel??!! - appeared from the depths of the sea? What is that? Your eyes filled with curiosity now look up at the sky and watch the shiplike part fly into the air. It's a little further away, but you can clearly see an icon on the side. A grinning face? Your breath is taken away. This symbol looks familiar, but one small detail is missing from that grinning face.

I swear by the gods of Tanata that I've seen something like this before.

You thought with a fixed gaze, not a word leaves your lips while you are hanging on the vine. You've seen navy ships, and you know your father came to the island with a ship, but their ships looked very different from the thing in front of you. Both in style and construction. Your father and his crew were archaeologists who explored the island because your land is rich in treasures and ancient history. However, they never expected to come across a forgotten civilization that lives in peace. And as life sometimes is, your father fell in love with your mother and for a long time the whole crew lived in the village and everyone was happy.

.. -Was happy-

Your father and his friends, who explored the seas, told you and your people many stories about the world. They bragged about their adventures at festivals and it was always a highlight for children and the curious. They told of all the different creatures on other islands or in the sea. You always found sea kings interesting and Nagi, your father's navigator, drew you a wide variety of sea kings. You've still kept Nagi's drawings safe, as it’s just a relic from your happy childhood. Sometimes your father wanted to talk about pirates and the battles they won against them, but the subject was taboo according to your mother.

Grinning, you think back to the time when your mother was always angry with father when he talked about pirates. She didn't want me as a child to hear about what kind of heartless people exist and what they do to their own species. Our people are good natured, and we firmly believe in the good in all souls. This was appreciated and respected by your father. Your father loved mother's kindness. Unfortunately, your father wasn't the last experience with some kind of outsiders. This brings you back to the familiar symbol that brought up all your memories.

Pirates.

Are they the same!? The same horrible people from 10 years ago?

The symbol triggers fear in you.

A rather crashing splash brings you out of the past, because with a force the thing crashes back into the sea and after it has been briefly swallowed by the surface of the water, it reappears.

"Okay, I'll just take a quick look at this! Only very briefly. They could be hostile people or even worse, pirates!" After all, you are something of a guardian or goddess of this island. You should definitely know what this vessel is all about. At least that's what you tell yourself, so maybe Grandpa doesn't freak out too much.

Slowly you let yourself slide down the vine, until the end. Nevertheless, you are still about 100 meters in the air, but that doesn't bother you. You just let yourself fall and be caught by huge plants that you can -move- with your devil fruit power.

Once on the ground, you quickly straighten your veiled sleeves, which always slip because the sleeves are attached to hoops that are around your upper arms. You look down on yourself. Your skirt is slightly wet and a bit dirty at the bottom, but that doesn't matter now. As you make your way to the cliffs, you hope for the best.

Hastily you move through the dense greenery. The island is your home and you know your way around. Gracefully you jump over every obstacle, swing with a vine over one of the many rivers that flows trough the island, until you reach the edge of the massive forest. Behind you are trees so big that you can hardly see into the forest, as the picture disappears into a deep green.

Barely set foot out of the forest, you encounter the salty breeze of the sea and the rain of the storm. You squint your eyes as you get used to the cool air on your skin. Your hair blows lightly in the wind. It's always warm in your forest. All life on the island is protected from wind and weather as the forest becomes denser at the edge, but the sun always finds its way to the ground and provides a tropical climate. The cool breeze doesn't bother you, quite the opposite. You love this difference, the unknown as well as the sea. The rain, however, is much heavier than it is in the forest.

Your eyes scan the sea in search of the unknown object. Weren't you fast enough? You ask yourself as you slowly walk to the edge of the cliffs. Crouching you look into the depths, but the yellow thing is nowhere to be seen, only the stormy sea as it rushes against the cliffs. You look to the right and see that one of the few caves in the rock walls is open. An entrance that you and your people have barricaded.

There are some entrances on this cliff island, these are actually river paths that lead from the sea through the island. However, this offers opportunities to get to the island. For many generations, these entrances have been closed and opened once a month to renew the water level. Since the island is something like a bowl, it doesn't take long for the rivers and lakes to fill up and then all entrances are closed again. Through the brilliant craftsmanship and knowledge of your father and his crew, the people have managed to make the traces of the entrances invisible. But that's not the only reason why this land is so pristine and protected. The regular storms off the island make mooring impossible, the danger of crashing into the fallen rocks is too high. The island exists on the map, but despite aids it is not possible to navigate here. Various natural phenomena hinder orientation. It is lucky to find this island even in good weather. You have a guess about the whereabouts of the unknown object. A few steps back, you turn on your heels and hurriedly run into the forest. You'll have to search the river and you're almost certain you'll find the Yellow Wonder. You're so soaked by now, but your blood is boiling. You're excited, you're scared, but your curiosity is what makes you boil the most. In the distance you can hear the water flowing, it occurs to you that too much water will enter the valley due to the storm, especially since only one entrance is open. You put your fingers to your lips and whistle into the distance, after a while a paradisiacal bird appears with magnificent colors and as big as a cat.

"Thank you for coming, Hetius." You gently stroke the bird's magnificent plumage and then reach into your pocket. You take a pen and your diary out of your shoulder bag. You quickly write on one page that a gate in the north is damaged and sign your name. You don't mention the Yellow Thing. You don't know yet if there's any danger, but your grandfather would send out soldiers right away.

You tear the page out of the book, fold it, and put it in the tube strapped to the bird's foot.

"Hetius, my faithful friend, please fly to Grandfather as fast as possible and deliver the news. I'll reward you fairly later," you wink at the bird, which chirps happily. These paradisebirds are animals with character and even if they are loyal, they will make you feel it if you forget the reward.

With one last chirp, the big bird takes to the air and without wasting another second, you dedicate yourself to the search of the yellow thing again.

In order not to be discovered, you decide to continue searching from the branches. You want to climb up the tree whose bark is as smooth as it is slippery, but that's not a problem for you. You put both hands on the tree and take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Branches of different sizes and curves in the bark quickly grow alternately, turning the tree in front of you into a climbing wall. Quickly you climb up, to where the first real branches start to grow. Since the trees here are quite close together, it is easy for you to jump from tree to tree. Further and further along the river you will see the yellow construct in front of you. It's bigger than you thought and you now notice that things have changed a bit. It now looks a little more like a ship because sails have been stretched out with the grinning face as a print.

Father had secretly told you that the pirates call this picture on the sails and flags their Jolly Roger. So they're actually pirates. You eye the ship sceptically. On the deck you see a few people in funny suits, who follow a certain workflow and you watch the spectacle from above.

The door of the ship opens and a tall, slender man in a white hat and black dots steps out onto the wooden deck. Close behind him follows… a white bear walking upright!!

Your eyes sparkle at the sight, your cheeks all red because you are so delighted.

Today is such an interesting day.

In front of the man from just now, gather three people. One woman and two men. Everyone wears these unusual suits except for the man with the hat. They salute him as he explains something to them with his arms crossed. Too bad you don't hear them. Apparently, the speech is over, because the three set off in different directions, while the man with the bear are going towards the bow and looks down. Apparently, the river is too narrow at this point and they are stuck. You'd like to get closer, but the risk of being spotted is too high. Even if their Jolly Roger made you feel uncomfortable, you no longer feel fear while watching the people on the boat.

More people come out the door, all in different, flashy clothes. You realize that there are two women among the group. But you don't see their faces because they have their backs to you. Opposite the women are two men, one with green hair and the other with blond hair. The green-haired man turns away from the three of them and walks towards the man at the bow. You watch as the people in the suits prepare a ramp to go ashore. The two women and the blonde guy leave the ship and look around. You lie flat on the branch to make yourself as small as possible while the two women come towards you.

Quietly and quickly you jump to another branch, which is closer to the ship. Even if it's risky, you want to take the risk. You definitely have a better view of the 3 people at the bow now. The bear is totally upset and hobbles back and forth, something seems to be wrong. The sight of the bear makes you giggle without realizing that you are still standing and since you are so close to the ship, this is very careless.

Your laughter suddenly stops and you quickly lie down flat. You just noticed that the green haired man is looking up at you and the heads of the other two are following. Nervously, you hold your hands in front of your mouth. With sweat on your forehead, you hope no one has seen you. Carefully you peek down the branch, hoping that their eyes are turned away from you. Unfortunately for you, all three of them look at you and the two men reflexively grab the swords they are carrying.

You get up abruptly because of their reaction. Do they want to harm you? Do they want to fight? The tension is broken when an incredibly loud noise appears. It sounds like a wave is coming towards us. The gaze of the 3 men goes forward and you follow their gaze. Already from here you can see what a monster wave is coming to all of you. The bear screeches in panic, while they are still frozen in place.

You wanted to take advantage of the situation and understand it when you heard a loud and deep voice.

"ROOM!" comes from the man in the hat. Now, you take a closer look at the man and stop again. With an interesting movement with his one hand, he stands quite calmly on the deck. His other hand holds his sword, which he leans against his shoulder. Amazed at what's next, you didn't really notice a kind of blue dome covering the entire ship. Astonished, you wonder what it is. The call of the green haired man takes you out of your thoughts.

"Oi! LAW! Nami, Robin and Sanji are already on the island. We have to get them back, otherwise they are in danger!"  He notes. Your gaze goes in the direction where you last saw the three. They are still there, looking at the plants and the surroundings, looking as if they are not aware of the seriousness of the situation.

You bite your lip as you look back at the ship. The dome is slowly getting bigger. What will the man do with it? Can he save them all?

You think about what you're doing and as you become more and more aware of the sounds of the water, you grit your teeth and close your eyes.

One moment you were still on the branch and out of nowhere you appeared on the deck, right in front of the men.

Surprised, the green-haired man takes a step back, hands on his sword again, ready to attack! You look directly into the eyes of the man in the hat, who just looks at you calmly as the mysterious space around you grows.

Ice cold gray eyes scrutinize your being. How the hell did you get down here so fast? With his eyebrows furrowed, he stares into your (e/c) eyes but he quickly concentrates on the wave again.

"tcht" Leaves his lips as he grimaces.

