#I hoard pictures and sometimes actually use them

[causeimanartist]

Is the shirt about Gotham? His kids? The Justice League? His back? Who could say

[nervoussystemss]

Bloodlust - Homelander x F Reader (18+)

A/N: Current obsession is Homelander. Somewhat fluffy fic, somewhat smutty fic.

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61216822

Summary: You and Homelander have been dating for a little. He's able to smell your period before you start and during, and takes it upon himself to ease your cramps and make you feel good.

"You know I can smell you, right?"

You almost jump from fright. You're lounging in bed when he comes in. He doesn't have a key to your place. You never gave him a key. So how—you know what? Never mind. It's better to just not ask questions with him sometimes. "You know knocking works, right?"

"I'm the Homelander. I—"

"—can do whatever you want. I know." You fix him with a look. Don't be cocky. He grins. "I literally showered like two hours ago. I know I don't smell bad." You do your best to try to look offended.

"It's not that and you know it. You're on your period." His eyes have turned dark and hungry for a few moments. With his bloodlust, it's not surprising he can smell it. "Just started, actually." He inhales deeply, and when his eyes open, his pupils are blown wide. He smiles at you. "Heavy flow today, huh?”

"Don't be weird about it," you say as you try to smile. "It's usually heavy the first two days, especially the second."

"What do you need?" is his follow up question.

You tilt your head.

He rolls his eyes up to the heavens. "I can smell your period before it comes, you know. So. That was actually a hypothetical. Because—" he pauses, making his way out of the room, before he comes in with a package of pads, chocolate, and a literal bouquet of roses "—I already got you this."

When you're quiet and stare, he looks like a kicked puppy. "You don't like it?"

"No, no, I do. I just wasn't expecting this," you quickly say as you shift to an upright position in bed. "We've been dating for—what, two months?"

"The amount of time we've dated doesn't matter to me. Am I not supposed to treat my girlfriend well, especially when she's on her period?"

You don't have a rebuttal. "I appreciate it. Thank you, Homelander." You reach a hand out, beckoning him over.

He does, putting the package down on the bedside table and then placing the roses in a vase that was already sitting there. You do a double take. You didn't own any vases to your knowledge. He must have put it there while you were in the shower.

He props his head on his hand, watching you silently. You were so beautiful. He could stare at you for hours. He takes your hand in his as his thumb caresses your hand gently. The feeling is nice.

Had he planned to come over? You two didn't make plans for today, but you knew he was impulsive spontaneous sometimes.

He offers you the chocolate bar he bought silently, and you break it in half, offering the other half to him. That's the way you usually do things—sharing. He doesn't really get it. He's always been akin to a dragon, hoarding everyone and everything he loves close to his heart and never letting them go. Pictures of Stormfront were still stored, photos of Ryan, Madelyn, Maeve. And now, of you too.

You have been added to what he deems his collection, and he's not letting you go anytime soon—or ever.

He breaks free from his thoughts, his hand splayed on your abdomen. A frown forms. "You're cramping."

"Yeah." You force a quick smile. "First two days are heavy bleeding but also the worst cramping, so…"

"You know…" he begins slowly, lips curling up into a smirk.

"We're not having sex," you blurt immediately, knowing that look in his eyes.

"If you're worried about the mess, we could always just put a towel." He shrugs as if it's no big deal. "It does help alleviate cramps, according to science. I don't mind. Besides, I'm used to getting blood on me."

"You've never gotten my blood on you," you comment dryly with a roll of your eyes.

"We can change that if you'd like." His suggestion hangs in the air. He moves slowly, nibbling at your earlobe, kissing your collarbone gently, trailing down your stomach kiss by kiss. His lips meet your bare thighs—you were only in a hoodie and shorts—but they don't go further. "Take it off."

"What?" you stammer, completely having zoned out for a moment.

"Your shirt. Take it off."

"It's a hoodie," you correct.

"Same thing."

You take it off far too slow for his liking, but that's okay.

"Your bra too."

You raise a brow. "What's the magic word?"

He lets out a desperate groan. "Please."

"Good boy." You flash a grin as he seems to melt at the praise, right before he yanks your shorts off, quickly followed by your underwear. "You're fast when you want to be, huh?" You try and sound cocky. You sound breathless instead.

"We could always do this slow, babe. Up to you." He's lying. He can't wait.

"Are you sure you don't mind the blood?"

"If I minded, I wouldn't have brought it up to begin with." He brings his face closer and inhales again, eyes once again growing dark as he gives you a look. You nod at him, and that's all he needs. He laps at your clit, slow at first, and when your body jerks, he holds your hips so you don't move. "Too much?" he grins up at you.

"It's fine," you pant out.

"Fine? I'll show you fine." He goes back, tongue swirling before he presses his entire tongue ever-so-gently against your entrance. You hear yourself gasp as you feel a gush. You feel a sense of something. You're not sure what. He pulls back as he licks bloodied lips, eyes trained on you, slightly narrowed. "You okay?"

That was kind of hot. "Sorry. I didn't mean to get blood all ov—"

"It's okay. Nothing to be ashamed about. You're on your period." His voice turns a bit softer. "It's normal. It's natural. I asked for this, and I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't want to. Besides, you taste good. In both ways. Relax."

You do so. "You gonna keep going?"

"You haven't cum yet."

"I don't need to. This is good."

"Have none of your ex boyfriends ever made you cum?" He sounds half baffled and half offended on your behalf. What pathetic losers. He'd put them all to shame.

"No."

"Well, let me change that then." He dips his head again.

By the time he's done and you've finished, he's made you cum three times. You're out of breath as he finally has mercy on you and lets you take a quick shower. You're back in your underwear, shorts, and hoodie once more.

"Thank you," you blurt, "for... that." You motion downwards.

He snorts. "You're thanking me for eating you out?"

"Well, that and making me cum three times in a row. That's literally never happened before."

"Glad to be of service." He tugs you into his arms, sighing contently.

"You don't want me to...?" Your eyes glance down.

"Do you want to?" His eyebrow raises.

"Not right now, no."

"Then no." He shrugs.

"Okay." You rest your head on his arm. "By the way..."

"Hm?"

"The cramps are gone."

"Good to hear." He's not letting you go. Not now, not ever. "I'll always be there for you, no matter what, even if you don't want me to. You know that, right?"

You think you hear a hint of possessiveness leak into his voice. But no. That wasn't right. That couldn't be. "I know. Thank you." You move up to press a kiss to his cheek.

