#I'll do better about logging in more often

[glowettee]

⋆˚࿔glowettee hotline 6: finding peace after studying.ᐟ

hey lovelies! 🤍i'm finally back with glowettee hotline

abbey sent in the sweetest question to the glowettee hotline about something i think so many of us struggle with. that persistent anxiety that whispers "you could do more" even after you've literally been studying for hours and hours? yeah, i know that voice all too well.

i was literally up until 3am last night reorganizing my color-coded study guides even though i'd already finished them, so trust me when i say i understand that perfectionist energy. there's something about academics that brings out that need for control in all of us, right?

first, i want you to know that what you're experiencing is actually super common among high-achievers. that anxiety isn't a sign that you're doing something wrong - it's actually your brain being a little too good at wanting to succeed. your brain has basically created this false equation that anxiety = productivity, when actually they're totally different things.

when i was in my worst perfectionist spiral last semester (we don't talk about the great midterm meltdown of 2024), my academic counselor shared something that literally changed everything for me. she called it "productive completion" versus "perfectionist completion" and the difference is everything.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ why your brain keeps doing this ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

your brain has been rewarded for being anxious in the past. every time you've pushed yourself to do "just one more thing" because of anxiety, your brain logged that as a win. it doesn't realize how exhausted and burnt out you're becoming.

also? uncertainty is literally uncomfortable for our brains on a neurological level. your organized nature (which is actually a superpower when balanced!) means your brain craves that feeling of "doneness" - but perfectionism keeps moving the goalpost so you never actually reach it.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ practical things that actually help ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

create a "done list" instead of just a to-do list. physically write down everything you've accomplished in a study session. when anxiety says "you've done nothing," you have literal evidence to the contrary.

implement a physical "closing ritual" to signal to your brain that work time is over. i close my laptop, put my books in my bag, and light this little vanilla candle that's only for post-study relaxation. your brain needs these concrete transitions.

use time-based boundaries rather than task-based ones. "i will study for 2 focused hours" is better than "i will study until i feel done" because perfectionism ensures you'll never feel done.

try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique when anxiety spirals hit. name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. it literally interrupts the anxiety pathway in your brain.

create a "worry hour" where you give yourself permission to stress about academics - but only during that designated time. when anxious thoughts come outside that hour, tell them "not now, i'll think about you at 4pm."

practice self-compassion statements that feel authentic to you. mine is "being imperfect doesn't mean i'm ineffective." find yours and repeat it when that voice starts up.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the deeper work ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

here's the thing about perfectionism that took me forever to understand - it's often a protection mechanism. somewhere along the way, you learned that being perfect kept you safe from criticism or failure or whatever scary thing your brain is trying to avoid.

the real question to gently ask yourself is: what would happen if you did "just enough" instead of everything possible? what are you afraid would occur? usually when we dig into this, we find some core beliefs that need updating.

for me, i realized i had this weird belief that if i wasn't constantly anxious about academics, it meant i didn't care enough. which is obviously not true! you can care deeply about your studies while still having boundaries and rest.

abbey, i want you to know that your worth isn't measured by how exhausted you are at the end of a study session. your organized nature is a gift - but it should serve you, not control you.

sending you the warmest thoughts and a reminder that you're doing so much better than you think you are. your anxiety is lying to you about how much is "enough."

xoxo, mindy 🤍

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[becomingthatgirl111]

how to use social media and your phone in a positive way

if you want to improve or change an aspect of your life it takes your commitment to be consistent and make real changes. to start, take a piece of paper and answer these questions that will help you have a greater focus and be aware of what you want to change.

how much time are you dedicating to social media?

is it taking up your time?

what would you like to do with that time?

how much time would you like to spend on social media?

what content do you follow?

do you follow content that you consider harmful to you?

instead, what would you like to follow more? (for example, accounts that inspire you or help you to improve, can be about cooking or some hobby you have)

what app do you use most often?

how long do you use your phone?

would you like to use it less?

what habits/hobbies would you like to spend more time on?

now that you are more aware of this issue and how it may be affecting your life i'll share some tips to help you make your social media more secure and use it more positively.

stop following those accounts that are not giving you anything positive.

start following profiles of people who really inspire you or teach you something, for example about the topics you are interested in or the kind of person you would like to become and take them as an example.

set a time limit on the use of these applications, i.e. about 15 minutes a day for example. you can do this from the app itself or from "settings" on your phone.

follow positive content that resonates with you such as people sharing affirmations, success stories or even motivational speeches.

don't use your phone first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

download productivity apps on your phone, such as daylio, notion, habit, etc. with which you can log your days, have a record of your habits or even use them as to-do lists, there are many more of these types.

"i am" is an app that sends you positive affirmations every hour as a notification, it will help you to be centered.

if you do any activity leave your phone somewhere else or even if you are on the bus don't be stuck on your phone, allow yourself to enjoy the present moment.

use the internet to search for information on topics that interest you, either on youtube, blogs, podcasts…

block people or words that you know are not bringing you anything positive.

spend more time cultivating yourself instead of focusing on a world that doesn't exist in social media.

other things to consider.

what we see on social media doesn't have to be real, even if it is, don't compare yourself with those people. on the internet, everyone will want to give their best face and that doesn't mean it's reality, it shouldn't affect you either so forget about it and focus on your own path.

the real world is outside and not through a screen. live human experiences and try to do what makes you happiest every day.

on social media and internet we can find a lot of useful information, let that be the main reason why you use it, and stop wasting your time scrolling on tik tok.

my personal opinion.

the use of social media is not negative, but we have to control what we are consuming and how it is affecting our lives and the time we are spending.

it seems normal to be on the phone all day but this is not beneficial, there are more things to do in the real world and many people say they don't have time to do things when they are really wasting it with their phones.

you can look for information on things that are useful to you but leave your phone aside and start applying them to your life.

leaving all the social media aside has made me feel much better and even more liberated. you don't really need to see what's going on on the internet, because it's not important, there are more important things to live for out there, even more interesting people to meet.

create your world from the experiences you would like to live, the people you would like to share, the person you want to become, and focus on that, which is much more important. in the end, if you don't think about it, it doesn't exist.

[eiralunaire]

Damian discovers how disastrous Reader's hair is in the mornings.

The first rays of sunlight began to filter through the window, filling the room with a soft golden light. Damian Wayne, who rarely slept past dawn, woke up and lay still for a moment, trying to remember where he was. It took him a second to realize he was in his girlfriend's room, in the apartment she shared with her cat.

The night before, after dinner and a long conversation in which they both decided that, instead of returning home so late, it would be better to start spending more nights together, Damian had agreed to stay. It wasn't an impulsive decision; deep down, he felt strangely comfortable with the idea.

He turned to look at her and couldn't help but smile slightly. His girlfriend was fast asleep, curled up in the sheets, her normally curly and neat hair completely out of control. It was like a bird's nest tangled around her head, with some strands covering her face. She slept so still and peacefully that she seemed to be in another world, completely oblivious to reality.

Damian looked at her with a hint of fascination, because the scene was so different from the elegant and carefree image she usually projected. There was something completely adorable about seeing her so natural, so human. Cautiously, as if he didn't want to interrupt the picture, he raised a hand and brushed one of the curls out of her face.

"Good morning, forest princess," he murmured with a small, wry smile. But she didn't even move. She lay there, completely still, so deeply asleep that Damian had to move a little closer to make sure she was still breathing. "Sleeping like a log has a new meaning now," he murmured to himself, amused.

She let out a soft snore and turned a little, just enough to further mess up her already chaotic hairstyle. Damian's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and for a moment he hesitated if he should wake her up or if it would be better to just watch.

Finally, he gave her a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Hey, are you planning on waking up someday?" he whispered, trying to hold back a smile.

She slowly opened her eyes, still half asleep. Seeing Damian, she smiled sleepily, but the mocking glint in her eyes didn't go unnoticed. "What are you staring at so fascinated?" she murmured, stretching a little and closing her eyes again.

"Do you really want to know?" he replied, trying to sound serious. "Your hair... is... amazing."

She blinked, fully awake now, and reached a hand to her hair, only to be met with the chaos it was in. She let out a laugh, amused and resigned, making no effort to fix it. "Oh, you didn't have to tell me. This is normal; every morning my hair decides to rebel."

Damian looked at her, slightly amused, and said, "And this is how you've lived up until now? With this… morning phenomenon?"

She laughed, more awake now. "I'm afraid so. This is what you get when I sleep soundly." She shrugged, unconcerned. "Not everyone can wake up looking like they're ready for a gala, Wayne."

Damian let out a low laugh, a genuine laugh that he only reserved for special moments. "Well, if we're going to do this sleeping together thing more often, I guess I'm going to have to get used to it."

She gave him a gentle nudge, smiling. "Oh, sure, Mr. Perfection. I'm sure you have your morning secrets too. Just you wait; I'll see something from you that's just as amazing."

Damian smirked, moving closer to her. "I'm warning you: I'm almost perfect."

She rolled her eyes and slumped back onto her pillow, looking up at him. "If you say so, Mr. Wayne." With his eyes half-closed and a mocking glint in his gaze, he added, "So, are you going to criticize me every morning or will you make me coffee too?"