You quickly turn towards the wave, which seems unstoppable from now on. Slowly, you raise one hand. From the side you hear a women's screams. Obviously the others are back and know what the situation is. Your complete concentration is on the monster wave in front of you. You have to concentrate because it will take a lot of your energy. With a sharp breath you pause for a moment and focus on the sound of the wave. You feel the size and it feels like the weight of the wave is on top of you. With your eyes closed, you wait for the perfect moment. Just when the right moment comes, you open your eyes and whisper a tender:

-Freeze-

The shouting of the people on the ship stops. The bear is still running in circles in panic. The man, who was called Law by the green haired man, looks at the frozen wave with slightly dilated eyes. The wave stopped on the spot... right in front of the ship.

Slowly, with a friendly smile, you turn to the people who have slowly gathered. With a snap, the huge wave evaporates and small drops of water fly through the air. Silence on the ship. Some are just completely amazed at what just happened before their eyes. This huge wave is just gone. Even the bear slowly realized that there was no longer any danger.

Some eyes look at you with curiosity but the eyes of the two men in front of you look at you with scepticism. Your smile never leaves your lips. You think about how to break this awkward silence. It's starting to make you a little nervous. You're all alone in front of all these people and who knows who else is in this ship. Just as you wanted to open your mouth, the man in the white polka dot hat speaks.

“Who are you” … this was more of a demand than a question. You thought to yourself. You look at him in surprise, a little outraged at his boldness. He on the other hand just looked at you casually.

His gaze seemed so intense… so… attentive?

His sword still rests at his shoulder. The green-haired man steps to his side, his hands on his swords. Your attention is now on him, as you may have to defend yourself.

“We know you’ve been watching us, so answer his question.”

Is that a threat? Well… now it's getting fun. You think for a moment and quickly find your words. With a small smile you say, “Where I come from, you introduce yourself before you ask the name of the person you’re talking to.”. You put your hands on your hips and look with a smile, from the green-haired man to the silent hat-wearer. He just looks you in the eyes silently and a small grin appears on his face.

A somewhat arrogant grin.

“You can call me Law.” – “My name is Roronoa Zoro” The two introduce themselves without any further comment. Nice. Apparently they have some manners.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is (y/n).” You place your hand on your chest as you bend over slightly. You don't want a fight. On the one hand, you want to know what they want here, and on the other hand, you're just curious. You don't feel like fighting, even if you can fight.

Zoro’s posture takes on a more relaxed stance. The other three who previously came out of the ship with Zoro, have now joined them. One of the women, a little younger and with orange hair comes a little closer to you.

“You helped us, I would like to thank you for that!” Even when she expresses her gratitude to you, she seems slightly tense. You look over the crowd, in general they all look a bit tired.

“You don’t need to thank me, that was the best solution in my opinion.” You smile gently at her.

“OOOOH MADEMOISELLE! I thought I was going to drown because of the wave, but now it's just your beauty that's washing me away!” With a somewhat shrill voice, their blonde comrade kneels and woos you. You nervously try to keep your distance, your cheeks slightly red.

“I thank you for your... words…? But you don’t have to come so close to me” You cross your finger in front of yourself and everyone can tell that you’re embarrassed. You look pretty cute with how embarrassed you are about the situation. You look away from the blonde and notice how Zoro and Law are visibly disgusted. Yupp. You find this cringe too.

“SANJI DISTANCE!” The orange haired woman shouts and hits him on the head. Rubbing his head, the blonde man steps back and lights a cigarette. You breathe out in relief and your cheeks return to their normal color.

“My name is Nami by the way” She smiles at you as she clasps her hands behind her back. You find her very endearing for a brief moment, but Law's commanding voice takes you out of the moment.

“Can you tell us where we are right now?” You look into his strong, gray eyes “You are on the island of Tanata. Didn’t you come here on purpose?” you ask.

Are they just lost? You secretly hope...

“To put it briefly, we are more like shipwrecked people.” He answers you. You won't lose the feeling that they must have been through more than just being stranded. You look around. Almost everyone suffered injuries.

“You said we are on Tanata?” The second woman, who has been quietly observing everything so far, looks at you expectantly.

“My name is Nico Robin.” She smiles softly at you, and you smile right back.

"Yeah right. It is extremely rare that…” – “(Y/N)!!!!” You hear it calling from the forest. You also know who the voice belongs to. It is, of course, the voice of your uncle… the commander of the Kings army. The soldiers surround the ship and are ready to attack but your uncle raises his hand, signalling that the soldiers should stop and wait for his order. With just a few jumps he stands on the deck and comes towards you with heavy steps.

“I greet you Commander Zelos.” nervously you say and bow slightly to your uncle.

NOT. GOOD! You panic a bit.

I should have known that Grandfather would also send the army! I was so distracted by my childish curiosity.

As you bow, you bite your lip. You didn't expect that. If only you had a little more time to figure out whether they are friends or enemies.

“I’m listening.” his stern voice startles you and you stand bolt upright. You scratch your head tensely as you suppress a nervous laugh. You look into his eyes and give your uncle your sweetest smile, which would make everyone melt.

“I… got lost…” You clasp your hands together and shamelessly lie with puppy eyes. Your uncle is actually the sweetest person, but he takes his job as commander very seriously...

However, he always had a weak heart with you.

He exhales in annoyance and reaches behind his back, where his huge battle axe is attached. He turns to the strangers and taps the ground with his long handle, making a loud, dull noise.

“I give you the chance to leave this place without a fight. If you refuse to leave this island as quickly as possible, we will make sure that you leave the island or die." The aura around my uncle seems threatening and the situation is so tense that you can hardly breathe.

“We have several injured people and one person on board whose life is in danger. It was not our intention to come to this island. However, we cannot leave immediately because the ship needs certain repairs. We don't necessarily want to fight either." Nami tries to defuse the situation with her words while she pokes Zoro in the side with her elbow as he is already in a fighting position.

“Someone’s life is in danger?!” you startle, looking worriedly at Nami’s face. She nods slightly.

"We are pirates who fought in the decisive battle of the Navy and the Whitebeard Pirates, and Law and his crew helped us out quite a bit." Sanji explains further as he blows out the smoke from his cigarette. Your uncle listens quietly to their words. He knows these people will only be trouble, but he also sees how worried you are. He already knows what's coming and he doesn't quite know how to prevent it. Because even if he is a commander, your rank puts you above him.

“Zelos, did you hear?” Hastily you grab his arm and look up at him. “One of them is very badly injured. I will help them. You know I can’t neglect my duty!” you press him as he rolls his eyes.

“Are you going to talk to the king?” What do you want to tell him?” He belittles you with his questions. You don't actually want to talk to Grandpa because the reason is beyond childish. You just don't feel like they're bad people, but your grandfather the king wouldn't accept that. You let out a heavy puff, but you don't want to admit defeat.

“I don’t like saying that…” You take a step back and straighten your back and elegantly clasp your hands together in front of you. Your determined gaze meets your uncle.

“...But you leave me no choice, Commander. I, (y/n), order you to leave with the soldiers. I will offer my help where I think it is needed. If you can't follow my decision, I would like to remind you of something important in life..." You look at the many strange faces who are watching the situation somewhat perplexed. A grin lies on your lips. You slowly walk forward to one of the injured people on the ship. You walk closely past Law and Zoro, whose eyes are on you as you calmly walk towards a young man. He wears a cap that has the word -Penguin- on it. He quickly looks left and right and blushes when he notices you walking straight towards him.

A really beautiful woman approaches him. Beads of sweat flow like a waterfall down his face. Your face is as beautiful as it was created by the gods. One step and he could smell your probably delicate and gentle scent... you're that close to him. Your gaze is on the untreated wound on his cheek. But the young man, without you really noticing, gets it aaaaaaall wrong. He must believe that you are looking at his lips. It's literally steaming out of his ears.

“Hey, what are you going to do to one of my crew members?” Law grumbles dangerously, now standing by your side and his sword firmly in his hand. Your uncle responds, standing on your other side with a tight grip on his axe. He watches Law very closely so that he can react in case of doubt.

You give Law your warmest smile before turning away from him. Law's eyes widen slightly, a flicker goes through his eyes. He briefly closes his eyes and relaxes his body as his eyes follow you again. Everyone on the ship watches intently.

You place your hand on the man's cheek where the wound is, calmly breathe in and close your eyes. The young man is startled when he feels your warmth and a feeling of well being spreads throughout his entire body. His cheek is slightly warm, and you open your eyes again, removing your hand from his cheek.

“I believe in the good in people’s hearts until they prove me otherwise.” You speak out loud as you look over your shoulder at your uncle. Your mother had said similar things to your uncle when they were children… You're so similar to her, he thought. Satisfaction appears on your face. The young man touches his cheek in disbelief, his wound has disappeared. With widened eyes, everyone looks at the man who was previously injured.

You turn to your uncle.

“Can you follow my views, and will you join me in believing in the good in people?” You asked him confidently. Your uncle gets down on one of his knees and lowers his head.

“Of course, my Holiness” – “Rise Commander” you say to him while touching his shoulder with your delicate hands.

You happily clap your hands once to break the silence.

With your eyes closed, you grin to yourself and say the following words, slightly embarrassed.

“I am very sorry for the way we welcomed you. We rarely have strangers here and prefer it that way. However, I didn't want to judge you too quickly and get an idea of you first. Please be our guests. I want to make the unpleasant situation better and offer you my hand.” With your last sentence you turn to Law, who looks at you intently. You hold out your small hand and give him a bashful smile. He hesitantly grabs your hand.

His handshake is firm and yet his hands are soft. You look at his hands and see his tattoos. “Death” is written on his knuckles.

- How gloomy-

Your gaze wanders back up, only to notice Law still watching you. With slightly reddened cheeks, you let go of his hand. Law's eyes are still on you as he begins to speak.

"We accept the offer. However, our submarine is still stuck.”

“Hmmm, that’s true,” you replied thoughtfully with your hand on your chin. “We probably won’t find a solution so quickly, but it’s safe on the island since the entrance is closed again.” Zelos speaks. You turn away from Law who has switched his gaze from you to your uncle and you do the same.

Nami arrives carefully and raises her hand slightly as if she wanted to say something important.