He pretends it doesn't affect him as much as it actually does. "You should get some rest. I'll be right here." He settles, holding you near him as you close your eyes.

You've never felt so cared for and protected as you listen to the steady thrum of his heartbeat under your ear, dozing off.

[blues824]

Malleus Draconia and #4

You requested: Gift Giving

Malleus Draconia

When you invited him to Ramshackle, he was beyond excited. You told him to dress comfortably, but we all know that he dressed up in fancy dress pants and a white button-up shirt, black belt to top it off as well as dress shoes adorning his feet. It was his version of ‘comfortable’, because he’s not in his full leather dorm uniform.

You, in contrast, were in sweatpants and a black t-shirt. It was one of his undershirts, actually, and it was quite large on you. However, you being drowned in his cologne was something he definitely could get used to, especially since you would sometimes sniff at the collar to get a whiff of his trademark scent. It made his draconic instincts go wild.

Anyway, you both sat in the living room of the dilapidated dormitory, Grim sleeping in your bedroom. You had made an agreement with the cat-monster, sliding him 4 whole cans of fancy tuna in exchange for no interruptions with your date with Malleus, and he shook your hand, said “pleasure doing business with you”, and went upstairs.

The lights were turned down low, instead being replaced by the lights strung on the tree and all throughout the room. The atmosphere was intimate, and you sat between Malleus’s legs, leaning your back into his chest.

His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his arms wrapped around your shoulders. His skin was cold, but the close proximity made warmth bloom in your heart. He was placing feather-light kisses upon your collarbone, not marking you, but not close to letting you go either.

“Malleus, I got you a present, but you’re going to have to let me go so I can get it,” You whispered, turning your head to the side so that you could move your eyes to catch a glimpse of his emerald green eyes.

“And what if I never want to let you go, darling?” He whispered back, pulling away from the crook in your neck.

“You won’t ever have to. However, I do want to give you something, and I do need to get up and get it,” A smile and a laugh made their way to your lips as his arms tightened their hold on you, and you brought your hands up to them, while placing a kiss on his lips, albeit at an awkward angle. Then, he let you go.

Quickly, you scrambled over to the coffee table, reaching over to grab the gift box and crawling back to your safe space: the dragon prince currently sitting on the floor of your living room.

As you leaned back into him, you held the box in your hands for him to reach around you and open it, and he smiled when he saw that it was a framed picture of you both. It was a silhouette picture of him bridal-carrying you, and he remembers that day:

You both were on a walk as the sun was setting, and you quickly stopped and said that you wanted to take a picture. When discussing what pose you should do, he proposed the idea of picking you up into his arms. You agreed, and you set the timer, and you jumped into his arms.

It was a memory that would seem insignificant to most, but to you both, it was a treasure that could never be replaced.

“I believe I have something for you as well, Child of Man. It will be okay if you refuse it at first, as I know it’s still fairly early in our courtship, but I wanted you to know how much you mean to me,” With that preface, he used his magic to whip out a small green box. He held it for you to take, and you carefully opened it to reveal an emerald.

It was almost glowing, and it had you entranced.

“This is the heart of my hoard… or it was until you came into my life. The heart of a dragon’s hoard is its most precious treasure. Accepting it means you become my mate. I know that you are still young in your years, but I want you to have it eventually, if not right now. I want to see you wearing it around your neck so that I and everyone else knows you are my mate.”

Tears were brimming up in your eyes as you gently lifted the gem out of the foam, and you turned fully so that you could face the man that you loved with all your heart.

You placed it back in the box before nodding your head ‘yes’ and going in for a kiss, him meeting you halfway.

This was just the beginning of something wonderful, and you both could feel it.

[formosusiniquis]

The thing is that Leverage Consulting & Associates is, on paper, a legitimate company. Or it was a legitimate company at one point. It was founded by Harlan Leverage III, that’s how Hardison set it up and we know that he’s good at setting up the paperwork to make something look legit.

So with that in mind, I propose the following.

Parker is getting better at the people thing, the strange people thing. She’s good with the boys, they’re her boys. They get her and she gets them, usually. There isn’t the thing that Sophie is always talking about, conventions. Expectations that she has to know how to meet. It’s easier with a con, there’s a goal she just has to figure out the right things to say to reach the right end. It’s like a dialogue tree in one of Hardison’s games.

Meeting with clients is harder. Having to work out what they think they want and what they really want. It’s a mess of implications and vaguely stated desires. She doesn’t know why everyone can’t just say what they’re really thinning. She tries to have Hardison or Eliot there with her, to translate the innuendo that she knows she misses or correct her misinterpreting of a facial tic. But Eliot is running recon on the mark that they’re about to take and Hardison is working on one of his projects to help fix the world.

So it’s just her in the brew pub looking for Steve, a middle school teacher for the hard of hearing whose school is getting shut down. She finds him at the bar, the hair is, as Eliot would say, distinctive.

“Mr. Harrington,” he startles when she taps on his shoulder. Maybe Eliot is right and she’s not making enough noise when she walks.

“Yes, hello, hi.” Nervous, he’s nervous, that much she understands what to do with.

“Hello, I’m Parker, we-”

“Parker?” A question she thinks, it ticks up at the end like one. But he hasn’t actually asked anything.

“Leverage. You contacted us about your school.”

“Oh,” he brightens, maybe he thought she was confused or a stranger. “I didn’t know it was a family business.”

This was another thing she didn’t get, the weird connections people made. How the thing that she said turned into what he said. That confusion must be plain.

“I did some research, tried anyway, my sister-in-law is pretty handy with the computer stuff.”

They’ve run a lot of cons, sometimes pictures do pop up of them in the middle of a grift, Hardison’s crawlers are good but the internet is changing, apparently. It makes sense, in a way, that he might have seen a picture of her with the boys.

Eliot and Alec are her family. Nate and Sophie too.

“We are. A family business. Does that matter?”

He smiles, a real one, she knows what that means. “No! I think that’s fantastic. Family is important to me.”

“Great. Now, Mr. Harrington, what can you tell me about what is going on with your school.”

The con keeps them busy for several days, but at the end she’s excited to see Mr. Harrington again to tell him the good news. She likes this part, maybe more than the gloat. It’s like the opposite of money, the ephemeral way the joy and the gratitude on their faces can’t be hoarded.

“Thank you, Ms. Leverage, you can’t imagine how much this will mean to the students. It’s amazing that the business has stayed in the family since the 1900’s.”

