#I spent so much time on the details on this

[nab3rries]

hi. um. guys?????? i shifted???????????

its embarrassing. because i was literally in the toilet. and i thought to myself, ‘wouldn’t it be funny if i shifted right now?’. and i shifted. to my gamer//streamer//better reality. what the fuck .

(i know i made a post about how if i shifted i would never come back but…….. i have to share this. its the only reason why i shifted back here. next time i shift though? you guys are NOT hearing about it)

quick rundown : i was studying for my chemistry exam that will happen next week in this reality. i needed to use the bathroom. so i went. i started thinking about shifting because i was bored out of my mind. i said ‘fuck it let me try’, closed my eyes, and BOOM. i’m in a different bathroom. the bathroom i had scripted would be my bathroom in my small apartment. in my dr.

i freaked out a little bit because i am NOT nonchalant. i looked at myself in the mirror and I WAS SO BEAUTIFULLLLLLLLLLLLL i mean its my cr face but just improved to my liking BUT I WAS SO BEAUTIFULLL. and i said that aloud too, which freaked me out because my voice is a little different too (it was a bit smoother and soothing idk its my voice feels weird to describe it). my hair was tied up in a bun and i didn’t feel like letting it down, but my fringe was cut so nicely. it fit my face. and it wasn’t poking me in the eyes. i had some strands of hair that were also shorter that had fell out of the bun but it looked very pinterest-esque. very picture worthy. i looked picture worthy. the whole time i was like a movie character sat down at their vanity inspecting their face obsessively. if the mirror had a consciousness it would think i am deranged or something idk . moving onnnnnnn

my bathroom was so nicely decorated i was proud of myselffff. the colours????? the teal the magenta-ish purple the orange????? i had my chanel makeup products all over the sink counter too. it was so chic . guys i am so fucking cool . i feel great about myself now.

and you have to know. the apartment i scripted i owned has a wonderful view. its gorgeous. the galata tower AND the bosphorus?????? and it was a bright, cloudless day. a bit windy. the leaves on the trees were swaying and the sun was so bright it was making the bosphorus water twinkle . i opened the windows (which i didn’t even think about how) to let the breeze in. the air!!!! was clean!!!!!! no smell of petrol!!!!! air pollution is gone!!!!!! my lungs felt great sfkjhsekf IT WAS AMAZING

i didn’t spend much time there (in my dr) because i was a bit shell-shocked///flabbergasted///confuddled and like. i can shift back anytime and anywhere. i know that now, given the fact that i literally shifted… when i was in the toilet…. whilst doing my business.

but in the little time i spent there, i went into my bedroom (AGAIN, FLAWLESSLY DECORATED . I LOVE MYSELF) and just looked at everything. i had all of my perfumes on a silver platter on my bedside table. i had byredo’s mohave ghost. j’adore dior. nishane’s hundred silent ways. issey miyake’s l'eau d'issey (the blue one. i LOVE that one). orabella salted muse. twilly d’hermes. tom ford’s soleil neige. i had a sephora perfume section next to my bed at this point. i would’ve sprayed them all but i didn’t want to cause a sneezing hazard. i did spray soleil neige because i wanted to know if it would smell good on me. and it did, of course.

i had paintings hung up on the wall where my bed was situated. and the paintings were the art on my pinterest board. they were framed in fancy gold looking frames (they were painted gold. not actual gold). i had tears in my eyes,,,,,,, my bedroom was so gorgeous. it was great.

my bed?????????? silk bedsheets in light pink. i laid down on it for a minute. it was so so so soft. and so inviting i almost wanted to fall asleep but i resisted. i had a persian rug with purple-magenta, teal & dark blue and beige details it was so beautiful . it made my bare feet feel warm and the texture was smooth enough to not annoy me (i am sensitive about those things, i fear).

i had scripted that my closer is far bigger than it looks (barbie: dreamhouse style) and it was. i didn’t question the how. but it was a huge, gorgeous room, full of beautiful clothing. the lighting was not too dim but not too bright and so it didn’t hurt my eyes. and the CLOTHES AAAAAAAAA. zimmerman floral dresses. blumarine . archival miu miu. but also: rick owens. maison margiela (THE TABI COLLECTION I HAD. AAAAA). i had ann demeulemeester boots!!!! i had an archival dior dress (the black and lavender knit dress from fw1998). i had more than one archival dior dress. i had alexander mcqueen leather jackets. ugh it was so sexy . i felt the material, brushed my fingertips on all of those. i felt delirious. it seemed too good to be true, BUT IT WAS TRUE. it was REAL. moving on the closet was museum material . i was having the time of my life.

and then . i laid my eyes on the beautiful pc setup i had. and i couldn’t help it. i sat down and played some sims 4. i could use shaders!!!!!!! it was running smoothly!!!!!!! no glitches!!!!!!!!!!

basically: i spent an hour looking around my apartment and the rest was spent in create-a-sim on my computer. because i could literally shift realities and still be a sims girlie. it is embedded into my DNA.

i had the time of my life guys. i didn’t even look at my phone once. it was on my bed. but i didn’t want to look because i was too preoccupied crashing out about my pulitzer prize worthy closet and the view from my windows . but my computer had the date and it was may 6th 2022. which was the year i wanted to shift to. MY COMPUTER WAS ALSO SO AESTHETIC (i had apple’s dynamic wallpaper…. and some folders that i had edited to look like cat memes. i’m exaggerating . just a little bit) AAAAaaaaaaAAaaaaaa everything was so good i’m gonna cry. i felt so much relief!!!! so much happiness!!!! i didn’t know i could feel this way!!!!!!!!

anyway i finished making my sim and just sat there because i got a little bored. and then i thought that maybe sharing this joy with all of you would be nice of me to do. and i sort of wanted to. even though i am going to permashift and made a post saying that i wouldn’t be back. nevertheless, i decided to shift back here to make this post.

so, hey. the moral of the story is::::: SHIFTING IS REAL. ITS SO REAL. NEVER GIVE UP YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANTTTTTTTTTTT

..................................:

(ps. if there are any typos or any sentences that make no sense, it is because i am shaking out of excitement and joy whilst i type this)

[dollyfiles]

darling!reader surprising bsf!rafe with a handmade gift

darling!reader mlist

cw: fluff, teasing banter, explicit language

the second you heard the familiar rumble of rafe’s truck pulling up outside, you bolted out your front door, practically hopping down the steps two at a time. the night was already warm, the air sticky with that salty sunmer heat, but you barely noticed — you were buzzing with excitement.

you clutched the little paper bag to your chest, grinning so hard your cheeks hurt. you had been dying all day to give this to him, even though you pretended to act casual in your texts — “nothing big lol” you’d written, as if you hadn’t spent hours stitching and re-stitching every detail.

rafe was leaned back in the driver’s seat, one arm casually hanging over the wheel, the other scrolling through his phone. when he looked up and caught sight of you practically skipping toward the truck, he smirked like he already knew you were up to something.

you already yanked the passenger door open before he could even lean over to unlock it—even though he always did, like clockwork. “what’s with the face?” he teased, glancing over at you with that easy, lazy smirk he reserved just for you.

you practically dove into the passenger seat, tossing your tote bag down between you two. “i have something for you.” rafe raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained. “oh, god. is it contagious?”

“idiot..” you shook your head playfully, giggling as you shoved the bag into his lap. “just open it.”

he gave you a dramatic sigh, like you were such a burden, but the way he was already tugging the bag open betrayed him. you watched, practically vibrating with anticipation as he pulled out the dark blue baseball cap.

he turned it over in his hands, brows knitting together like he was trying to figure it out. across the front it read, in your slightly imperfect but charming embroidery:

north carolina.

classic, easy. something he’d actually wear.

rafe smirked, but when he flipped it over, his thumb caught on the tiny, hand-stitched lyrics along the back strap:

“take a bite of my heart tonight.”

your stupid, favorite song — animals by neon trees — the one you always blasted at full volume at two in the morning with the windows down, screaming the lyrics into the night like maniacs.

you couldn’t help yourself, you were was already bouncing in your seat, waiting for his reaction. but when rafe went quiet for a second, your heart nearly cracked in half. was he about to hate it? was it too much?

rafe sat back, twirling the hat on his finger with a completely unreadable face. then he let out a very fake, very loud groan.

“ugh,” he finally said, dragging the word out dramatically, setting the cap on his knee. “this is ugly as shit,” he announced flatly.

your face fell for a good 5 seconds. “rafe!” you gasped, hitting his shoulder, “you liar, don’t even—”

“i mean…” he tugged the hat low over his messy hair, looking at you sideways. “you spelled ‘north carolina’ right, so, like… that’s a win for you.”

you smacked his arm hard, making him laugh — really laugh, that rare full-body kind where his head tipped back against the seat and he barely caught his breath.

“you are such a jerk,” you said, but you were laughing too, cheeks burning, heart flipping in your chest.

“yeah, but i’m a jerk with a sick new hat,” he said, readjusting it so it sat backwards on his head, the lyrics facing out. he pulled down the sun visor to check himself in the mirror, grinning at his reflection. “this is fire. like you really made this?”

you practically melted into your seat, “you like it?”

“like it?” rafe asked, chrcking himself out. he tilted his head toward you, flashing that smile — the one that could knock the air out of your lungs if you weren’t careful. “i’m gonna wear this every damn day.”

you made a little squealing sound and bounced in your seat, unable to hide how thrilled you were. you reached over and fixed the way the cap sat, fingers brushing his hairline.

and then rafe caught your hand before you could pull away, twisting your fingers together for a second. his touch was rough but warm, and lingering. his thumb stroked the back of your hand once, then twice, slower than necessary.

it sent a shiver straight down your spine.

but neither of you said anything about it. just like always.

“seriously,” he said, voice softer now, his eyes flickering between your eyes and your lips for a split second before he grinned again. “best gift i’ve ever gotten.

you ducked your head, cheeks burning, but you didn’t pull your hand away just yet. you didn’t want to. and neither did he.

the moment stretched—long enough to feel it, to know it—but then rafe squeezed your hand once and let go, tapping the bill of his new hat.

“c’mon,” he said, that familiar teasing glint back in his eye. “let’s go show off how good i look and make top and kelce jealous.”

you sat back in your seat, cheeks still burning, heart thudding a little too hard, trying not to smile too much as rafe drove you two towards the country club, his brand-new hat proudly perched on his head.

tags: @inbred-eater @dearapril @rafecami @isasweetie @beausling @rafesheaven @rafesbowbunny @rafesangelita @drewsephrry @rafessecret @littlelamy @sturn777 @bradshawed @cherrygirlfriend @trusweethrt @inspiredangel @whinyangel @et6rnalsun @luckycrys @bluemerakis @rafeysbangs @lacyydollette @nemesyaaa @bruisedfig @tinythebunni @rcsbabydoll

[circumscribitwrites]

Bro'd Trip

I'm trying something new, so here's a longer story with a more physical, sensual (18+) transformation at the end. Hope you enjoy!

“we r here! cant wait 2 c u j-man!!!”

Josh blinked. Why did he say yes to this? 