“That all sounds very good, but there are quite a feeew people… where should we stay? And apart from that, our captain is very seriously injured. If you can really help, we should get to your doctors as quickly as possible. Luffy has been through a lot and was even recently poisoned. Chopper and Law did their best, but Luffy still suffers,” she says, a little embarrassed and very worried.

Questioningly, you put a hand on your hip and look at the young woman with a slightly furrowed brow.

“What is a doctor?”

“EEEEEEEEHHH???!!!!” It sounds like a choir on the ship.

Eyes literally pop out of everyone's eyes. You said you could help, and you even made the man's wound disappear??? Pure confusion spreads across their faces.

In the corner of your eye, you see Law looking at you almost disturbed. How are you supposed to help without medical knowledge? He is aware that you have, somehow, healed one of his members. He's not entirely sure how you did it, but he definitely wants to find out.

You're not sure, but did you really just see Law smiling a little mischievously at you? You dismiss the idea; you probably just imagined it. You turn your attention back to Nami.

“We don't have any -doctors- but I assure you that I can help you. Please trust me” With an optimistic look, you grab her hands and squeeze them gently.

She remains motionless for a small moment but can't help but sigh softly as she looks into your kind face.

“We have no choice at the moment and I want to trust you,” she replies with a smile and returns the pressure on your hands. You grinned at each other. A clearing of someone’s throat brings you back. Your eyes go to your uncle, who was the one clearing his throat.

“It hasn't been decided yet where you want to accommodate all your guests.” Your uncle says with a raised eyebrow. “I already have an idea. I'm sure you won't like the idea, but my mind is made up." Everyone can tell that you're close. It seems very familiar between you and the commander. You give the tall, menacing man a cheeky grin and turn around.

“We should get going.” You look up at the sky. “The sun will soon set, the storm has subsided and I do not wish to become the prey of a Cerberus. The forest will be getting reaaally dark and you can't see well. With so many injured we are easy prey." - "There are Cerberuses here???" Robin says with interest. “Yes, and they are dangerous when they hunt in packs.” – “Okay guys, get ready to leave, secure the ship and prepare to transport the Straw Hat. You heard (Y/N). We shouldn’t stay here.” Law interrupts you as he calls out to the group.

The crew runs around hurriedly. Just like before when you were on the branch, you are observing a systematic process. You watch with interest as the sails are lowered and the ship is secured. Your uncle puts a hand on your shoulder, but your gaze doesn't look away from the scene in front of your eyes.

"I'm curious to hear what you'll say to Father." He speaks so quietly that only you can hear him. You recognize that teasing tone and nudge his side with your elbow.

“Grandpa may be the King, but I am the Holy Princess.” You wink at him.

Zelos is sure that HE will face the consequences, but how can he say anything against you when your face reminds him so much of his sister - your mother -. You don't have her fine blonde hair, but your face looks so much like hers and you definitely have the same personality. The same mind, the same compassion, the same curiosity in the heart. Your uncle rolls his eyes and huffs. You're bold and you definitely didn't get that from your mother... you got THAT from your father! But your father also gave you good qualities. You have become a strong woman even if you don't look like one.

From the outside it would look like the commander was annoyed, but you just laugh at him because you know he loves you like a father.

The door of the ship opens again and out comes a few crew members with a person on a hospital bed. You see a quite young man; he doesn't look good. There are bandages everywhere that are stained with blood in some places. He is white as a sheet and even from where you stand you can see the shadows under his eyes. It makes you so sad when you see someone suffering.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

See you next time, kiss kiss ♡

➽ Next chapter

[adeliniel]

SFW alphabet | Iorveth

No one ever asked for it, but I wrote it anyway. Dear tumblr, just incase you wanted some Iorveth fluff, here it is! Happy weekends^^

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?) 

Not a fan of making out in front of others, but doesn't hide his affection either. Holding hands or just holding you in his arms are absolutely normal things for Iorveth.

His true nature, though, comes to life when the two of you are left alone. Gentle and passionate kisses, touches all over the body, words of love and adoration and so much more. This elf has a big passionate heart and it stores so many feelings.

B = Body (Their favourite body part of their partner, why? Do they like touch?) 

He admires all of you, but your back is something that always draws Iorveth’s attention. He remembers you being younger and smaller, and with just looking on your back he can tell what a long way you’ve come to become who you are and how strong you are now. 

C = Courtship (What do they do to take your attention?) 

You have known each other since you were a child, so it all just happened naturally, when you grew up. The biggest show of his interest to you reached when Iorveth started dancing with you only during elven feasts and different celebrations. Even if the celebration will go for the whole night, he will prioritise you amongst everyone else.

D = Domestic (Are they the type to settle down with you? Are they willing to help with chores? What is your daily routine with them?) 

Despite the path Iorveth chose for himself long ago - to fight for the freedom of elves - deep inside he dreams more and more about a place he can call home. With a warm campfire, food always on the table, simple and steady life. The time is passing and Iorveth is getting older and more sentimental too. Although he's not sure, he'd be able to sustain a lifestyle like this, he definitely would like to try it with you. 

E = Espousal (Do they want to marry you eventually? Who proposes to who?) 

Yes, eventually, Iorveth sees you as his dearest spouse. Maybe not right now, as he’d like to believe that better times are lying ahead, and there’ll be more time and opportunities in the future. He’s also well aware that it might never happen as any of you can die any day, but the thought of having a family gives him hope.   

F = Fragile (How protective are they of you? If they are, how do they show this?) 

Iorveth knows well that you're a great and careful fighter. Yet in his sleep he dreams about a peaceful life where Scoia'tael don't have to fight to survive anymore. Any time he loses you out of sight in battle, his heart skips a beat. If only he could protect you from all of the misery of the world...

G = Gifts (What type of gifts do they give their s/o? Do they like receiving gifts?)

Elf doesn’t have much to give you, Life of an elven rebel didn’t bring him any wealth, rather the opposite. He and his squad are struggling to afford basic stuff like food or new armours and weapons, what to say about something luxurious. Iorveth realises it well, and sometimes sadness hits him hard, when he feels that you deserve better than this poor miserable life. Yet still he’s forever grateful that you choose him every day and that you stay.  

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?) 

Not so huge on hugs at first, simply doesn’t remember how it feels. However, grew to like it really quickly. The feeling of someone warm and completely devoted to him is something incredible he hasn’t experienced for years. When you hold him back, gently but firmly, he for the rare moment finally feels safe.    

I = Intimacy (How romantic are they? Do they have problems with intimacy?)  

Iorveth has more problems with being intimate than he'd like to admit. Rough life of a Scoia'tael taught him to always be on guard, and it's really hard for him to just let it go.

Despite it, he always tries to give you his full presence whenever you're together. He listens carefully to what you say, he remembers little things, he tries to open his heart and share things with you, even if it's really hard.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?) 

You expected Iorveth to be more jealous than he actually is. Gets jealous here and there, but his overall trust in you and your relationships is way stronger.

When he does get jealous you can tell that he's starting to show off. Crossing hands on his chest, giving everyone that arrogant look of his, standing right behind you and stabbing the opponent with his stare. A frightening picture to look at and a really scary situation to be in. 

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?) 

His kisses reflect his passionate nature. They are hungry, sometimes rough, but always full of love. 

He likes to kiss your hands, starting with peppering your fingers with light kisses, slowly going up to your elbow and then shoulder, softly continuing until he reaches your neck. He is as gentle as he could be, patient and dedicated to covering as much of your skin with kisses as he can.

For himself, Iorveth enjoys when you kiss (and sometimes bite) his collarones. It makes him shiver, leaves goosebumps on his skin. 

L = Love language (What’s their love language?) 

In private Iorveth is rather talkative and manages to express his feelings in all different ways, be it words of love or appreciation or touches.

He's good at actions, always making sure that you have anything you need, like a covered place to sleep, food to eat and that he's always there for you.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?) 

Some time into the relationship you found out that Iorveth enjoys slow lazy mornings. He’s the type to stay in bed for longer, have cuddles, nap or chat, whatever brings you both joy. He calls it his guilty pleasure, that he cannot indulge in too often.   

N = Nicknames (What do they call you? What do you call them?)

Iorveth has so many names, given him by all the people he hurt and frightened, that he prefers when you call him by his name. Without fear in your voice or judgement it sounds nice to him.

Mostly calls you by your name as well, rarely adds something like "my dear" or "my lady".

O = Overture (How did everything start?) 

All of it began so long ago, that it’s even hard to remember when exactly. You just came out of your teenage years and started joining elder elves in their feasts and other entertainments. Iorveth was your older brother's best friend and witnessed how out of rebellious child you slowly became a beautiful young elf. And that’s about a time you both developed romantic feelings for each other. 

On one hand, Iorveth was worried that you’re still too young, on the other hand - he couldn’t help but fall in love with you.     

P = Pace (Are they fast-paced in a relationship? Or do they like to take things slow?) 

Elves live long and there’s no point in speeding things up. Even Iorveth with his passionate nature agrees that rushing is the last thing that makes a relationship stronger. He waited so many years to just be able to see you again, that couple of days wouldn’t change anything. He tries to take it as it goes and just follow destiny, believing that this time it’s not going to separate you.

Q = Queen/King (Who takes the initiative in relationships?)

It actually appeared to be quite equal. Although Iorveth is an intense partner with a tough, heavy personality, he manages to recognise other strong individuals and to listen to them (sometimes), to cooperate with them. He wouldn’t even consider you as a partner unless you live up to his expectations, so when you’re already together it’s easier for you to reason with Iorveth when needed.    

R = Remembrance (What is their favourite moment in your relationship?) 

He’d never forget your first kiss. After years of longing and waiting, he finally had you in his arms. When you were recovering from the battle, resting on the bench, enjoying the evening sun, Iorveth was massaging your injured arm. He looked you in the eyes and there he knew - it was now or never moment. He leaned forward, resting one hand on the bench and putting his other hand on the back of your head, and touched your lips with his. He deepened the kiss when he felt that you were reciprocating, letting him in. For a spare moment Iorveth felt a little bit lightheaded, barely believing that what was happening was true, his heart full of happiness.    

S = Salvage (What issues does this relationship help him to cope with?) 

