#I'm trying to include more variety so I hope some of these work for you hun!!!

[tilthedayidice]

Hiii I was hoping to get some dice recommendations for my aasimar paladin character! She's a fallen aasimar who cut off her own wings to defy heaven and devote herself entirely to her best friend.

Some art of her for reference, the second pic was done by @grimvestige :3

This is gonna be really random, but she looks a lot like my Aunt when she was younger and I kinda love her for that. (Also I've been following that art blog for a minute I KNEW that style looked familiar)

Dice Envy Toxic Love 7pcs ($45 currently on sale): Translucent Lemon Yellow sharp edge dice with Green ink and iridescent green foil inclusions.

Dice Envy Pat-Hell 10pcs ($20): Translucent iridescent Pastel Rainbow layered dice with Silver ink (I know it doesn't fit the art, but its fits the vibe i get)

Chessex Lustrous Shadow 7pcs ($14): Opaque Black dice with semi opaque oil spill color marbling and Gold ink

Die Hard Dice Mythica Dark Arts Undertow 7pcs ($55): Gold metal dice with Black and Blue split colored enamel

Die Hard Dice Avalor Isa Sunbeam 7pcs ($15): Clear sharp edge (with cut corner) dice with Bright Yellow ink (simple, but i consider it a statement piece)

Little Dragon Corp Peach and Gold Wedding Dice 7pcs ($12): Translucent Peach dice with Gold foils and Ink

Black Oak Workshop Kitty Clacks Magic 7pcs ($15): Opaque Black dice with iridescent glitter and Lavender (Periwinkle? Maybe?) Ink (also there are kitties)

[bedoballoons]

Fontaine, Sumeru , Inazuma boys + Zhongli and Xiao with a GN! Darling that has Newts Briefcase from fantastic beasts

Your blog looks beautiful btw

Awwe thank you so much!! <3 I hope you enjoy!

─⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤⊰⁠⊹ฺ🎃

{༻~Reader with a briefcase like Newts~༺}

CW: Fluffy and magical! (Pet names: Lyney: Mon amour)

(Includes: Lyney, Zhongli, Tighnari, Heizou, and Xiao!)

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

𑁍༄Lyney:

Lyney obviously didn't know every magic trick in Teyvat, that would be almost impossible, but he did know quite a few of them and he could usually figure out how others were done fairly quickly, but how your suitcase managed to hold a whole boar, crystalflies of every element, and tens more animals, some of which he'd never seen before, was beyond anything even he could imagine.

You'd left him speechless, mouth agape as he stared at you in awe, "Mon amour, how is this possible? How are you doing that?" You blushed slightly, seeing the way his eyes shun like that of child's when they see something magic for the first time, "I can't tell, it's a secret, but you're welcome to use it for one of your shows, just make sure to feed the scorpions, they get angry otherwise and they aren't very nice when they're angry."

𑁍༄Zhongli:

Zhongli stared at your happy face, your arms extended outwards, being used as a perch for at least 10 exotic birds...all of which had appeared from your suitcase. Originally he had assumed this was only possible because the work of an adepti, but upon closer inspection he saw no signs of adeptal power, infact it seemed completely foreign to him...which only made him more curious.

"You say it can hold as many animals as the forests of Liyue? That's certainly a incredible feat...may I asked how you've acquired such a unique and interesting treasure?" He smiled slightly at you, hoping you'd clear up the mysterious nature behind the briefcase, but you simply chuckled, "One day I'll tell you, but for now it would be far more fun to keep it a secret~"

𑁍༄Tighnari:

Tighnari was sitting in front of your suitcase with his eyes glued to it like at any moment it could actually explode, not because it was somehow holding more animals than he even knew of, but from the sheer amount power such a item would have to have. In all of his days of studying at the akademiya and traveling to other lands in search of new plant varieties, he'd never seen anything like it. "Does it contains exotic plants as well? Do each of the animals have their own ecosystems? If you shut the suitcase for to long does the oxygen run out or does the suit case somehow supply oxygen? Have you ever tried to go in the suit case?"

Your eyes widened at his many questions, more and more spilling from his lips before he could stop himself...frazzling you slightly. You hadn't expected him to get so excited about it, but even with his never ending questions, it was absolutely adorable to see him this way. It was like he'd found a miracle and he wanted to learn everything about it with you.

𑁍༄Heizou:

Heizou stuck his head into your suitcase, trying to find clues as to how it worked, but the detective was more than just stumped, he was simply baffled as to how something like it could even exist. "You weren't joking when you said you wanted to show me something beyond my imagination. I've seen Onis with horns fight beetles and gods who can make the air actually buzz with emotion, but I don't think I've ever seen anything that has come close to the mystery behind this. Do you think you could live in it?"

"I suppose you could, but I'm not exactly sure. You could be the test subject if you'd like." You winked at him teasingly and he smiled up at you, almost like he was actually considering it for moment, "I think I prefer the scenery in the outside world, but we could always take a romantic vacation together inside the suitcase~" Your cheeks turned a scarlett red as he giggled at you quietly, if you teased him, it was only fair he teased back.

𑁍༄Xiao:

Xiao kneeled down, softly scratching the underside of a mora weasels chin, unbothered by the fact the animal had just run out of your suitcase along side a fairly massive boar. You actually seemed more surprised by his reaction than he did of your suitcase, "So what do you think hmm?"

"I think,...it reminds of the teapots us adepti sometimes use. They appear normal on the outside, but on the inside it's a island specifically designed with our comfort in mind, I've never seen a suitcase version before though.." His eyes met yours and your heart skipped a beat, you responded without even thinking and it flustered you to no end, "Do you have a teapot? May I see it if you do?"

"...I...don't have one, maybe, one day...we can make one together?"

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

◥(•̀￦•́)◤☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 ☾𖤓~Have a nice day~*⁠.⁠✧

[the-daydreaming-show]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞 — “I am, I have been, and I was born hungry.”

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: An abandoned son makes a decision. The cared for son is taken away.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫(𝐬): Bruce Wayne X ScarletWitch!Reader; Jason Todd x Batmom!ScarletWitch!Reader; Tim Drake x Batmom!ScarletWitch!Reader; Jason Todd x Tim Drake.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: kidnapping, mention of PTSD, weapons, threats (silent), drugs and forced drug use, death of Janet Drake, and mention of Jack Drake in the hospital, Jason is mansplaining, manipulating and manslaughter his way through this sequel.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: This took a while because I had a precise plan for this sequel, but writing this chapter, something possessed me and changed everything. So, now I'm not sure what's going to happen, it's all in destiny hands now on!!!

Thanks to our beta reader, the wonderful @igotmessymind for her work, as always, I appreciate you very much!!

Now, I would like to make a special mention of @andieperrie18, who made a playlist base on the Batmom Scarlet Witch.

And I need you to admire this masterpiece, because this playlist doesn't just include songs. NOO, It also has dialogue between Batmom and Bruce at the beginning, and it's just gold. Also go to check the other playlist in her channel, they have some good stuff. The small talks and slow dancing with Bruce Wayne is one of my favorites!!!

So, thank you very much to you @andieperrie18 for your love and the dedication it took to make this playlist. I don't have enough words to show my adoration and gratitude for this playlist. So everyone, please go give them love to the playlist while reading this chapter!!