Damian smiled, resigned, and got up to go to the kitchen. "Okay, you'll have coffee this time. But I don't promise I'll stop pointing out the morning bird's nest."

[diy-languages]

Free Korean Learning Courses! : Part 1

-> These are some free resources I used or heard about a lot to learn Korean and what they include, there's probably way more! I'll make more parts in the future. There's also ratings and pesonal notes about each one, but again they're 'personal' so it might not be the same for everyone! That's why you should always try it yourself first.

-> These resources are or were fully free when I used them, if anything changed and they're no longer free I do not take any responsibility for possible accidental purchases, I recommend to always check first before processing with it.

Here we go:

GoodJobKorean — Full free Hangul Course, 12 Lessons, Videos (with pronunciation, etc) + Pdf Practice sheets (with some vocabulary) + Quizes to see if you understood each lesson.

Rating: 100/10 I tried and loved it, easy to understand and explained nicely. Really useful for beginners learning hangul!

A/N: You may have to rebuy it after a month (not sure because I finished it in less then a month and never logged back in) but It's still free (if not you can always just make another account to get it free again)

GoldenKeyKorean: Free Hangul course, pronunciation + 2H long master course (advanced and basic levels) with 2 pdf books

Rating: I personally did not try this one, but I'm pretty sure it's fully free (at least that's what I've seen), but he often does limited editions/limited time special free courses so it's better to check if the offer is still active and follow his instagram for future updates and courses.

Now Korean Class: Fully free 9 Korean courses with different levels (1-9) with multiple videos for each, explains sentence structures, grammar, counters, numbers, and way more.

Rating: 100/10, It really is free, multiple levels, sooo many different things to learn I absolutely loved it!!

A/N: You just have to rebuy it after a month but I'm pretty sure it's still free (if not you can always just make another account to get it free again). I recently lost acess to it, idk why I think my phone is lagging... It tells me something went wrong to try again later, lol, just in case some content changed etc I wouldn't know.

Koldoristudy: 3 different Free Korean PDF study sheets, 1 Hangul, 1 Vocabulary and 1 winter study, includes Grammar, stroke order guides and syllable blocks,

Rating: 10/10 Loved it, I thought it would be just some pdf files to boringly write hangul/words but It's actually way more! it explains grammar and some useful language rules!

Talk to me in korean: Multiple free podcasts on different platforms + PDF with grammar and vocabulary explained for different levels of learners, 7 days free trial with possible cancelation

Rating: 9/10 It's really good, I'm just not a big fan of podcasts as I have a short attention spawn LOL. I personally didn't try the 7-days free trial but they do have LOTS of different lessons and videos that seem to be amazing and useful.

A/N: personally I find their website really confusing, to make things easier you can try things like just typing "Talk To me In korean (Pdf level _)" on google and the first link should be the free pdf file, etc etc.

Loescen Learn Korean Website: Free Interactive web-based learning, important vocabulary, pronunciation beginner to intermediate level, basic conversation courses and dialogues

Rating: 8/10, so good!! It surprised me, I just wish it went more in deep about things like sentence structures and grammar instead of blindly learning dialogue lines or words without breaking them into steps for deeper understanding of the language.

A/N: works for other languages too!!

Live Lingua: Multiple free ebooks and audio files lessons, grammar, vocabulary, hangul, etc, beginner to advanced,

Rating: 9/10 Covers up a lot of different things like I said, grammar, vocabulary, etc etc, but AGAIN each course covers many subjects and it quickly feels heavy and too long/complicated/takes too much time (personally for me, as an individual with ADHD)

How to study korean: LOTS of grammar and vocabulary, beginners to advanced, multiple lessons, linked YT videos to reinforce lessons, PDFs, etc

Rating: 100/10 explains really well, SO MUCH STUFF, different levels, it's really awesome! Lessons are available in multiple languages and not just English!! However again I find it a bit intimidating as it really has LOTS of things to learn which make it seem hard and heavy...

A/N: Personally I find the website complicated to navigate 😭 just type "how to study korean lesson _" for easier access if you want and It should be the top results

Udemy TOPIK grammar through 100 patters: TOPIK vocabulary, grammar and conversations, 100 grammatical patters koreans use a lot

Rating: 8/10 really good, well explained, but again personally it feels pretty heavy and long, videos in Korean with English subtitles, however there are no English subtitles for "example sentences" which sucks, you need to know some basic vocabulary to really understand the example sentences used there.

Tomi Korean: Free PDF with 430 basic korean vocabulary (words, verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc) with audio files, free PDF Worksheet for hangul learning

Rating: 8/0 Love it, really nice for useful vocabulary but you'll have to willingly study the words cause the pdf only makes you write it once and it's really just Korean-English translations, but it has images so its good for visual learners too! Personally I also found it takes a lot of storage to download everything lol.

A/N: I did not check the hangul worksheet as I can already write and read hangul but little personal opinion/tip; I think GoodJobKorean is the best option to learn Hangul here, specially compared to this one. Yes I did not try this Hangul Worksheet but I believe GoodJobKorean offers more variated content and help (videos, quizes, etc) than what a PDF sheet has to offer, that's my opinion.

That's all so far!

Many of these courses have social media accounts where they post different content and tricks to learn, I'll be making a post about those in the future too!!

If anything changed since I first used these resources or if there's any misinformation in this post, please let me know!

[en-gelic]

THE BOY IS MINE 2 — !

syn. when you get jealous gn. fluff 0.8k cw. skinship, jealousy, short reader 엔하이픈 막내선 ୨୧ the boy is mine LiA'S NOTE tumblr is pissing me off rn COLLECTION 엔하이픈 형선

KIM SUNOO — "So that's how you're going to be." You mumbled, as you stared in envy at the woman beaming at Sunoo, who was reciprocating her action. Later, he found you giggling with the shop assistant who just happened to be male. "Of course I'll take your phone number." You giggled, exposing your dimple as you smiled at him. Sunoo's face twitched as he forced up a smile mixed with confusion and irritation.

Sliding his hand around your waist, he smiled at the shop assistant who had been writing down his phone number on paper for you to take. "Hi Sunoo," You smiled, biting back "Meet my new friend." Exclaiming in excitement, you watched as he forced a smile to be happy for you. "Hi, new friend. I'm Sunoo, her boyfriend. So nice to meet you." You watched your play unfold as the shop assistant stared begrudgingly at your boyfriend who had been eyeing him since he arrived. Wordlessly, he dragged you out of the store and into the car, driving silently. Still without a word, he pulled you into the house, setting himself on the bed and pressing you down on his lap. "Talk." He started, demanding an answer from your behaviour. "Says you who was basically eye-cheating on me with that woman." You retorted, irritated by his low EI. He was quiet for a minute until he began tease you about your possessiveness. "You wanted to make me jealous, didn't you?" He teased, pinching your cheeks and watching you get even more irritated. "I hate you so much." You murmured. Still finding it amusing that you tried to make him jealous, he pressed a peck on your pouty lips. "Let's watch a movie you want so you can feel better." ✶ more under the cut !

YANG JUNGWON — You stared at your phone which was blowing up with Weverse notifications of your boyfriend who had hung up the phone because he was busy but was really replying to dozens of engenes at once. On a normal day, you found his interactions cute, watching how he expressed his love to his fans. Logging into your account, you began spamming the angry emojis, knowing very well that he could see them as he knew your account username. Getting the hint, he rang your phone, spam sending you 'What's wrongs'.

"Why are you calling? I thought you were busy." You answered, trying to act indifferent, but hiding a smile behind the shield of your phone. "Sorry. Do you want me to reply to your angry emojis?" You pulled a face at his cheekiness as you could hear his grin through his voice. "Just go reply to your fans, who you're clearly dating." The sarcasm laced in your voice caused his grin to turn into a chuckle. "I should do this more often. It's cute when you're jealous." Huffing, you replied, "Whatever. Just come over and give me a kiss and maybe I'll forgive you." Seconds later, he was at your door as though he was waiting for you to say the words. Smiling, popped your head out of the door, pretending to be angry. "You're not going to let me in?" He questioned, his dimple pressing into his cheek. You shook your head. Given the height difference, he leaned down, his figure blocking your view from everything else. Between your thought process, he pressed a soft kiss on your lips. "Are you sure?" He teased, not giving you any time to reply by his continuous kisses. Pushing him away, you peppered his face with kisses, staining his face with lip gloss. Ruffling his hair, you turned him around. "Go brag to the engenes about how you have the best girlfriend ever." "Will you forgive me then?" Struggling to hide the grin on your face, you hummed.

NISHIMURA RIKI — "Why aren't you talking?" He pestered while you scrolled through his clips from the recent fan meet. "If you want to talk to someone, go to that girl you interlocked fingers with and stared at with your beady eyes." You retorted. At his lack of reply, you turned to look at him, who was staring at you with a massive grin on his face. "Are you jealous?" Glaring, you nodded and stood up, letting him bask in his pride.