These relationships do make Iorveth feel needed.He feels like he finally belongs somewhere, he’s cared for, loved and he’s not alone. It’s been years since he felt something like warmth inside, years since someone treated him with love. You took away his loneliness, his feeling of unworthiness. You showed him that life can be different and that there is more to it than misery, poverty and eternal fighting for survival.   

T = Tiny (How are they around children?) 

Iorveth is highly concerned about the future of Aen Seidhe, he worries about the extinction of your race, and if he’d be able to have offspring himself. Despite his harsh temper and complicated past, he actually likes little elven children and would like to have a kid or two (or three). Currently he understands he’s not in the position of having any, as he would never put his own child at risk, but he believes that there’ll be a time when you both can create a new elven life and provide it with a better future.   

U = Ulterior (What’s their secret?) 

This elf has a fear of rejection. Well, he doesn’t trust anyone, and no one likes him as well. So many times Iorveth and his Scoia'tael were used, abused and lied to, that his revenge fell a heavy burden on the shoulders of his enemies.

When it comes to relationships Iorveth knows what kind of elf he is (unkind and unfriendly at least), how much hurt he caused to others and that loving him is not an easy task. So he preferred to stay away from anything that might bring a rejection to his life. Because hearing it is hard, and it hurts more than any arrow that pierces the flesh.  

V = Vulnerable (How long until they can be vulnerable around their s/o? What are they like in this state?) 

Iorveth is definitely not the one who is used to being vulnerable in front of others. As a leader of his group of Scoia'tael he is forced to maintain an image of a strong and confident elf. When it comes to the vulnerability in the relationship, at the start Iorveth feels that if he lets his guard down he would be considered as weak and unable to protect you. As time passes he learns that it’s impossible to build a strong bond between the two of you without being completely honest and open, and that he has to make an attempt to risk and open his heart.   

W = Wound (How do they feel about exposing their scars/injuries?) 

It took you quite some time to understand how Iorveth himself feels about his scars. For a long time you were sure he was completely indifferent and didn’t care at all.

Right until one day you caught him looking at his reflection in the water with unbearable sadness. Iorveth knows very well what he has become and he accepts it, but you can still see that he’s mourning those long gone days of him being the pure beauty of an elf. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon about your relationship) 

Long ago, when you were just out of your teenage years, and Iorveth just joined Vrihedd, not wearing his scar yet, and was about to leave the camp, you gave him a little bowl of fresh berries, trying to show your affection and to wish him good luck. It deeply touched his heart and he remembered.

 So when you were injured in the battle for Vergen and ended up having a fever, Iorveth secretly went to the forest to pick some fresh berries for you.He wanted to remain anonymous and to just leave the berries by the side of your bed.

Little did he know that the whole Vergen already noticed his feelings towards you and it quickly became obvious who left those berries for you. 

Y = Yearning (How well do they cope when their SO isn’t with them?) 

Well, he waited for about 10 years to just have a chance to see you again. He devoted his life to the path of Scoia'tael and he was and is ready to sacrifice a lot for the higher goal.

Yet he still misses you badly when you part ways, even if for shorter periods of time. You both know that any moment can become the last one. You never ask each other to promise that you'll see each other again, but you both always hope for this.

Z = Zzz (How are nights spent with them?) 

Quiet and sensitive sleeper. Even if he’s deep asleep, Iorveth is still always on guard. Will always notice if you have trouble sleeping or something is bothering you. 

Since you got together, he started to care more about whether you have a good place to sleep, whether it’s protected from the rain and safe enough to relax and rest. This is one of his ways of showing you that he cares.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading! You can find more of my works here. You can also leave your requests!

[diezmil10000]

2023 art summary + thoughts on my own art progress under the cut!!

(template by HedgeCatDragonix on deviantart)

so i've been doing this for 10 years :P

i'm not posting these pics in high quality, they're somewhere on the internet if you want to scavange for a bit. i didn't start taking art seriously until late 2015 and i honestly don't like looking back at old drawings. i still like my 2022 art summary but it wasn't until this year that i'm proud of all my finished artworks.

my art journey is complicated. i'm not one of those artists who can say they've been drawing for all their lifes. i used to trace pokémon in my school agendas but that was it. around 2013, a couple of friends invited me to their Skype server where we used to draw each other's ocs and make art memes and stuff - it was fun and cringe in the most positive way i can say it :] i didn't know shit about art and i took pride in drawing on MS Paint with a mouse just because it was hard.

(all of my drawings until may 2018 were made with a mouse)

when i was 15 yo i got into Love Live! and i decided to get better at art because i didn't want lesbian fanart to be made only by creepy cishet men. at some point i watched this video from Sycra and it rewired my brain. i understood that i needed to actually practise and understand what i was doing, and that i wasn't going to improve just by observing. its follow-up video also helped me a lot, i remember watching it on the day it was posted jskhfdjdfd.

and so fast forward until 2021 approx. i spent all of those years practising drawing in my traditional sketchbooks, so my improvement was steady. the only problem, and in retrospective i see it as a Big Problem, is that i was grinding mindlessly. by that i mean that i copied artists i liked and i drew again and again stuff i was bad at, but i didn't think too deeply about it or analysed my own art to look for faster ways to improve it. i also don't take feedback well so i didn't ask for it either, which further slowed down my progress.

on top of it, that just made me better at drawing, not at illustration. i firmly believe that a good drawing is hard to ruin but i could have made my illustrations way more interesting if i had started going wild with colors and effects way earlier. i don't exactly regret my choices because at the end of the day it's just my hobby, and i've been praised for drawing a lot and for challenging myself to practise drawing traditionally, so i want this to be read as introspection rather than complaints!!

the reason why 2021 was a big change in my art is because in november i did this monstrosity:

i got an Android tablet to be able to draw in class and took the challenge alongside my friend Nico, who also did their own Huevember. hola si estás leyendo esto Nico, aunque lo dudo :) i can't say that any of the drawings made me better at anatomy, or composition, or colors. i can't say that they solidified my knowledge, either. but they planted a seed in my brain that would fully bloom in late 2022, which is the seed of hating the finished result of some pieces so much that i forced myself to improve.

everyone has their own motivation to get better at art and i've always thought that mine was a healthy one (i want to draw more lesbians, that's all). however, i've had a very solid 2023 and now i don't cringe at any of my pieces, plus i can notice any mistakes they have without wanting to delete them from existence - and i could only get there because at the end of 2022 i told myself i wouldn't make any more ugly illustrations. like, period. i didn't want to get anxious every time i had to look back on my own art.

i also learned that no ammount of compliments from others would magically make me like a piece i see as mid at best. of course, i appreciate every single nice comment i get (genuinely, i get very happy knowing that other people love my work), but gratitude doesn't fix a skill issue.

so, late 2022, many things happened. first i got cancelled on twitter over a drawing of my beloved mizuki from project sekai (this info will be relevant later). then i spent a whole month doing this other monstrosity that is to this day the best thing i've ever done. i haven't peaked it (yet):

this comic actually made me improve and solidify my skills. it wasn't a class assignment, or a collaboration, or anything more than a headcanon i shared with a friend - it was pure brainrot over Revue Starlight and it made me put all my cunt into it. this was also the point at which i started filling in blacks with the bucket tool instead of picking a very dark color, which is a big part of my current style :3

the thing about people cancelling me is that i had to distance myself from fandoms and eventually change accunts, which also affected how i perceived my own art. even if i draw for myself, at the end of the day i still draw characters that are loved by many people, so i disabled comments and stopped interacting with other artists of my fandom circles. that led me to go on hiatus at the start of 2023, knowing that it was time for a fresh start (my art accounts were 5 years old anyway).

that period of time made me think a lot about my finished pieces. since i wouldn't post them until i had a new account, i would stare at them for longer than ever or make small changes even if days had already passed. letting my mind rest from illustrations i had been working on and knowing i could change them whenever i wanted was a big step forward.

i realised that for the past years i had been in a hurry to post my drawings as soon as i was done with them instead of appreciating them. that was a turning point for my mindset. this was also past the time i decided to stop making ugly art, but i hadn't really taken any measures to get better. so i changed the wording of the challenge: i can make ugly art but i can't post it if i don't like it.

it doesn't sound epic, but for some reason it worked. every time i was in the middle of making a drawing that looked kind of ugly, i changed it until it looked right. not perfect, but good enough to avoid cringing in the future. some times i had to redraw it from scratch with a more interesting pose. some times i needed to add a background or a graphic element to make the characters pop. and somewhere on that period, i went wild with colors and effects, and a lot of times that saved a piece that would otherwise be boring.

i have to thank Revolutionary Girl Utena and Revue Starlight for making me experiment a lot during my hiatus. both pieces of media, one being the daugher of the other, give artists so many visual metaphors and interesting topics to work with. the revstar brainrot had been there since the junnana comic, but rgu was something i had been meaning to rewatch for a couple of years and it hit me like a fucking train. it also made me create one of the comics i'm the most proud about:

then i got into homestuck and my art got. well. stuck!! >D< but it was okay because i wasn't making ugly drawings anymore. i was putting into practise a lot of things i had been learning or experimenting with, especially regarding colors and character interactions. and the yuri was delicious hmmmmmmm.

the rest of 2023 was very linear in terms of art but not so much in terms of fandoms (?). which is fine, honestly, but i was also glad to get back into Fire Emblem: Three Houses in late that year because when i first got into it in 2019 i didn't have the skill to draw everything i wanted to draw. and i still haven't drawn all the yuri scenarios that i've been cooking in my mind, but i have until forever to do it!!

so for 2024 i want to study some stuff i feel i'm still lacking in. i think i've always had a good eye for composition, but i've never actually pushed it in my finished illustrations - they depend a lot on the poses because i've always been prioritising drawing over everything else. that needs to change this year.

i also want to get better at drawing characters from extreme angles. i've always felt like my poses are a bit flat and i think i can study photos taken with wide angle lenses to improve at that.

and of course i still want to draw faster, which is something i've always struggled with. i think i have a good rhythm of "producing" art (excuse me for the poor wording), but i'm still too slow for the kind of artstyle i want to achieve, which includes having a looser lineart and less details in irrelevant areas of the drawings. i think that overdoing the lineart actually hurts my illustrations, because everything ends up pulling the viewer's attention with the same energy. i also think messy artstyles are neat.

i promise i'm not crazy and i don't hate what i do. in fact, it's precisely because this year i managed to make some pieces with that kind of feel that i know where i want to aim. special mention to the junnana comic because i haven't been able to replicate that lineart ever since.

examples:

as for the stuff i like about my current artstyle, i definitely want to keep the way i color!! and by that i mean the method i have for applying filters that make my colors pop. i could maybe play more with textures too.

i also like the way i depict intimacy, and people have praised it too. thank you for noticing. it's the yearning that's doing it, not me. but i don't think i'll ever change the content (?) of my art, i eat breathe and speak in yuri. if anything, there are still some ways of conveying feelings that i haven't been able to draw because i lack the skill to do so, but i'll keep trying ;)

i honestly didn't expect this post to be this long. i've been writing for hours now and i'm not sure my thoughts are coherent for anyone that isn't me. i also can't grasp the idea that some people know me from fanart i did in 2016 while others started following me last month, time is wild and it's an extra dimension of complexity that i don't know how to account for when i write stuff like this.

but again, as i do with art, i've written this for myself. it's been nice to put my thoughts in order. i think i've only talked about art in depth with like 5 people and it's always been in casual conversation. no creo que estéis leyendo pero Nahia y Henar os amo y he aprendido mucho de vosotras.

thank you for reading until the end if you have. i hope you have not only a nice day but a nice year. let's meet again in the future.