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐬 / Prelude / Next Part

Jason knew he was not walking on good ground. He hadn't been since he was revived in the Lazarus Pit. He hadn't been when he had killed criminals to try to control Gotham's crime. Nor when he had to escape from Arkham Asylum after Batman had locked him there, under the excuse that it was best for him.

Lies. 

All were lies.

He knew it now more than ever as he looked at his wall.

Jason was sitting in an old chair facing the wall, where a variety of photos, newspaper clippings, maps, and notes were displayed. 

Seeing that wall told him that he was definitely slipping into a new territory of madness. 

But-he-couldn't-stop. It was like he was on a slide, and he couldn't dig his heels in to stop. A part of him didn't want to stop. 

Just as he hadn't wanted to soften the news of his return to Bruce, that part of Jason wanted revenge with every atom of his true self. And now it was pushing him towards that wall. 

Another part of him, though, didn't want to do this. It was the part that still made him want to put his hands in his mouth to eat his cuticles, like he had done as a child. That part wanted to approach you on the street, and calmly let you explain why you hadn't sought him out. So that he could move on somehow, in a way that would make you proud of how Jason had handled everything.

But you had abandoned him.

After Bruce found out he was alive, Jason had hoped that once he told you all of it, you'd show up at his door. Jason had been ready to listen to your logical arguments and leave the whole killing thing behind. 

¿Who cared about revenge and Gotham if there was a chance to get back with his mom? 

Not to Jason.

You didn't; you never showed up. 

And now the part that wanted revenge was screaming too loud for him to hear anything else.

So there he was, sitting in a chair, arms crossed, as he carefully admired the wall he had created.

There were pictures of you picking up Timothy Drake from school, taking him shopping, hugging him at galas, and chatting with him at fashion events. Events that you had probably only been invited to, but you had convinced the team to let you take someone else, the same way you did with Jason when he was young. You probably took him to eat at your favorite restaurant every Friday after school, like they did with him. You probably also turned off the light in his room every night after saying goodnight, like you did with Jason.

No shame; you had given everything that was Jason's to that boy. 

That's why you weren't looking for him when you found out he was alive. You had replaced him with that kid, the same way Bruce had, and you deserved the same kind of punishment.

You deserved his revenge. And you will receive it.

You were in your office, in your brand's office building, a few blocks from Wayne Tower, where your entire clothing brand has done most of its business since you married Bruce. The official and original store of your brand is still in Metropolis, where it all started, but you moved the main offices to Gotham when you got married. So all of your children spent time between Wayne Tower and your building.

Usually, that was where they ended up after school.

Tim was supposed to go there after school. Typically, you would go pick him up. But that day he was staying a few extra hours at school for his Debate Club, and he would walk with his friends to their houses and meet you before you left the office that afternoon. So you were surprised when, as you were evaluating some new designs, your phone lit up with your youngest son's phone number.

“Mom,” Tim’s voice immediately sounded on the other end of the phone when you answered. He sounded nervous.

“Tim, honey,” you said, looking up at the clock. “Did I forget to pick you up?”, and immediately, your mind goes into paranoia, convinced that Tim had asked you to go look for him, and that's why he was calling you, and you had forgotten.

“No, no. Mom, it's fine,” he assured you quickly. You could hear chatter in the background, like someone was encouraging him to talk. “Mom, do you know today is Friday, right?”

Obviously, you remembered that it was Friday. On Fridays, when Tim came home from school, the two of you would go out to dinner at your favorite restaurant as a traditional mother-son activity.

“Yes, I've noticed,” you said, closing the sketchbook to give the boy your full attention.

“And we always go to eat at Julián's on Fridays after school, without fail,” he continues explaining. You assumed he was going somewhere, so you murmured an affirmation. “Well, you saw Dylan, my chemistry classmate. He and others are going to eat at a pizzeria near the school, and they invited me. After eating, we are all going to go to his house to play video games. If you're okay with that, I would like to go. Or I'll just go eat and go back home early. I-” Tim was already in babbling territory; you could barely contain your laughter when you interrupted him.

“It's okay, Tim. I don’t mind a change of plans, darling,” you assured him, and you could see his shoulders relax even from your building. “I'll take advantage and visit your father's office; I'll ask him to accompany me on an impromptu date.”

“Okay, okay. Yes, that sounds good.” Tim was smiling as big as he could, while around him, his classmates were singing victory for the afternoon they had organized. “I'll let you know where we are and call you when it's time to come home. I love you.”

Before you could tell him that he didn't need to tell you exactly where to be and at what time, Tim hung up the call, too excited about the whole thing. To which you inevitably laughed, happy that Tim had an activity, say a boy his age, and that he was so excited about it. You had met Dylan a couple of times; he was a good kid, so you were sure everything would be fine.

Jason watched Tim walk with his friends all night.

After observing him for weeks, he realized that the chic lived based on a fairly consistent routine. One that repeated itself almost around the clock for some reason, but Jason suspected that it had to do with the post-traumatic stress the boy must have had after the Joker's attack on his biological parents the year before. The boy's mother was six meters underground, and his father was on medical care for life because of all this. Jason almost felt bad for him. Almost.

This also meant that you and Bruce were very aware of the boy's routine, so if Tim were to disappear for even a couple of hours, it would ruin your plan. So he chanced it, waiting for the ideal moment to feed his need for revenge.

So when the sixteen-year-old decided to leave school one afternoon in the company of a group of other kids his age, he was clearly not on his way to your office like he usually did.

Jason took the phone out of his pocket and gave the order to start.

The group of friends went into a hidden, but sufficiently crowded, pizzeria a few blocks from the house of the boy Dylan, to whom Tim seemed closest in the group.

Jason had quickly discovered that Tim was a smart kid. He was too smart for Jay to trick him or accidentally cause him to fall into a trap of some kind.

But he had also discovered that Tim was, like Bruce, an idiot for justice.

He had watched him risk his life more than necessary for civilians while he ran around as Robin, when Jason from afar could have found about five ways to save the civilians without getting in the way. Tim jumped in to save them with his own hands every time there was a lethal risk. It could be that the weight of not having helped his parents was still eating him alive too.

But one way or another, Jason would use that to his advantage.

Jason walked into the pizzeria, followed by five other men he knew Tim would recognize. It was because he had gotten them out of jail, especially because Robin had dragged them and put them there, with the aim of getting them to help him. The proposed men didn't know he was there for that reason; they were just doing their job for the money, unaware of the mental games Jason was playing with the teenager.

And Tim Drake understood what was going to happen the moment he saw Jason. She looked him in the eyes and smiled as she casually glanced at the table of the group of friends, who were still wearing their school uniforms.

“Timothy, little one,” Jason greeted casually, putting his hands in his pockets and watching as Tim's eyes went to the way that movement revealed the reflection of a gun on his hip. “I've been looking for you!!”

Jason knew exactly how Tim would react and looked at the situation. They had both been trained by the same man at the end of the day. They were a reflection of each other, and that is why it was a dangerous game. “Are you hungry, Timothy? Because I am starving.”

Jason wasn't talking about the pizzas, and Tim knew it quickly. But he couldn't do anything, not with Jason so armed and clearly accompanied. Both were surrounded by so many civilians, and Tim's friends. His new friends, who had been patient with him and had accepted him into his group, which he had been joining since they were children. But they still tried to integrate him and invited him to things, again and again, until that day he accepted for the first time in months.