He hadn’t heard from Matt and Kyle since high school. They were friends, but Josh felt - knew - he was the odd one out.

Matt and Kyle were tall, strong, and athletic. They played football; Josh spent his time in the library. They lived for homecoming and prom; he set his sights on becoming the valedictorian. 

Still, Josh was happy to do Kyle's homework for a few bucks, and he’d gotten more rides from Matt than he could count.

That felt forever ago. The last four years were a whirlwind of lectures and exams. Josh had finally just received his diploma. Did Matt and Kyle even go to college? Not without an athletic scholarship... 

It was Matt who reached out:

“yo! congrats on graduating. havent talked in forever, lol. u wanna meet up, do a road trip? can bring kyle. make it a boys thing :)”

“Hey! It’s really good to hear from you, Matt. And thank you! I think that could be fun. How about two weekends from now? Do you have any ideas about where to go?”

“yeah! dont worry, ill figure it out. you dont gotta think about it. our gift to u, lol!!!”

Oh no. Josh didn’t leave his plans to anyone else, especially Matt and Kyle. He didn’t believe in being carefree: He was careful. If it were up to Josh, there’d be a detailed itinerary, alternative routes and destinations, a color-coded spreadsheet to organize everything...

“Okay. I’ll try not to worry, haha.”

And now, Matt and Kyle were in his driveway. 

“saved u the front seat! kyle says hes hungry, lol. better get out here quick.”

With a nervous sigh, Josh grabbed his bag and headed outside. 

“There he is! The man, the myth, the legend!” called Kyle, his head halfway out the window.

Josh tried not to roll his eyes as he pulled open the car door. A blast of sweltering, stale air hit him as he slid into the passenger seat. 

“Forgot to mention, but, uh, AC’s broke. Guy wanted way too much money to fix it. Hope you don’t mind too much?” Matt said.

“I…it’s whatever. But it’s good to see you guys! Thanks for putting this together.”

“Yeah, man!” Matt pulled Josh in for a shoulder hug. He seemed different. His jaw was sharper, his lips thicker, his grip firmer. 

Kyle stuck his head around from the backseat. “Dude, when Matt told me you said yeah, I was freakin’ pumped! We missed you, J-Man!"

“I know, I'm terrible at keeping in touch. What’s new with you guys?"

“Not much. We both kinda stuck around after school,” Matt said. “Thought about doing some sorta personal training thing together.”

“Yeah, didn’t work out,” Kyle said. “Anyway…you ready to have some fun this weekend!”

“Oh, yeah. So, where are we going?”

“Bro, I told you not to worry. You trust me, right? Just relax.”

Josh nodded. He was already overheating. The whole car smelled…salty, like sweat. But something else. What was that? 

“You good, man?” Kyle asked. 

“Yeah…I think so. It's just hot.”

“Look," said Matt, "forget the AC. We wanna make sure you have a good time, dude. You been studyin’ and goin’ to class and all that. And now, you deserve to chill out a little. Just be with your bros.”

Josh felt a weight on his shoulders. He gasped as Kyle's hands moved down across his chest and brushed against his nipples. He kept going, massaging the muscle around and around.

He was too distracted to notice that Matt’s fingers had worked their way up his thigh, eagerly waiting by his waistband.

“You want this?”

"Yes."

In an instant, Matt reached in, his thick hand grabbing Josh’s cock. He grabbed the head, working it slowly and steadily, pressure building and releasing.

Josh moaned, his mind foggy with heat and pleasure. Kyle murmured in his ear. “You’re gonna be just like us, bro. Say it.”

“I…ungh…just wanna be…a…bro. Like you.”

Matt pulled on him hard. Josh threw his head back, hips bucking against the seat.

He wasn’t just hard. He was getting longer, getting thicker, getting bigger. His balls swelled, churning with newfound testosterone.

Josh grunted. “Fuck, it’s so…I'm so...”

“Hang on! Gotta get you geared up.” Kyle grabbed his hat and shoved it onto Josh’s head, sweat soaking into his hair. He wrapped a chain around Josh’s neck, the cold metal dangling against his thick chest.

Kyle gave his new bro’s shoulders a squeeze. “Now.”

Josh threw himself backward, a thick and heavy load pouring out of him. He couldn’t think. Didn’t want to think. Just…release.

“That’s it,” Matt said, hand still pumping. “Get it all out. You’re made for this, bro. Goddamn, you're huge, haha!”

“Yeah…I am.” A dumb, contented smile came over Josh’s face.

It was gonna be a good trip.

—

“thx 4 the invite bros. had fun! do it again soon? - j-man”

Like the story? Want to support me? Check out my Ko-fi!

[yandereforme]

Part 2

Tw: Past neglect messing with relationships, unhealthy friendships

You arrived in Japan three days before the new semester starts, and spent the next few days getting a refresher on your etiquette lessons. (Your grandparents had a family friend, Anne-Sophie, work with you. She was a quiet but kind woman, one who filled you with a quiet longing for a mother like that.)

You start school with a decision to stay in the background. You aren’t very interested in getting involved in drama, so you avoid any big clubs, spending most of your time in the library, or looking for a quiet place to study.

You manage to stay away from drama for about six days… until you befriend two guys who are apparently infamous through the school.

The first one you befriend is Umehito Nekozawa, a quiet boy who consistently wears a black cloak. He’s sweet, despite his dramatics and darkness. (He reminds you of the parts of Gotham you actually liked.) He was also a great study partner.

You don’t really join in on his black magic club meetings, but you occasionally help him with set up when he asks. He also works as a great buffer between you and other people. (Way too many of the people here were dramatic idiots.)

Your second friend, the one that takes you a bit longer to realize is a friend, is Ritsu Kasanoda. He apparently just scared people off with his appearance, but you were so used to people glaring at everything that it barely phased you.

You only really realized how lonely he was when you agreed to be his lab partner in one of his classes, and everyone around you looked like you had signed your own death warrant.

They were both great friends, even if they could be a bit clingy. You didn’t really mind. You were so used to being lonely, and everyone else was so overwhelming.

(You don’t realize how much you affect them. No one has ever approached Umehito so fearlessly, or been so kind and considerate of his allergy to the sunlight. You didn’t make it a big deal. You were his moon goddess, his lovely symbol of worship.) (he will be a platonic yandere, but right now he’s very ambiguous.)

(You are the first person to look at Ritsu as if he isn’t scary. You are kind but blunt, and you look at him with no fear. Everyone else has always been scared of him, even his own father, but you… you just smile. You stay by him, treating him with kindness. His yandere behavior doesn’t settle until the day you choose him as your lab partner, and thank him for joining you. You even tell him you are glad he is your lab partner, because “everyone else in this class is tiring”.)

(Both of them notice how uncomfortable you are with attention, and willingly use their reputations to make people leave you alone. Ritsu especially loves it, as you look at him so gratefully whenever he scares people off.)

( To Umehito, you are a goddess, a being of kindness and soft light. To Ritsu, you are an innocent child, a person who looks at him with no fear that he needs to protect.)

(You don’t notice the Kasanoda family setting up a detail around your routine to protect you. You don’t notice how much Umehito stares at you, or how Ritsu treats you like you are fragile.)

(When you grow up without solid relationships, you don’t realize how boundaries should be formed. You don’t pick up on the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, when all your life you wished for a real relationship.)

(Humans need relationships so much, that when we are deprived of them, it is a physical ache. So growing up with so few relationships? That alters your mind.)

Edit: I hope you all like this! I couldn’t sleep, so I wrote this bad boy instead. I hope you enjoy this! Let me know what you think or if you have anything you really want to see in the comments.

Taglist @shinning-stars @neverdead2 @nervousalpacalady @holybatflapexpert

Yandere Batfam x Neglected Reader x Yandere Ouran Academy

TW: Neglect

You weren’t wanted by either of your parents. That had been the cold hard truth that you had known since you were nine years old.

Your mother was a member of a wealthy family. While she wasn’t the heiress, that title belonging to her older sister, she still had a lot of money at her disposal, and took long trips to different places.

That was how she met Bruce, and she had a one night stand with him.

She didn’t realize she was pregnant until it was too late for a termination, and her parents threatened to cut her off if she gave up their grandchild. So she reluctantly kept you.

You were mostly raised by a revolving door of nursemaids and babysitters until you were five, and your mother deemed you old enough to be alone. You saw your mother about three times a year, during which she would play a doting mother in public before verbally tearing you down in private.

You were five when you understood you were a burden to her. You were eight when you stopped desperately searching for her love.

You were nine when she died in an accident, and your biological father had to take you. (Your grandparents were too old to take care of you, and your aunt was rarely seen outside of a board room, and was unwilling to take you.)

You had a few days of hope for a family, since Bruce Wayne was known for being an amazing father to his children.

That belief was shattered after you moved in and you were basically shunned by everyone. Bruce was cold and rushed around you. Tim was cold and distant. Dick acted nice, but he barely gave you a minute of notice. Even Alfred was constantly brushing you off, though he had a decent excuse.

The final hope was shattered when, three weeks after you moved in, your birthday passed unacknowledged and unnoticed. The only sign of it was the text from your grandparents and the package you received from them two days later, filled with nice dresses for you.

You grew up quietly, keeping to yourself. You had weekly calls with your grandparents, but didn’t mention the family.

The breaking point was when you were 13, and Damian arrived. You thought now, finally, you would have someone like you. That belief lasted six hours, until you were almost stabbed by the menace.

It was one of the first times the family spoke to you, and it was to tell you not to overreact. You barely held back the rebuke and bitter laughter.

The worst part about Damian’s arrival? The fact they loved him. Even though he kept acting out and threatening people and generally being a prick, Bruce made time for him and brought him to meals. Dick showered him in affection. Even Alfred was softer with him. It wasn’t fair. You were a perfect kid and they didn’t care about you, but in comes a kid with the same story as you but with a worse attitude, and he is loved unconditionally?!?

It wasn’t fair.

After the fifth time Damian almost killed you without reprimand, you contacted your grandparents and asked about returning to the country. They eagerly told you about a high school in Japan that wasn’t far from one of their houses, filled with people of your status and known for giving its graduates a great advantage in later years.

Two days later, you approached Bruce with the papers to okay your move for the school year and signing custody over to your grandparents temporarily while you were in Japan. You had a whole speech prepared in your mind defending the choice, but he signed without even bothering to ask any questions. (You didn’t cry, even as you felt a lump in your throat. Despite everything, you thought he would at least care enough to ask questions.)

You boarded a plane a month later, reading your new textbooks as you flew. You took the sparkling champagne (non alcoholic) from the flight attendant and raised your glass in the direction of Japan, your new future.

“To Ouran Academy and my future there.” You murmur softly before downing some of your drink.

Edit: I hope you all like this! I’ve been working on it for a while, and hopefully this isn’t too bad. My finals are next week, so wish me luck!

[essycogany]

Sonic HATES Being Wrong

Like…to an extreme degree. Let me elaborate.