[jiminy-crickets]

muahahahahah tagged by @nightshadehasblorbos

RULES: In a new post, show the last line of something you wrote or drew and tag however many people you like.

“I was so scared to tell you, because, I-I love you Leon, and I didn't want our relationship to end, and I-” tears begin welling up, as Matthew looks down at Leons face in his lap. “Oh baby” Leon heaves his head off of Matthew's lap and sits up, scooching close to Matthew to wrap his arms around him. “This is not the end of us love, there are thirty two teams in this league, and not one of them is far enough away to be rid of me”  “You-you’re not breaking up with me” “No, matthew, no” “Oh thank god” Matthew's voice breaks as he stumbles the words out, drawing Leon as close to him as he can without passing through him completely.

i FIRMLY believe a third act 'you cant do anything to make me want to leave you' is better then a third act break up. and i will FIGHT to defend my position on that.

i am tagging.... anyone, I, i get scared when it comes to tagging people, and i feel like i havent been here long enough to know who is and isnt cool with getting tagged in tag games. but literaly, EVERYONE, who thinks "i wish someone tagged ME in this game" you are who i am @/ing, i pinky promise.

[pomplalamoose]

Can we please have some luke fluff hc’s?🙏 from any era idc i just love your writing💗

Thank you so much, anon!!! <33

I'm so on board for more lighthearted Luke content to warm our hearts, it's what he deserves🤝🏻

Also I veered into kinda new territory for me; while many of these take place in the Star Wars universe as normal, I included some modern day AU ones too

• the Jedi are taught to take extra care of their clothing and appearance because whenever they're out and about they take on a mostly representative role, whether they want to or not

• this also includes learning how to correctly mend and take care of their belongings

• I don't think that this was at the very front of Luke's education though, Obi-Wan and Yoda really had more pressing conditions to work with

• however, as everyone can clearly see, nobody had to specifically tell Luke about this

• (just look at the man)

• not only did he grow up with maybe one (1) relatively good fitting outfit, I'm also sure that because of this he was taught how to fix holes and re do seams as well as sewing his buttons back on himself

• I'm even convinced he's able to make a simple pair of pants and a shirt from scratch should it be really necessary

• something about the picture of you and Luke sitting together on a warm summer evening or during a winter night and you watching him silently working away is just the peak of domesticity

• he enjoys fixing clothes, especially if by doing so he can do a favor to those he loves

• I think in a way it calms him too

• he'd definitely help out his Padawans with it as well

• I firmly believe he owns a small sewing kit, complete with a thimble

• (maybe two: one he's actually using and a second hand made one out of porcelain because he thinks it's really pretty)

• maybe, in addition and if he has the time, he'd try out similar activities like crocheting, knitting, stitching, etc.

• I don't think he'd be very good at it but everything he crafts is made with love and there is no one around who doesn't appreciate his efforts

• imagine him knitting little socks and hats and scarves for all of his students

• for some reason he really struggles with online tutorials though

• they're always going too fast, he can't see what exactly it is they're showing, and often times they're just overcomplicating really simple steps

• he finds this to be very frustrating

• he probably uses a very (very!) old fashioned book to learn instead

• its margins are full of scribbles of its previous owners and Luke adds his own

• he draws smiley faces next to the patterns he likes most

• Luke is a DIY king

• something that really comes in handy as a Jedi master

• at the very beginning, just at the start of his own academy, he definitely did most of the occurring tasks himself, also including preparing the meals for everyone

• he's a decent cook but I think he'd get really into baking

• baking bread is one of his favorite free time activities

• my sister insists upon the fact that he'd make the absolute best focaccia

• (or its Star Wars equivalent at least)

• he really likes trying out new recipes, especially those he never heard about before

• with varying degrees of success, as some of them are not meant to be made by humans

• but worry not, nothing is getting wasted

• Luke's collection of little fish friends is always happy to eat the remaining crumbs

• (for those that don't know what I'm talking about, check out my other random Luke headcanons if you'd like)

• he has special outfits for his training sessions, including many different shoes

• depending on what or where it is he's practicing, he chooses them carefully

�� inside he's wearing soft slippers and soft slippers only, boots are a no go

• it's very much established that Luke is wonderfully emphathetic and always ready to stand by your side, may it be during your period or when you're struggling mentally

• he's still wonderfully emphathetic and caring when you're sick but like, only from very far away

• he'll refuse to come near you if you so much as mention you're not feeling well

• if you have to sneeze or cough even a little bit he's immediately asking whether you've fallen ill or are about to

• just say you feel like you're getting a cold and he's on retreat immediately

• he can't get sick as well!

• he's working with children!!!

• at least one of them is always sick anyways, he can't be contagious under any circumstances!

• he'd feel so bad if he were to be responsible for even more of them suffering

• he feels horrible for not being there for you too though

• so he still does his best

• he prepares warm meals and tea every day and let's R2 deliver them

• he always checks in on you when you're asleep

• he changes your bed sheets while you take a shower or a bath

• he'd totally make a doctor's appointment for you if you're too scared to make the phone call yourself

• he makes sure you're taking your medications

• he pats your back and strokes your hair using the Force

• Luke would absolutely hate quarantine

• at first he'd still be pretty optimistic, thinking it won't be that bad, maybe even fun?

• he'll just meditate a lot, right?

• after all he has mastered his temper now, his patience renowned among his friends and students

• this mindset works at the beginning and for a while he's happy to sleep in for as long as he wants to

• however he forgets about the concept of time quickly enough and soon has no idea what day it is

• when was the last time he had breakfast?

• since he's a very outdoorsy person, always on the move, always doing something, it wouldn't take long until he's getting kinda antsy too

• and while he does enjoy the calm and quiet, he's mostly used to being the center of bustling activities

• soon he takes desperate measures to pass the time, even trying out things he before swore to not be interested in in the slightest

• I see him taking lots and lots of Buzzfeed quizzes

• he texts you about every single result

• one of his first ones was about what kind of animal he'd be and he absolutely hated the outcome

• he eventually ended up making his own quiz because of it

• he likes watching you play video games more than playing them himself

• it's very relaxing to him, especially after a long day at work

• plus he gets to hold you extra close under the pretense of being very interested to see what's going on on screen

• he dozes off pretty quickly though

• while he's happy to let you play whatever you want, I think he has his favorites as well

• Animal Crossing being at the very front

• he loves when you show him your town or island, how you decorated your house and which villagers you're best friends with

• he too would have the newest game, simply because you were missing a few items and he was determined to get them for you

• it would totally escalate during quarantine though, and suddenly he'd have a fully decorated five star island

• (Luke Skywalker plays Animal Crossing with a passion and I'm ready to fight anyone about it)

• for some reason he gets really competitive during Mario Kart and Just Dance

• he unapologetically wins at every single Wii Sports mini game and no matter what you do and how much you practice, he's always better and not in the least bit sorry about it

• he is a Macher™ (please let there be some German fans who know what I'm talking about)

[red-hot-kick]

I don't really know how to articulate this in a way that won't make someone somewhere very upset so I'm just going to go about this in the way I normally would: as Directly as possible.

I have to set some boundaries when it comes to my art.

For everyone with busy lives, here's the short version: If you believe, in any capacity, that you literally are any of the characters I frequently draw, and/or if you know yourself to be prone to taking fanworks a little too personally (meaning: to the point of causing considerable distress when a work is not compliant with your perceptions), please either keep it to yourself or block me. I mean that.

...Everybody else, strap in for the long version:

I don't know what any of you mean anymore when you say you "kin" a character. Not long ago, if you used the word "kinning" on the internet (ie. elfinkin(d), otherkin, fictionkin, etc.) you were most likely (with a few exceptions) talking about a very specific experience. I'm talking "compulsively eating your mother's jewelry because you're a dragonkin, and dragons hoard and eat rare gems, obviously" type stuff. Not "closet-cosplaying to school as your favorite anime character because you really really relate to/admire them". Those are fundamentally two different things. So why are we using the same term for them?

(...It was a huge mistake to come up with the word "kinnie" as a cutesy nickname, in my honest opinion.)

Now, the definition is too broad, too diluted. Now, if I see that word in a bio or a tag...I legitimately don't know what to expect. Someone could mean that they relate to the characters' plights and stories, or that they aspire to be like them and want to emulate them in their day-to-day life. Maybe they RP the character and (for some reason) don't know of any other terms to use.

...They could also mean that it is their firmly held belief that they are THE Yusuke Kitagawa in the flesh, or that Ryuji himself is beaming his consciousness into their brain from an alternate plane, or that Futaba periodically hacks into their body to speak through them, and so on.

And if the latter examples sound similar to your experience, then buddy, I don't wanna know about it. I have no goddamn business being privy to anyone's mental landscape on this big beautiful internet.

(I do want you to find a licensed clinician if you have the resources to safely do so, though. Sincerely.)