The table had fallen silent at the extra situation, but Tim seemed to know the stranger who had sat down, so they didn't say anything. But Dylan, as kind and caring as he was, saw the way the color had drained from Tim's face. So he spoke.

“Don't worry, Dylan,” Jason told him, which took Dylan by surprise since he had never told the stager his name, and he got genuinely worried now. “He just needs something to drink; he's just dehydrated. Timmy works a lot and doesn’t take care of himself.”

While talking to Dylan, Tim watched as Jason grabbed his glass of soda that he had been drinking while they waited for the pizzas. Without anyone else noticing, Tim watched as Jason dropped a pill into the drink, which was probably intended to knock him out, or at least drug him enough to make it manageable for Jason.

All without anyone else noticing, just so he could see it and know what was going on. He was faced with the reality that he couldn't do anything, and he couldn't fight, not at such a potential price. He was trapped. 

It made Tim feel alarmingly alone, despite being surrounded by people.

“Here, drink something.” Jason handed him the glass, where the gas from the soda easily hid the bubbles that the pill made as it dissolved. “It will do you good.”

The two stood face-to-face for a moment as the older brother offered the glass, and Jason didn't need to make the threat for Tim to understand. 

Or Tim drank the soda and voluntarily sedated himself. Or he would get him out of there in a much more aggressive way. And some bullets could be lost in that situation, so Jason could make sure that his friends were the ones who received them.

Tim could see the decapitated bodies of Black Mask's lieutenants, found shortly after Red Hood appeared in Gotham, before Bruce discovered his identity.

So he grabbed the glass and brought it to his mouth. Tim gave Jason a last pleading look, to which the boy just smiled sweetly. And your youngest son just wanted to scream for you, but you didn't know Jason was alive, and you suspected that's exactly what Jason wanted.

He wouldn't put you in danger.

Bruce would handle everything; Tim trusted that.

Tim downed the glass of soda in four gulps and didn't remember anything else after that.

𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭: @some-lovely-day @simonsbluee @yuki-chan23 @miyakana @myst3batz @otchae @d3m0n8ch1ld @marsenbie @mynameisnotlaura @andieperrie18 @totallynotme420 @igotmessymind @amarawayne @calsjack @kodzukenmaaa @mellowdiy @noah-uhhh-what @blarba-girl @dead-sane-stuff @huhuhhuhh @ashlynnmalfoy @kimmis-stuff @undecided-shipper @justafanficsreader @poppyalice2001 @holdyuhmuda @jiabae @mara-moon @avitute @lafrone

[tofupixel]

I recently started learning to use rpg maker (vx ace!) and as a result have become increasingly interested in pixel art. I hadn't really done pixel work since my teens - I do more digital painting and vector art - so while I'm a little familiar and can do passable editing, there's a lot I don't know.

One thing that's kind of perplexing for me is understanding the differences in style between two creators of pixel art. I studied art history and I'm used to the differences being things like brush stroke length or degree of realism... I feel like I'm lacking in lexicon in this new frontier lol

What nuances of an artist do you think are most important to style in pixel art?

This kind of stuff is not really officially studied (yet) so it's all a bit of opinion from me.

Usually in pixel art the biggest differences in styles are which limitations the artists choose to impose on themselves; colour count, resolution, palette... Or more stylistic choices like hue shifting, anti-aliasing style or no, dithering or no, etc.

I personally think there are a huge variety of styles in pixel art, as it's literally just a medium, and I hope you'll agree by the end 8)

Also (imo) there is some seperation between the styles of art for art's sake, and art for videogames, where things have to be clear and readable to be actually playable.

🎮 Old school games:

Sometimes referred to as something like '8-bit' or '16-bit' (relating to the NES era / SNES era consoles), these artstyles usually follow the rules and limitations of the hardware at the time.

This all falls under retro art, most popular styles include: NES, SNES, GB, GBC, C64

Notable artists: Nickwoz, Sandy Gordon, Franken, Cisco

📚 Old school art:

There were also events called Demoscene (still are), where developers would go to a big convention and share their demos. A lot of pixel art competitions were held here, where artists would draw live.

Generally they used to favour a high realism/semirealism style, with lots of texture/dithering, fairly high resolution (if the hardware allowed for it), and adjacent pixels mostly being different from one another.

There are even older styles than this but they are fairly niche and I'm not that well educated. If interested look into some of the old PCs/consoles.

⭐ Modern pixel art:

Usually using more colours and higher resolution, larger clusters of pixels instead of individual ones. Strong use of art fundamentals.

Artists to look at: Adam Ferguson (yes it is pixel art), Snake, Slym, 6VCR, Yes I do Pixels, Gijotto, SovanJedi, JoeCreates, Franek, @8pxl

the rest below are "modern" pixel artists too but I think they have other things in their style that are a bit different!

🎨 Painterly:

Some artists choose to emulate the natural brushstrokes digitally, and keep their clusters large and loose. Usually don't focus on the minute details as much.

@makrustic, @hexh-pixel, Umbohr, Gawrone

🟦 Dithering

These artists all use dithering / texture in ways that make their styles totally unique.

Deceiver, Night, Reo,

💥 Experimental

These artists are always trying new things and honing in on their unique style.

AJ, hby, @ilta222, Alphons

I could really go on for ever, there are so many different styles, cute pixel art, horror pixel art, 1bit (2 colours only), and then adding animation takes it even further, but I think you get the idea

If you want to learn more, the Masters of Pixel Art books have works /interviews from pixel artists of different eras, including demoscene and contemporary.

😊����

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Three for One 1

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, cheating, customer service abuse, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: As a customer service associate, you're used to work with a wide variety of characters. Your efforts to go above and beyond draw the attention of a certain set of customers who want more than what's on the shelf.

Character: Andy Barber, Lloyd Hansen, Ransom Drysdale

Note: Right, this was supposed to be a drabble series but it morphed and not I'm fucked.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me &lt;3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

Love you all. Take care. 💖

It's the most special time of year! Mistletoe, jingle bells, and holiday cheer! Oh, and hot chocolate. Lots of that.

You hide your thermos under the desk and grab the crystal bottle again, giving a test spritz to the air. Your job isn't very complicated. All you do is say hi and chat about the perfume. Your manager says the job is selling but you don't like to see it that way.

You smile at a family of five as they veer towards the toy section. You don't think the six year old would be into an eau de parfum. It's understandable.

While you spend your hours wandering around expensive makeups and scents, you're filled with a certain hint of longing. For what you're paid to push the merchandise, you can't afford any of it yourself. Well, you've never been very materialistic.

You spin around and see a gentlemen approaching, though he doesn't seem to see you. He looks past you, almost through you. You stop in place and put on your best smile, fixing the red band around your head.

"Hello, sir, would you like to try some Gucci?" You offer and spray the nozzle at him.

He skids to a stop and recoils as if he's been slapped. He holds out his arm as he looks down at his coat, little droplets seeping into the fabric. He takes a whiff, his short mustache wiggling under his nose, and he scoffs as he tries to shake off the cologne.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He snips.

"Sorry, sir, I didn't mean to scare you."

"You just go around spray people with that horseshit?"

"Well, sir, with respect, I don't like that sort of language.

"And I don't like being drenched in dog piss," he blusters, "point me to the goddamn trimmers."

"Um, what kind? Nail trimmers? Pet trimmers? Garden trimmers?"

"What the fuck do you think?" He points to his own face.