Following after you, the boy let out a teasing 'Baby', before wrapping his arms around your waist demanding that you say it again. "Say it again." He teased grinning at your irritation. "I hate you." Was your reply as his grin broadened. "You just love me so much, don't you?" Your fake irritation was running out as you bit back a grin. His height towered over you as he tried to meet your eyes, pressing kisses on your cheeks in a teasing manner. He would tease you about it for days, proud that his girlfriend was being possessive over him. "Will you ever shut up about this?" You questioned as his weight crushed you as he wrestled you into the bed after his shower. "If you admit you were jealous, I will." Knowing his personality, you knew he was never going to let it go. "I was jealous. Happy?" He giggled into your neck, his breath tickling your collarbone. "I hate you for this." You grinned, breaking into fits of laughter as he tickled you, ending it off with a kiss. "I love you more." He replied.

© EN-GELIC, 2024

[sugoi-writes]

Can I be 🦇 anon? For some reason I’ve always been obsessed with the flexing part of an arm? I don’t know the technical term but I can’t see Demon Al doing this as much as his human counterpart would sooooooooo human Alastor with his sweetheart who has never EVER soon for him like woman usually do I mean he has ladies fainting LMAOA HOWEVER one day when he’s cutting idk wood or something she sees his arm flex she’s like a puddle I mean full fangirling giggling and screaming and he’s like huh??? Until he realizes and then boom from then on he’s flexing any time he can to pull a scream from her

🦇Anon? Love it! I'm a big fan of bats! This ask was too adorable. I just KNEW I could cook something up!

It does get a liiiiittle suggestive in parts, but otherwise stays perfectly appropriate! FEAST, my dearies!!!

"Love? The fire is going out! We'll need more firewood!" You call from inside. You make your way to the door, your top half hovering just outside as you searched for your darling beau. You've always enjoyed your time with him at his family's cabin, a piece of his inheritance that was used quite often. And, of course, it was highly appreciated by the both of you.

Your eyes dart about until you heard a distinct CHOP, eyes finding Alastor with his axe buried into an old tree stump. His smile widens when he sees you, wiping the sweat from his brow. You feel your pulse race, surprised to see his bare chest gleaming in the sunlight. The humid, thick air that permeated in the South could not be helped, and so, Alastor worked without a shirt on. Even with this simple and understandable notion, you found yourself fond of (and shocked by) the rare sight. You try to make your face pleasantly neutral and wave, trying to save face.

"No worries, dear. 'Already mending that problem!"

You chuckle, leaning fully into the door frame as Alastor positions a new log to cleave through. The Summer was good for one thing, you reasoned; seeing Alastor's chest, bared for only you to see, heaving steadily as he worked. Better yet, you could practically feel the gaze he gave back to you, his knowing smile making you beam every time you saw it. While you weren't like most others, not being overly doting or frivolous about his appearance, you still appreciated and treasured it deeply.

When Alastor returned to his work, your eyes fixated on his hands, then his arms. Indeed, you were very familiar with how powerful they were. They did wonders for and to you. But then: you see a flex. A jut and shift of his bicep has your mouth watering lecherously. As his grip relaxed on the axe, his body bending down to grab another log, you watched the muscles in his arm relax and re-fire. This set of motions repeated for a time, much to your enjoyment. As an extra treat, sometimes a vein in his neck would pop out at the same time his forearms and triceps strained, making your pupils bloom and shrink with hunger.

It was, without a doubt, an extremely alluring sight. Each time the axe raised over his head, your eyes followed, forcing you to stiffle a nervous chuckle. God, he was too beautiful for his own good. He was too strong for you to handle, and far too beautiful to be a called simple, minimalist man. His body was the work of a master craftsman, thank God.

As another piece of firewood was cut, you covered you mouth, stifling a squeal as he brought a towel to his forehead, huffing from his efforts. When he heard your little noises, he turned to you, his smile drooping slightly," Anything the matter, dear?" You were quick to shrink back, waving his concern off with a nervous laugh.

"Ha-ha, NO! No, I'm fine! Don't worry about me! I-I'll start working on dinner, okay?" Alastor doesn't seem convinced, squinting in your direction. His glasses were cast aside earlier, in fear they may fall off and become a victim of his labor," If you say so, dear. I'll be inside in a moment to help with the potatoes, mon cherie." You nod and turn to go inside, your face still boiling hot as you try to distract yourself. Your body starts to go through the motions, chopping veggies that were freshly harvested to use in your stew. You try to focus on the task at hand, your mind lingering on images of Alastor's physique. You had failed at your task stupendously. You felt no remorse!

You couldn't help but squirm at the mental images: veins and muscles shifting from physical effort. That devilishly handsome smile and toned body... it made your heart race! You wondered what his arms must've looked like when he was hovering above you... Your grip was tightening as you chopped the veggies faster, your safety disregarded. You giggle to yourself, eyes closing momentarily to focus on the pleasant thought of Alastor caging you with his muscular arms until--

"FUCK-- shit!"

No sooner did you wail was Alastor at the door, slamming it open," What happened??? What did--"

Alastor's eyes were wide, pupils shrunken to mere pinpricks as he took in your form. You held your bleeding finger, huffing.

"I-It's fine, it's fine! I'm fine!" You reassure, grabbing a handtowel to press to your wound. Alastor strode over to you, tongue clicking at your carelessness. As he went to put his axe down, your eyes caught his arms again, yelping as you turn away hastily. Your sudden movement left your partner clueless.

Alastor pauses again, a brow raising," My love, what's gotten into you? You've never been this careless before..."

You shuddered as Alastor came behind you, hands resting on the counter on either side of your hips," Are you sure you're quite alright?"

He leaned in to kiss your cheek, coaxing you into looking his way. You began yelping again, your mouth slamming shut as you tear your eyes away from his body. Alastor grumbles, slightly annoyed with your silence," Sweetheart, I can't help you if you don't use your words--"

One hand snatches you by the hip, spinning you quickly around while the other takes your wounded hand.

You eyes are blown wide, unable to make eye contact as they stare down at Alastor's arms," I-Im fine, really just-- just got lost in my thoughts! I promise!"

Between Al's proximity, his partial nudity, and those arms trapping you, you felt like your face blazed hotter than the fucking Sun. Alastor seemed to catch on, watching as your legs squeezed, shifting your weight uncomfortably. He leans closer to you, the muscles in his torso expanding and contracting with his movements. You sigh shakily, stifling a blissful squeak. Ahh. So it was him that was causing you to fret...

Alastor began to chuckle slowly at first, before laughing heartily. You stammered as a large hand came to your shoulder to steady himself, your lips blubbering pathetically. He was laughing fairly hard, causing his abdominals to flex and seize (a sight too delicious to behold). You were whining, on the verge of squealing as you weakly pushed against him again.

"A-Alastor, if you don't back up, I just might NOT be okay!!!" Alastor couldn't help himself, working himself into short bursts of stitches as he calms down, eyes watering.

"Ohhh, dearest... honestly, was I really that distracting to you?" His voice was low and flirtatious as you felt yourself being pressed into the counter, his hips holding you in place. You nearly shrieked as Alastor's hands gripped the counter harshly, knuckles white. Your mouth fell agape with a silent moan as the muscles in his upper arms and pecs stirred once more. You push against him once more, feeling as though you would pop like a balloon.

"A-Al, this isn't cute!!! Stop it, please!" You practically whine as Alastor just leaned, kissing your bright, heated cheeks.

"Well, I suppose I could go chop more wood, if the space could offer you some reprieve..."

You gasp as your chin is pulled forward, forcing you to make eye contact with him. If you weren't in your prime, you'd fear having a stroke at the sight of his almond colored eyes staring back into yours with a tumultuous energy.

"But, I think we both know you'd prefer that I stay rii~iiight here, don't you?" He teased, his lips dangerously close to your own. Your own lips quivered at the relentless pestering, your eyes struggling to make contact again," W-Well, I-- you know I-- uugghhh, if you keep teasing me, dinner is going to be late!!!"

"That's fiiiine by me!" Alastor says in a sing-song tone, and to your horror, you are lifted and placed onto the counter with minimal effort. Your eyes become transfixed on him, unable to clench your legs closed. Alastor knew exactly what he was doing, and he wasn't going to let you off the hook so easily. Your partner moved to be between your thighs, his voice a husky gravel; his tone was JUST loud enough for you to process.

"How about we start with dessert first, hmm~?"

[crimsonservalite]

Wow coming out with another post today who would've thought😂

Here's the freight designs! They're all based on a mixmatch of real animals and other random ass stuff I thought would be cool and I'll explain the decisions further down.

On the comic I posted earlier, the fuel trucks are seen with both wheels and without (e.g. Slick and Lumber visibly with wheels compared to Porter standing without). For these designs, they're obviously less truck and more animal (as are the other characters too) so I see it as their choice for what they want to do any time.

In the comic, Lumber has his wheels for ease of transporting the logs, Slick has hers because she's bored and likes rolling them along the wall and Porter hasn't got his because his creaky ass joints get sore if he stands on them for too long.

PORTER

Porter is based off of Velociraptors and dragons. (Sorry he looks a little off, I drew his torso too short) Why? He's fiercely protective and likes to stay in groups, a bit spiky but really is quite fluffy actually. Yes his tail swings a lot when he talks (especially to a certain electric).