I don't want to be told that I'm not depicting "you" accurately (a thing that has happened!). I also don't want to be held responsible for accidentally hitting upon triggers that I could never anticipate, because of a stranger internalizing a character (voluntarily or not) so deeply into their personhood that a comic/fic/drawing exploring that character's canon in ways that make them uncomfortable can prompt a panic attack or a fit of rage or similar distress responses (a thing that I've been scolded by strangers over! Multiple times, even!). I also ABSOLUTELY don't want anyone to message me as a fictional character to tell me what they think of my art, or to tell me that they look to my art for things to build their personality around (which is also a thing that has happened. Are you seeing a trend?)

In all these scenarios, each person neglected to consider that I'm not a source of new "kin material"! I'm just some fucking guy, screwing around on the internet just like everyone else!

I'm not going to presume the legitimacy of any strangers' mental health status (access to mental healthcare can be next to impossible, I know), nor am I one to criticize how anyone engages with the things they like. However. Please remember that every interaction you have is a two-way street. Artists aren't content farms; they are your fellow fans.

When someone comments or tags my art to say "this is me", or "you drew me wrong", or "I would never do/say that", or that the material made them miserable or angry and that they "hate OP for making it"...I have to see that. It's only happened a handful of times. But that was enough to make me wonder with every kin-adjacent tag I see: Is this another person that feels entitlement or ownership over what I make? Is this another person I should expect comments of disappointment or aggression from if I make something that they disagree with? Do you think that I'm doing any of this for you?

[lanternlightss]

The King (isat) and Decarabian (genshin impact) being friends. The king and deca being friends. the. the them. do you see my vision

They need to work together to create a deranged plan where they trap everyone within a certain radius to “protect” them. They need to be absolutely unhinged with “I want to help you. I promise I am doing what’s best” <- lying (firmly believes they are telling the truth) (that is not the truth)

dictator buddies. the theory that deca’s tower resembles an observatory. Blinding explosions. their enemies being scrunkly little nonbinaries with daggers, cloaks and bloodlust. Soooo normal about those two. <- needs to draw them together but doesn’t know what design to use for decarabian 😔

i see it. im seeing it. i am reaching out and shaking the table I SEE IT AND !!!!!!!!!!!!!

god if they teamed up with the strategies they already have, everyone would be so screwed over. you can’t get out, not without the high chance of being frozen in time. you can’t get in, unless you’re able to manipulate the winds to not tear you apart. you’re stuck. you’re stuck and there’s little you can do about it. pray and hope someone comes and helps you. (in the same vein, if the old mond crew and the isat crew teamed up ??? holy SHIT it would be a sight to see. like amos and odile and bonnie in the background, covering everyone’s back ? rhw, gunnhildr, isabeau and mirabelle making sure no one gets through ? bard and siffrin at the forefront ??? double trouble. double trouble WITH the buffs and if wispti is able to buff everyone as well. like godbless 🙏)

though i wonder if decarabian would convince the king to only freeze certain people in time, not everything. we need the people to be able to do what… they need to do, on a day to day basis, right. eating is one of those. they should get to eat. okay? these guys over here however, who are threatening our ways—

it would be so fun to see them together too especially if decarabian is. within human height? like 6-7 feet tall, compared to the king’s. up to the ceiling height. does the king crouch even further down to talk to decarabian. does deca not care.

[cadriox]

Sorry if i'm bothering you/ you dont have to respond, but how do you come up with cool backgrounds and ideas for your fanart drawings? Your stuff is super creative!! I was just curious because i draw characters in the same poses every day 😭❤

I check my tumblr notif every once in a few days but still missed this, so sorry if I was keeping you wait!

Thank you so much for the compliments! 💖💖💖 this makes me really happy, you’re not a bother at all.

Just speaking from my experience, but an artist usually have several ways of kicking off a drawing. If I start off drawing a character without actually knowing what I want to draw, I face the same exact problem as you where all the characters are just there! Standing! That isn’t a bad thing, however. I sketch a lot (roughly and fast ngl) so I immediately shift to the next drawing and considered those my warmups until a solid idea pops up. I love focusing emotions so I often start from drawing emotions on the character before coming up with scenarios for them.

Another way of kicking off a drawing is to start with a general idea. It can be a concept, a dialogue, or a composition.

Examples of said ideas I can recall:

•eremin kissing in a wide bloody background

•Eren holding armin’s face w that bloodied hand

•Flojean in a cell. Floch lives

•Gen with his hand as foreground

Concepts can start forming when you’re drawing so you keep adding in the details, or they can even change completely midway depends on you. No need to commit to it, these are just something to get your engine running!

I firmly believe that putting stories in art make it so much more special. My favorite artist is a comic artist, and they express so much and so well in even the smallest panel, their art is truly my inspiration! So as long as you got your story down and try to express it, every piece of your art is unique in its own way💖

(Also if you notice, all my backgrounds are suuuuper lazy made. I barely drawing them, most are a bunch of gradient and colors. But that’s the whole point, as long as the colors indicate what, where, and the atmosphere I don’t feel the need to draw them out!)

I find my art very rough most of the times, but the skill to let go “refining art” and prioritize dynamic and overall atmosphere are essential. It’s also always beneficial to practice drawing people on different angles and pose because it broadens your options for composition!

One last thing: everyone has a personal library in their head, whether it’s for stories, compositions, cool dialogues, lighting, character designs, music, or more. Your library was built according to your interests and what you consume. Personally I LOVE reading fanfics, watching films and series and animations of the genres I’m into. Watching more media will always give you ideas, once in a while you can go back to your library and think what would you like to see that suits your taste and haven’t been done yet.

OKAY, This replies become super long for some reason😭 I’m not the best person when it comes to explaining my thought process but I’ve always love art questions.

Anyway I hope this helps! May your drawing journey be filled with joy

[high-voltage-rat]

The SDF Reliant crew have lowkey just become pseudo-OCs for me at this point. That's kinda what happens when characters have so few appearances in canon, but I still find it really funny how much I've just said "my city now". I decided I want to yell about them, so here's some of the headcanons I've come up with.

In mechquest, houses are the big question all GEARS students grapple with. My HCs on this front, based on vibes and fleshed out with added headcanons:

Starbuck originally kind of just joined Wolfblade because he wanted to look badass, but then found that the house of leaders who value helping others really fit with his love of mentoring other students. It was actually Xaria that convinced him to be bold and apply for his TA position with Denara- which he is forever thankful for.

Sally tends to throw herself into everything she does 100%, burning short and bright. She's prone to hyperfixation- eating the same thing for weeks on end until she gets sick of it, investing herself in yet another hobby that will end up in the hobby graveyard, etc. She wanted people who would match her intensity, so she joined Wolfblade. Now whenever she gets into another rabbit hole she usually is able to find a fellow housemate to "yes, and" her. This is only SOMETIMES a problem.

Dooder, as a certified chill jokester, was naturally drawn to Mystraven. He firmly believes in the importance of fun, and is always finding ways to drag the rest of the crew into relaxing and enjoying themselves every now and then. Sometimes that's a mini prank war, sometimes it's "accidentally" buying too much pizza to eat by himself, sometimes it's dragging everyone to a night out at the SC Lounge.

River doesn't actually know why she felt drawn to Runehawk, at first. Sure, she's always been a bit more nerdy than some of her friends, but she's not really as intensely academic as others in the house. She ends up very glad she joined, however. While she initially didn't put much stock in the house system at all, after the crystal asteroid incidents she discovers she has latent psychic abilities that she has no idea how to regulate. With the help of fellow Runehawks' research, she eventually learns to control her powers and bolster her already impressive piloting skills via their signature mana drive.

In my fic, I also don't plan on having my hero doing 5 different careers: Ravyn is a neurologist AND actively doing another degree, they don't have time to be delivering pizza. Instead:

Dooder works for Mecharoni- he finds the actual pizza-making pretty meditative, and any time customers are assholes he just amps up his chill demeanor until it's genuinely off-putting to whoever he's dealing with. He's the kind of guy who writes jokes or does drawings on the inside of your pizza box.

Sally works alongside the SPD as a conflict meditor and harm reduction support staff. Mostly, she thinks Chief Duncan is an idiot, and decides she can do a better job herself- so she sticks herself into his business and does. She also regularly does supply runs and odd jobs for all the businesses around Soluna- she's weirdly good friends with H.A.L.

River volunteers at the hospital sometimes, but more prominently works for the museum or with Mysterious Johnson to catch ghosts. She regularly invites the others to join her on museum jobs- and they eventually start investigating dusty old ruins together as group bonding 'field trips' whenever they have the chance between missions.

Starbuck has his TA job, and he's very happy with it, but in his early years he also worked for Mecharoni, and also did a brief stint as a stockboy for the Knife and Spork.

Some additional miscellaneous HCs:

Dooder tends to "pack bond" pretty easily- he actually tends to personify his mech, telling it that he loves it and regularly polishing it up nice. Sometimes he sings to it. He cries when it gets damaged and will mourn when it is eventually destroyed. He's had the same shitty pillow since he was like 9 and it's totally flat by this point, but he can't throw it out because it's always been by his side and he doesn't want it to feel abandoned. He would absolutely create stabby the roomba.

Due to the previously mentioned hobby graveyard, Sally has a lot of hidden talents she can whip out at a moment's notice to impress people. She's taken a course in mixology, she did a brief stint in cake decorating, she can knit and crochet and embroider pretty well, she knows how to do carpentry and plumbing, she's done dance lessons in break, ballroom, swing, salsa, tap, highland, ballet- even a few niche cultural dances from other planets. You name a hobby, and there's a 50% chance she's tried it.

River was a track and field star before she attended GEARS. Her long-distance running game was always top-tier, but she also regularly placed podium in sprints and relay events. She finds running to be good for clearing her head, so it's her go-to whenever she's stressed. One can tell how hard a week she's been having based solely on how much time she's spent on the treadmill.

Starbuck really loves giving people (and their mecha) nicknames and callsigns- the second he meets someone he starts watching for inspiration for their new title. Sally's callsign is 'Apple Core' (because of her regular consumption of the fruit in question, plus insisting she's hardcore), River's is 'Bubbles' (a play on her name, plus a joke after she burped loudly over all-hands comm), Dooder's is, much to his displeasure, just 'Dude' (though not enough displeasure to accept the alternative of 'Doughboy').