You hold your smile. There's always that one customer who's having a bad day. Whatever's got him so upset must be worse than dealing with him.

"Personal care," you point to the far corner, "right over there, sir."

"Ugh," he stomps and storms off.

"I hope your day gets better," you call after him, "oh, did you want a store coupon--"

He ignores you as he waves you off over his shoulder. You watch him turn towards men's grooming and you shrug, rocking slightly. You try not to let them get to you. As jolly as you find this time of year, a lot of people don't feel the same.

You shrug off the encounter. You still have a few hours ahead of you and it's starting to bustle with customers. You help a couple find the home wares while keeping the boundary of cosmetics firm. Lucille, the manager, doesn't like you leaving your zone.

You approach a woman looking at the Prada selection and get her checked out with a new fragrance, specially gift-wrapped by yours truly. She leaves happy, a small victory for the day. You celebrate but not too much.

You come around the counter just as you see that man strutting back up. He has an item in his hand and ignores you as he passes. Still you smile at him.

"Annoying," he mutters under his breath.

"Need help finding anything else, sir?" You ask his heels.

He stops and you see the way his spine stiffens. Oh no, you shouldn't have said anything. He slowly turns to face you.

"You can shut up," he marches up to you and grabs the bottle from your hands, "shut." He sprays you in the face, "up." He squirts you several more times before shoving the vial against your chest, "stupid little girl."

You take the bottle, blinking as you use your cuff to wipe the perfume away from your eyes. He continues on his path as you stand dumbfounded, drenched in Gucci cologne. It's hard to breathe through the heavy scent and you can't help but cough.

What a jerk. Just because he's having a bad day, doesn't mean everyone needs to.

Slowly you grow accustomed to the smell of yourself. It’s not too unusual. You go nose blind about halfway through your shift once you spray a few too many samples. You keep your distance from customers, offering them a spritz but trying not to crowd them with the vapors of cologne rippling off of you.

You yawn as the afterwork rush floods in and you make another round, smiling at Sofia as she peeks over at you. She’s with another customer at the counter, ringing them up as she gabs. You spin at the display at the center of the crossway that runs through the beauty department and stagger back before another can run you over.

You apologise to the tall man as he skids to a stop on his soles. You can tell he’s in a hurry by the way he grips his briefcase and squares his jaw. He wears a long dark wool coat as flecks of snow melt into his thick beard.

“Oh, sorry, I er, wasn’t–” He clears his throat, collecting himself, “I… didn’t see you.”

“That’s okay, sir,” you assure him, “would you like to try the new scent?”

You hold up the onyx bottle but don’t spray him. You don’t need another dousing. He looks at the silver letters on the side then at you. The furrow in his brow lightens as his blue eyes swim.

“No thanks, but er, you think you could help me find something?”

“Of course,” you chime and lower the bottle, “are you looking for a gift for someone special?”

He nods, “my mother-in-law is on her way into town, I need a present. Maybe perfume?”

His tone is tinted with frustration as he reaches up to rub the back of his neck. He lets out a long sigh. He’s one of those shoppers; the last minute scrambler. You grasp the vial in one hand and tug at the front of your thick red sweater, you’re starting to get a bit toasty in the crowded store.

“How old is she?” You ask.

“Um,” he clamps his lips together and thinks, “hmmm, probably seventy-something? I’m sorry, I guess I should know that.”

“That’s okay, I… I would suggest some Liz Taylor,” you turn on your heel and wave him after you as you head off, “it’s a classic. Not so much a me scent but the older crowd likes it. Oh, and it’s on special so your wallet won’t hate it, either.”

You stop by the Diamonds display as you face him again. He follows at a pace and stops before the shelf, perusing the gold caps and crystal caps. He considers the rack in deep thought.

“Here,” you set down your bottle on a nearby table of seasonal decorations and take one from the display. You slip out a strip of cardstock and spray it with the sampler, “this one is gardenia. That was her favourite scent. It’s probably the least pungent.”

You offer him the sample and he eyes it. He slowly bends and sniffs the end of the paper. He wiggles his nose. It makes you sneeze too. As much as you’re a fan of the classic actress, her scents are dated.

“Smells like her,” he grumbles under his breath, “sure, I’ll take that.”

“Great,” you declare and trade the sampler for a boxed bottle, then retrieve your disposed Gucci vial, “would you like me to check you out, sir?”

“Is it faster?” 

“I can be fast,” you promise him, “this way.”

You go around the sparkling counters and he meets you across the till. You type in your log in, taking several tries to get your passcode right. The man places his briefcase on the counter,a hand resting on the edge.

“You know a lot about this stuff?” He prompts.

“Yeah, I guess,” you smile as you scan the perfume and tap the special offer on the screen, “kinda part of the job.”

“Hmm” he hums again, in that thoughtful manner. You look at him but he’s not looking at your face, “that’s a nice sweater.”

You look down at the red wool speckled with pearls. It’s new and one of your favourites already. You can’t help a little wiggle of your shoulders, “thanks!”

“Very… cheerful,” he muses as he takes out his wallet, “wish I could say the same of what awaits me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir, it’s that time of year, I guess,” you push the debit machine towards him and he taps his credit card, “I’m sure your mother-in-law will love the perfume.” The transaction approves and the receipt prompts, “would you like an email?”

“Nah, that’s fine,” he tucks his credit card away.

“Would you like it gift-wrapped?” You offer, “it’s free?”

He hovers his hand over his briefcase as he considers it. His eyes meet yours and his cheek dimples, “alright, yeah, that’s… that’s perfect. Thank you.”

“No problem,” you beam back at him, “let me just get some tissue paper…”

You murmur to yourself as you grab some gold tissue paper and a white gift bag with a Christmas tree embossed into the side. You carefully line up the small box on the paper and begin your intensive work. You're a master wrapper, you used to work at the wrapping station in the mall.

“What about you?” He asks before the silence can stretch too far, “you seeing family for the holidays? When you’re not working?”

“Um,” you smile as you look up, “I’m just hanging out with my dog. I bought him a bone.”

“A dog,” he nods, “your family live out of town?”

Usually, you ask the questions. It’s easier that way. It deflects the attention from you. It’s why you like the job; you can hear all about others and not have to think about yourself.

“Yeah, something like that,” you slip the wrapped box into the bag and fluff the tissue paper.

“Eh!” The loud exclamation makes you jump as the man merely turns his head, a tic in his jaw. His eyes narrow as another customer approaches, strutting with hands in his jacket pocket as he calls out, “Barber, what the hell?”

Your customer shifts towards the man, heels squeaking on the floor, “Hugh.”

“Don’t Hugh me, asshole,” the other man retorts, “you said you were busy? What’s the matter, you lose too much money last time?”

“Suzette is in town. Family dinner,” the man, Barber, drones dully.

“Ah, ditched for the old crone, I get it.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, wouldn’t you know it, poker night was canceled, something about not enough seats,” the man counters sharply.

“Next week,” the first man growls.

“Hey, you,” the man in the russet coat snaps his fingers in your direction, “you got some of that Acqua di Gio. That dumb girl over there said you’re sold out.”

Your brows pop up and you swallow tightly. He’s another type. The arrogant demander. He doesn’t hear no. He’ll ask everyone the same question in hope of getting a different answer.

“We are out of stock, sir, but I could order it in for you,” you suggest.