His horns are very solid however they are not sharp. Every ridge is rounded and Lumber has only ever been winded rather than impaled mid-play fight😂. He's fast when he doesn't have his wheels out because, when he does, he gets sore and aches for days. That's why he doesn't race often (if at all). In races, it is mandatory to use your wheels, so (after many a time of Slick cuffing him over the back of the head for complaining one too much about his poor old sore knees after racing with Rusty) Porter stays away from the racing track.

LUMBER

Lumber's based off of both a kangaroo and an elephant. Elephants have large, wide feet to support their weight comfortably, and kangaroos have long thick and muscled tails that work as another leg to also give support when they're moving around or fighting. Lumber carries timber (I've got timber, timber's good) which would probably mean he needs a lot of adaptation to help him with that job. His lower body supports the weight easily, his arms are built to carry and his hands are the next big thing.

They look super weird, yeah I know, but they work similar to that of a bird's. Another finger that operates opposite to the others can close up like a claw machine would, helping to better grip large and tubular objects. Having two thumbs (one on either side) work to increase surface area, again, better supporting tare.

SLICK

Slick is based on a variety of big cats. She has markings on her face like a cheetah so she can see better in the bright daylight as she's racing, so she can see the dangers around her and react faster or enact her plans better, and she's more lithe than the other freight. She carries oil, rather than heavier, clunkier objects like coal or wood, so she doesn't need as large of a support and rather is adapted for agility and speed instead. Her tail is long like a cheetah or snow leopard to help balance and switch direction quickly and her lower body is as that of a cougar, strong but still fast.

She's also very furry

HYDRA

Hydra's a fish.

Yeah, not sure why, but hydrogen is in water and Hydra cares about the environment so it fits, 'kay? The webbed hands don't help them much, let's be real, but I can imagine Hydra has an ability to move his gaseous fuel around, so they kind of work like paddles or cups to fan it into the right tubes or valves.

Their tail is essentially like one big coolant tube, circulating from the rest of their body to his tail and then allowing the outside air to keep it cool for when it goes back around again.

Their paws are dog paws just cause I think Hydra's a puppy

Bonus points if you noticed that Hydra does not have caution strips around any part of them. He also doesn't have any on his actual costume in the show as I'm guessing he's not seen as one of the big foreshadowed threats that the other three trucks pose. There's little things on his design that just set him apart from the others, so it's interesting to see if people notice on the original or on this one.

Hope this wasn't too long to read and all makes sense :) be prepared because I'm certain 90% of the comics I will post will be involving them in some capacity😂

I think Electra and the Components are probably next on my list. Rest assured I will try and make them look unique from one another 😂

[the-ellia-west]

Happy 610 to me!

And to celebrateeeeee:

For the Month of April, and maybe longer, I will be Going On Hiatus (Yes again), I will log back in every other Friday to make an update post on myself and my WIPs. I will not be checking my notes, asks, or Notifications until I'm back for good.

You can contact me at Discord @ ellia_west if you like! Just tell me your Tumblr Username or else I might block you. But I will not be on Tumblr, and when I am, Let's just say I'll make my presence known. <3 [I will be on for about an Hour after I post this, 3/28/2025]

For now,

(I left a message for all the Moots I remember off the top of my head)

-

@sunflowerrosy You're my best friend and ILYSM, Everything you've said and done to help me. You've been there no matter what and you're always so kind and patient. You're so brilliant and determined and such a lovely person to talk to and be around no matter what. Your WIPs are some of my favorite things I've ever read and talked about and helped with and I hope we never stop being friends, and I thank God for us meeting. You've been so Fun to Watch ATLA with, I look forward to talking to you when I get the chance, and Yapping about our WIPs together is one of my favorite things, the games, the Characters, your personality, and the random talking about mundane life. I'm praying for you and I hope one day I can give you a hug myself.

@homelessnerd You've been here a while and through it all you're pointing me back to God, telling me the things I sometimes don't want to hear, and making sure I know how much he loves me, recommending me shows and doing your best to make time for me even though I don't deserve it. You may not be here as often as some of my other friends, but I smile whenever I see your messages and I love talking to you <3 I thank God that he let me meet you and I thank you for pushing me back to him when I didn't want to.

@carb0n-m0n0xide I've never had a friend who made me laugh so hard, Your absolutely wacky (In a good way) stuff always puts a smile on my face, and I love seeing and listening to you. Your messages and the typos and every thank you and Shouted brainstorming session adds a wonderful level of chaos to my life I never knew I needed. But you somehow also always know what to say when I feel down and I honestly couldn't wish for many better friends (Go. To. Bed.) Also, it's unfair. Why do you get all the skill? Share. Pls. /j (Thank you Jesus for letting me Meet Carbon, she's brightened my days so much even if she doesn't know it)

@theweirdbox123 You're a new friend, and I almost didn't talk to you because I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me, But you've been one of the most fun and supportive people to me, You might not see it now, But you being open about being sensitive, despite you disliking, has given me the courage and the feeling to open myself back up to my sensitive side and If I'm honest, I think I learned how to cry again because of you, and I'm so, so glad to have somebody like me who's near me and kind enough to listen and help.

@supercimi I know you're nervous and you apologize a lot because you think you hurt my feelings, But honestly in all my life until recently, I have never had someone who I felt cared about my feelings as much as you do. Please don't be scared to speak your mind, I love listening to you, your writing is phenomenal and I can't wait to see you again whenever you come back online. I don't mind waiting, and I Wish I could give you the biggest hug. You'll never know how much your words mean to me.

@thewritingautisticat I don't know you very well but honestly, Whenever I see you in my notes, It makes me happy, I honestly can't wait to see where your stories go, and I'd honestly love to interact more some day, I admire you and all of your projects, and I wish you the best of luck!

@thebookishkiwi Girlie, I don't honestly even know what to say. I see your projects and I don't respond bc 1, Honestly I'm a little jealous of your skills, and 2, I may be busy, but I do HONESTLY really love your characters. I'm honestly flattered whenever I see you in my notes it makes me smile like an idiot, especially when I see your replies or reblogs and I honestly don't even know what to say. I admire your skills and I strive to one day write like you do (I'm getting lost in the sauce with the goddess prophecy, I'm lurking in the shadows bc life is a little busy, but when summer comes around, I'm gonna... *snatches all your writing and runs away with it*)

@vesanal Thank you. For everything. You're such a brilliant friend and a brilliant person. Everything you do, your interactions, how little I DO see them, and Your help, Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate you and all the help you've given me, and I don't think I would be where I am without it, Lol.

@write-with-will Man, You. YOU. YOUUUU. YOUR COMMENTS, YOUR EVERYTHING, I LOVE YOU(/p) AND YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK AND REBLOGS AND WORDS ON EVERYTHING, BUT SPECIFICALLY WILD AND KHENAN. YOU'RE SO KIND DESPITE HOW LITTLE WE INTERACT OUTSIDE OF THAT, BUT I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. AURGHHHGHGHG, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK ON ALL YOUR PROJECTS

@corinneglass Girlie, Idk what to say. Thank you. TwT. Your words mean so much, you're trying, your beautiful blog, your patience and everything. Just... everything...

@yolbert We don't interact much, and I know English isn't your first language, I just want you to know that whenever I see you in my notes, it makes me Unreasonably happy, and your reblogs are like I'm panning for gold in my notifs, Lol. Every time I see them on my Posts I feel so proud of myself, Like: They REBLOGGED? ME????

@darkandstormydolls I cannot even begin to tell you how much I admire how smart you are, with all your research and knowledge and your willingness to share it, and to offer me things sometimes, like the opportunity to be featured in something. Your notes and your interactions, they kinda remind me why I write, honestly.

@blargh-500 I don't know you at all, But I honestly really like seeing you in my notes, and your asks are always a surprise, and a welcome one! I'd honestly love to see you around more and get to know you better if I can.

@clever-naming-convention You're one of my oldest moots. Actually my third ever if I remember correctly, and I admire how forward and happy you are with your hyperfixations, even if we don't talk a lot and you may not be interested in my projects, you're still here, and I'm honestly so greatful for that. (Do you like sonic? If so, #sonic the slugcat)

@sm-writes-chaos I don't know you. But you're awesome. Your art is awesome. Your vibe is awesome. You share my obsession with Jak for literally no other reason than 'he has silly vibes' and I respect that. W friend.

@lunaeuphterrnal We don't talk much, and I don't know you much either but I honestly REALLY REALLY appreciate you and your reblogs and support of my WIP and I wish you the best of luck with yours even though I haven't got around to looking at it yet

@geminiagentgreen You're awesome. Keep doing what you do. Thank you Jesus for showing me this person and their blog. Thank you for spreading the word of God, for being so confident about it and inspiring me to take steps in my own faith, and for just... being there

@urnumber1star I love your WIP. I love you(/p). I don't say much but I AM lurking in the shadows. Torture Michael for me. And I don't care how evil he is, Give No one a cookie for me. Also if you have inspiration, write that fantasy. I have no doubt in my heart it will be magnificent.