This is a very interesting detail I’ve noticed ever since I made my Sonic’s Flaws post. Here, I’d like to talk about Sonic’s most fatal flaw because this conversation gets interesting. The flaw is one every variation of Sonic can be guilty of and one that causes the most damage to his world and even the people he cares about. If you disagree, I understand. Just hear me out and even if I don’t convince you, I hope this turns out to be a fun read regardless. Feel free to give me some context, correct me, or add information if you‘d like.

The Flaw

Sonic is terribly pertinacious and stubborn. Most people would think of Sonic Prime where he doesn’t listen to his friends warning him to not destroy the paradox prism, but when I think of Prime!Sonic I don't think of that. Especially since this version comes off more as an inexperienced teenager trying to figure things out. While in the games, he’s portrayed as rarely being wrong. Not because he’s perfect, but because Sonic never feels the need to change because of past victories. After all, if everything is going his way, why should he change, right? Well, this can be a problem. The scene in S3 ep3 where a few of the pirates were lost at sea, shows how truly stubborn Prime!Sonic (and Sonic in general), can be. He verbally refuses to take accountability for lost resources and unknowingly helps Nine have better predominance over them.

In this scene, No Place was decaying and Sonic finds out that the other pirate crew was stuck there. Everyone else, even the villains, reasonably says it’s too risky and he ignores them. Of course, he is within reason but if things went sour, it would’ve been his fault. Especially since that almost became a reality before the Chaos Council swooped in to help.

Near the end of the episode, Sonic says it’s a win for everyone, but Mr. Doc says, “Was it? Your little friends are safe, but at what cost? The fox can conjure up more minions with the snap of his fingers. Whereas our fleet is damaged, our troops are spent, and we’re almost out of time.” Surprisingly reasonable call out of the consequences of saving the pirates, if they don’t have enough resources, they were even more screwed than before. Then Sonic says, “I’m sorry but losing anyone is not an option.” While it’s warranted and makes sense for his character, it almost comes across as “We had to save them because I said so.” This is an example of Sonic not having a good argument by addressing the results of their battle. He does it a lot more than you’d think. Despite Sonic not listening to people being a bigger staple of Prime, I personally think it’s never expanded upon or executed well. Not to me anyway, but I don’t mind anyone disagreeing.

In any case, Sonic, as a character in every continuity, tends to “follow by his own rules” but this can be perceived negatively as “doing whatever he wants no matter who argues with him.”

Examples

Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric tackles this too. This is probably the least serious example but still can be a problem sometimes. This is S2 Ep 19 when an Eggman robot Clone tries to break Team Sonic apart and almost succeeds too. It doesn’t have much to do with this topic but I do like how in this episode when the drama started happening, Sonic for once in his life tries to talk abohut his feelings with Tails who turned out to be Steve. I know this has nothing to do with this discussion, but I just thought it was a funny thing to point out. The one time Sonic tries to talk about his feelings, he gets the door slammed in his face. It’s so mean-spirited and stupid. I love Sonic Boom!

But yeah, Rise Of Lyric also shows how his stubbornness can end up with the world being at stake. Or in the case of this episode have your friends grow apart.

The Sonic Movies tackles his shortcomings perfectly. I think he's pretty impulsive in all 3 movies. Mixing his perniciousness doesn't create the greatest meal. He's younger, so that would be expected. This scene is the most recent example. Sonic as a character tends to live in the moment and here, Movie!Sonic is playing a huge role in this category. He’s not even trying to hear anyone out. He’s in a constant rage at this point and can’t think clearly. He wants revenge on Shadow so much he loses himself. His friends. His brothers are so loyal to still allow him to get the Master Emerald despite knowing he wants it for revenge. Sonic's so hurt, he loses himself and forgets what they originally were there for.

I'm sure if Sonic choose to let his feelings consume him, he probably wouldn’t have saved the world. Why? Let’s just say things would’ve went out of control without Shadow. Sonic dogged a big tangent bullet for having mercy on Shadow.

Yeah, Archie/Reboot Archie didn’t mess around either. I'd say it’s sometimes as tense and bit worse due to him having the biggest ego and ongoing trauma. I'm surprised he didn't go insane. Notice how harsh he is in these instances. He’s overly angry here. Luckily, he has a large group of friends to help him take things down a peg and reminds him how they have his back. Even when worst comes to worst (which is an understatement), his friends are able to get him out of that mindset and put him back in reality. Hunbel him to put it bluntly.

In a way, Sonic's flaws in the Archie comics make me think he feels so guilty that he pushes himself beyond his limits as a way to make up for his loudmouth. Like in other versions, he feels the need to take on more than he can physically handle. He strains his body, mind, and entire being to accomplish tasks on his own because he believes he deserves the punishment. Alternatively, he might just be exhausting himself and attempting to take on more than he can manage. It’s not surprising, really.

This panel is insane for letting Eggy make a valid point. You can tell by his ears how Sonic’s getting visibly irritated. By the end of the argument, he gets super mad and can’t even find a good quip to back himself up. Because in a way, he knows Eggman has a point. That’s how I interpret it anyway.

Game or IDW Sonic is usually in denial when it comes to being wrong. He doesn’t address the issues directly but the person who calls him out for it instead. He’s the most experienced Sonic. I know some people use “mature” but I think experience is a better term due to how he doesn’t have arcs or character growth like other characters. More so he’s used to this song and dance, so his hatred towards being wrong comes from a place of thinking he’s got everything under control. Until it bites him in the butt.

You notice in most of these Sonic’s pretty angry and isn’t the biggest fan of being told off. Even in different continuities, the guy cannot argue without not being self-aware most of the time. The funny thing is he isn’t doing it selfishly. At least not in a typical way. To me, Sonic is the least selfish character in the franchise for a good chunk of the series. He sacrifices himself, gives people more chances than they deserve, and even takes the time to stop his main goals if it means helping someone else. But the guy cannot take the time to admit he’s wrong or his morals have consequences. Not because Sonic thinks he’s better than everyone. I don’t think Sonic sees himself in that way, but I do think he’s always in “I’ve done this thing plenty of times. As long as this thing works, I’ll keep doing it,” mode. Or in the case of Movie!Sonic, goes on instinct which is also a common part of his characterization.

Why Sonic Has This Flaw

Sonic never stops running; he charges head-first into any situation, always striving to do what's right. After all, he's the fastest thing alive. Sonic doesn't have the luxury of questioning himself or dwelling on doubts. While it's true that he has caused some issues, including in the games, he doesn't waste time feeling sorry for himself. The only times he's shown insecurity were during the Metal Virus arc, so interpret that as you wish.

This brings up another point. Crazy how much I didn’t notice, but most of the time, Sonic doesn’t like it when people disagree with him. Understandable, everyone doesn’t want to be wrong. But he takes it to the extreme at times. Like sometimes he's baffled when anyone challenges him. Sonic’s also never truly called out by the right people. I don’t mean Shadow, Espio, Knuckles, or the villains. I mean, Amy, Tails, Tangled, or other characters he’s inspired. People who look up to him. Sure, they try, but I can count on one hand how many times he actually listens. Sonic’s always so caught up in doing things his way that he disregards people who mean the most to him.

I mentioned this in my other post but he doesn't listen to Tails in Sonic 06 or Lost World, so the games count.

While Sonic often has valid points in his arguments with others, he frequently comes across as someone who needs to be right. He rarely allows others the opportunity to express their views or admits when he is wrong. This issue is often overlooked in stories where these conflicts arise, either because there isn't enough time to address them or they remain unanswered altogether. This makes sense, considering that Sonic typically doesn’t undergo character arcs canonically. However, I appreciate the presence of characters like Shadow, Knuckles, Surge, Kit, and certain Archie characters like Scurge. They serve to challenge Sonic’s morals and illustrate that he isn’t always correct. If Sonic isn’t going to evolve as a character, at least these figures can show that his sense of freedom and living by his own rules doesn’t work for everyone. They can be portrayed negatively and can challenge his viewpoints. They can be questioned. They can be challenged. Sonic isn’t always right.

His passion shows that he truly wants things to work for everyone. His stubbornness drives him to the point of frustration as he strives to help others to live according to his ideals. However, at times his approach isn’t the most effective. You can see that Sonic genuinely hates this, yet he continues to push forward to help those in need. There’s something both beautiful and heartbreaking about that.

Conclusion

What’s funny is that Sonic rarely gets angry, so you could say this could be one of his few triggers. Along with people being unjust and other such.

Overall, Sonic has good intentions but the results of those intentions are severe. None of this is to imply Sonic’s a terribly written character. It’s just a serious flaw he has. Though listening to his friends more would help.

I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t like a moment of his friends noticing a constant pattern of him being pertinacious and not paying attention to anyone’s protest. I wouldn’t want it to come out of nowhere, but it’d be an issue that’d progress over a large amount of time and add up. It could be dramatic or constructive depending on the situation and execution. Whatever character does it, they’d either talk to him about it or physically show the outcomes of his actions. They do it all the time in other media but not canonically. This is just random speculation though. I don’t know if I’m in over my head but I hope someone got something out of this.

All of this is not to say Sonic never takes accountability or listens to his friends. SA1 scene with Amy, when he apologizes to Bell in IDW for being too standoffish, and plenty of other examples. Like the end of Sonic movie 3. That Sonic Boom episode where he apologized for not working with his team. And endless moments in Archie and Reboot Archie. Sonic isn’t unreasonable. Just 9 times out of 10 he can get a big head. That’s all.

Stay Creative! 💜

[muletia]

One of my friends loves marine biology and collects teeth and scales they find while diving, sometimes making jewelry out of the more durable scales they find. Fish don’t shed naturally, but if in a fight Knock Out lost a few scales and diver reader was overjoyed to find such beautiful pieces and the next time Knock Out visited them by the shore he saw them wearing a necklace and earrings featuring a certain shiny red? And before you ask yes I am trying to explode his ego

His ego won’t be the only thing that explodes

If he lost them in a fight, then the first chirps you’ll hear from him will absolutely be complaints about how unfairly he was treated. How dare his rival damage his beautiful scales? He spent so much time grooming them to shine with brilliance, only to lose them like this? Oh no, that’s absolutely unacceptable for Knockout. And he’ll have no shame describing it all to you in detail, desperately hoping you’ll feel sympathy for a few lost, but in his eyes priceless, scales.

And then, he notices your red jewelry. something about it looks… familiar. Without warning, he approaches you, one hand wrapping around your ankle so you don’t even think about escaping, while the other glides over the flat red plates resting against your neck and ears. He’s close now, bursting right through your personal space bubble, and the moment you try to move your leg, Knockout lets out a low, warning growl and tightens his grip around your ankle.

You’re not going anywhere until he figures out what your jewelry is made of, intrigued by the color and how stunning it looks on you.

And once he realizes it’s made from his scales, the unsettlingly wide smile that spreads across his face is nearly impossible to read. Luckily for you, Knockout makes things easier by half-lidding his eyes and letting out a chirp — so sultry and seductive that it sets your entire face on fire.