“Order in? I can just go on Amazon, thanks for nothing,” he chops his hand at you dismissively.

“Hey,” the other man nudges his chest, “be nice. She’s working.”

“What? I’m here to spend money and they got shit all–”

“It’s December,” the other man reproaches before he turns back to you, “sorry, my friend is a jerk.” He accepts the gift bag as you hold it out, “thank you. You saved me.”

“No problem, but er, I was gonna say,” you turn to the other man, “sir, I have some samples of the Armani. I could give you those while you wait for the order.”

“Samples?” He echoes, “how many?”

“Let me have a look,” you back up and go to the drawer at the back of the checkout.

“I gotta get going, miss,” the first man waves his hand as you peek over your shoulder, “have a happy holiday.”

“You too,” you chirp back and find the last few tubes of Armani. You claim them and prance back to meet the new customer at the counter, “I have five.” You lay out your wares, “if I order in a bottle it’ll be in just before Christmas.”

“Two weeks?” He puffs.

“I’m sorry, sir, that’s the earliest I can do. It’s the last day I can guarantee delivery before Christmas.”

“Talk, talk, talk, order it,” he snaps.

“Right, let me just…” you open the shop and search up the scent. You add it to the cart and proceed. “Alright, got that, did you want it shipped for pick up here or to your address.”

“Here, they can never fucking find my house,” he sniffs.

“Great, so when it arrives, we’ll give you a call. You’ll also get an email to confirm.”

“What’s going on here?” He points at you suddenly. You look down again at your sweater but don’t see anything amiss. You flinch as he reaches to pinch one of the pearls, “what is this?”

“Oh, I… my sweater,” you raise your head, swallowing down the insult. It’s cute!

“Huh, Walmart clearance, huh,” he scoffs, “alright, how much are you robbing me for?”

He reaches into his coat as you hit total. You read out the final amount but he doesn’t pull out a card; he hands you cash. You count the bills, twice over, then give him his change. He looms with impatient huffs.

“Here’s your receipt,” you hand him the strip of paper. “Have a good day, sir.”

“Mmm,” he pokes his tongue into his cheek as he shoves the receipt into his pocket, “actually, while I’m here, I’d like a new sweater. You can help me and I’ll show you what real quality is.”

You almost laugh. Not spitefully, it’s just a bit silly. He’s competing with you, a perfume pusher.

“Well, sir, I can point you towards men’s fashion but I’m not able to leave this department, I’m sorry,” you give a sheepish smile.

“Oh no, good girl wouldn’t want to break the rules,” he rolls his eyes, “goody goody and her precious little smile.” He hooks his thumbs in his pockets, “my shit better be in by Christmas.”

He twists and strides away. You watch him go but not for long as you’re quickly distracted by a customer looking at the Britney Spears collection. Those are easy sellers.

[n3kk1tty]

The Lost Boys Fandom Sound Off

There are a lot of amazing and talented people in this community on tumblr and I'm happy to point people to and learn about more people who exist in this wonderful place along with me. To make it easier for others to consume copious amounts of fan content I hope to make and add to this list to make it easier to track people.

If I miss anyone or you want to be added please leave a message on the post.

Writer's:

@tac-the-unseen : Absolutely phenomenal imagines. If you're looking for short and sweet imagines they are the place I usually go to.

@ria-coolgirl : Really friendly always supportive. Posts written questions or ideas.

@bubblegumbarbie33 : Funny quote posts that make me sit there day dreaming of new stuff.

@sad-ghost-of-garbage : Makes that good sweet sweet angst.

@lostbetweenvampiresandmusic : Lots of poly content.

@misslavenderlady : There fanfics are so well crafted and who can't appreciate amazing page set up.

@themarginalthinker : The best drabbles

@britany1997 : Makes awesome poly content and it's so easy to get lost in there fics.

@sunkendreams :

@charlizekkelly :

@luv4fandoms :

@darlingverse :

@berd-alert : amazing oneshots. 10/10 would reread repeatedly

@theyreonlynoodlesmike : Such amazing amount of lost boy variety content and a huge selection of top quality content.

@n30nwrites : Has x male reader content and good spicy writing posts.

@i-heart-slashers : Story scene set up is top notch

@redamancy-writes : Delicious angst and variety

@writinginatree : Platonic Fic and Romantic

@chubbyreaderchan : Fixed focused on chubby reader

@ebony-blood : Detailed yet more bitesized requests for the casual fast paced reader.

( recommended list by: @dustofbrokenheart , I took the direct dialogue and recommendations from their reply post to the list )

@thoushallnotfall especially for the "Blood and Water" and "Prey" series but all of Rachel's stuff is great!

@brideofcthulhu10 who was one of the first writers I found for tlb here on tumblr.

@datsrightbby shak has a bunch of fics and headcanon/preference posts.

@garlicdontwork has a few series that include thompson!reader and frog!reader.

@peacepey did a lot of good request work back in the day.

@monsterfuneral wrote some memorable poly imagines. (I believe violet's main account is now @grudgecollector.)

@tinywritinghana has a few series, as well as lots of one shots. A favorite of mine is the "Student's Guide to Raising the Dead" series!

@kurt-nightcrawler cara has fics for both the lost boys and a lost girls project she started at one point.

@dustofbrokenheart : who is another talented writer in the fandom who helped me tremendously with adding valuable members in the community to the sound off page. I couldn't have done it without them.

(end of recommendation list this portion)

@chevvsgotanumbrellatattoo : Have 2 wonderful fics of and trying their hand at lost boys drabbles. Undoubtedly they will be making even more amazing writing content in the future.

@marnievanhelsing: AO3 writer. Has some pretty funny chaotic Tlb head cannons posts that include the frog brothers. Up and coming in the fandom

Artists:

@n3kk1tty : I qualify for artist/ writer but my art has more variety as I focus most of my writing on my lost boy Au / requests.

@popironrye : There art is so colorful and eye popping I always love seeing it on my feed.

@walmart-icarus : Also a writer. Such a cute style of art.

@hypocriticaltypwriter : Truly amazing person in community with such a bouncy art style. Their fan kids are amazing and give everyone baby fever. Also writes and roleplays.

@midnight-in-santa-carla : Wonderful realistic artstyle with vibrant colors.

@gryphonsthing : sweet cute artstyle that's always refreshing to see on my feed.

@starlahuskyz : OMG ID EAT THERE ART IF I COULD

@persephone-s-moon : Amazing muscle shading / lighting.

@fleouriarts : Incredible moody / stylistic art that uses color in a eye catching manner my ADHD brain can't describe.

( recommended list by: @dustofbrokenheart , I took the direct dialogue and recommendations from their reply post to the list )

@witch-lass her drawing style is super cute and recognizable!

@garnetgh0st candy made my favorite moodboards back in the day. There's a seasons, mamma mia, and disney prince series among others. (I count moodboards in art category!)

@thornthehellhound he makes both funny and really pretty art pieces. Very talented!

(end of recommendation list this portion)

Roleplayers:

( I personally don't roleplay at all in the fandom but I know there's people who do and love to do so. I mostly compiled this list using @hypocriticaltypwriter 's recommendation list they have on their blog and thought putting it on the main fandom track sheet to help push the rp blogs center stage. I'm sorry I can't give much of a review. )

@blog4horror : gives great requests

@marko-boy

@paulie-lostboy

I've reached tumblers max tag list. Which who even knew was a thing. I'll continue on my quest in the post reblogged from this one.