I love you guys - (Sorry if I forgot you)

-Ellia

[psychesalcove]

„ WHEN YOURE ALL ALONE, ILL REACH FOR YOU (when you're fellin' low, i'll be there too)

↳ COLLEGE AU! JASON GRACE X GN! READER ”

requested: yes, from amandamariee

⚠️: reader is a bit of an overachiever, crying, being overwhelmed bc of school work, shitty ass writing (sorry gang) not proofread AT ALL

in which ; jason comforts reader who is overwhelmed by school work due to finals.

a/n: thank you so much for the request babes!! i hope this lives up to your expectations,, i loveee fluff and comfort fics so so much like it's actually scary 😔 ALSO i made the reader have a history major – just in case anyone was wondering :)

finals season was upon the students of new rome. cafes were filled to the brim with students, workbooks, and the sound of typing on laptops (that were specially made for demigods, of course).

you were one of the studnets who found themselves at the cafe more often than you would like to admit. earlier today you were at a popular cafe downtown with annabeth, but, around two hours into your study session, you wanted a change of scenery.

and that's how you found yourself back at the condo you and jason shared.

ᝰ

your wooden desk that you had gotten at ARC had every surface possible filled with studying items. old assignments, papers your professor handed out, your notes, and every color of highlighter imaginable.

your tea (which jason had made for you) was long forgotten on the edge of the desk, close to tipping over onto the carpeted floor of the bedroom. you had been in the same posion on your chair for about an hour and a half, eyes focused on reading an essay you had wrote a couple months ago.

jason would have already had you take a break by now, but he was downtown. you and jason were supposed to meet with the seven for dinner tonight, but you decided to stay home and study more. jason had insisted on staying with you, but with much persistence on your end, he was out the door and on his way downtown.

and of course, when you're studying for the most important test of this year, your dyslexia decided to act up. you had been stuck on the same sentence for about 5 minutes now. the words kept getting jumbled in your mind, floating from place to place on the page. the monster attacks you could deal with; but not being able to read a simple sentence?

you sighed heavily through your nose, setting down your pen onto the desk. this essay should be easy to read; you were the one who wrote it after all. your eyes shifted from the essay to the rest of your desk. you had no idea how you were going to manage getting all of the information you needed for the test in your head.

you reached for your laptop that was under a folder, because you decided that it might be easier to do work digital instead of on paper. you quickly logged into your laptop, and went to google classroom.

your eyes were drawn to the notification icon, seeing that there was one. you clicked it, mouse hovering over the writing that appeared on the screen: a comment from your professor.

y/n, i've seen you do amazing work in my class this year. what happened with this? i know you have more potential than what you wrote. i'll have to give you a D for this one, but it shouldn't affect your grade to much considering you have an A. it'll bring it down to an A- or a B at the most. i'll hope you gain your skill back in further work.

oh.

you quickly changed the screen onto where your grades were shown. there it was. a B. you knew that it wasn't a bad grade or anything, especially remembering when percy showed his grades to you once, but it still didn't sit right with you.

this was your best class, the one you always understood and got at least an 80 or higher on. you've never gotten a D.

tears quickly filled up your eyes, causing you to bink rapidly in an attempt to keep them at bay. you looked at the desk, in hopes of feeling better by now staring at the large B on your screen, but it only made it worse. all the papers and assignments quickly overwhelmed you, seeing how much you still had to do.

how will you even pass this test if you can't write a simple article about an artifact?

with that thought in your head, tears quickly started dripping down your face. a rational part of you told you that a small assignment like that didn't show your worth of the class, but the emotional part of you quickly overtook that thought.

as you sat there, posture rigid and tears freely falling down your face, you were to focused on your own being to register the sound of a door opening and footsteps going down the hall twords the bedroom you were in. you only got out of your head when you felt cold hands rubbing up and down your upper back.

"hey, love, what's wrong?" a voice, that you quickly recognized as jason's, said. you didn't know how to verbally respond, so you coughed hard and brought a hand up to your face to try to remove the tear stains from your face.

jasons hands moved from your back to go over your shoulders, hugging you from behind. "how about we get you into a bed first, hm?" he questioned gently, leaning awkwardly so his face was closer to your ear. after registering what he said, you nodded slightly as you made a move to stand up.

jason aided in getting you up, and then put a hand over your shoulder when the two of you started the short walk to the bed. he let you sit first, and then quickly followed in suit. he sat in front of you, letting you get a clear image of his blonde hair and concerned face.

he grabbed your hands and held onto them lightly, giving you the option to leave his grasp at any point. "love, try to copy my breathing, okay?" he instructed, making eye contact with you. he slowly took a deep breath in through his mouth, waiting for you to follow. once he saw the movement , he slowly exhaled through his nose, again, waiting for to follow his breathing pattern.

this continued until jason deemed you collected enough to talk about whatever made you upset. "want to tell me what got you so worked up, my love?" he asked again, softly smiling at you when you two made eye contact.

you quickly explained your situation in a shaken voice, still getting own crying. his eyebrows knitted in concern as he listen to you, and his thumb started slowly rubbing circles on your knuckles when he noticed your teary eyes.

once you finished speaking, he took you into his arms and held you gently. "how about you take a break. i'll make you tea, and you can eat if you want. then, we'll come back, and i'll help you with whatever you need help with. sound good?" he explained, already making a move to stand up with you.

ᝰ

the two of you quickly found yourself in the kitchen. jason had dimed the lights to emit a soft orange glow from above, and turned on the stove light as he filled the kettle up with water.

"you know, you're amazing at what you do, love." jason said, turning to you as he turned off the sink water after the kettle was filled up. "and, i know that you also know that, somewhere in there," he continued, brining up a finger and pointing at his head. you chucked softly, making jason get a small grin on his face from making you laugh, even if it was only little.

he walked over to the stove and placed the kettle on the stove, turning on the stove top, then moving over to where you sat on the counter. he gently wrapped his arms around your waist bringing you into a gentle embrace. "yknow you could have asked for my help earlier, i would have stayed with you, my love." he said as he rested his head on your shoulder.

"i know, but i wanted you to go out. i didn't want to keep up cooped up in here with me just because i didn't want to have dinner with them." you said as you wrapped your arms around his shoulder, bringing you closer to him.

"i never feel 'cooped up' with you, love. and i wouldn't have minded not going, although leo and piper seemd very pressed about you not being there tonight. said they wanted to meet up with you tomorrow to 'add to their gossip'." he said, chuckling lightly at the thought of leo and piper.

you smiled softly as you thought about your friends, knowing how much they meant to you. just then, your stomach growled, notifying both you and jason that you were starving.

"how about we make you some toast? then we can go back and start on some flashcards for you, sound good?" jason asked, pulling away from the embrace and walking over to the pantry, signaling with his hands for you to follow.

[matrixbearer2024]

Since the poll is practically over and the outfit's largely been decided, I'll be dropping the first post to the strip challenge in a couple hours on my Ford Blog @gftimelord to christen it HAHAHHA- (psst go bother him it'll be funny HAHHAHAH) Thanks for the interaction everybody, I only hope to deliver. Here's the first drabble to start it off with since I am pairing every drawing with a story sequence as promised. You could probably think of this as my interpretation for some kind of continuation to Ford's route in "Swooning Over Stans" by @gfdatingsim since I've genuinely been non-stop playing that game since it's recommendation to me. I will balance med proper and my delulu if it's the last thing I do HAHAHAHA-

Reply to this post as well if you want to be pinged for whenever this challenge updates!

I Accept Your Challenge!

(Stanford Pines x Reader)

After you heard a new challenge becoming trendy among couples you decide to try it on a certain Stanford Pines; just... you didn't exactly explain to him what the challenge was.

Maybe his competitiveness was a good thing in this case. You at least got a bloody good show out of his cluelessness.

Another slow summer day and you were in the living room of the mystery shack alongside the Pines as they went about doing whatever. Navigating your relationship with a certain scientist definitely somewhat of a learning curve but you digressed. Similar to Dipper and Mabel, you'd receive post cards from the twins about their seafaring adventures; your mail just came with additional special letters from your beloved. All of which you'd neatly stowed away in a bag that you always had with you, no use keeping it at home when you were rarely there.

Often traveling for a nomadic lifestyle was serene and fun at times, but you found yourself missing this place. It felt more like a home to you than your own place did in the couple weeks you'd stuck around after your car got smashed into the side of the log cabin.

Who knew that the same man who totaled your car one day would be the same adorable nerd you now called your lover?

It felt a bit like those romance dramas Stan liked to watch but you quickly dismissed that thought. Fairytales weren't real, fate isn't exactly something you believed in either. Stories of princesses finding their prince charmings were mostly smoke and mirrors, things you'd tell a child to give them hope of a better world than reality.

In gravity falls however... you quickly learned that nothing was truly impossible. Never say never in this small town of Oregon.

You sat on the floor next to Dipper and Mabel as they boredly flipped through TV channels; books, papers and crayons littered about around the three of you. The glass danced with colors from the rapidly flipping images while the twins struggled to find anything even remotely entertaining to watch, you couldn't help but allow your mind to wander from the boredom.