It’s such a strange thing to say that she isn’t sure how to answer. So she defaults, “We’re just glad we could help.”

He leaves not much later, joining up with a man that she knows from the background check is his husband.

Alec and Eliot slip behind her once he’s gone. A quiet and subtle presence, until Alec can’t help but break the silence. “Parker Leverage. It has a nice ring.”

And it isn’t hard to admit, “It does, doesn’t it?”

[cressthebest]

What do you think jegulily's house is like as adults, and whats the most important part of it to each of them?

i think about this too much to he healthy.

• okay! first of all, the bedrooms.

there are two bedrooms, one is the master bedroom with all their stuff in there. all three share this room and they have a huge closet. (mostly for reg and lily’s purposes).

however, there’s a second, smaller bedroom as well that lily will often sleep in. i headcanon her as plus sized and i think she’d get overheated at night some times and just prefer to sleep alone. she loves reg and james so much, but for night comforts, she sometimes needs space.

james is cuddly af, and reg is so fucking clingy, and lily sometimes just needs to breathe so that extra bedroom is most often used by lily. (though any of them could ever use it if they needed space)

• this house is all about maximalism and it drives regulus crazy. james just likes to collect his little trinkets and lily hoards items she thinks could have future sentimental value (cause she regrets not having enough reminders of petunia)

• they also have huge thick curtains, some rooms it’s dark red and other rooms it’s dark green. slytherin vs gryffindor war :/

• lily loves big plush couches and surfaces. tons of soft places to sit

• the garden is regulus’ favorite place. it’s quiet, and he couldn’t often go outside while living in grimmauld place. he’s really good at gardening. he’ll often kinda hide in the plants and bushes so no one bothers him and he’ll snuggle up with a book.

• the kitchen is james’ favorite place and he loves to cook. love has always been food to him. and lily and reg cannot cook for the life of themselves. lily just isn’t good at it, and house elves always made food for regulus

• lily actually likes the stairs. kinda odd, but it’s her favorite part of the house. she’s always wanted a staircase (that doesn’t move). and lining the wall of the staircase is tons of printed photographs of everyone she loves. james took most of the pictures, and lily absolutely loves them all.

• they all gather around the fireplace and regulus reads out loud to them once a week for a date night when they’re all home. sometimes they read chapters, other times, reg reads his favorite poetry to them, other times they read short fiction.

[woso-dreamzzz]

Big Adventures Thoughts

So, my fics were pretty short tonight because I was stuck on a coach for six hours and couldn't write much but I do have some random Big Adventures thoughts that may or may not make it into fics at some point but I'm just going to share them all with you now 😊

I've mentioned it very briefly in an ask before but when Princesse was very young she spoke Swedish with a slight Danish accent and Magda hated it. It faded after she started living with Magda but it's always funny to Pernille whenever anyone brings it up

It's not been used a lot but moster Frido is a big part of Princesse's life. This is coming in a fic soon but after the doctors and Magda and Pernille, she's actually the next person to hold Princesse and she's the one that brings her girl-swan and girl-moose when she's a baby. Princesse adores her in the way all young girls idolise their older, female relatives and Frido's definitely the one she turns to when she's older and doesn't want to talk to her mums about certain things

Magda feels a bit inadequate sometimes (particularly early on) when she finds out just how easy Pernille and Princesse work together on things and it's a pretty steep learning curve for her but she adapts pretty quickly

Every shirt Princesse gets when she's younger, she wears to bed the night she gets it. Some shirts (like Leah's) she hoards for weeks before letting them get washed and framed if she thinks they're special enough

Princesse is deathly allergic to kiwi, banana and avocado but only slightly allergic to latex

Sometimes on the bus to away games, Princesse curls up on Jessie's lap and naps with her. Pernille has a whole photo album of pictures of Jessie and Princesse napping

The gloves that Zećira gives Princesse after the match against the USA, Princesse keeps. It becomes a bit of a superstition but before every match, she puts them on and then takes them off to put on her own gloves because she wants Zećira's good luck from that game to rub off on her

Princesse is absolutely a prodigy at keeping. Magda and Pernille debate sometimes whether there must be some kind of keeper dna in the donor they chose (because it certainly didn't come from Magda's) or whether or not it was the near hero worship Princesse has for Zećira that made her want to prove herself

Princesse's schooling ends up being a bit all over the place. She only starts school when they all move back to Germany and she only really goes in a few times a week because Magda and Pernille's schedules can be erratic sometimes and it's a bit easier to home-school her (and because of the slight separation anxiety Magda develops but will forever deny). When Magda and Pernille retire and they end up in Sweden, Princesse's time is taken up by academy training and then when she hits fifteen, professional training so she ends up taking online school

I think I've mentioned this as well but Princesse never lets in a penalty her entire career and it makes other players all the more nervous during penalty shootouts at major tournaments because she continually blocks them. It becomes kind of a thing that commentators at matches talk about in the 'is this the day someone finally scores a penalty against her' kind of way

Like Magda did, Princesse gives away her World Cup medals but this time to Magda and Pernille rather than a child of her own

Almost all of Princesse's World Cup jerseys get given away to players from her childhood (if and when she defeats their teams) while the others go to Magda and Pernille

For club football, Princesse has her first name on her back but for every international match, it's her last name

Princesse feels awkward getting praise sometimes from people that aren't her mothers which is something that carries into adulthood so, at award shows and such things, she always brings them with her because it makes her feel less awkward

Speaking of award shows, Princesse is presented with awards by both Mary Earps when she grows up along with Alexia and Aitana

[a-dragons-journal]

Territory, and What it Is to Be a Dragon

That last essay I reblogged got me thinking about what being dragon really means to me, what the core of it is, so here I am writing.

(Obviously my experiences of draconity and what it means to be a dragon are not going to be universal. When I say "dragon" in this post, I mean specifically my species of dragon; I just don't know what we call ourselves in our own tongue, so I only have dragon to call it.)

Disclaimer aside:

What is it to be a dragon?

Dragon is many things, many small things that come together to form a larger picture. Or at least, that's how dragon-in-human-skin is.

Flight, for one. Flight is the first thing I remember wanting so badly that it hurt all the way down to the core of my bones. What is there to say about it? It's home, it's life; a grounded dragon is a dead dragon. Flight is hard work, yes, but the sky is where we are safest, where the only thing that can touch us is another dragon, and it's difficult for even them to approach unnoticed. Hunting from above is the safest and most effective way to do it. Patrolling the territory is easiest when one doesn't have to contend with any obstacles but the currents of the wind.