[munson-blurbs]

PLEASE MAKE MY MEET CUTE DREAMS COME TRUE BUG!!

What IS my personality? Hm... Generally I'm pretty upbeat, fun-loving, and compassionate, but around Eddie?! 🙈 I'd be a lil shy I'm not gonna lie haha

Hobbies include bird watching, thrifting trinkets, and graphic design (oh and writing FILTHY SEXUALLY EXPLICIT STORIES, can't forget that). No need to incorporate all of this, just giving you ✨variety✨

My pronouns are she/her.

And I'll just leave you with some emojis I like 😌

🪻🪺🐀🪿🐞🫐🥨🏕️🪕

As meta as it would be to have Eddie reading the smut you wrote about him, bird watching was what caught my eye. Hope you like this!

CW: mention of drug use/dealing WC: 628 Divider credit to @hellfire--cult

It had stormed in Hawkins for a week straight. Seven days of dodging raindrops and spending your free time cooped up in the house. You were on the verge of going stir-crazy until the sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds this morning. 

Plucking your binoculars from their spot on your shelf, you head out into the woods. Before the storms, a pileated woodpecker had made a nest in one of the trees, and you were anxious to see if it had survived the lousy weather. 

Mud squelched beneath your boots as you trudged towards your favorite picnic bench. There wasn’t anything special about it per se, but it stood out from the others because of the JH+JB carved into the table. Whoever JH and JB were, you hoped their love was still strong. 

You adjusted the focus on your binoculars, aiming your gaze at the tree where you’d seen the nest just over a week ago. A soft sigh of relief slipped through your lips when you saw that it was still intact; in fact, there were now three little eggs inside of it. 

Hours felt like mere minutes as you soaked up each moment outdoors, following the calls of the sparrows that populated the tiny forest. Hawkins wasn’t a bustling city, but it was still nice to have a reprieve from the normal sounds of the suburbs. Out here, there were no car horns honking, no tired parents scolding their mischievous children, no—

“You here to buy or sell?”

The sudden noise startled you; if you didn’t have the strap looped around your wrist, you almost certainly would have dropped your binoculars. That would have been embarrassing. Just like the yelp you let out when the man spoke. 

“Whoa, didn’t mean to scare you.” He gave a sheepish grin and held up his hands in surrender. “Just figured if you wanted to buy, I could offer you a sweet deal. But if you’re selling…well, you’re kinda in my spot, so…”

You collected your thoughts, trying to keep from getting lost in his deep brown eyes. “No. I mean, neither. N-Not buying or selling. Just, uh, birdwatching.”

He cocked a brow. “Birdwatching?”

“Y-Yeah.” You scrambled for more words, unused to being tongue-tied. “Y’know, just…watching birds.”

“I gathered that much.” He sat next to you, placing a tin lunchbox on the table. “So what kind of birds are we watching?”

You explained the whole nest-surviving-the-storm saga, expecting him to roll his eyes or get bored. But he didn’t. Instead, he looked at you with those beautiful doe eyes and gestured to your binoculars. 

“Mind if I take a look?”

You nodded and handed them over, hoping that the time he spent looking through them would afford you the chance to conjure up some actual conversation topics. 

He peered through the binoculars. “I see the nest! Holy shit, there’s about to be some bird babies.” He looked at another tree. “Here we’ve got some sort of brown bird just kinda…doing its thing.” Keeping the binoculars pressed to his eyes, he looked directly at you. “And here we have a really pretty girl who’s gonna let me treat her to ice cream.”

“Sure. Yeah, um, that would be great.” You felt your body tingle with bashfulness. An insanely cute guy was asking you out. “I love ice cream.”

The guy looked surprised, like he couldn’t believe that line worked. “Me, too.” He stood and held out his hand to help you up. 

You accepted it gratefully, but before you stood, you looked at him. “I just realized that I don’t even know your name,” you mused. 

He laughed. “That would be good information, huh?” He shook his head at his own blunder. 

“I’m Eddie Munson. And you are?”

--

[a-little-revolution]

Hi lovely, I hope you are well?

I saw the ask about the bathroom accommodations and it got me really interested in two things.

1) what are accommodations that are hLepful (trying to 'help' without actually considering the needs of the individual, for example the step not enabling independence and I imagine from prior posts that it would also cause strain on your joints? (Plus the whole hygiene side, run into that one myself with suggested accommodations) )

2) what accommodations would you want to see in public spaces (doesn't have to be bathroom related, this just showed me a gap in my awareness and I'd like to work on it so I can include more awareness whenever I'm partaking in conversations around accessibility. If you have prior posts do link them, the only one that's coming to my mind right now was discussing the lack of accessibility in hospitals)

Hope you have a good pain/energy day, and I really love your style!

Hello! Indeed, I spoke about some ways to make public spaces more accessible for little people here - particularly when it comes to public washrooms. Here's some more accommodations I'd love to see!

I would love to see more information/reception desks with varying heights! This is an excellent piece of infrastructure that allows little people (and wheelchair users) full access to the counter and a place to speak to an attendant.

In the realm of public counter tops - a huge point of inaccess for me is grocery store conveyor belts. They come to about my chest, which makes loading and packing very difficult. And the "accessible" lane is no different! Plus every grocery store I've been to makes the "accessible" lane also the express lane - so while I'm buying my load of groceries, there's always a disgruntled customer behind me - I've even been denied access for having too many groceries!

The self check out is even worse - in a world where we're now being ushered to interact with these robots instead of real people, I can't reach the screen or the debit machine! So either way I need to ask for help, which completely defeats it's purpose. I would love to see a more accessible option that is lower to the ground.

A second, lower handrail on public stairs is a must! I've seen these in children's hospitals and schools, and would love them to be common place. Average handrails often land at shoulder height or higher - they provide little to no stability or safety for little people.

An access issue that often gets overlooked is the height of public seating - this includes doctor's office chairs, modern theatre seating, bar stools, booths, and office swivel chairs. The irony of a disabled person not being able to sit down is one I come across on the regular. The number of times I've showed up for an interview and not been able to sit without assistance is absurd.

Having a variety of seating options, or providing public step stools (or a combination of the two) could be easy fixes to this issue. In hospitals I am seeing a slow shift towards even lower chairs and beds since this issue is not always unique to little people - anyone who has difficulty bending, sitting, or transferring from a wheelchair has this issue. Modern design needs to account for diversity, instead of steering towards minimalism.

Step stools are of course the easiest means of making public spaces more accessible for little people, but I want to point out that they're not always the be-all-end-all solution, and can actually just be a band aid to some problems. While stools are incredibly versatile, not everyone has the ability to use them and they can pose a hazard in certain situations. In points of high traffic, built-in steps are far safer and could even be designed to fold up when not in use - they can also account for weight and wear.

Additionally, when stools are option in public, it's vital that they be easily accessed and borrowed by patrons without the need for a special request. I've said it before, "If I have to ask for help, it's not accessible". In order for stools to be a viable accommodation, they should be as freely obtained as toilet paper.