You and Ford spent quite a bit of time since you'd arrived at the beginning of the week, frankly you'd made the trip as soon possible when Stan shot you a message that they'd finally docked to spend the summer with the kiddos. You hoped it wasn't all that obvious how much you missed Stanford, but you didn't really need to worry when he was the one who immediately swamped you up in a hug the second you were out of your car. It's only been two years thus far since you've known the man but Stanley and Mabel insisted that you stay with him in his room, you didn't know why they were so adamant until you saw the state of the man's living quarters.

A whole day was spent with the both of you furnishing and cleaning the said room because of that but neither of you complained, most of the time was spent goofing off anyway.

Now... you were wondering where Ford was, not to mention what he was doing. Was he down in the lab tinkering again? You didn't want to disturb him, but you really wanted to find him. Any time spent apart didn't feel like time used to it's full capacity, even if you did enjoy the company of the other Pines; it just wasn't the same.

At some point, you were bored enough to not necessarily care whether you'd be disturbing Ford's work or not when you went down to the lab. It was just last summer when he taught you how to get down there, as well as spilling more about his past. All of which you simply listened to unless he asked anything; it was better to listen and attempt to understand than say or do something that would make it worse.

Seems like he really wanted to get it off his chest too, be transparent with you; something you appreciated.

You were shaken out of your headspace when you heard the rustling of boxes from the lab, as well as some hushed but frustrated cursing. You didn't really recall a time Ford swore unless he was legitimately ticked off, the man made a valiant effort not to compared to his twin.

But they both had sailor mouths anyhow even if it was fitting.

"Ford? Are you down here?"

"Ah-! [Y/N]! What- what are you doing down here?"

You moved closer to him in an attempt to see what he was doing, even if the man looked a bit rattled to be found like this by you.

"What are you doing?"

"I asked first my dear."

Ford chuckled, shifting to hide something behind his back. You pouted at him and crossed your arms. He couldn't help but smile at how cute you looked doing that.

"Was looking for you, Dipper and Mabel are bored watching TV upstair anyway... sooooo- what are you doing?"

You smiled when Ford returned your inquisitiveness with a small laugh, showing you what he held in his hand. A pair of goggles?

"What's that for?"

"I was attempting to sort through which of my belongings I could still use among the ones I wish to discard. Inadvertently I ended up finding these, I think I could still make use of them."

You tilted your head at him as a silent prompt to continue, it took every bit of control from Ford not to laugh again. You looked like a curious puppy, though he figured he shouldn't say that outright.

"It's simply among the items I collected and kept with me through my time in the multiverse. Protective eyewear can be useful for many things."

"Huh, if you have that— does it mean you still have the rest of the outfit?"

Now it was your turn to think Ford was being cute, he just wordlessly blinked at you in surprise. Was your request really that odd? You'd barely seen him in any other outfit combinations, of course you'd be curious.

"I—... I think I do? Why do you ask?"

"Do you think you'd still be able to rock it like you used to?"

"'Used to'? Excuse me?"

"I mean, it's been a couple years... why don't you try it on again?"

Ford laughed once again from your teasing, the way you sassily tried to goad him on was entertaining in it's own right. He was a bit on the fence about the whole outfit however, especially due to the memories associated with it.

It's not that bad compared to some things he'd found though... maybe he could indulge you.

"Hm..."

"I-I mean, if you really don't want to—"

Your panicked stammering was cut short when a warm palm cupped your cheek, meeting Stanford's eyes as he pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of your head. He could feel your skin heat in up in his hand, hiding a cheeky smile in your hair as he held you there.

"I'll show it to you... as soon as I can find the rest of the outfit."

Ford couldn't help but smile wider when your cheerful laugh rang out; it's the best sound to ever have graced his ears in the time he's been alive. A bit surprising given how many things he's been exposed to, but he couldn't name another chime so pleasant.

"I'll hold you to that Ford."

"And I accept your challenge my dear."

YEAAAAH HERE IT ISSSS- TEXT THING CUZ WE NEED INTRODUCTION-

[verdantlights]

ZEN: LOG FOUR

TIME: POST ROUND FOURTEEN

After holding me for a while, Scorpius leaves. I stay curled in on myself, wishing to be done with everything. Wishing for a world where I can run barefoot on real grass with real flowers and real trees with my brothers.

My brothers...

Something uneasy settles in my chest. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is or why I'm feeling it, but it gets me to stand up, so I don't question it too much.

Now that I'm up, I can see that it's my dorm room. I don't have any roommates, so there's no emptiness to lament. This room has always been empty.

I managed to get changed into something comfortable. It's an outfit I don't get to wear often, but it's my favorite one nonetheless. Just a fitted black sleeveless mock-neck and loose green pants.

I'm tired. I'm so tired. I want to sleep. It's dawn in the Garden, so it wouldn't be too odd to sleep now. I know I'm skipping breakfast, but I can't eat like this. I wouldn't be surprised if none of the contestants showed up to breakfast.

Wait... it's dawn?

That means that the next row is starting in a few hours. I must've been sitting in my room for longer than I thought. An involuntary shiver runs through my body, that uneasy feeling getting stronger.

Despite every bone in my body screaming at me to collapse into bed and sleep, hoping I'll wake up in another world, I walk out of my room to go search for Scorpius.

I called her my mom. I didn't mean to do that.

Why did I do that?

I don't even... remember my mom. All I have is a very faint memory of a eucalyptus scent and short midnight blue hair and eyes. Her eyes were just like mine.

I reach back and run my fingers through the long portion of my hair, looking at its green-ish teal color. Whoever my dad is... if I even had one, must have had really strong genes and bright green hair. Star definitely got his hair, if that's the case. His hair is much lighter than mine.

I dunno. Maybe I'll ask Scorpius.

My hands come up to hold my arms, leaving me a bit slouched with crossed arms. I'm not cold, I just need something to hold onto.

Walking through the winding corridors of the facility is always a dreadful experience. I hate it so much. All I want to do is get to the visitor's office to see if Scorpius is still here.

I pass by screens and advertisements, but I stop in front of a screen that displays the tournament bracket for ALIEN STAGE.

The unsettling feeling hits me like a brick.

Right there, at the very beginning of the row, is Star vs Sun.

I notice that Sun and Daian were switched as punishment for Star and Kay's misconduct. A sigh of relief escapes me before I can stop it. I was worried Star would have to face Daian, and I didn't want to think about that at all. I don't want to watch the two most important people in my life sing for their lives, only for one of them to end up dead.

I just have to hope and pray that Star can pull through.

.

.

.

I have to kill the voice in my head telling me it'd be better if my brothers died, so that they wouldn't have to suffer in this hell anymore.

.

.

I forget to go find Scorpius and ask her about my real mother.

TIME: ROUND FIFTEEN

Watching the first round, I feel nothing but existential dread. Everything feels heavy. I hate the feeling. I'm wearing my outfit for my round later this afternoon and it's less uncomfortable, but it's warm and I'm already sweating. The anxiety really doesn't help here, I have to say.

.

.

Star and Sun, such complimentary names. They dance beautifully, honestly.

There's one issue, though. Star is losing.

I don't know much about Sun, but I can't watch my little Star die. My little brother.

The longer the round goes on, the more sick and panicked I get. I'm watching as Star looks ready to accept his fate with a smile. I kill that voice in my head again and my leg bounces like a jackhammer from the pod I'm sitting in as I watch.

As the song ends, the votes are tallied with Star being in second place. Star lost.

Star lost.

My little Star...

.

.

.

The audience is deathly quiet as they watch Sun receive her knife to perform the execution.

She doesn't stab Star though, she stabs herself.

I feel dizzy. I watch my brothers face fall and the audience gasp out in shock.

I feel ashamed and guilty for the sigh of relief I let out, but knowing my brother is alive is enough.

Knowing my brother is alive is enough.

hi lol

Star belongs to @lookuptotheskiesandsee (@/starry-skiez)

Sun belongs to @paradisedisconcert

Daian belongs to @apple8ees

Kay (only mentioned once) belongs to @imperfectnothing (@/rockwgooglyeyes)

@chevalperd @alien-til-i-stage @ivanttakethis @bluemoonscape @awaggaa @junebluues @yunoftheclouds @friedclownshrimp @4listr @nottoonedin @messengers-of-the-gods

ALSO IM NOT THE FUCKING HORSE PRINCE IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT IM NOT

[thesagesjournal]

[Log-in story] A Sonatina Of Gracious And Twisted Debauchery ①

Appearing characters: Arthur, Shino

Arthur: This one looks promising.

Arthur: It's a book on the effects of all kinds of medicinal herbs. I think it could be great material for today's assignment.

Shino: …Sure. But let's leave that for later.

Shino: I'm finally done with my sorcery homework and I'm tired of sitting in one place.

Arthur: True, I feel stiff all over as well.

Arthur: Perfect time for a quick stretch-break.

Arthur: One, two—, three, fo—ur…

Shino: Hold for two, three, fo—ur…

Shino: …By the way, did you hear the news?

Arthur: What news?

Shino: That Owen and Shylock are running a business together.

Arthur: Oh, that. Yes, I did, and it seems Master Oz and Mitile are working there, too.

Arthur: From what I understand, it's at a themed lounge where they give customers special attention.