Really, there’s no need for you to start any kind of courting. In Knockout’s mind, you already have the status of his mate. Wearing a piece of him, so close to your skin? There’s no better proof that you belong to him, and that pleases someone with his level of ego immensely. Now everyone knows you’re taken, and he’s free to turn up the boldness — pushing more into your personal space, flirting shamelessly, and striking dramatic poses in the sand just begging you to draw him like one of your french girls

[umlewis]

Lewis Hamilton's 2025 Met Gala Look Is Loaded With Symbolism, Right Down To the Cuff Links

Fresh off the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton raced to New York for the 2025 Met Gala, hitting the carpet with co-chairs Colman Domingo and Anna Wintour.

Hamilton has always nurtured a love for fashion. “I lived vicariously through magazines and music videos and films," he said in his May Vogue cover story. "The people I looked up to—it was Muhammad Ali, it was Michael Jordan, it was Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop wearing that cool leather jacket. And then a little bit later I started to learn about Cab Calloway, James Baldwin, Nelson Mandela, and André Leon Talley. I saw how their image was so important to them, and how they presented themselves through fashion."

For the 2025 Met Gala, Hamilton—something of a modern dandy himself—teamed up with Grace Wales Bonner for a thoughtful sartorial exploration of identity. Wales Bonner fashioned Hamilton an ivory suit with a cropped jacket, high-waisted trousers with a tuxedo stripe, coattails, a white bow tie, and an embroidered ivory sash hanging from his waistband. A beret by Stephen Jones Millinery added a final flourish. "We brought together a range of influences, from Barkley L. Hendricks paintings to Black spiritual dressing to some of the brand’s craft signatures,” Wales Bonner tells Vogue. “There are stories told through jewel adornments and special trims, with symbolism in baobab flower motifs and natural materials like cowrie shells and mother-of-pearl buttons." The designer also cites Calloway—specifically as he appeared in Harlem Nights—and Talley as prevailing influences.

Hamilton's Met look has been in the works for months. "My stylist, Eric McNeal, and I have been thinking about how I'm going to turn up at the Met Gala," Hamilton said in his Vogue cover story. "We're both very thoughtful and intentional when it comes to fashion, and I hope that everyone else attending is compelled to really research and think deeply about what they're wearing." No detail went overlooked in the driver's symbolism-heavy look. "We spent three months on research and two months bringing it to life. Nothing about it was rushed," McNeal tells Vogue. "So much care went into this look. What makes it special is that it's not just about fashion—it’s about meaning." The Harlem Renaissance proved a jumping-off point, “especially Cab Calloway and the way he used clothing to express confidence, charm, and something entirely new,” McNeal says of the jazz singer and bandleader. They also turned to Hendricks’s paintings, especially his striking white-on-white portraits that feature Black subjects dressed in white in front of a white background. “There’s something really powerful about that kind of restraint—how it can say so much,” McNeal adds. Hamilton, Wales Bonner, and McNeal also ensured that Hamilton’s identity was represented. “Lewis really wanted there to be a reason and a story behind every detail,” McNeal says. Wales Bonner lined Hamilton’s sash with cowrie shells—a protective talisman in African culture—while his ear cuffs, cuff links, and baobab-inspired brooches (which Wales Bonner made in collaboration with SNOW Diamonds) contain garnets, a nod to his January birth date, among white and amber emerald-cut diamonds. And his cuff links, shaped like the Whirligig African Daisy, were loaded with symbolism. “[They] felt like a beautiful metaphor for growth, memory, and African heritage,” McNeal says. Hamilton, of course, is no stranger to the Met Gala, having attended for the first time in 2015 for “China: Through the Looking Glass.” In recent years, he has taken to spotlighting Black talent and historical figures. In 2021, for “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” he hosted a table of rising Black talent, including Theophilio’s Edvin Thompson, Kenneth Nicholson, and Jason Rembert. Last year, he delivered one of his most powerful looks to date for “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” paying homage to John Ystumllyn, who became the first Black gardener in Wales in the 18th century. At the 2025 Met Gala, Hamilton once again used fashion to shine a light on past trailblazers.

[nightplvmes]

⋆｡° | idol (pt 1)

⋆｡° | pairing : boyguard sylus x idol reader | sfw, fluff, MDNI! ⋆｡° | word count : 1,700 ⋆｡° | author’s note : so i've been thinking a lot about writing this au. it was actually a quick thing, so it's not the best. i plan on continuing this as a mini-series, but i'm still undecided. i'll probably write another one shot with more detail about their first kiss and how they met and everything mentioned in this one shot. likes and reblogs are appreciated!! :) ★ masterlist here

It wasn't something that happened to you often but it used to happen because everyone gets tired sometime, right? You had found that the cool night air always cheered you up and that night seemed to be no different. But it was because you were no longer just a teenager who lived with her parents and could go out on the terrace in peace to look at the moon, without worrying that someone was going to photograph you.

"There you are" the relieved voice of your bodyguard reached your ears and you didn't have to turn around to know he was approaching. You sighed and waited a few seconds thinking he was going to sit next to you but he didn't do it.

A grimace formed on your face but you tried not to think too much about that, or the fact that he had kept his promise to be strictly professional. Sylus was a sort of replacement to your usual bodyguard, you didn't remember exactly why he had taken a break as no one had given you too many details. Sylus showed up the next day and no one gave you too many details about him. You tried for the first few days to get to know him more but he remained strictly professional…. Until the tension grew and what you called "the accident" happened.

It happened on a weekend break. You were in a daze, you had been taken to a hotel far away from the place where your next concert was going to be and had not been left with anyone except Sylus. You didn't quite remember why you had started a fight but he hadn't allowed it, he had to take you by the shoulders and remind you that you were just stressed and seconds later you found yourself realizing that…. he was right. You were stressed. You ended up having dinner on the couch with him, you showed him your favorite show and spent the whole night talking. That's when you found out that he collected vinyls and sometimes practiced boxing. You tried not to make a comment about that but maybe it was because of the wine that your tongue got loose.

Did they kiss? Of course they didn't. Not that night at least.

The kiss happened the next day at breakfast. You had asked him how he had ended up there, being a bodyguard for a celebrity that many media tried to paint as spoiled girl. That's when you found out that he liked your music, had listened to it and apparently wasn't so ignorant when it came to your lyrics. It was the first time someone mentioned something about the lyrics that you yourself had worked hard to write and not the generic lyrics that were composed for you by professionals looking for good numbers.

The kiss happened when you were showing him how you were preparing your favorite sandwich because it certainly wasn't just any sandwich for you. Of course it wasn't! You asked him to help you choose one of the three condiments on the counter and that's when it happened. Maybe it was the way he had leaned over you or the way his face was too close to yours.

The kiss had been… different. Usually the boys you had kissed in the past were rushed, as if they wanted to just put you on a list. Sylus was different, he had taken his time, one of his hands had gone up to leave soft caresses on your cheek. His lips tasted yours and his tongue explored every inch of you as if he was trying to keep it in his memory. The kiss did not end until your chest ached from lack of air.

The problem happened on Monday. There was a different smile on your face when you arrived at stadium that morning and the friendly teasing from your friends didn't take long. However it wasn't the same when you saw Sylus, he didn't smile, he didn't even follow the teasing when you tried to talk to him.

It was when you were in your dressing room that he apologized to you. He said that it shouldn't have happened, that it was a mistake because he worked for you. The words didn't come out of your mouth, you didn't know what to say because he was partly right but at the same time you were stunned because he was the first person to tell you in a kind way that it would be best to stay close to you. Well, maybe not in those words, but he had still been kind saying that his had been nothing more than a kiss.

"Are you okay?" the voice of Sylus brought you back to reality. For a second your mind had wandered thinking about that morning, the morning you two had kissed and the day after when you realized nothing else would happen.

"Yes. Never mind, I just wanted some fresh air." You shrugged and turned to continue watching the empty street from the terrace. The air hit your face and tousled your hair. It was much colder than when you had come up for some air but you refused to admit it because you hadn't been wearing anything else to bundle up anyway.

Maybe Sylus hadn't been working with you too long, but he had managed to read every expression from you and the little tremor in your shoulders hadn't gone unnoticed. He struggled with all his might, he tried to contain himself because he knew that nothing good was going to come out of dating a client or you dating your bodyguard. However, he couldn't and seconds later he found himself sliding in next to you and draping his sweater over your shoulders.

"I'm fine, I don't need your sweater" you said with your brow slightly furrowed.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, especially since you hadn't even taken it off. You were both silent for several seconds and you simply returned your gaze to the empty street. Waiting for something else to happen.

"Kissing you was the best thing I've done in months," Sylus' voice cut the silence between the two of you. Something in your chest leapt with joy but you refused to move an inch. "I didn't want to cause you trouble."

You turned to look at him with a clear face of confusion, until it didn't take you long to remember…. In the industry you were in, having a partner or having any rumors of a relationship could destroy your career or just take it downhill in a shocking way. "I have no regrets" you said without thinking but it was true. You didn't regret it at all. "But I don't like your way of just being professional. I don't want you to be professional with me." You frowned but Sylus only raised an eyebrow.

"If I wasn't a professional I'd be all over your lips all day." You raised your eyebrows somewhat in surprise. Not because it was something bold or something you would have disliked, but it was certainly the last thing you imagined about him because if someone had told you a week ago that you would have your new bodyguard telling you that, you certainly wouldn't have believed anything. Maybe you would have even scoffed at the situation.

"Could you give me an example?" you asked with that tone that made Sylus clench his jaw. Because he knew it was a hint and he was about to cross so many lines that he shouldn't, he would be fired if the agency where he worked found out.

You didn't stop him when he pressed his lips to yours. Kissing Sylus was… it was something you wanted to do every day. It was like the relief you feel in your lungs after you've been drowning. Maybe because of the way he always seemed to take his time to savor every part of you or the delicate caresses he left on your cheek.

Again it was the lack of air that made them separate. He pressed his forehead against yours in silence, just the sound of the night and your slightly heavy breaths. You didn't know at what point you had stopped seeing Sylus as only your bodyguard because you two had joked, he had told you about the things he did in his free time and you were almost certain that you had fallen asleep on his shoulder during the last flight there.

"Don't be professional with me" you murmured against his lips. You didn't want him to walk away from you, you didn't want him to be only your bodyguard again tomorrow and anyway, Sylus didn't want to do that because he had crossed a line with you. There was something in his chest that compelled him to protect you and not just as a client, so he only nodded as his lips pressed against your forehead.

It was a flash in the distance that made you frown. You shifted your gaze into the distance, your eyes scanning the small path that had crossed the street for anything the slightest bit suspicious or even an unusual noise. The silence of the night and the blowing of the air for a second felt unbearable.

"Are you okay?" the voice of Sylus pulled you out of the little bubble. You turned your gaze towards him and had to blink a couple of times before you snapped back to reality. His fingers caressed your cheek as he waited for your response, brushing away small strands of hair that were bothering your face from the air.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I just thought I saw something." A small smile formed on your face and you nodded. He thought about it for a couple of seconds but seemed convinced.

His arm went around your shoulders, pulling you back to him. You didn't hesitate for a second to snuggle up to his side, letting out a sigh. Your eyes scanned the path one last time in search of something unusual but there was nothing in sight, you could barely see anything due to the darkness of the night.