[a-memory-a-distant-echo]

it's time for the long-threatened post about how to get subtitles (including translated ones) for videos that don't have subtitles.

in my experience, the methods in this post can probably get you solidly 75% or more of the content of many videos (caveats inside). i've tested this on videos that are originally in chinese, english, french, german, hindi, japanese, korean, spanish, and honestly probably some languages that i'm forgetting. my experience is that it works adequately in all of them. not great, necessarily, but well enough that you can probably follow along.

this is a very long post because this is the overexplaining things website, and because i talk about several different ways to get the captions. this isn't actually difficult, though, or even especially time consuming—the worst of it is pushing a button and ignoring things for a while. actual hands-on work is probably five minutes tops, no matter how long the video is.

i've attempted to format this post understandably, and i hope it's useful to someone.

first up, some disclaimers.

this is just my experience with things, and your experience might be different. the tools used for (and available for) this kind of thing change all the time, and if you're reading this six months after i wrote it, your options might be different. this post is probably still a decent starting place.

background about my biases in this: i work in the creative industries. mostly i'm a fiction editor. i've also been a writer, a technical editor and writer, a transcriptionist, a copyeditor, and something i've seen called a 'translation facilitator' or 'rewrite editor', where something is translated fairly literally (by a person or a machine) and then a native speaker of the target language goes through and rewrites/restructures as needed to make the piece read more naturally in the target language. i've needed to get information out of business meetings that were conducted in a language i didn't speak, and have done a lot of work on things that were written in (or translated into) the writer's second or sixth language, but needed to be presented in natural english.

so to start, most importantly: machine translation is never going to be as good as a translation done by an actual human. human translators can reflect cultural context and nuanced meanings and the artistry of the work in a way that machines will never be able to emulate. that said, if machine translation is your only option, it's better than nothing. i also find it really useful for videos in languages where i have enough knowledge that i'm like, 75% sure that i'm mostly following, and just want something that i can glance at to confirm that.

creating subs like this relies heavily on voice-to-text, which—unfortunately—works a lot better in some situations than it does in others. you'll get the best, cleanest results from videos that have slow, clear speech in a 'neutral' accent, and only one person speaking at a time. (most scripted programs fall into this category, as do many vlogs and single-person interviews.) the results will get worse as voices speed up, overlap more, and vary in volume. that said, i've used this to get captions for cast concerts, reality shows, and variety shows, and the results are imperfect but solidly readable, especially if you have an idea of what's happening in the plot and/or can follow along even a little in the broadcast language.

this also works best when most of the video is in a single language, and you select that language first. the auto detect option sometimes works totally fine, but in my experience there's a nonzero chance that it'll at least occasionally start 'detecting' random other languages in correctly, or someone will say a few words in spanish or whatever, but the automatic detection engine will keep trying to translate from spanish for another three minutes, even tho everything's actually in korean. if there's any way to do so, select the primary language, even if it means that you miss a couple sentences that are in a different language.

two places where these techniques don't work, or don't work without a lot of manual effort on your part: translating words that appear on the screen (introductions, captions, little textual asides, etc), and music. if you're incredibly dedicated, you can do this and add it manually yourself, but honestly, i'm not usually this dedicated. getting captions for the words on the screen will involve either actually editing the video or adding manually translated content to the subs, which is annoying, and lyrics are...complicated. it's possible, and i'm happy to talk about it in another post if anyone is interested, but for the sake of this post, let's call it out of scope, ok? ok. bring up the lyrics on your phone and call it good enough.

places where these techniques are not great: names. it's bad with names. names are going to be mangled. resign yourself to it now. also, in languages that don't have strongly gendered speech, you're going to learn some real fun stuff about the way that the algorithms gender things. (spoiler: not actually fun.) bengali, chinese, and turkish are at least moderately well supported for voice-to-text, but you will get weird pronouns about it.

obligatory caveat about ai and voice-to-text functionality. as far as i'm aware, basically every voice-to-text function is ~ai powered~. i, a person who has spent twenty years working in the creative industries, have a lot of hate for generative ai, and i'm sure that many of you do, too. however, if voice-to-text (or machine translation software) that doesn't rely on it exists anymore, i'm not aware of it.

what we're doing here is the same as what douyin/tiktok/your phone's voice-to-text does, using the same sorts of technology. i mention this because if you look at the tools mentioned in this post, at least some of them will be like 'our great ai stuff lets you transcribe things accurately', and i want you to know why. chat gpt (etc) are basically glorified predictive text, right? so for questions, they're fucking useless, but for things like machine transcription and machine translation, those predictions make it more likely that you get the correct words for things that could have multiple translations, or for words that the software can only partially make out. it's what enables 'he has muscles' vs 'he has mussels', even though muscles and mussels are generally pronounced the same way. i am old enough to have used voice to text back when it was called dictation software, and must grudgingly admit that this is, in fact, much better.

ok! disclaimers over.

let's talk about getting videos

for the most part, this post will assume that you have a video file and nothing else. cobalt.tools is the easiest way i'm aware of to download videos from most sources, though there are other (more robust) options if you're happy to do it from the command line. i assume most people are not, and if you are, you probably don't need this guide anyhow.

i'm going to use 'youtube' as the default 'get a video from' place, but generally speaking, most of this works with basically any source that you can figure out how to download from—your bilibili downloads and torrents and whatever else will work the same way. i'm shorthanding things because this post is already so so long.

if the video you're using has any official (not autogenerated) subtitles that aren't burned in, grab that file, too, regardless of the language. starting from something that a human eye has looked over at some point is always going to give you better results. cobalt.tools doesn't pull subtitles, but plugging the video url into downsub or getsubs and then downloading the srt option is an easy way to get them for most places. (if you use downsub, it'll suggest that you download the full video with subtitles. that's a link to some other software, and i've never used it, so i'm not recommending it one way or the other. the srts are legit, tho.)

the subtitle downloaders also have auto translation options, and they're often (not always) no worse than anything else that we're going to do here—try them and see if they're good enough for your purposes. unfortunately, this only works for things that already have subtitles, which is…not that many things, honestly. so let's move on.

force-translating, lowest stress mode.

this first option is kind of a cheat, but who cares. youtube will auto-caption things in some languages (not you, chinese) assuming that the uploader has enabled it. as ever, the quality is kinda variable, and the likelihood that it's enabled at all seems to vary widely, but if it is, you're in for a much easier time of things, because you turn it on, select whatever language you want it translated to, and youtube…does its best, anyhow.

if you're a weird media hoarder like me and you want to download the autogenerated captions, the best tool that i've found for this is hyprscribr. plug in the video url, select 'download captions via caption grabber', then go to the .srt data tab, copy it out, and paste it into a text file. save this as [name of downloaded video].[language code].srt, and now you have captions! …that you need to translate, which is actually easy. if it's a short video, just grab the text, throw it in google translate (timestamps and all), and then paste the output into a new text file. so if you downloaded cooking.mp4, which is in french, you'll have three files: cooking.mp4, cooking.fr.srt, and cooking.en.srt. this one's done! it's easy! you're free!

but yeah, ok, most stuff isn't quite that easy, and auto-captioning has to be enabled, and it has some very obvious gaps in the langauges it supports. which is sort of weird, because my phone actually has pretty great multilingual support, even for things that youtube does not. which brings us to low-stress force translation option two.

use your phone

this seems a little obvious, but i've surprised several people with this information recently, so just in case. for this option, you don't even need to have downloaded the video—if it's a video you can play on your phone, the phone will almost definitely attempt real-time translation for you. i'm sure iphones have this ability, but i'm an android person, so can only provide directions for that: go into settings and search for (and enable) live translation. the phone will do its best to pick up what's being said and translate it on the fly for you, and if 'what's being said' is a random video on the internet, your phone isn't gonna ask questions. somewhat inexplicably, this works even if the video is muted. i do this a lot at like four a.m. when i'm too lazy to grab earbuds but don't want to wake up my wife.