I have to concur with Rook (@/words-of-wolf) in that aforementioned essay; the violence in me does not come from the hunt, it comes from the territory. Dragons are viciously territorial creatures, more often than not willing to die for our claim, our lair, our hoard. But the hunt... the hunt is swift, and lethal, and does not strike dragonbrain as particularly violent. A hunt isn't a fight. I don't know whether dragon!me thought of my prey as beings capable of fear and pain; we were sort of sapient (enough so to have names, at least), but only sort of.

Territory, though. Territory is core to being dragon, for me. A dragon needs to claim things and places as mine, and it will, whether or not that claim is appropriate. Much like a parrot, if it doesn't have an appropriate outlet, it will make an inappropriate one (and sometimes it will do so even if it is given an appropriate outlet - despite having an actual territory my brain likes to claim any room I spend a significant amount of time in as mine, even if it's technically shared space, and I've almost lashed out at a coworker for the crime of turning the fan off in my room when it was just as much his room as mine). There is a certain amount of possessiveness to a dragon that is inescapable.

My mother often questions why dragons hoard gold. I can talk about courting behaviors, I can talk about how it theoretically proves you're able to protect something precious to a mate, but in the end, the answer is simply because we must. Hoard is core to us, as much as allogrooming is to a primate or hunting is to a cat. My hoard serves no purpose now; I have no other dragons to court even if I wanted to. But still I am driven to hoard nonetheless, just as a cat is driven to hunt no matter whether it's actually hungry or not. Dragonbrain only sort of cares about why territory and hoard are important, how they feed and protect and offer mating opportunities. It just knows that they are important, and that it will fight to the death to defend them - why only sort of matters.

This is, I think, a lot of where my draconic pride comes from. Draconic pride is something we talk about in draconic spaces with some regularity; whatever the kind of dragon, there's more often than not some amount of pride and vanity associated with being a dragon, any kind of dragon. It's instinctive for many of us. It's probably culturally learned for all of us. But there is also a sense of natural pride that comes with this is mine, none can take it from me, I think. Pride, too, is core to draconity, in all its flawed glory, but it is integrally tied with these things, and perhaps that's why it's so core to draconity. (Perhaps that's why it's so common as well - I've rarely met a dragon who isn't some degree of territorial.)

[allister-the-procrastigator]

Heyaa mod Duck here again 😼

This blog is almost COMPLETELY based on headcanons besides the info given on the official character card ☝️so please respect that I cannot be canon adjacent

Allister is liiike.. 15-16 I would say ☝️

Allister Gator is the slacker of the Nightmare Critters. He possesses a laid-back attitude and is often coerced by his friends to participate in activities, but he lacks drive and ambition. If given the chance, he would happily loaf off in a body of water and do nothing productive for a full 24 hours. He is a firm and devout believer of the philosophy: "Good things come to those who wait". The only time Allister puts effort into something is if his friends actively force him to.

WARNINGS:

This blog may contain cursing and heavy topics such as Violence, sensitive topics, and stuff simular to that. Mod is a Minor, so sexual topics will be kept to a minimum 🫵

Role-playing and symbols:

"This is Allister. Hi."

[This is actions and/or thoughts!]

and this is how I'll speak through text! though I mostly speak in the tags

other SC blogs:

@the-cool-chicken

@the-crafty-unicorn

@bubba-bubbaphant

@picky-piggy

@hoppyhopscotch1

@acat-foryournap

@bobbybearhugs-blog

@dogday-shines-bright

@bearhugs-from-bobby

@the-cat-that-naps

@bubbabubbaphant-blog

@baba-chops-emo-sheep

@simon-the-dragon

@rabie-baby-bat

@poe-the-crow

@chocosharksnack

GO FOLLOW THEM!!

Plus my other blogs: @that-sunny-pup @doctor-harleysawyer @ask-kissymissy

ART:

current status: dawgday day

headcanons under the cut:

The other critters sometimes call him Alli as a nickname

His favorite cartoon show is the wildkratts,, he would 100% just float on his back in the water with an IPad and just binge all of it

I cannot imagine him with a girl so. gay🫵 Allister Gator? more like Allister Gaytor

very protective of his fellow nightmare critters. The smiling critters on the other hand, he couldn't give less a shit about.

Nature enjoyer

ADHD

Actually just a chill guy but he can be an asshole when he wants to be

He hoards random junk and throws it into his pond for enrichment

quite naturally strong (as a Gator character probably would be) he just doesn't show it off

He is narcoleptic, meaning he is constantly very tired throughout the day no matter how much rest he's gotten and may just fall asleep out of nowhere

The scent of sandalwood is used traditionally to relieve stress and anxiety, so I like to think the other nightmare critters like to hang out with him when they're stressed

New one !! I think he struggles to show emotions on his face

He does NOT know how to pose for pictures . He just stands there and does a thumbs-up, MAYBE an awkward smile

He cosplays!! he likes cosplaying!!! woo cosplay!!! If you give me characters to make him cosplay as I'll draw it

[list will be updated as I come up with more]

[earlycuntsets]

A healthy and reasonable criticism of the mcr archive that i’m 0% scared to share. I didn’t sign and NDA and i’m a free woman.

I will express my criticisms with both their practice and their pr.

this is my opinion and how I received them. if you want to turn this around on me, may you remember that I'm not the one responsible for the mcr archive. i'm a fan and they're a professional organization not god or jesus or anything like that.

practice: 

how can I view and appreciate the mcr archives work?

We have their mission statement

“My Chemical Romance community project whose goal is to collect & catalog MCR content for future posterity.”

linktree where you can see what they're sharing rn.

and what does the mcr archive so actively do? they share

2. sometimes a time sensitive drop box of files (from their link tree. files you dare not share, even if you credit them.)

3. barely (and sometimes just not) sourced social media posts that are kind of.. no different than what anyone else might share in terms of sourcing. the photos however seem to be really high quality versions of photos we’ve seen before and definitely some ones relatively no one has seen. They told me that’s because they pitch in to buy from photo agencies. and what the mcr archive posts is always excellent but it’s not everyone else’s problem you can’t find the info. I’ve dug up sources for ya’lls posts before when it takes two seconds to do. the places where you can add info, should have info. You should message other smart people in a group chat or something “hey can you look into this show for me, I can’t find the dang photographer” wheres the evidence of practice.

so It was an event/show. At the show there was a photographer. Look at their stupid haircuts, find out what 3 months in 2005 it was, check setlist fm etc

when I asked who took the pictures they told me “that infos actually not out there, we got it from a photo agency” who better than a f'n photo agency to know who took the picture I do not understand... you should have more info as a result

3. a mostly dead link list that credits back to themselves sometimes. seriously check it out you can’t do anything except the youtubes.