You gave up a few seconds later, hiding your face in the crook of Sylus' neck, trying to breathe in his scent. Thinking that that little white light had surely been your imagination.

[chipik-lilboy]

CLOUD TOWER | pizza tower au |

༄ ‧₊ This is an alternative universe of our favorite "pizza tower". I can tell you for sure, the personality traits of some characters have been changed(And some could change their character quite strongly), which I think is logical. The universe does not just change the appearance and environment of the characters, but also the situation, the relationships between the characters and so on. There is NO clear antagonist, the characters are not divided into "bad" and "good".

IMPORTANT DETAIL! No one is negative towards each other! Keep this in mind.

"The three friends consisting of Peppino, Gustavo and Mr. Stick find themselves in a cloud kingdom, or as it is commonly called, the «Dream Kingdom». This is a place where there is an eternally calm atmosphere, a pleasant, harmonious melody for the ear with notes stretching out as if light as a feather. Keyboard instruments, brass, strings. At night, stars shine over the island, resembling a gold bar. You can take them right in your hands, feeling the sharp edges and smooth surface, as if this is the very star that is hung on the Christmas tree. In this place, the spirit of magic, fairy tales about fantasy, simple children's stories, a lullaby that your mother reads to you reigns. Delicate pink and orange clouds blow on you from behind while you admire this view."

Cloudface, in a great desire to learn more about humans, decides to place three friends in his kingdom through a dream. However, none of the trio signed up for this, and most likely they will want to leave the suspicious place as soon as possible.

Getting more angled in the lore au, Peppino, Gustavo and Stick got here from the canonical reality, so they certainly remember their pals from the tower...

Like I said, Peppino, Gustavo and Stick only got here because Cloudface had a hand in it. They do not realize that this is a dream, and most likely they are quite confused. 

BRICK (her first name is Bubble) - She is one of Cloudhead's sheep who broke out of the flock of sheep after seeing an unusual silhouette in the distance, which would eventually turn out to be Gustavo. Brick will be quite interested in a person and although with initial apprehension, she will become his friend, in the end of which she will receive her new name.

Much larger than other sheep, which is why it is more hardy. 

STARMAN (Pepperman) - This is an artist in the kingdom, an awkward conversationalist and one of the confidants in the kingdom. He has moved to the Dream Kingdom since he was a child, for reasons that he is silent about, like his friend Cloudface, who respects his comrade's decisions. The guy has a bunch of drawings of himself, but despite this, attention is only paid to his works of other characters, which is why since the reign of Cloudface, he began to paint landscapes and paintings, just like his friend. 

Despite all the support, how his work is appreciated, the man clearly does not feel that people are so honest in their words. Paranoia and a feeling of envy of the skills of others devour him like wolves, which makes the guy ask more and more of himself to be on the same level as others. 

No matter how much attention was paid to him, he needed only one person and his time spent on Starman. (His nicknames that may appear in the posts: Uncle Star, Starlet, Stellar, yellow guy.)

VIGILANTE - is the kingdom's chief guard, and is an asteroid like many other guards. He is responsible for all the guards, gives them orders and keeps them in order. It is said that he served the kingdom even before Cloudface's reign, which is also true. 

Vigilante replaced Cloudface's parents, took care of the boy and protected him from trouble in every possible way, but by failing to keep track of the small cloud, he endangered his rulers. 

Vigilante is one of Cloudface's confidants, kind of strict, scowling, serious, but somewhat caring. 

(Nicknames: Pebble, Rockman)

Noise and Noisette - unlike the others, they do not live in Cloud's kingdom, but in their own. They are incarnations of the sun and moon, and they are opposites. Noise is closer to haus, Noisette to tranquility. Despite the fact that there are many different people in the Dream Kingdom, Noise is an unloved guest, as his dispersion of haus prevents the calm kingdom from functioning normally. Noisette, on the other hand, is a favorite guest, and for the most part, Cloudface's company prefers her as a conversation partner.

(nicknames: Sunny and Munny, obsessed.)

FAKE PEPPINO - A hallucination of Peppino that haunts him after a terrible sleep disorder. What's weird is that others can see him too, but this is a fantasy world so pffft.

Fake Peppino in truth may not only be Peppino, he is also able to take on the silhouettes of others. He's pretty stupid, somehow he managed to get into the company of friends, although... Most often, they ignore it, because they are afraid. Fake is trying to copy Peppino and get to know others, why is the second one too mad (after all, even hallucination is much better in communication, lol.) 

CLOUDHEAD (pizzahead)- He's a sheep herder who is also Cloudface's son. He's the first one to notice Peppino in the dream kingdom when he was fast asleep on one of his sheep. He's less annoying here, if that's what you could call him. A kind soul with a very calm personality, albeit an overly positive one.

The boy is very bad at communication, but even so, he always streams to help or get acquainted, even if his father is against his friendship with the inhabitants of the kingdom. But people are not from here, are they? So why not!

In fact, the boy is quite naïve and not aware of the world, due to his strong overprotectiveness, which is why he is often confused with a child, although he is rightfully of age. 

(Nicknames: Sunshine, Cloud Jr., Cloud 2.0)

PIZZAFACE — Cloudface or Cloud for short. The star of this au, I guess… Basically, he was the first one to be created, and others were created in his image. He is the king of this cloud island and also part-time the one who gives you pleasant gentle dreams at night. I mean, he rarely and little sleeps, which is why his head is spinning a little. An ardent character, mood swings. Despite all this, he is quite a caring and gentle person, friendly, although these traits of his character may not always hover on the surface.

(Nicknames: Cloudy, Keeper of Dreams, Pinkface)

ALSO, NO LESS IMPORTANT, IS CLOUD WITH A BODY.

My boy's emotions~

****

༄ ‧₊For those who have read this post before on a previous account, I WANT TO SAY THAT THERE IS NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE CHARACTERS HERE. Yes yes!! So re-read, please!

Thank you all for watching 🥺🥺🥺

I will be glad to any responses to my AU! Draw your OC, come up with headcanons, draw fanart, I will definitely appreciate it! 

I also want to say that I'm open to questions about au, do not hesitate to ask what interests you!��

[missust3l3vision]

Puffy eyes

Description: After a long day of filming Arthur comes home to a less than happy girlfriend.

It was far from normal to be doing this, but here you were. Sobbing into the arm rest of your boyfriends couch. Arthur was streaming for one of his friends videos and had left you alone in his flat.

While he spent the day on the soccer field, being teased and throwing insults with his friends you were home. You had cleaned the living room and made lunch.

Was that the reason you were crying? No. Was it something to do with anything even remotely sad? Nope. You were watching a video of a baby duck and a baby pig being friends.

The water works were strong today. No clue why. After watching the video three times you finally put the phone down and began to wail.

You were sure if any of Arthur's friends were here they would take the piss. But they weren't, it was just you. Wrapped in a shirt that smelt like your boyfriend on his couch that was a shade of green you associated with him, and only him.

In your own head a little too much, you were unable to hear the clicking of the door opening. Worried he'd wake you up Arthur had entered silently. When he heard your cries this plan stopped.

"Baby?" He voice cut through the air causing your head to shoot up and see your boyfriend.

He had bags under his eyes and was wearing the new hoodie you got him. It had a few grass stains, but you weren't concerned with that. Seeing how concerned he was just made you feel worse.

"Hi honey, I was just about to get ready for bed" you said, sniffles sprinkled in between each word "How was your day?"

Arthur looked hurt and confused. You were clearly crying. But what about? Deciding on not pushing it he followed you to the bedroom. One detail he noticed was you not taking your phone.

After making your way to the bed, we got changed in the closet, telling you about the stream and that all the guys wish you could come to more events

"Sounds fun, maybe next time" you smiled, your eyes were still puffy but you had finally stopped crying. Arthur had that effect on you, he was like a deep breath come to life. "Baby could you please go grab my phone? I left it on the couch"

Without another word Arthur left to go grab it, the phone was warm to the touch and when he flipped it over he saw it was paused on a tik tok.

Becoming concerned he unpaused the video and was met with the same video of the duck and pig being pals. A smile crept on his face as he walked back in the room.

Plugging in the phone he got into bed and kissed your temple. You leaned into the kiss and have him a smile back.

"So...I guess I'm not bringing home any piglets home anytime soon hm?" He asked my face dropping before laughing. Him laughing alongside me. "I was so worried when I came home! I almost cancelled my shoot on Wednesday just to spend the entire week with you"

He explained, his smile unwavering. You shrugged

"I wouldn't mind if we took a holiday, my dad has offered us to go visit him for a while" you suggested "And before you ask, it is ducks and pigs that make me cry. One or the other is fine, but as soon as they cross I can't process it"

You two laughed, him eventually agreeing to cancel the shoot to come down. It would be nice to get out of London, as much as he loved it he knew you needed something like this.

Sure it was a duck and piglet, but he was almost positive there was something going on inside you that caused the tears.

Brushing your hair behind your ear he kissed you softly. His stubble tickling your chin.

"Let's get some rest, I think we both had long days" and with that, the two of you got into cuddle positions and headed to bed. You grateful for the man who held you, and him grateful for the woman who he held.

Before the two drifted off, Arthur made a mental note to buy you your favourite flowers tomorrow. He loved you in every way, but seeing you with puffy eyes broke his heart.

[lynzishell]

🎶Ready to Start by Arcade Fire

Prev // Next

Reference Post: 8 Years Ago

I have to give a HUGE shoutout to my dear friend @honeyjars-sims who not only helped me with the Goode Boys Gaming logo, but also with the cover art for the boys' first game: Oneironaut I am forever grateful to have such a talented and generous friend who is always willing to help me bring these little details to life!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you, T!!! Thank you so so much!! 😭💖

Oneironaut cover art + Transcript below the cut:

SFX: Ambient bar sounds 🎶Ready to Start by Arcade Fire

The businessmen drink my blood Like the kids in art school said they would And I guess I’ll just begin again You say, “Can we still be friends?” And if I was scared, I would And if I was bored, you know I would And if I was yours, but I’m not

Asher: Yeah, I mean, you could always move to San Sequoia. I’d make you a hell of an offer to have you on my team again. Evan: It’s tempting. But, um, I think I’m gonna stay in the city for now. I’ve been seeing someone new, and I kinda want to see where it goes.

Asher: Damn. Rejecting me for some guy you barely know. That’s fucked up. Evan: [smirks] Consider it payback. Asher: [laughs] Wow. Been hanging on to that one for eight years, have you? Evan: Nah. You obviously made the right choice.

Charlee: We’ve actually been talking about moving out that way. Jensen: Yeah, I don’t know what your plans are, but if you’re looking for a developer…? Atlas: Yes, absolutely. Let’s talk next month. We have to get a few things sorted before we can start hiring people, but— Lex: [dramatic gasp] Is that THE Atlas Goode?!

Atlas: Oh my god, Lex, finally! Lex: I know, we’re late. I’m so sorry. Atlas: It’s alright. How are you? Lex: I’m good.

Lex: Congratulations! I knew you guys would kill it! Atlas: Thank you. Lex: Is Ash around? Atlas: He’s back by the bar with Evan. Will you go get them? I want to say a few words. Lex: Ooh! I’m on it.