Shino: What's weird is that the theme often changes, too. Although Shylock and Owen are only in charge of it for a day.

Shino: …Say, how would we welcome customers if the two of us were to run a business?

Arthur: Hmm, good question…

Arthur: I imagine something like… “Come one and come all!”

Shino: …

Arthur: Or something like that.

Arthur: The Master Sage said this is typical customer service in their world. I remember Nero and Faust tried to act it out before.

Shino: Yeah, but theirs wasn't that over the top.

Shino: It was more confident and sexy, like…

Shino: “Yo, wanna swing by?”

Arthur: Ooh, you captured it perfectly! I'd definitely be a regular if this is how I was greeted.

Shino: Heh, what can I say, I'm a fast learner. Come on, try it again.

Arthur: …

Arthur: “Come on in!”

Arthur: Was that better?

Shino: Nope, you're still too cheerful. Try to be more nonchalant about it.

Arthur: Nonchalant, huh.

Arthur: Okay, take three…

Arthur: “Come on in.”

Shino: You speak too clearly, try to slur your words a bit.

Arthur: “...C’mon in.”

Shino: Yeah, that's more like it.

Arthur: Did I do it right?

Shino: Better than the last three, but I can tell that's not your natural way of speaking.

Shino: …Then again, there isn't just one way to invite customers in.

Shino: I remember the Sage gave another example like “Glad to be of service!”

Arthur: Indeed, I might be more suited for those kinds of openhearted exchanges.

Arthur: If we ever get the opportunity to run a business together, I'd love to try that approach.

Shino: Sure thing.

Arthur: …Well, with this tangent over, it's time to get back to stretching.

Arthur: And homework, of course.

Shino: …Right. Let's get this over with.

Shino: The faster you help me with this, the faster we can get to dinner.

Arthur: “Glad to be of service!”

Shino: …

Shino: Shift's not over yet, your Highness.

Arthur: Ahaha, pardon me.

Arthur: The phrase really resonated with me. I'll try and remember it for Cain and the others next time I get the chance.

(Back to event details)

[inscribedlighter]

Hi! Can I request some John/Arthur downtime from the horrors, just something mundane and pleasant? A walk in the woods in S5 or a chance to gossip during S4 or a little chat in the car at the end of S3... Any brief moment of gentle togetherness. :)

@forgive-and-take

Malevolent Mini Prompts are open! Any malevolent relationship or pairing and I'll try to write at least a short scene. Askbox open.

Tags can be viewed on Ao3

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Jarthur, Apple

“Oh I don’t know… sweet and tart, crisp, juicy.”

That doesn’t help at all. I have no concept of ‘sweet,’ Arthur, beyond that of a personality trait. One I don’t experience very often. John grumbled. 

Another bite was taken. It sounded hard between Arthur’s teeth, but he seemed satisfied in crunching it. 

“Ha, ha,” Arthur answered sarcastically after he swallowed. 

Tart is far more familiar

“The utter cheek of you.”

Continue reading here or on Ao3

Not unpleasant, John admitted with his own mild amusement. But as a flavour? 

“Well that’s fair,” Arthur leaned back against the fallen log. “The King didn’t eat?”

Not how you eat. Let’s put it that way.

“Mm, right, say no more,” Arthur waved his hand. He tossed the core into the fire pit. “Alright. Sweet. Sweet is like…it’s bright. A bright light.”

A bright light?

“Right, and so… yes, so bright. Like spring. A relief from dullness, but too much for the tongue at first if there’s too much of it.”

Hmm.

“Tartness cuts it. It had a sourness… tart, it’s sharp. Like the cut of a knife against your flesh. It’s too fast to feel much pain, but it’s there.”

That sounds unpleasant.

“Well… in some ways it is, but it balances well with sweet.”

A bright spring day and a slice to the skin. Yes, Arthur that does sound like a wonderful experience. 

Arthur huffed. “Speaking of tart. And then you add a crispness to it. It’s… like a snap of cold wind. There’s something satisfying about it, even though it stings.”

Does it sting like an open knife wound and the bright light in your eyes? 

“You’re being difficult on purpose.” 

No, no, you’re doing a fine job, Arthur. An apple. Sounds like I’m really missing out.” 

Arthur huffed, running his fingers through his hair pushing it back. It was already growing long again. It was annoying when it got in his eyes, but John didn’t mind it too much. He played with the ends of it now between his thumb and forefinger. It wasn’t greasy yet, the rain had helped.

Arthur was pouting.

“Well, you’re better at it than me.” 

Oh?

“I can’t always picture what you describe to me. I was never very visual. I remembered conversations and musical phrases, things like that. Having a sense of space wasn’t really something I concerned myself with. You do communicate it though, even though I have my complaints sometimes.”  

You’re the one that can’t tell right from left, not me.

“And yet,” Arthur said warningly, but there was no real heat behind it. “I can always… feel it. The things you describe to me. Cityscapes, fields, the sky, a person. You should be a poet.”

What? Me? A poet? John felt a rushed sensation at his core. Flattered and unsure. I don’t know… I don’t … it’s just words.

“Yes, that’s what poetry is. Words. Words that make you feel something,” Arthur kicked out his legs closer to the fire and sighed. It felt good on their shared foot that had started to ache during their second day of travel. John knew his whole body must be sore. Rough sleep, miles of travel. For all Arthur's grumbings he rarely gripped about those things, not unless it was really bad. It was always the little things. How he’d like a shower, a cigarette, a comfortable chair. Comforts John had little reference for beyond practicality, yet now, trapped in a long ago past on a mission from a capricious monster, John wished for all those things and more, if only to watch Arthur enjoy them.  

I don’t know… the ones you shared, it seems like a lot more than just words. He said unable to move away from the subject. 

“Well,” Arthur said. John could see their body move with a shrug. “You still have some of those memories, of being the King. The insignificance of humanity. A life span so short we may as well already be dead.”

I don’t believe that now.  John felt a wave of frustration at himself. For giving up. For forgetting. For letting both the King and Kayne—

He let his hand fall, gripping the grass beside them. 

“I know,” Arthur said reassuringly. He reached over, touching where the feeling in his arm started and then followed it down to pat John’s hand. It was sticky from the juice of the apple, but John didn’t push it away. Instead he moved it up so that they could clasp hands on Arthur’s stomach.

It was getting hollow again, John thought mournfully. Kayne hadn’t given him a time limit, he shouldn’t have rushed things in New York. Been more patient. Encouraged more moments like this. 

But it had been an impossibility the moment the Butcher had found them. Everything after that just… it felt like dominos. 

“What I mean is human life that the King in Yellow could never understand or appreciate with all his centuries as a god, that’s poetry.”

The King was fond of art.

“But I bet he didn’t really understand it other than an aesthetic quality, did he? And dreams. His dreams were beautiful manipulations. Nothing meaningful beyond his whim. 

You might be right about that. It’s hard to think like that anymore.

“Nor should you have to old friend,” Arthur said lightly. He was in a good mood. The apple had helped … sweeten his tartness from the road. 

Bright light, a stinging knife. Perhaps not flavour, but didn’t that describe Arthur so perfectly? 

He supposed it was a good combination when he thought about it in that context. 

Bright light, a stinging knife Sticky joy on a dear friend’s hand.  The campfire soothes our feet For our miles across this land. Short days, eternity’s wake A time we’ll never see,  But eons they can keep, I’ll have my days with thee.

Arthur inhaled quietly.

What? See? It’s stup–Arthur?

The fire went misty from the tears in their eyes. 

“That’s beautiful, John.” 

Oh. John said softly. You... you really think so?

“What’s it called?” Their eyes squinted from Arthur’s smile. “You just thought of that?”

Oh, I… well yes, John said cautiously. He looked down at their joined hands. I suppose it’s called: Apple.

“Apple,” Arthur repeated approvingly. “I’ll treasure it.” 

Well… th-thank you, Arthur. You should get some rest. The sun has dipped below the horizon now. The sky is clear. We’re sheltered by the outcropping of rocks so we should be safe, but I’ll keep the watch. 

“Goodnight then… and… if you think of more, do share them…

I… yes, maybe. 

“Thank you.”

Arthur curled up, putting their back to the log for cover and used their old bag as a pillow for their head. It used to take longer for Arthur to fall asleep, but necessity and exhaustion saw to it that he was out within minutes.

John stroked his hair. Usually he would think about things while touching the different textures that surrounded him as something to do while he waited. 

Maybe he’d compose a poem. Something to amuse Arthur in the morning during their walk toward the castle.

He couldn't help but like the idea.  

[adventremnant]

Can you share what you eat in a day? Or in a week? How much? And how often? Do you do any fasting at all? Love your blog x

I’d like to lose 40-60 lbs by the summertime. I was going to water fast but too risky as you say!

What I eat changes all the time and I'm not a crazy restrictor so I feel like my logs would be kind of boring. I also don't fast exactly unless you count Lent currently going on.

Today I had fruit for my two snacks and homemade vegan Mexican food for dinner. That's probably roughly what I'm going to be eating for the next six weeks apart from Sundays, where I'll eat pescatarian. This time last week I had potato chips, a scoop of ice cream, and Korean chicken soup. Both days came out to about 700.