4. when they post a video, they haven't credited the yt a lot of the time. because they don't credit properly what ends up happening is they post and we're to believe the source is the mcr archive. which yeah no (credit where credit is due to them but sometimes you see it in funny places)

5. They informed me that they don’t check tumblr to see if the photos have been posted they just queue it when the time comes. It would save them a lot of time to reblog from someone.

maybe one of the amazing accounts that catalogue (thats what we’ll say to avoid eternal damnation) mcr extensively. Maybe all those blogs could be friends of the archive and we could all look forward to being reblogged by the great mcr archive

honestly they should reblog everything callmeblakes ever posted bc that shit is mcr history and archiving to me. just an opinion. in fact if you wanna know what I expect from the mcr archive, go to blakes blog.

6. It’s easy to have new mcr when everyone's falling all over themselves ready to give you their new mcr pics/video. But when there’s not it’s just this half effort mcr account It doesn’t do justice to those bits and pieces in between. The things that need to be saved still.

7. side note: I would like to credit the mcr archive as a bit of the inspiration for my website. I wanted to hoard everything and be excited about mcr. I needed the old important stuff I used to bleach my eyes with. So when I saw “the mcr archive” I was so excited to see well…

the archive????

I thought surely I wasn’t going to the right site. I thought for sure there was a “mcr archive” url, not a link tree, that would have all of this referenced content right? So fans can see the whole thing? no. Its always a limited time dropbox. That's why all the links are dead now. You can only get to what they have posted on instagram or tumblr.

The idea and concept and general execution of the mcr archive is good. it just seems they have fallen asleep on their laurels. And for the band I love, it should be better kept. Their content is excellent of course. photo agency quality scans.

For it being the “definitive mcr archive” I guess I just wanted more structure, more transparency and info and links where they apply. everything could be more accessible. it just seems to be run by not many people and they'd benefit from a larger team.

this is my personal critique that is 100% allowed to exist.

PR

I was recently messaged by an mcr archive member. their identity is protected but I will associate "mcr archive" to them because that's who they represent when they message fans about archival business.

(I’ve recently had some discourse with them that i'm sharing. they are the owner of an archive within the mcr archive (oo lala) -- from which I took and credited 20 of their files)

below my defense to their claims. I don't like being misunderstood.

they say in the first sentence it was on my site uncredited. bull. the files that belonged to them were labelled. I had their contributors doc in every folder that even had their files.

but that's not enough for them to be civil? that's not enough to simply ask for your 20 files to be removed from a my chemical romance fan site.. huh

they then give themselves away as anon (which they denied) by using the same vocab. I "lifted" their files. who even says that. in their og anon ask, they say the same thing followed by a lot of hot air about how i'm apparently doing a shit job and only they understand hard work. i'm a lot but i'm not stupid.

then here we go with I "copied their whole archive into mine". that didn't happen. I had 20 files and she assumed I took her wayback screenshots. bc how could I possibly have the capacity to take my own. they described taking these screenshots as an obscene amount of work btw. so much COMPLAINING. you should be grateful to do it. they also say the screenshots they took might not be on wayback machine anymore. sure bud.

it was brought to my attention that them saying they want the convo private is telling as well. they should be salespeople for mcr of the utmost transparency i'm sorry. you are public figures that don't treat mcr fans with respect and to try to make them feel small.

then they call me unprofessional.

Interesting that they message me calling me “unprofessional” when I am just a regular mcr blog/site owner. I never claimed to be perfect, or the end all be all mcr curator. I’m not the one affiliated with the mcr archive. If the mcr archive has a problem with my site they can make their own and do it their way. I’m not burger king. next.

then they talk about feeling undermined. the irony.

then they say I lack “community awareness” when they want all the credit for everything. that's the message you send when you don’t credit the photographers or youtube accounts. (no link ever) Its like “idk doesn’t matter look I posted it” which is fine when you’re a regular mcr fan but when you claim to be the most official mcr archive account, you are held to a higher standard in this fanbase.

and this is all before I even responded. they don't know me and they're literally scolding me. ok hotshot.

then I got defensive and tried to express to them that i'm not as dumb as they seem to think I am. I didn't do the things I was being accused of. I was honest about how I felt. it was hard to respond to all that because it was these weird different attacks on my intelligence from a person i've never spoken to before.

then them and their mcr achive friend sending fucked up anon asks calling me a piece of shit among other things. those mcr archive accounts could not figure out how to get a life that night. some random mcr archive fan is so mad to call me a piece of shit bc I got mad at mcr archive is what i'm to believe. it was them. they try to gatekeep this fandom that way ig. what does it for me is the complaining and acting like they built the pyramids.

it's not my fault it was hard work for you to do your awesome job request to remove and be business about it. it was like .04% of my website I don't care.

I took their stuff off, I put their site at the top of my sources on ec. I wanted this to be over. so I was professional and did as they asked. I was not half as rude as they were in their initial message. and then they say "why are you continuing to undermine me?"

like i'm sorry are you beyonce??

so they say i'm "duplicating work" and I need to slow down my process to avoid future errors. I am so clear about errors and fixing them and having no problem listening to people that are right. I am reasonable but how they came at me was bonkers. duplicating? I steal everything on there I own 0. cept the dvds ig. if me posting old show pics on a flicker from 2011 is duplicating work. sure idgaf. this history needs exposure.

I’m just a blog like everyone else that posts things that mean something to them. My website isn’t worth much more than a reference. It is a place that points to other places. This blog is the same. I’ve never pretended to own anything. ever. 

then they say just because their whole archive is literally drag and drop easy to download doesn't mean my site is worth more than their archive.

why are you comparing my site to an official mcr archive period?

They don't want to be brief as indicated in their essay of a first message. they want to argue with me about a few things. because I didn't bend over backwards and kiss their ass seven different ways to sunday, after they came at me wrong, they think I am undermining their work.

according their messages, my archive is illegitimate because I don’t ask permission when my content is 2002-2012 old sites. I have never asked permission and never did anything to hide that. anyone of the 9287432 people who have their material on my site can ask to have it removed. I just link to the original source and credit. Just interesting because: how do they have permission to use the photos if they can’t even tell us who took them. 