Atlas: Alright, everyone, listen up! I fucking hate speeches, so I’m gonna make this quick.

Atlas: It was eight years ago, at that table in the corner over there, when Ash first told me about his idea for a video game and asked me to work on it with him. For me, this dream was born on that night, but for him, it was years in the making. He’d already spent countless hours building incredibly vast and detailed worlds, creating compelling characters and storylines. His passion for this project was contagious. It reminded me why I got into gaming in the first place, and it has been an honor to be a part of bringing his vision to life.

Atlas: Ash, you are the most incredible person I’ve ever met. Not a day goes by that I’m not in awe of how brilliant your mind is, and how big your heart is. And I’m so proud to stand next to you, to build this company with you, to share my life with you, and pretty soon, to raise two little gremlins with you.

Atlas: To Asher - The love of my life, the father of my children, and the genius behind Oneironaut! Everyone: [cheering]

Everyone: [cheering louder]

Asher: Can we step outside? Atlas: Sure.

Atlas: Was that too much? Asher: No, I just needed a minute. I’m starting to feel a bit sentimental, and I didn’t want to get emotional in there.

Asher: I’m gonna miss this city. And our friends. Atlas: Me too. Asher: And our family. Atlas: I know.

Asher: Promise me we’ll still come back to visit? Atlas: Of course. Why wouldn’t we?

Asher: You know why. And I get it, I can come visit any time I want, and if you choose not to join me then that’s your prerogative. But I’ll want to bring the twins with me, which means they’ll be around Ezra, and I don’t know how you’ll feel about that, but like, our kids and his are going to be cousins and I’m not going to keep them apart. There’s no detangling him from our life, and I just worry that this whole thing is going to get worse over time. Atlas: No. I won’t let that happen. Asher: How?

Atlas: Would it make you feel better if I called my old therapist to see if I can get an appointment? Asher: Yes. It would. Atlas: Good, because I already did. He’s going to get back to me on Monday. I promise I’m dealing with it. I just need a little time. Asher: Okay. Yeah, you’ve got it.

Asher: Y’know this is the spot where we had our first kiss. Atlas: I remember. Asher: That will always be the most memorable part of that night for me. Atlas: For me too.

Asher: We should probably head back inside. Atlas: Or… we could get outta here. Asher: Nice try, but we are not bailing on our own party. Atlas: Worth a shot. Asher: Come on. We don’t have many of these nights left. I don’t want to take it for granted.

Atlas: If it helps, it sounds like we won’t have to say goodbye to everyone. Jay and Charlee are thinking about moving to San Sequoia too. Asher: No shit? Atlas: Yeah, Jay’s interested in working with us, and with Charlee out there, you may be able to convince Evan to join us too. Asher: I already tried. They’re not ready to leave the city.

Atlas: Are you ready to leave the city? Asher: We haven’t lived in the city for a while. Atlas: I know, but you know what I mean. Asher: Yeah. I’m ready.

[wannabanauthor]

I think I think about BuckTommy way too much. I’ll be driving home listening to an audiobook, and then I’m daydreaming instead of listening to the book.

Besides the point, I wonder what Tommy’s friends think of Buck.

“So how was your first time with him? You’re the only guy he’s been with, right?” Friend asks.

Tommy looking satisfied and haggard at the same time. “It’s the best sex I’ve ever had.”

And his friends look at him like “Naw, you’re exaggerating.”

“He made me come three times,” Tommy says and sips his coffee.

They definitely don’t believe him.

“Seriously, I’m being honest,” Tommy says. “He couldn’t keep his hands off me. Mouth too.” Now he’s smirking. His boyfriend is a god in bed.

“There’s no way he hasn’t been with a guy before. He has to be lying,” Friend 1 says.

“Yeah, are you that gullible, Tommy?” Friend 2 asks.

Tommy shakes his head. “Trust me, I know that I was the first for a fact. He had no idea he was into guys until I kissed him, and you can’t fake that type of reaction.” (Fourth wall break 🤣)

“Okay, now we need details.”

Tommy grins. “After we went to sleep, I woke up before him to make him breakfast, and once it was ready, I went to wake him up, and he pulled me down on top of him. The food was cold by the time we finished.”

“So you two fucked all night, and then fucked all morning? This is not real. He’s not real,” Friend 1 says.

“We spent most of the weekend in the bedroom with his tongue down my throat,” Tommy says. “Almost every time I looked at him, he was staring back at me like he was hungry for more. Even when I need to recuperate, he’d just start kissing me until I was ready again. And he’s such a good kisser too.”

Tommy mentally fans himself.

“So you went in thinking you could teach him some things, and he drained you dry?” Friend 2 asks.

“Pretty much,” Tommy says. His phone buzzes, and he sees it’s a text from Evan.

“Aw, is your boyfriend texting you?” Friend 1 asks.

Tommy doesn’t answer and stares at his phone with wide eyes. He clears his throat and gives his friends an apologetic smile. “Something came up, so I gotta go.”

“His dick?” Friend 1 asks.

Tommy just grins back. He says bye and practically sprints to his truck.

“Yep, his dick,” Friend 2 says, and they both laugh.

[warakami-vaporwave]

I’ve been pretty hugely inspired by your work, specifically the logos and stuff, to the point I’ve wanted to start making my own (I haven’t really been posting it anywhere).

I’m so sorry if this is rude in any way, I was wondering if you have a specific place you look to really capture the vibe of those classic ads/logos. Sorry if this is worded weird, it’s been a long day lol

Thanks, I'm always happy to hear I've inspired people! Questions like this are fun to answer, and this one is timely since I've spent a lot of this year focusing on getting better at logo design. People ask this from time to time so I'll try to cover this in a bit more detail, although the answer will be pretty long and tumblr might break some of these links.

The short answer:

To catch the vibe of a specific area, the advertisements in retro magazines are a really good place to start since you can see the trends of an era well. Luckily there are tons of scans of those magazines online. This works for most pre-internet design eras.

The long answer:

References for logos:

Google books has a pretty big archive of a lot of old magazines. Pick one that fits your niche (for much of my work, something more tech focused like Popular Mechanics issues from the late 70s/early 80s could fit well); https://books.google.com/books/about/Popular_Mechanics.html?id=gtkDAAAAMBAJ

Archive.org is a great resource as well. For example; this link shows branding for a ton of companies from the 80s; https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_unitedTechngineersMasterVol2_242068752/page/n389/mode/2up?view=theater

There are also books that compile logos of an era (I've been meaning to skim through some of these); https://archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Kuwayama%2C+Yasaburo%CC%84%22

This site has an amazing archive of designs, sorted by the typefaces used so you can really see the variety of ways you can use a font; https://fontsinuse.com/typefaces/1847/microgramma

This tumblr has a ton of scans of VHS cover packaging; https://vaultofvhs.tumblr.com/

Similar to the above, there are sites and archives for most any niche and era. This site focuses on retro product packaging; https://soft-electronics.com/home/

Youtube:

Youtube is a good resource for seeing how designers make retro-inspired logos. There are tons of designers making videos, just pick an era and look for 'retro 70s/80s/90s/00s logo design' and it'll show you how they work. Other than their thought process in logo design (which is a huge area in and of itself), seeing how they apply grunge and glitch effects helps as well.

There are tons of channels that do this but this is one of my favorites; https://www.youtube.com/@Texturelabs/videos

Just keep in mind that for all of this, some youtube designers will try to sell you classes, texture packs or plugins. You don't NEED any of them. Plenty of free assets and information exists. Personally I have never used any of it, although I might switch to using some in the future to speed things up.

Pinterest:

Within the last year I've started using pinterest for research more. I've found it helpful to create very very specific boards such as 'retro 70s/80s tv show title screen logos' and fill it with only the best, hit the 'More ideas' button and it'll usually help me find reference quicker and a few I've never seen before. Sometimes I'll get really lucky and it'll find visually similar ideas, but from a niche I never thought overlapped with it before.

Other places:

This is just the basics, although you can go much much deeper on all of this. I find it's easy for me to get carried away with doing too much research, and not enough actually making art.

Also, please keep in mind that I'm not a logo designer, or much of a graphic designer. Most of what I make fails (be it logos, or art itself). I spent a lot of time this year working on 40 logos to use in art this year. Of those 40 designs I'm hoping that I'll end up using 10-15 of them regularly. Each year I make over 100 designs, of them I only really like a dozen of those designs, and only a few of those succeed as merch.

Hopefully some of this helps!

[thirteenheavens]

can you write about Seungcheol when you are at your parents house and he can't control himself

Can’t wait till we’re home?||Scoups

Word count: 1625

Notes: Back to write to calm down after revision exams are so hard

You and Seungcheol arrive at your parents' house, hand in hand. The familiar surroundings bring back memories of childhood - the perfectly manicured lawn, the white picket fence, and the scent of freshly cut grass.

As you walk up the driveway, Seungcheol notices how nervous you seem. "Hey, everything's going to be fine," he whispers, squeezing your hand reassuringly. "Your parents love me." You nod, trying to push down your anxiety. The moment you step through the front door, your mother rushes over to greet you with a warm hug. "Y-N! And Seungcheol, it's so good to see you both!"

Dinner is a pleasant affair, filled with light conversation and delicious food. But as the meal progresses, Seungcheol's touchy behavior becomes more apparent. Every chance he gets, he places his hand on your thigh or brushes against your arm. His eyes never leave yours, and there's an unmistakable spark of desire in them.

Your father catches Seungcheol's lingering touches and his eyes narrow slightly. "Seungcheol, I see you're... quite affectionate with my daughter," he says, his tone neutral but with an edge of caution. Seungcheol tenses at the comment, his hand freezing on your thigh. He glances at your father, then at you, before responding with a polite smile. "I care about Y-N very much, sir. She means everything to me."

Your mother watches the exchange with interest, while you can feel the heat rising in your cheeks. The atmosphere grows slightly awkward as everyone waits to see how your father will respond. Your father studies Seungcheol for a moment, then lets out a deep sigh. "Well, I suppose that's all that matters," he says finally, his expression softening. "Just... be good to her, okay?"

Seungcheol nods eagerly, his grip on your thigh tightening ever so slightly. "Of course, sir. I'll always take care of her." After dinner, your mother suggests showing Seungcheol around the house. She leads you both upstairs to your childhood bedroom, filled with nostalgic memories and old toys.

As soon as you're alone in the room, Seungcheol pulls you close to him, his hands roaming over your body. "Your parents' house is nice," he whispers huskily, his lips trailing along your neck. "But I think I like it better in here." You look around your childhood room, memories flooding back. Your old bookshelves, stuffed animals, and pink wallpaper bring a nostalgic smile to your face.

"This was my safe space," you tell Seungcheol, running your fingers along the edge of your desk. "I spent so much time in here daydreaming." Seungcheol walks around the room, taking in every detail. But he can't seem to keep his hands off you for long. His eyes darken with desire as he presses you against the door, his body flush against yours.