Sally runs competitive arm wrestling tournaments (mostly populated by Wolfblades). She manages the betting pools, and always throws her hat in the ring, too- only to be obliterated every time. Defeat only makes her try harder next time.

Dooder doesn't like to sing in front of other people- unless he's drinking, then he just won't stop. He has a really nice voice, but gets embarrassed if anyone tries to bring up his singing to compliment it. Everyone always looks forward to him pulling up to karaoke nights at the SC lounge.

Starbuck is notoriously bad at drawing- during his tutorials, any time he attempts to draw something on the blackboard, students make a game of "guessing" what he's trying to do like a game of pictionary. He's actually considered using stencils, but "Starbucktionary" has become too beloved, and the students would riot if he did.

River is a closet foodie. She cooks really well, but is a perfectionist who finds it very stressful, so doesn't do it very often. She's often on the hunt for new places to eat, though, and will try pretty much anything once. She keeps a notebook of reviews for different dishes at the places she frequents- though they're just for her personal benefit. She's still searching for the best steak in Soluna City.

[serpent-of-hope]

A Defense of Frodo - The Curse of Invisible Illnesses

SPOILER WARNING: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers, and Return of the King books and extended edition films.

Fandoms can be divisive communities, but the one thing every LOTR fan will near universally agree on is the Samwise Gamgee is heroic. When it comes to Frodo Baggins, however, modern opinions can get a little mixed. So today, I want to offer a defense of Frodo, if you will. Or perhaps more accurately, I want to offer a possible reading of the characterization of Frodo, and of the one ring, from the perspective of lived experience with PTS, mental illness, and other invisible, chronic conditions. 

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that, as I understand it, the characters of Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were informed by Tolkein's own experiences fighting in the First World War. Tolkien ranked highly within the military as a direct result of noble standing in Britain, despite the fact that, by his own admission, many of his less-wealthy compatriots were equally or more competent or qualified than he was. Tolkien wanted to portray this dynamic in the relationship between Samwise, the gardener, and Frodo, who is given the title of Ring Bearer because of his family ties.  

I also want to start by noting that I firmly do not believe that Tolkien intended to use the ring as an allegory for mental health. It is quite clear that the ring represents power and its ability to corrupt those who wield it. No one desires a mental illness, nor would most consider such a malady precious to them, nor would anyone kill to gain a mental illness. Instead, I am comparing what it means to be a ring bearer to carrying a burden no one else can see or feel, but that you struggle with and feel incapacitated by nonetheless.

I would also like to preface that the parallels I will draw here are based solely on my own experiences with chronic depression. I do not presume to speak for all people struggling with mental illness as everyone experiences symptoms differently. I also know that many other invisible illnesses follow the same trends. 

Specifically, for our conversation today, I want to focus on the themes of darkness, weight, and numbness. For me, depression manifests as something physically weighing me down, too heavy for me to lift. So, when it comes time for me to complete simple, vital tasks - basic hygiene, getting, water or food, change clothes, or even the herculean task of leaving the house, I can't. Because the world itself is too heavy, and I'm not strong enough to lift it off me, and begin to feel drained quickly when I do. This weight, for me, is coupled with a sense of numbness. Whatever the world is asking of me - emails, my job, replying to my friends, brushing my hair - it is too much, and I stop feeling able to care if it gets done or if there are consequences. In counterpart to this numbness comes the side effect of rumination. Brains that aren't healthy like to dwell and circle around problems of their own creation. Often this means wallowing in feelings of shame and guilt, though it can sometimes manifest as resentment to the world and to others. What is comfortable, and brings relief, is darkness and the ability to lie down and succumb to it. To pull the shutters tight against the sun and the outside world, to stay in bed, and to try and sleep to escape the refrain of "you are bad, the world is bad, everything is bad."  Then, of course, there is the sadness, the trademark of depression. Less sadness, per se, but the feeling that you will never be happy again, that everything is lost and hopeless. That you'd be better to give up.

We know that Frodo struggles with feelings of grief and pain from the Morgul wound he sustains on Weathertop, as well as from the stress of the journey and the loss of members of the Fellowship. These feelings all compound Frodo's struggles with the Ring.

Tolkein frequently refers to the ring and Frodo's responsibility as Ring Bearer as a "burden." It is called a burden at multiple points by multiple characters, usually when Frodo wishes the ring was not something he had to bear or when other characters are pitying his responsibility.  This wording is deliberate. The other characters do not and cannot understand what Frodo is going through, but they know it is something terrible that they would never wish to experience. They know that it means Frodo needs help and extra care. Mental, invisible, and chronic illness can also readily be described as a burden. One that no one else can take, that they may not understand, but that they want to help and support nonetheless.

In the films, because we are not privy to the inner struggles of Frodo's mind, this burden is communicated to us through one key image: weight. In Peter Jackson's take on Fellowship of the Ring, we see the ring given a physicality to its presence. When Bilbo finally has the courage to let go of the ring and leave it with Gandalf, he drops it to the ground. The ring doesn't bounce or tink when it falls; it lands flat with a heavy thud. When Frodo wears it around his neck, we see the angry, raw marks where the ring has been pulling him down and chafing at him. In trying to give a physical form to an invisible burden, the creators gave it weight, something that is common in my, and many others’ experience of Depression.

The ring plagues Frodo. He cannot sleep. He cannot eat. He becomes despondent. When Frodo gazes into the Mirror of Galadriel, we learn that he has been ruminating. He sees in his mind's eye his failure, the burning of the Shire, the destruction of Middle Earth, and the Death of his friends. He is spiralling around negative thoughts that convince him of his failure. These are all symptoms of Depression, and it takes a great deal of strength and energy to keep going when you are fighting your own mind and your own conviction of failure.

Please consider this quote from The Return of the King:

“No taste of food, no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower, no image of moon or star are left to me. I am naked in the dark, Sam, and there is no veil between me and the wheel of fire. I begin to see it even with my waking eyes, and all else fades.”

―J.R.R. Tolkien,The Return of the King

A common side effect of mental, invisible, and chronic illnesses is that once you live with them for long enough, they become comfortable, and it becomes difficult to remember what life was like before. For my experience with Depression, at the very worst of it was a sense of hopelessness that made it impossible to remember what it was like to be happy, what it felt like to do the things you love, or even what the things you love are anymore. This feeling is reflected exactly in Frodo's sentiment of being naked in the dark while all else fades.

In response to this burden, Frodo resolves to break from the Fellowship. He wants to protect them from what is to come and himself from the harm they may do him. This, too, is a common experience of mental illness. Self-isolation is the desire to lock down and stop connecting with people. It happens for many reasons, but the main ones are a desire for self-protection from the emotional harm others may do us or to protect others from seeing our own rapid decline, believing that pushing them away will keep them safer and happier in the long run. But like many who have had these experiences, Frodo learns that he cannot do this alone. He needs help.

This is where Samwise comes in. Soft, supportive Samwise Gamgee. Samwise is aware that Frodo needs support to make it to Mordor, but I firmly believe that Samwise alone could not have carried the ring any better than Frodo could. The task of fighting an invisible and unrelenting force in one's own mind is utterly different than fighting Orcs or Men or Gollum. One just looks more heroic because it is more obvious and more cinematic.

Let's look at one of Samwise Gamgee's most heroic moments - the moment he lifts Frodo and carries him up the side of Mount Doom.  In my life, my loved ones have on numerous occasions expressed that they wished there was something they could do or say that would make it better. That there was a magic ShamWow that could suck the sadness away. But there isn't. When we see Samwise scoop up Frodo in this scene it is easy to scoff at Frodo, to say, “How weak is he! He can't even climb a mountain, but this guy can do it while carrying him and the ring!”

But understand this: the weight of the ring is known only to the bearer, and to the bearer, it is insurmountable. The strength of Sam to physically lift his friend, while heroic in every right, is incomparable to the strength required to carry an inner burden, whether that be the weight of mental and invisible illness or the weight of the evil power of a dark lord.

There is one last quote I would like to draw your attention to:

“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand...there is no going back. There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.”

―JRR Tolkien

As with any chronic, mental, or invisible illness, there is an after. There is a point where the worst of the burden has subsided, and you can begin to find a semblance of normalcy again. But that after is not a return to the normal of before. It is a period where the old version of your self-identity has died, and you are left to cobble together a new existence, one that is not the same, but still good, and forever touched by this pain and grief. This is something we see clearly in Frodo's story. He doesn't get to return to the Shire and resume his own life. He returns changed with new outlooks, new understanding, and new pain. He gets a happy ending, but not the one he would have wanted for himself at the outset of the story.

It is easy to proclaim that Frodo is weak. Compared to our other heroes, he constantly needs help, he has a negligible kill count, and in the end, it is only through intervention that he accomplishes his task. But Frodo is nevertheless strong and brave. It is just that his struggles are neither cinematic nor the kind we have come to expect from our heroes. His fight is quiet and invisible.

So when we take this understanding and empathy and reflect on our day to day world, I want to call attention to those carrying the burden of mental, invisible, and chronic illness. Their stories never end with tossing their illness into a volcano and then saving the world. In fact, they are largely ignored and forgotten. But, as Tolkien has written, "deeds will not be less valuable because they are unpraised." These are courageous and heroic stories. It takes strength to go on every day while fighting an invisible evil force. Somedays, we don't win. But the strength and courage to try and keep trying is worth celebrating.

[aipilosse]

always love your takes plz keep them going♡

(I'm sorry about those who are like *that*)

oh I will, anon! It will take more than people being mildly annoying about a post to make me shut up. Thank you!

I generally don't even touch discourse that really bothers me. If it's something that makes me really angry, I avoid it at all costs -- I don't enjoy getting into real internet fights.

Some blathering introspection under the cut

There's definitely such a thing as too many too hot takes and I don't want to cross over into that territory. I firmly believe you need to spend more time talking about, reblogging, writing about, drawing, WHATEVER the things you love more than the things you dislike. I really try to do that -- boost what I love, write what I love, try to put out what I want to see in the world.