I have tried to talk to them during the founding of my website. I sent them messages and asked questions and they don't speak to the public. community this community that. I did @ a member in march when I used and credited her whole of 20 files. I removed it because they didn't respond to it for 3 months and stopped thinking about it. I figured she would talk to me like a grown up one day request to remove sometime if she wanted it down. guess that was too much to ask.

what this message tells me is that I can’t possibly understand the work they do, it’s too specialized and complicated. Apparently lmao I misunderstand them and only they know the true meaning of putting together info and data entry.

And i’m sorry I said taking a picture or scanning something isn’t hard work. I just got tired of all their hot air. I’m sorry but It’s all about them and their precious stuff and taking pictures/scans of it. it’s like mcr influencers that post paid for pictures and they dress really cool but I can't help but think about how I would be in their shoes, how lucky so many people would feel to be a part of the mcr archive. and their lack of gratitude stinks to high hell.

And for the record, It’s the attitude for me

All they had to do was request to remove like any other human would.

I really needed to say my piece and now i’m letting this go. :) reactions be damned.

[mrghostrat]

hi hiiiii! I’ve been enjoying your streamer au so so so much and now I absolutely must check out your other works, but I digress! For totally not fan art related reasons: have you ever put thought into how either of them prefer to dress? Like what fabrics they like? masc, femme, neutral? Loose, tight? Etc. etc.

I’m sorry to bombard you with so much for my first ask sudhfhucjsjdhvydjj

Just…curious. For, again, unfanart related reasons 👀

hiii thank you! i was going to say i haven't thought about this much, but i just realised that would be a lie, and i've totally caught myself off guard with it.

i like them best when they're as close to the source material as possible, (especially when the AU is really far from canon, it makes me hold even tighter to certain canon references to anchor it) and i like to blend book and tv.

to me, that makes crowley a combo of hotshot lawyer x aging rockstar, which means wearing sharp suits and slacks as often as drainpipes and chelsea boots. since crowley gives us so much variation to work with, i like referencing the show for all his clothing, even if i mix n match the pieces. (i do love how slouchy streetwear crowley looks, but i don't actually think it's very in character for him, so in my fics i keep him dressed sharply. jumpers and cardigans can still be sharp imo, depending what they're paired with and how slim the cut)

aziraphale, on the other hand. i didn't realise i had an opinion about this until i started typing. aziraphale is a camp and indulgent fucker, who hoards his victorian clothing because he loves it. he's canonically passionate about clothes. so i think the human au version of that means he'd have a lot of variation, even tho we don't see that in the show.

to anchor it to canon, i still picture him with the same ensemble of slacks or corduroys + button up + waistcoat + jacket. sometimes i'll add or remove pieces, like just a button shirt with no waistcoat, with or without a bowtie, and give him different cuts of jacket. my book!aziraphale exception to this is giving him lots of cardigans and jumpers. crowley's would be sleek like the turtleneck, but aziraphale wouldn't be afraid to look frumpy for the sake of cosiness or comfort.

his variation comes from colours and patterns, even though his overall style is very unanimous. he'd have dozens of diff bowties, tartan and argyle and paisley and check and plain alike. everything is light, but he's not beholden to cream and white: i think he'd enjoy the colour from all kinds of soft pastels.

sorry this is so long but i wanted to share my reasoning along with everything! <3

[sickgraymeat]

I think that, for a lot of her life, Bonnie is very much unaware that the world is not a fun game. (EDIT: more accurate phrasing might be “that a fun game is not the world.”) I think she puts a lot of unconscious and semi-conscious effort into avoiding reality for her own safety and sanity, but I don’t think she actually tries to use others as pawns. She’s very isolated emotionally speaking (as in she is around a lot of people but rarely makes deep connections with them) and struggles with empathy. She makes things a certain way, it keeps her and her loved ones (okay mostly Neddy) safe, so she sees no reason to change it, even if/when she’s unhappy. This bitch was born with a certain amount of understanding of the living world and how to interact with it, and for a long time, she had no reason to doubt that that was all there was to it. She was a child (emotionally and socially and experientially) who thought she was a grownup simply because she was smart and capable of keeping herself and her brother alive and him content. While Marceline’s emotional growth was stunted at a hugely volatile stage, Bonnie’s was nipped in the bud— in the root, really.

When the loneliness of being a child with adult priorities started to weigh on her, she used a picture of a happy family and the ruins of their home as her entire blueprint for interpersonal relationships. These people are grownups, so they will take care of me. That’s how it works because I read that somewhere.

Can you imagine the shock she must have felt when she first met Finn and Jake? Jake lets his baby brother play with swords and go on dangerous quests, sometimes even on his own?? Can you imagine, then, what Jake must have told her? Finn is a scrappy kid who will play outside in this fucked up world no matter what we do. He’s safer with the ability to defend himself than he would be if he never faced danger. He’s not much like Neddy. Not all people who fill the same roles are much like each other (still a relatively unfamiliar concept to her). Finn loves fairytale stories and grandeur and helping people— he’s like Bonnie. So yes, she will play knight and princess with him, because it keeps them both safe, and because it’s fun! It’s her chance to be kind of like a kid, and there are even some threats (IK) that are easy to delegate because they won’t hurt Finn the way they hurt her! But she’ll also protect him, even if it’s just by allowing him to train and sending him on missions she knows he can handle. Even if her protection hurts him and/or other people.

You’re fighting the knight, you’re seeking the dragon’s hoard, you’re trying to vanquish the demon. You don’t stand a fucking chance with the princess watching you, because unlike them, she’s not worried about being consistent or happy or good. She doesn’t even know what good is.

[riverie-cetus]

[ Dramatically bust's through the wall kool aid man style ]

GHAAE ( + Wolf) HEADCANONS :D

( for both Fable and MerSMP cuz I am having massive brainrot )

Fable:

- When Rae and Aax were younger, they would always without fail have some sort of picnic in their cave, this had led to Caspian, Rae, Aax and Fenris to have a makeshift picnic at random moments,

- Caspian has become a master at braiding his boyfriends (and boyfriend in law's) hairs, he'll sometimes do it automatically whenever one of the sits in front of him, he doesn't even realize he's doing it until they ask him about it.