"I can imagine you here," he murmurs, his lips hovering just above yours. "All innocent and sweet, dreaming about your future."

"And now look at you," Seungcheol continues, his voice low and husky. "All grown up and making my dreams come true." He captures your lips in a passionate kiss, his hands exploring your body with a newfound urgency. The room suddenly feels smaller, more intimate, as he pushes you further against the door.

"Seungcheol, we can't do this here," you whisper between kisses, even as your body responds to his touch. "My parents are just downstairs..." But he only smiles mischievously, nibbling on your earlobe. "That makes it more exciting, don't you think?" he teases, his fingers sliding under the hem of your shirt.

"I don't know if I can be quiet," you manage to say, your voice trembling with arousal. "And my parents will definitely hear us. Seungcheol's eyes flash with excitement at your concern. "Then we'll just have to make sure you can stay quiet," he purrs, sliding his hand up to cup your breast through your bra. "Can you be a good girl and keep quiet for me?" You bite your lip to suppress a moan as Seungcheol continues to tease you, his fingers skillfully playing with your nipple. The thought of getting caught makes your heart race even faster.

"I don't know if I can," you whisper again, your legs trembling with desire. "You know how sensitive I am..." Seungcheol smirks, clearly enjoying your struggle. "Then I'll just have to find ways to keep you quiet," he says, dropping to his knees in front of you. "Like this."

He begins trailing kisses up your thighs, his hands sliding your skirt up higher and higher. The risk of getting caught only adds to the intense pleasure building inside you. As Seungcheol kisses up your stomach, you can feel his hot breath against your skin. Your hands instinctively go to his hair, threading through the dark strands as he moves higher.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs against your skin, his lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake. "I could spend hours worshiping your body." He reaches the edge of your bra, his fingers deftly undoing the clasp. Your breasts spill out, already peaked with anticipation.

"No one else gets to see you like this," Seungcheol growls possessively, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking gently. "You're mine." Seungcheol's eyes scan the room, looking for a suitable surface to bend you over. His gaze lands on your old desk, the perfect height and width for his needs.

"Come here," he commands, pulling you towards the desk. He sweeps your childhood trinkets aside, making space for your bodies. Your heart races as he positions you against the desk, his hands running down your back to grip your hips. "I've always wanted to do this in a childhood bedroom," he confesses, his voice thick with desire. "Are you ready to be bent over your old desk, baby girl?" You nod, your breath coming in short gasps as Seungcheol presses your chest down onto the desk. The cool surface sends a shiver through your body, making you even more sensitive to his touch.

"Good girl," he murmurs, sliding your skirt up and your panties down. "Now be quiet while I take you." You feel him line himself up behind you, the tip of his cock pressing against your entrance. The position makes you feel exposed and vulnerable, but also incredibly turned on.

"Please, Seungcheol," you whimper, desperate for him to fill you. "I need you inside me." Seungcheol grins at your needy whimper, taking his time to tease you further. He runs the head of his cock through your wet folds, coating himself in your arousal.

"You're so wet for me already," he groans, continuing to swipe against your clit. "I could tease you like this forever." You bite down on your arm to muffle your moans, your body trembling with need. The threat of getting caught only adds to the intensity of the moment, making you even more desperate for release.

"Please, Seungcheol, I can't take it anymore," you beg, trying to push back against him. "I need to feel you inside me."

"Shhh, baby," Seungcheol whispers, finally pressing himself against your entrance. "You have to stay quiet. We don't want your parents to come up here and catch us." He slowly pushes into you, stretching you open with his thick length. The feeling of being filled makes your eyes roll back in pleasure, and you have to bite down harder on your arm to keep from crying out. Seungcheol sets a steady rhythm, his hips thrusting into you with deep, deliberate strokes. One hand grips your hip while the other reaches around to cover your mouth.

"You're so tight," he pants, his breath hot against your ear. "I love how you feel around me. Keep being a good girl and I'll make you come so hard." Seungcheol's thrusts grow faster and harder, the sound of skin slapping against skin barely audible over your heavy breathing. The desk creaks beneath you with each movement, but neither of you cares.

"God, you feel amazing," he groans, his hand tightening over your mouth as he drives into you deeper. "I'm not going to last long with how tight you're squeezing me." You can feel your orgasm building rapidly, your inner walls clenching around his cock. The combination of the thrill of being caught and the overwhelming pleasure is almost too much to bear.

"Come for me," Seungcheol commands, his voice low and demanding. "I want to feel you come all over my cock." Your body convulses around Seungcheol's cock as your orgasm hits you like a tidal wave. The pleasure courses through your veins, leaving you shaking and breathless. Seungcheol groans as he feels you tighten around him, his own release approaching fast. He buries himself deep inside you, pumping his hot cum into your trembling body.

"Fuck," he whispers, holding you against him as he rides out his orgasm. "That was incredible." He kisses your shoulder gently before slowly pulling out of you. You stay bent over the desk, trying to catch your breath and steady your legs that feel like jelly.

"We should probably clean up before we head back downstairs," Seungcheol suggests, helping you stand up. "But I think your parents might have some questions about how flushed you look right now."

"I'm sure they'll notice," you reply with a shaky laugh, still feeling the aftershocks of your intense orgasm. "And my hair is probably a mess." You start fixing your clothes and smoothing down your hair, trying to make yourself presentable again. The evidence of what just happened between you and Seungcheol is clear, but you both know there's nothing you can do about it now.

"Maybe we should have waited until we got home," Seungcheol teases, helping you adjust your skirt. "But where's the fun in that?"

[timidteller]

I've just finished TLHOD, and I have something to say. I may lack the proper articulation (oh boy am I rusty at putting my thoughts down in coherent, easy-to-follow way), and I doubt that any part of my analysis would bear any novelty, but. Otherwise I am going to Explode, so here we go. Also I don't have any clear structure in mind, just a swell of half-formed, swarming ideas in my brain begging to be let out, but y'know, praise the creation unfinished.

First things first, the sheer brilliance of worldbuilding in this book is breathtaking, and it knocked the air out of my lungs more times than I could count. And it's not that Le Guin dedicates much time to long-winded, elaborate rants, rich and heavy with detail, explaining the world she created. No. Instead of leaning into the didactic, she lets her subtle worldbuilding make a statement. Quite a lot of statements, to be frank, and all of them relevant to what her text is saying, to its themes. Worldbuilding and storytelling go hand-in-hand (see how even what I say becomes thematically suitable), the environment which the story occupies shapes the story, as much as the story — its environment. Ursula created a perfect vessel for her 'thought experiment', truly. Gethenian culture, mentality and ways of living are defined by the planet's character, her climate and geography, which in turn are influenced by what Ursula had to say, most literraly writing her messages into the face and complexion of Winter. Beautiful stuff.

The same principal of ambiguity Le Guin applies to her storytelling, exploration of which evidently resides on the metatextual level, is prevalent within the narrative, in the concept of nusuth, the unknown and unknowing. Silence pouring in between the lines and blank spaces left in descriptions lets the reader's gaze in, taking us along on a ride of curiosity and pondering, spurring our imagination. Through the act of withholding and careful omission Le Guin encourages our participation in the act of creation. These maybe the principles that predicate Ursula's writing style on the whole, but I do find myself wondering how much of it was a conscious choice, metatextual symbolism affected by the contents of the story. Does it matter? Nusuth.

" Of all the dark, obstructive, enigmatic souls I had met in this bleak city, his was the darkest. "

From his introduction to the very end, Estraven's character is an enigma — to us, to Genly, and even the king and numerous allies he picks up in Orgoreyn couldn't crack him and his intentions, forever obscure. Whereas Genly's own path is clear-cut, defined since the very first line as the book is told by him in retrospect as a recollection of his experiences, and the ceirtanty of his outcome is then reinforced in the Foretelling scene, Estraven's fate and arc were cast in darkness, obscured by polyphonic misreading of his character and made murky by his own silence and reservation. Where the finish line lay for him was hard to predict, and it made me watch his every move with utter fascination.

" The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next. "

Uncertainty, by the teaching of Handdarata, in whose tradition Estraven for one was reared and trained, is the base of life. Estraven's character is uniquely shaped, palpable and alive, because we as readers have got to make an effort conjuring his image from the shadows of unknown surrounding him. He is intimately linked to the main principal underlying the "dark religion" of his homeland, and captures the concept of willing ignorance brilliantly. Him, his presence and his past, which we know virtually nothing of even after having spent half the book observing the story through his eyes, may be ever vague, but not his actions. Estraven's line of action was hard to foretell, as I said, but not impossible.

" 'Tell me, Genry, what is known? What is sure, predictable, inevitable — the one certain thing you know concerning your future, and mine?'

'That we shall die.' "

The hints of Estraven's eventual death are abundant, generously sprinkled all over the text. Not knowing how to deal with the Feels, I went back to obsessively reread all of the earliest chapters and, met with so many evident clues staring at me from the page, found myself wretchedly wondering just how I missed all of those. Estraven's charm and fascination as a character comes largely from the same place as the beauty of life itself, explained by Faxe: ignorance is the ground of thought, unproof — of action. And just as we are left ignorant of Estraven's past tragedy, the only thing is certain: he shall die. The fact that I was unable to predict such an outcome, although given all the tools to reach the right conclusion, makes for me in and of itself a very poignant notion. The questions of Estraven's past and future, perhaps, are not the questions the reader should seek answers to. Instead, we should meet and understand him as he is, in the present, so valued by the people of Winter.

Having said that, I don't mean to say that those questions are unanswerable. The folk tale chapters supply wonderfully rich material for satisfying our curiosity and making assumptions. Here and now I'll venture into the territory of the obvious, so please bear with me while I'm getting it out of my system. I need to.

The folk tales included in the text are an explanatory device, introducing another point of view, the cultural, mythical, primordially intuitive one. The myths helped me understand things on a different level, beyond that of a rational and straightforward narrative; they are the undercurrent of the story, and Karhidish and Orgota culture both are steeped in these waters. And lending a new outlook on the events of the book, they also bring as closer to understanding Estraven, a character not only closely linked to the philosophy of unknowing, but also to the intuitive, untaught and natural, things that reside in the shadowy recesses of psyche and speak in whispers.

" The tragedy is so old that its horror has leached away and only a certain air of faithlessness and melancholy clings to the stones and shadows of the house. "

The folk tale that caught my attention first was not even in its seperate chapter, but the one about Emran the Illfated, that Genly reminisces about on his way to Estraven's home. Surely there are tales that are much more evidently relevant to Estraven's character, and still I cannot shake the impression that this one has to do with him, too. For me it was a first hint — of what? Of bitter, aged tragedy clinging to Estraven like a shadow, elusive yet present and felt, of a past that casts his image in an inexplicable light of melancholy? Or was it the first warning sign, a premonition about his poor fate, marred by the shadow of the man who once occupied the halls of Estraven's home? I can't say with certainty, but it did feel relevant, and important. A hunch, if you will. When dealing with a character like Estraven's, I couldn't help but lean into what conclusions my intuition brought me. And even that found its reflection in the text.