When I do fast it's sort of intermittent fasting, and mostly "I didn't bother to bring food to work", so I don't eat until I get home around 6 or 7 pm. If I do remember to bring something to work or get a snack at work, I have like two small meals and maybe a snack a day.

Cal wise, anywhere from 600 to 1200 on regular days, and if there's a special occasion I'm known to go up to 1500 or more. My maintenance is like 1900 so I just stay under that.

Summer is what, 15 weeks away? I wouldn't push for 60 but 40 is totally doable. I think in the last 15 weeks I've lost close to 40, maybe 35.

I do put in effort to eat better sometimes, but I'm also a very tired working adult who also takes classes, has a household to run, and is chronically ill, so sometimes I don't care. That's what the vitamins and metamucil is for.

[imtrashraccoon]

Welcome to week two and a series of chapters I have been really looking forward to writing! Sorry this one is a bit short, I was rather busy today. Have some introspective into a character I love but haven't explored much yet.

@owl-bones

First, Previous, & Next Day

Bad Sansuary II: Maul - Yearning

Word Count: 1,261

Note: Maul is my name for Horror Sans in this AU.

After you gave Maul the basic rundown of what happened in the city, he offered to keep watch so you could get some rest. You were just grateful to be able to rest but swore to make it up to him later. By the time you woke up the next day, the sun had already passed its apex and, despite being exhausted, Reven somehow managed to wake up first.

As you emerged from the lean-to, you noticed the two gathered around the fire pit. Maul was sitting in the same spot as last night, but you doubted he had been there the entire time as his greataxe was now propped up against another log. Reven was currently standing off to the side with his arms crossed, having donned his armour once more.

"...and where has dirk been?" you heard the spellsword ask.

Maul shrugged, "dunno, haven't seen 'im in days... said somethin' about scoutin' the area before he left."

Reven let out a growl of frustration and pinched his skull where the bridge of his nose would be, if he had one. "of course, why wouldn't he just run off on his own? he's probably just chasing tail, again."

"I don't think he would be that careless," you commented as you joined them.

"well, i'm going to go find him," Reven said. "we aren't getting back into the city anytime soon, but he still needs to be here to plan our next move."

"Do you want help?" you asked as he turned to leave.

He shook his head and waved you off. "no, it shouldn't take long to find an idiot out in the middle of nowhere. i'll be back soon."

You watched until his red cuirass disappeared between the trees. "So," you started to say as you turned to Maul, "what have you been up to the past couple days?"

~ ≈ V^ᴥ^V ≈ ~

You hummed a little tune to yourself as you gathered up dry branches for kindling. Not wanting to sit around doing nothing, you had decided to try making yourself useful while waiting for Reven and Dirk to return. Once you had a nice armful of wood, you began to make your way back to camp.

Maul was nice, if a bit odd, and he wasn't the greatest at making small talk. You didn't really mind being around him, although his quietness was a little unnerving at times. He was also impossible to read and had a tendency to stare, which often made you feel more than a little self-conscious.

You could tell that he was a troubled soul, but for all his rough edges, you had never met a more genuine person. Sure, he had been a bit chilly with you for the first week, but he warmed up overnight after you tried and failed to make a pound cake. You remembered feeling pathetic for messing up a simple recipe, but he didn't make fun of you and actually took it upon himself to help you bake a better one.

After that, you seemed to gain a mutual respect for one another. When you were practicing in the yard, he would give you a few tips to make better use of your weapons in battle. In return, you started making time to stop by the kitchen and help him with whatever he was in the middle of at the moment.

You didn't know much about him beyond what you had been told as he didn't talk about himself. You had a feeling that he had some martial training, but the few times you had seen him fight, you thought he fought more like an animal than a soldier. Not that it was a bad thing, since he was equally as deadly in combat as the others.

He wasn't just a beast in battle though. He was incredibly resourceful and seemed to enjoy fixing things, particularly armour and weapons. This talent also seemed to extend to other domestic tasks, such as cooking. So much so, that you had a feeling he would be the type to settle down in a quiet town and start a family, if he wasn't serving Donovan anyways.

Just as you caught a glimpse of the camp through the trees, one of your hind feet plunged into a burrow you hadn't noticed. It happened so suddenly that you weren't able to stop your forward momentum and fell, scattering the kindling everywhere.

For a moment, you just laid there, trying to recover from the shock as the pain set in. Your paws and forearms ached from where you had braced yourself to keep from completely falling on your face, but the worst was a sharp pain from your ankle. When you tried to stand back up, the pain only became more intense and you cried out. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you slowly pulled your paw from the hole, mentally cursing at whatever animal had the audacity to make their home there.

The sound of hurried footsteps had you turning to meet Maul's gaze. He froze the moment you made eye contact, staring at you with an odd expression. You thought he seemed concerned but there was some other emotion as well. Something deeper, more primal and ugly, and yet you detected no malice in his gaze.

"I'm... I think I'm okay." You swallowed nervously and looked away, back down to your ankle which was already starting to swell.

The sound of your voice seemed to snap him out of whatever headspace he had been lost in and he was suddenly by your side. He knelt down next to you, carefully studying your injury before reaching out to touch it. You sharply inhaled as his bony fingers probed at your ankle, trying your best not to cry.

Finally, he pulled back and turned to look at you again. " 's not broken, but ya won't be able to walk for a few days," he rumbled.

You sighed and pressed your lips together into a thin line. "Great, that's just great..."

Maul held out his hand and silently helped you up. It hurt too much to put any weight on your ankle and you would have fallen over if he didn't catch you. Slowly, he helped you back to the camp, guiding you to sit on a log by the fire pit.

"stay put."

His unusually firm tone of voice took you by surprise and you could only blink owlishly at his back as he left to retrieve something from his rucksack. When he returned, you noticed he was holding some bandages and a bowl of what smelled like homemade healing salve. He knelt in front of you, silently motioning for your ankle and when you nodded, began tending to the injury.

You studied his facial expressions as he worked, wondering why he was acting so odd. He didn't seem upset, but he kept stealing looks at your face every few seconds, almost like he was making sure you were awake and hadn't passed out. You found his behaviour slightly amusing since twisting your ankle was a minor injury at best. Maybe he was worried it was worse than it appeared since injuries tended to be more severe for skeletons?

When he finished, Maul pulled another log over and had you rest your paw on it. You gave him a slightly confused look which earned a chuckle from him.

"take it easy, pup. i'll look after the chores, okay?" he rumbled softly, ruffling the fur between your ears.

[solstrix]

Art Journey Log: What is Artmaxxing... and Why Does it Bother Me? (02/12/2024)

There's a specific type of art content creation I've noticed, especially on Youtube, that I've been wanting to talk about for a while. I'll admit though, even now I struggle with exactly what I want to say, and how... But I really want to try, it feels important that I get out what I've been thinking.

So this thing I've noticed is something I've been calling "artmaxxing", which I define as content centered on attempting to and explaining how one can get as "good" at art as fast as possible. Here's what makes this tricky: there is nothing actually WRONG with that type of content. Sometimes, often even, it can in fact be a very helpful form of video, and suggestions from these videos can, in fact, help you improve on an objective level. But...

(I will not be pointing at any examples, as I don't really want to draw negative attention towards these creators. Just know that they are very common on Youtube's art space, and you wouldn't have to look far to find one.)

(These contentmakers also tend to be the type of creator to make "critiquing/roasting your art" videos, which I also have severe issues with, but is not the subject of this current blog post. Perhaps another time...)

But here is where my issues start. The idea that the pursuit of improvement is not only necessary, but MANDATORY, I find, can be extremely harmful to the art mindset. "Soli, that seems, like, really counterintuitive," I hear you say. And you are correct! But here's the thing: unless your artistic goals begin and end with growth for growth's sake, you will end up standing in your way. And I'm gonna dare say that, for most people, the point of making art isn't inherently just to get better at it.

Most artists start making art for a purpose. Whether it's to make comics and tell stories, make characters, to externalise the visions you are plagued with, for fashion design, or just because you liked a piece of media so much that it inspired you to create something new based on it... There are endless reasons, and they are rarely Just For Arts's Sake, or Just For Growth's Sake. So the problem is when an artist holds themselves back, keeps themselves from creating the things they actually want to make, because they see themselves as not good enough yet. They want to wait until they are better, until they've improved,

The problem is that "better" is a constantly moving goalpost, and one which, simultaneously, you may never actually get closer to. Your own improvement is not always obvious, and there is always something more to learn.

Do the thing now. Do the art you actually want to make now. Pursue what inspires you, what makes you want to create. Improvement will follow, because every time you draw, you get better. If you're struggling on a part of a drawing, find reference, look for advice as to how to improve that one part, and remain specific. Remember that you can always come back to the same work, the same themes, iterate and improve on them, your piece doesn't have to be one and done. Do not let yourself get too general, or you will stand in your own way. Ignore the voices telling you you aren't good enough yet, that you NEED to work to improve.

Don't stand in your way, and don't listen to anyone telling you want you Should or Need to be learning and doing to improve.

You are good enough right now to start being the artist you want to be.