- Fenris likes to draw stars on Rae whenever he can, Rae will be happily sleeping next to him and Fenris will just pull out a pen and draw the prettiest stars you've ever seen just- on this man's arm, Caspian and Aax have also been drawn upon on a few occasions but not *nearly" as much as Rae.

-Rae and Fenris can easily preen wings, Caspian *can* but he's not as good as them at it, Aax has no genuine clue what he's doing.

- If true crime existed in Fable, Aax and Caspian would be watchings, commenting and taking notes on any video they could get their hands on.

( TW for slight mention of child abuse )

- Whenever Aax thinks about the memory of Fable hitting Rae, he'll go to Rae and kiss where Fable hit him. He loves it whenever Aax does this.

Mer:

-Raylan will have constant dreams of old places he and his family used to go to, He can *almost* picture what their home looked like, He's tried to draw it from memory but it never looks right.

-Krit walked Raylan down the isle on his wedding day

- Mer! Caspian and Aax (Percy??) Still have Rayland ring on, Caspian has tied both his rings around his neck in fear of losing them, while Aax keeps them on his finger.

-Raylan has written letters to his family in hopes that the wind will bring it to them, He hadn't heard anything back yet- but he's hopeful, he put what he remembers, what he doesn't remember, what happened and his cords in it, folded it into a paper air plane and let the wind guide it out of his hands, he then quietly whispered a prayer that it finds them and that they don't hate his guts.

- Raylan hasn't been sleeping well, not only because he's mapping out the stars, but also because his bed feels too empty. The only times he's gotten actual good sleep is when Bucket laid in his chest and purred.

-More often than not, whenever Raylan is laying in bed, trying to sleep- He'll hear Caspian singing.. sometimes he'll even sing along- just to feel closer to him,

-Mer! Aax and Caspian have been absolutely worried sick about when Raylan is, They've been to so many tavern with a picture of him and Krit, asking the bartenders if they had seen either of them, Solaris and Jamie have been hoarding coral in the hopes that Raylan and Krit will just- magically appear so they can give it to them.

- Krits been awake more often, and has been trying to help Raylan remember anything about his husbands, it's worked to some degree- but he still can't remember Mer! Aax's name.

Dontcha just love it when you suddenly begin to brainrot over fiction gay men? I sure do :D

/pos

[srslyscary]

┊┊. WHAT’S IN HER BAG !

⟿ HER BAG

> MARC JACOBS TOTE BAG . bought this back in 2021, still in very good shape and she keeps a lot of her essentials (or various hoarded items) in this bag.

“this.. is my tote bag. I thought it was really nice and at the time I don’t think I saw any other colors in this bag that I liked. it’s a really spacious bag so it fits most of my stuff in it.”

⟿ PERFUME

> PURPLE OUD EAU DE PARFUM . It has a very nice smell, this is the perfume she uses everyday.

“this is my favorite scent.. it’s like a lavender scent. it’s called ‘purple oud’, my all time first pick.”

⟿ HEADPHONES

> SILVER AND PINK EARMUFF HEADPHONES . to rae, this pair of headphones is more convenient to her. they’re easier to relax with than airpods.

“these are my headphones. I don’t really enjoy having airpods or earbuds in my ear, so I use headphones with cushion earmuffs. this pair is great quality.”

⟿ WALLET

> KATE SPADE WALLET . keeps all her cards and cash in here, never goes anywhere without her wallet.

“this is a really pretty color. it’s a kate spade brand. I just keep all my money in here.”

⟿ PLUSHIE

> CHINCHILLA PLUSHIE . this was a gift from san when the members and rae got to spend her first birthday together.

“this is a gift.. from san. I named it ‘sana’, similar to when I call san, ‘san-ah’. this was something I got for the first birthday I spent with the boys. I never felt happier to receive a gift in my entire life.”

⟿ LIP ESSENTIAL

> LIP BALM . her lips get dry at times so she constantly keeps this lip balm in her bag to put in on wherever she goes. even at concerts she has this lip balm somewhere on her person so that she may put it on.

“my lips get dry sometimes.. so this is just lip balm I use whenever I need it.”

⟿ HAIR ESSENTIALS

> HAIR BANDS, CLAW CLIP, AND HAIR BRUSH . these items are for when she needs to keep her hair tidy.

“I really only use these on my days off since I get my hair done by the nice stylists. and even then I’m trying to do my own hair so that the stylists won’t always have to. make their jobs easier you know?”

⟿ PHOTO FILM

> FILM OF THE MEMBERS . never goes anywhere without this film. this constantly reminds her of how much this family means to her.

“I love love LOVE this photo. I never go anywhere without it. someone actually took this picture of them while I was in the restroom and I was so so sad I couldn’t get in the picture. the boys ended up letting me keep it though. thanks to them I have something to look at in my time of need.”

[ashadowofburnedoutstardust]

I get really tired of seeing things before they happen

I've come to the realisation recently that I inherited the mediumship abilities from my mother, and the precognitive ones from my father, apparently he also has the dreams but not the wherewithal to interpret them correctly, in saying that neither do I sometimes

I just find it intriguing that somehow neither of them were consciously able to receive the warning of my forthcoming

I'm not sure whether to interpret my existence as predestined or an unforeseen omen

I think back to the first supernatural experience I had as a child where I had two visitors come speak to me in person; one a bright blue white ball of light that was the only one that spoke, the other at all pale figure with straight black hair wearing a red robe - their skin almost like marble - who came to tell me that everything was going to be alright and not to be afraid and that they would look after me

I truly wish I knew what it is that I'm actually supposed to do with this ability, it doesn't have much pragmatic use for me in my own grand scheme, all that ever really happens is other people suffering because they refuse to listen

I find it bizarre that so many religions have chosen to ignore the many gifts that so many human beings possess, instead the patriarchal convention and monotheistic practices seem to want to develop nothing more than a blind army of followers that do nothing but breed - it seems more like a weapon in some respects doesn't it?

Nothing but yet another political tool created by misogynistic wankers whose continual hunger for power has done nothing but continue the suffering of human beings for the sake of an obsession was hoarding wealth, continuous slaves to their own ego and inability to heal themselves

Makes you wonder who the real devil is doesn't it?