" What one is after when farfetching might be described as the intuitive perception of a moral entirety; and thus it tends to find expression not in rational symbols, but in metaphor. "

The connections between ideas kept slowly building upon themselves, the intricately woven web of symbolism gradually expanding, untill it blew my mind. Just as Estraven relies for guidance on a general intuintion when he acts, following the turn of the will, so is the reader guides his understanding of him, this ambiguity impersonated, by a set of premonitions given by a number of folk tales, which are at best only distantly related to him. We are never directly told what his past was like, and are left to wonder what his future might hold. Not straight-forward answers, not, as Genly puts it, rational symbols, but metaphor. And so the reader is told to treat the interspersed myths as metaphor, which, when applied to Estraven's character, tells his story in an indirect, allegorical way. How did Arek lose his life? Did Estraven in fact attempt suicide? What ill omens holds the tale about the foretelling of death? What sacrifice did Estraven make for his brother and kemmering's sake? The answers aren't blunt, plain-spoken, but assumed, felt on a level beyond logic and reason. The text itself then even advises the reader not to take the folk tales at face value:

" 'Then you don't call him Estraven the Traitor?'

'Nor ever did.' "

The story about Estraven the Traitor does not tell the tale of Therem Harth — though at the same time, it does. It is, of course, a metaphor. As explained in the chapter On Time and Darkness, spiritually, and in The Gethenian Calendar and Clock, pragmatically, Gethenian time is bound to the present. What was and what is yet to come, forever is. The repetitiveness of Gethenian folk narratives is, in a way, an expression of such a mentality. The past of the man whose name Estraven bears foretells his future, in an obscure, intuitive, parabolic and allusive way that the myth explains present reality: saying more about the mind of the beholder than what is beheld. Estraven is a vessel of this cultural code, and he repeats the history of his namesake. He warms a man who thought himself Estraven's enemy back to life (there's a profuse emphasis on how Estraven's presence, despite all of Genly's earliest misconceptions about him, brings warmth to him; it's endearing), he's proclaimed a traitor for a righteous act, an act of patriotism where the borders cease to apply, he vows kemmering to his brother, he is eventually widowed and stranded. When he is shot, do you think he is wounded on the chest and neck?

" ... the gift is perhaps not strictly or simply one of foretelling, but is rather the power of seeing (if only for a flash) everything at once: seeing whole. "

Genly Ai's journey to understand and love Estraven begins along with their journey to and across the Ice, and lies primarily not in the ability to parse Estraven's confusing ambiguity, solve his enigmatic character, but the willingness to see him whole, acceptance of what is, and, through it, what isn't. Genly is as fallible as any human being in his desire to understand, to categorise. This intrinsic desire is largely attributed to how humanity perceives itself in relation to the world, introducing dichotomies and the concept of otherness. It is within our nature to understand ourselves and our surroundings through a system of juxtappositions, thus forming a sense of self-identity based on a dialogue between what we are and what we are not.

" Alone, I cannot change your world. But I can be changed by it. Alone, I must listen, as well as speak. <...> it is individual, it is personal, it is both more and less than political. Not We and They; not I and It; but I and Thou. "

Interestingly, I think those traits that made Genly qualified to become the Ekumen's envoy actually hindered his mission on Gethen. His inquiring, pragmatic mind proves itself a serious impediment in the world of equivocations and paradoxical integrity of the vague and ambiguous, of darkness, ice, archaic silence and perceptive uninterference. In his struggle to understand the part, Genly more often than not forsakes the whole. Across the narrative he repeatedly would try and force what he doesn't understand about the people of Gethen into his own value system, in the process mutilating the solid wholeness; wholeness of that which is not one thing nor the other in the false dichotomy, but both things at once and then something inherently more than strictly and simply their unity.

" I tried to, but my efforts took the form of self-consciously seeing a Gethenian first as a man, then as a woman, forcing him into those categories so irrelevant to his nature and so essential to my own. "

The fact that Genly sees Estraven truly, as he is, for the first time somewhere in between the break-out of the Pulefen Farm and their reaching the Gobrin Glacier is very meaningful. It is a time when Estraven exhibits most evidently both behaviours traditionally ascribed to the feminine or the masculine respectively, showcasing that he is fundamentally "a man who is a woman, a woman who is a man", though his nature transcends the bisexual binary. Genly comes to appreciate Estraven's humanity fully, but not in contrast to and inspite of his alienness — as a part of it. It is a time when both characters are heavily relient on Estraven's extraordinary natural sense of intuition, too, and that intuition being linked to the Handdara, as I explained (or tried to do so) earlier, brings me to my next point.

" So that intimacy of mind established between us was a bond, indeed, but an obscure and austere one, not so much admitting further light (as I had expected it to) as showing the extent of the darkness. "

It is no coincidence, I think, that Genly and Estraven learn to bespeak each other while at the height of sexual tension between them, two or three days after their agreement to not view the other as a viable kemmer/sex partner. This tension brings their experiences with the telepathy close in my mind to the act of Foretelling, which both attempt in an effort to learn the ways of their travel companion more intimately, more truthfully. But as it has already been established, straightforwardness of a plain-worded prognosis or prediction doesn't apply or do much good when it comes to the matters of human nature, and so Genly, seeking answers, is only met with the frustration of more questions arising about the man he is learning to trust. The lesson he at that stage of their relationship still needs to take in is that he can't understand Estraven by understanding his shadow. He can by accepting it as an integral part of him, and then forsake the need to categorise and compartmentalise altogether. Not a part, but a whole. And by extending his effort to understand the other, Genly inevitably comes to important realisations about himself, his role as the Envoy, and Gethenian culture on the whole. Genly Ai and Estraven never meet in kemmer, but they "have touched, in the only way they could touch". It is very "to be loved is to be changed" to me, for Genly is truly changed through his love towards Estraven, they both in fact are. Let's put a mental pin on it and hold this thought, I'll talk about it some more a little later.

Now, I want to diverge my attention to the next foreboding hint of Estraven's death: the omissions.

" 'I am Estraven the Traitor. I have nothing whatever to do with you.'

'At first.'

'At first,' he agreed.

'You'll be able to hide out, if there is danger at first?'

'Oh yes, certainly.' "

With all of Estraven's meticulous planning and sharp clairvoyance, born of experience and his intuitive nature, why didn't he plan his own escape from Tibe's men once back in Karhide? I theorise that all along he knew what would become of him if he were ever to show up in his country again, as well as knew that his heart belonged to this land and he wouldn't sell that love out for welfare. I can't help feeling like he never actively intended to flee back across the border into Orgoreyn and spend the rest of his days in exile, nor did he actively plan for it. Towards the end of Genly and Estraven's journey, when the relevance of the question of how he was going to secure his safety grew with the proximity of the Karhidish border, he seemed to shut his mind off from Genly. Was it because he feared his friend might find out he wasn't prepared for what comes next, because he didn't really believe he would live to see it come? I don't know, I speculate. But there was an edge of urgency in Estraven's insistence that Genly follows through with the plan he laid out, as if he was making sure Genly would stick to it when he is no longer around.

" I was born to live in exile, it appeared, and my one way home was by way of dying. "

Upon his return to Karhide, although his motherland won't take him back, Estraven does come home; back into Arek's embrace. Into the Place Inside the Blizzard, where those who take their own lives go. Although we know nothing of Arek's fate beyond the fact that he died before his time, leaving Estraven widowed, there is some ground for me to assume that he too committed suicide. The only solid explanation I could supply this reading with is with what morbid eagerness Estraven met his end, not running away from it, but rushing towards it. Was he afraid that he would be captured and then killed by the guards, or worse tortured to death, hence he took the matter into his own hands, when there still was a chance of an afterlife spent near the love of his life? For what is just one more taboo broken for a man who has already crossed all the final lines? Estraven has made it his life's business to see Genly's mission to its completion, and beyond this goal, it seems, there was little to nothing left for him in existence. Not when he looked back upon his life and saw a ruin of broken promises and failures. He also probably sees that there is no way to untangle himself from Genly and his mission, not when Genly refuses to let go of him after the months spent on the Ice, and he sacrifices himself to clear the Envoy's name of the threat of being affiliated with the infamous Traitor. But perhaps, in the end, Estraven's love for Arek outweighed whatever love he might have had for Genly, for he never truly learned to extricate the image feelings for Genly cast into the shadows of his heart from an after-image of Arek.

The way Estraven and Genly's roles start to intermingle and overlap towards the end is what I find utterly fascinating. They, of course, abstained from kemmering with each other, likely out of sense of deep mutual respect, but the implication that they came together in order to give birth to some new life still lingers heavy over the text.

" 'They are the same,' said Stokven, and laying his palm against Estraven's showed it was so: their hands were the same in length and form, finger by finger, matching like the two hands of one man laid palm to palm. "

Kemmer's intrinsic cultural value to a Gethenian arises from viewing of it both as an act of creation and, though expressed somewhat more vaguely, as resonance between two beings, an act of recognition of self through another. Genly eventually grows to understand Estraven and the Gethenians at large, but not without undergoing essential changes in his own set of values and worldview. These changes, however subtly they may have arrived, turned out to be drastic enough for his crewmates, when they come on Gethen, to fail to recognise him in the crowd, and for him in turn to slightly recoil from the Terrans and how alien they became to him in their two years long separation. Things come full circle when he sets off to the land of Kerm, probably (let me be delusional) settling down in Estraven's home hearth as a result: Estraven dies, repeating the fate of many first envoys to be sent to an alien world, but succeeds in bringing about the New Epoch of Gethen, opening it to the rest of mankind; Genly, carrying out his "fool's errand" to find solace, comes to the Estre Hearth to mourn its banished heir's death.

" I lay there beside my friend in a sort of stupor, trying to remember the words he had quoted to me once: Two are one, life and death, lying together... "

Estraven walked across the Ice together, witnessing the world creating itself, and through the labour and hardships of their journey they achieved creation of an entirely new world on Gethen. And you see, without blood the arch would fall. Estraven's sacrifice is the blood that upholds the change, keeping the door opened.

[yuurivoice]

Sorry if this is a dumb question I'm not totally sure how voice acting like?? works?? But when you're doing a stream like the upcoming Charlie and friends one, does it hurt your throat when you have to do a voice that isn't yours for so long? Do you have any like habits (i.e vocal rest) that you do to lessen the strain?

I don't typically choose to do any voice that would strain me too much over a period of time in general, and I definitely would just avoid ever having to stream with one. For Charlie the actual tricky part is making sure I keep his voice UP to avoid getting lazy and just sounding like Alphonse. Thankfully even if I do get exhausted, there's a certain nasally thing that Charlie has going on that even when he's less pitchy and animated, it still sounds distinct.

The only time I ever fucked my voice up was early Aizawa when I was trying far too desperately to put the sleep gravel into my voice. After that, I changed my approach!

What I have the hardest time with in general is carving out grooves for similarly voiced characters that have finer details, and finding less subtle differences that can offer more clarity.

So the upcoming challenge of having Finn/Faust in the same space will he similar to what I had to do with Alphonse and Charlie. I feel really good about where Faust is at now that I've spent a couple hours with him again. But that is something I'm going to be very conscious of.