HOWEVER. I think 'no complaining or negativity ever' is toxic af. First because what's complaining and negativity is kind of subjective, and I've found trying to police that actually means that the unpopular viewpoints are suppressed and the popular ones get to be whined about on main (aka people jumping all over you if you just say Maedhros was not literally the most beautiful elf to ever elf but you can make up the worst shit about Thingol and no one says anything).

Honestly I've seen people complain about 'hate in character tags' in regards to characters like Maeglin and when you look at said hate its..... a discussion of his actions in canon with no exaggeration. If you like characters who do bad things you gotta be able to handle people talking about the bad things they did. And handle people not vibing with what you like. I personally am thrilled when I see people who don't like Celebrimbor/Sauron or think Celebrimbor is overrated -- PLEASE some backlash is good and necessary for fandom balance!

Though I get it, I really do, because frequently these conversations go too far into vilifying the fans of the characters. For instance, there's a ton of takes out there that I find deeply misogynistic. It's really truly amazing how people are able to take a canon that has hardly any female characters at all and somehow manage to sideline them even further, make every single action about a man, or just straight up erase them. But. I actually don't think most of the people who do this are actually misogynists. They might be doing more for women in the real world than I ever will. They just have bad opinions about the Silmarillion. That's it. The widespread nature of these bad takes is indicative of society's values at large but doesn't say much about individuals. If you can truly establish a trend I think it's fair to write about it generally or to respond (with minimum vitriol) to specific posts, but I think it's easy to get into a trap of talking about 'THOSE misogynistic fans' when what you really mean is 'fans with takes I find annoying'. But you can feel superior if you bucket everyone who has a take you disagree with as some sort of moral inferior.

And yeah, I'm comfortable saying this happens with conversations about race and colonialism and other thornier topics too, though I have a different bar for what I consider discourse-y considering the large contingent of white nationalists who revere Tolkien's works as their ideal fantasy and the absolute ostrich behavior of many 'liberal' fans on spaces like tumblr towards racist elements in Tolkien's work.

But but but there's a long and storied history of people in these tumblr adjacent spaces of going on and on about 'Arafinwean colonialism' and 'Sindar colonialism' when what they're really doing is engaging in character smears and lashing out because other people were being annoying about how their favorites are murderers. Their clever comeback is 'well YOU like a colonizer.' This discourse is the absolute pits and hence why I try to avoid too much of 'THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE DON'T YOU GET IT' about particular characters unless strongly provoked.

I understand why people find a lot of different takes compelling. There's this potent mix of elements from the text like christian theology, pre-christian mythology, and humanism that conservative fans, liberal fans, Tolkien scholars, Tolkien 'scholars', canon purists, movie fans, movie fans who would rather die than admit that all of their inspiration for elves is directly PJ inspired, shippers, non-shippers, etc etc etc that has been shaping all these disparate threads of fandom. Fans encounter any or all of these wildly conflicting and deeply entrenched factions and form opinions based off it. One person's universally hated character is another's universal fave depending on the ecosystem.

Anyway. tl;dr yes, there's a lot I find annoying, yes, I have reasons for why I don't like the things I don't like, no, I won't stop sometimes mentioning the things I don't like but also I'll try not to be too obnoxious about it.

[oo-hazel-oo]

Ahhh Hazel!!!! YAY FOR EXAMS BEING OVER!!! I hope you have a nice and restful break, you deserve it!!

I have quite a few asks for you lol

4, 12, 20, 30, 42, 53, 64, 78, 88, 93, and 100!

Feel free to answer as many as you want, no pressure to do all!

<3💜

JINN!! hi friend!! sorry i am like… a month late in answering these 😅

4. Do you place any value in gender roles?

no, i definitely don’t think i should be expected to fill any specific role because of my gender. however, i am still very aware of the roles others often expect me to fill as a woman, which can become super frustrating. (for example, last week i had to explain to my little brother why andrew tate should not be his role model. he rolled his eyes and told me i was one of “those people”, whatever that means. fun times.)

12. Do you have the feeling you’ve lost something you might have had in another life - whether it be a person, a place, a world, a language, etc.?

not really? i'm not very spiritual, so i'm not convinced i existed in another life. but sometimes i do think about how my life could’ve been different if i hadn’t moved around a lot as a kid, or if i ended up in a different place than where i live now.

20. Do you want a grand adventure?

at some point, totally! i love traveling and would be 100% down to get a big van and live on the road for a while. but after i’ve seen more of the world i definitely want to settle down in one place and chill for a bit!

30. Are your choices fated or of your own free will?

free will, but to an extent (see below).

31. Is freewill an illusion?

to an extent, yes. i think that some people/communities have more freewill than others due to personal and systemic issues that prevent them from making their own decisions.

53. Which beliefs do you have that is most likely to be wrong?

hmm… not sure if this counts, but maybe the fact that i think whipped cream is gross. in theory, i feel like i should like it!! it’s festive, fluffy, looks super aesthetic on desserts, but something about it is just bleh. i’m pretty sure it’s the texture that throws me off. but yeah, i’m aware i’m probably missing out by always scraping it off (my social anxiety refuses to let me ask for no whipped cream when ordering a milkshake or dessert jdjdjkdk).

64. How consistent is your perception of time?

not consistent at all. i still feel like i’m 12.

78. Are you ever going to be satisfied?

i’m not sure. it's hard for me to not be worrying about something at any given moment. so yeah, probably not satisfied with everything, but i think being satisfied with not being satisfied all the time is more important and realistic for me.

88. Are you a jealous person?

honestly, kinda… but i'm usually the first person to realize it when i am and don’t let it affect how i treat others. definitely still working on it though!!

93. Do you draw meaning from your dreams, or do you disregard them?

yes, all the time! i love to annoy my family and friends with daily dramatic retellings of my dreams :)

100. What belief do you have that isn’t logically grounded, but you still firmly believe in?

my friends and extended family say that i’m a bit illogical when it comes to career goals. i’m very much a “do whatever makes you happy” type person, which as a creative writing major with no other money-making talents can be a bit scary, but i know i wouldn’t be able to succeed in a career i wasn’t happy doing. i know this isn’t the case for everyone, but i definitely think it’s the case for me, even if it is a bit illogical and impractical at times.

🌿 ask me something! 🌿

[inadeepanddarkdecember]

hc meme: F U C K

F - Friend - What kind of friend are they?

LOYAL. Once Cyrus has settled on being friends, he never wants to give that up, no matter how convinced he is that it's destined for disaster and about to fall apart any minute. It takes a pretty severe trust breach to shake him, and even then... Once you live in his heart, you're stay there. He'll still find part of himself yearning. Beyond that, he's absolutely terrible at giving affection or affirmations, but he's very attentive. He'll remember little things you tell him and bring it up later, or put that knowledge into thoughtful gifts. Quality time is how he primarily expresses love, but he's also big on acts of service. Gifts too, if he can make it seem nonchalant.

How do they judge potential friends?

Harshly. He very firmly believes that all kindness and friendliness is fake and 90% of people are deeply unpleasant and only want to use him in some way. He long ago decided the best way to combat this is to be as difficult as possible; he wants to be left alone and, if he makes that very clear, it'll scare off most people. Persistence confuses him, and if you can confuse him (aka, act in any way that defies his expectation for how the world works), you can befriend him. Recently, he's gotten a little bit better in that he can sit in the same room as strangers without feeling horrible discomfort and wanting to run away. Now, he can just vibe and ignore people.

Where do they draw the line between platonic and romantic relationships?

Cyrus is someone who, in spite of himself, gets crushes pretty easily. He never initiates, due to his absolute conviction of his inherent un-date-ability. So for him, everything is platonic always, even if you're fucking him and kissing him directly on the mouth, unless you say it's not. HOWEVER. Due to his ease of crushes, he may Yearn.

How far would they go for a friend?

Die??? The answer is die. Basically anything if he understood the need to be enough. He doesn't really do things without understanding why.

How do they handle conflict in relationships?

Poorly. Either he snaps on the spot when something upsets him, or he bottles it up and pretends nothing's wrong. He tends to blame himself for relationship problems. He can have important relationship conversations but it's very hard for him to verbally vulnerable like that.

U - Ugly - What traits to they find unattractive in others?

Any form of fakeness (or perceived fakeness). Anything that reminds him too strongly of himself. Anyone who's popular/successful. Paternalistic traits. Redheaded women.

Do they have any of those traits themselves?

Well... Yes? He considers his whole personality a red flag. xD

C - Caregiver - How do they give/receive care best?

I already touched on how he gives care in the first question. You haaaave to give care to Cyrus in a roundabout way. His mind excels at taking overt expressions of affection and twisting and tearing them into shards that cut. When he leaves you a gift, he doesn't even really want acknowledgement you received it; the greatest thanks is just for him to see you using it (or seeing it displayed on a wall or shelf). He finds it so hard to trust words, and he doesn't like touch. He needs to see care in actions.

Do they care for everyone or just a small number of people?

People? You can count them on one hand. but he cares for Every cat.

How do they react to someone in need?

Ignore, mostly, honestly. He considers it not his problem. If he saw someone bleeding out on the street, he'd call 911, but Cyrus doesn't talk to cops, and he wouldn't go out of his way to help someone with car problems, or chase down a lost wallet, or any of that. With friends, he wants to help desperately, but he needs clear instructions/expectations. He's great with problems that have concrete, logical answers. If it's an emotional problem, he runs through his bank of "Things That Work", and if they don't work for this specific thing, then he'll just sit there by the person quietly freaking himself out as he tries to gauge if an idea will help or make things worse.

K - Know It All - Are they a Know-it-All?

HONESTLY. Yeah. He thinks he's probably stupid, but also if someone says something factually incorrect in his vicinity, he'll correct them. It's not even an ego thing; in his mind he's just correcting an error, same as fixing a typo in an email.

Do they actively seek out new knowledge?

Yes! He loves reading; he loves watching documentaries; he loves museums. He's probably gotten into the cinema side of youtube pretty deeply, in particular.

How do they behave around others how have a great amount of knowledge on a topic?

That depends entirely on if Cyrus has categorized this as a "person who knows what they're talking about". (You may have noticed a theme of extremely black/white thinking with him and you're right.) If no, he's going to be annoyed. If yes, he will happily engage. It sounds obvious, but common interests can bypass his barriers around strangers pretty easily.