There are times when I truly don't know what to make of that experience or all of the others that I've had since. The prophetic dreams get annoying because at this point in my life it's not just the dreams, I can do it while I'm awake and daydreaming

It would be nice if I could enjoy something for a change and at least get surprised with something meaningful

It's odd, I always see it coming and yet everything I watch go past me I have very little ability to prevent from going wrong

The thing that most people have always said to me when I warn them not to do something was that they should have listened but they were not ready to hear me because they were too wrapped up in themselves and couldn't step back and see the bigger picture

All I ever see is the bigger picture

I truly wish there was some way of getting people to understand that

I don't think that some people truly appreciate the lessons involved in various types of holy scripture, much like dreams their meaning can be quite open to interpretation depending on their own internal narrative bias, given who has been controlling that for the longest I think we understand the angle and purpose behind maintaining that control and why

It's hardly been beneficial for humanity as a whole has it

For many many years now I have watched people turn away from religions as their eyes open and they wake up to the manipulation involved, a person's relationship with the divine does not require the approval of any other singular person or organization

I think it's that realization that terrifies zealots because it leads to a direct loss of the control they have exercised for so long

I think I have finally figured out what it is that is going to replace the current status quo of late stage capitalism

My condolences to the tech bros; the things you have come to value so highly and that which you have created will ultimately replace you, I'd recommend learning a new more pragmatic skill, perhaps engineering may suit you better but I would highly recommend gardening as a hobby

There is a revolution coming there is no doubt about that now, but the interesting thing is that the continued abuse of power is exactly what led to it

"if the emperor goes to war a great empire will fall" or so the saying goes

And history will again repeat, because man refuses to learn from his mistakes

[b00giebabee]

Hi! Welcome to my page:

DNI:

-Under 16 (I will only dm over 17)

-If NSFW/MAP/MIK

-If anti agere or petre

-A dumbass

Byf:

-I do not want a cg. But sibbies are welcome.

-I do not claim to have a system or anything similar. I just know my little sides, pet sides, and caregiver sides all seem like they have their own personalities and they have the ability to communicate. Idk what it is, but I'm not labeled.

Now meet them!

Littles 🧸:

-Bug: 1 yr old, she/her, likes cuddles and MLP. Doesn't like worms and fights puppies for a living.

-Daisy: 6-8 yrs old, she/her, likes botany and foraging. Hates the cold.

-Isla: 3 yrs old, she/her, likes video games, food and horror. Dislikes leaving, she's a couch potato.

-Little One: 7 yrs old, she/her, likes baking, gardening, and the farmers market. Dislikes seeing people sad or angry.

-Lovey: 5 yrs old, she/her, likes reading, studying, the hobbit. Wants to be a historian. Dislikes being alone.

-Moon: 4-5 months old, she/her, likes duplo blocks, mac n cheese, apple juice and monster high. Dislikes barbie.

-Princess: 4 yrs old, she/her, likes shopping, tea parties, and the color pink. Hates being dirty.

-Worm: 2 yrs old, she/her, likes outdoors, fishing, bugs and foraging. Dislikes being inside.

Middles🎮:

-Ashton: 10-14 yrs old, he/him, likes minecraft, monster energy and EDM music.

-Jewel: 14 yrs old, she/her, likes tumblr, nightcore, and youtube. Dislikes being made fun of.

-Rapunzel: 9 yrs old, she/her, likes caesar salad, anything DIY, and tangled. Dislikes not having anything to do.

Pets🐾:

-Kaida: Dragon, she/her, likes hoarding anything that smells like our CG. Dislikes people staring at her.

-Kali: Black panther, she/her, also protector (she is always itching to fight.) Likes breaking stuff and is a cuddle bug. Dislikes people being a$$holes. Has an RBF.

-Marie: Turkish angoran cat, she/her, likes naps and being the center of attention. Dislikes being outside or being ignored.

-Mudpie: Piglet, she/her. Don't know anything about this person yet.

-Pearl: Bunny, she/her, likes doing hair, makeup, and dressing up. Dislikes pants and tennis shoes.

-Pixie: Highland cow, she/her, likes giving gifts. Dislikes being manipulated.

-Roe: White tailed deer, she/her, also a caregiver likes to cook, is a green witch. Dislikes loud noises. Is very skittish.

-Spots: Dalmation puppy, she/her, likes cuddles, naps and going on walks. Dislikes storms.

-Tank: Blue nosed *pit*, she/her, likes walks, playing, belly scratches and learning new tricks. Scared of cats, 1 yr olds, and being alone.

-Wynter: Arctic fox, she/her, protector and caregiver. She's not as quick to fight as Kali is but her words cut deep. Likes no one but our CG. She is a secret softie though.

Caregivers🍺:

-Bek: Late 20's, she/her/they/them, likes gaming and reading. Dislikes rules being broken. Is very calm, rarely ever shows actual emotions. In charge of all financial choices.

-Eyra: Unsure, she/her, is a holistic kitchen witch that likes to cook and bake and can make anything from scratch. She always cooks for us and her favorite drink is sun tea with cinnamon.

-Max: Mid 20's, she/her, is the rule enforcer. Smokes and drinks sometimes and struggles to express emotions.

-Paris: 21, she/her, Y2K. Likes fashion, Tara Yummy, Paris Hilton, and models. Dislikes not being dressed up in public.

-Rebekah: 22, she/her, ME! Likes a little bit of everything. I am in charge of everything and everyone. The main one.

-Sasha: Early-Mid 20's , she/her, likes psychology and wants to/could be a profiler. Is very obsessive and clingy, dislikes sharing. We labeled her a yandere, she's working on the negative parts of herself.

-Serafina: Mid-late 20's, she/her, organizes everything for us. Cleans a lot. Is a soft cg and very gentle. Never angry.

Pictures of them on my instagram!!

[ghostwise]

having fun with the character interactions, maps, and environments + 'gift' spoilers and one veilguard tip!

Dock Town feels so much like Kirkwall it's making me emotional. I can picture Renata walking through environments like this so clearly... I should make her in the CC and take screenshots sometime :')

I wish I knew how to record gameplay! Or make gifs. Alas. I'll post more screenshots later.

The maps are fun, the layering system actually gives us lots to navigate through. My tip if you're starting the game is to upgrade shops as quickly as you can! You do this by selling valuable items to them. This is also why so many merchants carry 'junk' items without any apparent purpose; you should be hoarding these as much as possible while exploring, to sell them back to each area's main shopkeeper. This will strengthen that faction and lead you to shop upgrades, which is when you can start getting more quests, and find some companion gifts. I've found gifts for Bellara and Neve so far.

I wish the gift system involved cutscenes though... that was disappointing for sure.