this is the single least efficient way to force sub/translate things, in my opinion, but it's fast and easy, and really useful for those videos that are like a minute long and probably not that interesting, but like…what if it is, you know? sometimes i'll do this to decide if i'm going to bother more complicated ways of translating things.

similarly—and i feel silly even mentioning this, but that i didn't think of it for an embarrassingly long time—if you're watching something on a device with speakers, you can try just…opening the 'translate' app on your phone. they all accept voice input. like before, it'll translate whatever it picks up.

neither of these methods are especially useful for longer videos, and in my experience, the phone-translation option generally gives the least accurate translation, because in attempting to do things in real time, you lose some of the predicative ability that i was talking about earlier. (filling in the blank for 'he has [muscles/mussels]' is a lot harder if you don't know if the next sentence is about the gym or about dinner.)

one more lazy way

this is more work than the last few options, but often gives better results. with not much effort, you can feed a video playing on your computer directly into google translate. there's a youtube video by yosef k that explains it very quickly and clearly. this will probably give you better translation output than any of the on-the-fly phone things described above, but it won't give you something that you can use as actual subs—it just produces text output that you can read while you watch the video. again, though, really useful for things that you're not totally convinced you care about, or for things where there aren't a lot of visuals, or for stuff where you don't care about keeping your eyes glued to the screen.

but probably you want to watch stuff on the screen at the same time.

let's talk about capcut!

this is probably not a new one for most people, but using it like this is a little weird, so here we go. ahead of time: i'm doing this on an actual computer. i think you probably can do it on your phone, but i have no idea how, and honestly this is already a really long guide so i'm not going to figure it out right now. download capcut and put it on an actual computer. i'm sorry.

anyhow. open up capcut, click new project. import the file that you downloaded, and then drag it down to the editing area. go over to captions, auto captions, and select the spoken language. if you want bilingual captions, pick the language for that, as well, and the captions will be auto-translated into whatever the second language you choose is. (more notes on this later.)

if i remember right, this is the point at which you get told that you can't caption a video that's more than an hour long. however. you have video editing software, and it is open. split the video in two pieces and caption them separately. problem solved.

now the complicated part: saving these subs. (don't panic; it's not actually that complicated.) as everyone is probably aware, exporting captions is a premium feature, and i dunno about the rest of you, but i'm unemployed, so let's assume that's not gonna happen.

the good news is that since you've generated the captions, they're already saved to your computer, they're just kinda secret right now. there are a couple ways to dig them out, but the easiest i'm aware of is the biyaoyun srt generator. you'll have to select the draft file of your project, which is auto-saved once a minute or something. the website tells you where the file is saved by default on your computer. (i realised after writing this entire post that they also have a step-by-step tutorial on how to generate the subtitles, with pictures, so if you're feeling lost, you can check that out here.)

select the project file titled 'draft_content', then click generate. you want the file name to be the same as the video name, and again, i'd suggest srt format, because it seems to be more broadly compatible with media players. click 'save to local' and you now have a subtitle file!

translating your subtitles

you probably still need to translate the subtitles. there are plenty of auto-translation options out there. many of them are fee- or subscription-based, or allow a very limited number of characters, or are like 'we provide amazing free translations' and then in the fine print it says that they provide these translations through the magic of uhhhh google translate. so we're just going to skip to google translate, which has the bonus of being widely available and free.

for shorter video, or one that doesn't have a ton of spoken stuff, you can just copy/paste the contents of the .srt file into the translation software of your choice. the web version of google translate will do 5000 characters in one go, as will systran. that's the most generous allocation that i'm aware of, and will usually get you a couple minutes of video.

the timestamps eat up a ton of characters, though, so for anything longer than a couple minutes, it's easier to upload the whole thing, and google translate is the best for that, because it is, to my knowledge, the only service that allows you to do it. to upload the whole file, you need a .doc or .rtf file.

an .srt file is basically just a text file, so you can just open it in word (or gdocs or whatever), save it as a .doc, and then feed it through google translate. download the output, open it, and save it as an .srt.

you're done! you now have your video and a subtitle file in the language of your choice.

time for vibe, the last option in this post.

vibe is a transcription app (not a sex thing, even tho it sounds like one), and it will also auto-translate the transcribed words to english, if you want.

open vibe and select your file, then select the language. if you want it translated to english, hit advanced and toggle 'translate to english'. click translate and wait a while. after a few minutes (or longer, depending on how long the file is), you'll get the text. the save icon is a folder with a down arrow on it, and i understand why people are moving away from tiny floppy disks, but also: i hate it. anyhow, save the output, and now you have your subs file, which you can translate or edit or whatever, as desired.

vibe and capcom sometimes get very different results. vibe seems to be a little bit better at picking up overlapping speech, or speech when there are other noises happening; capcom seems to be better at getting all the worlds in a sentence. i feel like capcom maybe has a slightly better translation engine, of the two of them, but i usually end up just doing the translation separately. again, it can be worth trying both ways and seeing which gives better results.

special notes about dual/bilingual subs

first: i know that bilingual subs are controversial. if you think they're bad, you don't have to use them! just skip this section.

as with everything else, automatically generating gives mixed results. sometimes the translations are great, and sometimes they're not. i like having dual subs, but for stuff that Matters To Me, for whatever reason, i'll usually generate both just the original and a bilingual version, and then try some other translation methods on the original or parts thereof to see what works best.

not everything displays bilingual subs very well. plex and windows media player both work great, vlc and the default video handler on ubuntu only display whatever the first language is, etc. i'm guessing that if you want dual subbed stuff you already have a system for it.

i'll also point out that if you want dual subs and have gone a route other than capcom, you can create dual subs by pasting the translated version and the untranslated version into a single file. leave the timestamps as they are, delete the line numbers if there are any (sometimes they seem to cause problems when you have dual subs, and i haven't figured out why) and then literally just paste the whole sub file for the first language into a new file. then paste in the whole sub file for the second language. yes, as a single chunk, the whole thing, right under the first language's subs. save the file as [video name].[zh-en].srt (or whatever), and use it like any other sub file.

notes on translation, especially since we're talking about lengthy machine-translations of things.

i default to translation options that allow for translating in large chunks, mostly because i'm lazy. but since an .srt is, again, literally just a text file, they're easy to edit, and if you feel like some of the lines are weird or questionable or whatever, it's easy to change them if you can find a better translation.

so: some fast notes on machine translation options, because i don't know how much time most people spend thinking about this kind of stuff.

one sort of interesting thing to check out is the bing translator. it'll only do 1000 characters at once, but offers the rather interesting option of picking a level of formality. i can't always get it to work, mind, but it's useful especially for times when you're like 'this one line sounds weird'—sometimes the difference between what the translator feels is standard vs formal vs casual english will make a big difference.

very fast illustration of the difference in translations. the random video that i used to make sure i didn't miss any steps explaining things starts with '所以你第二季来'. here's how it got translated:

google: So you come to season 2

google's top alternative: So you come in the second season

bing's standard tone: So here you come for the second season

bing set to casual: So you're coming for the second season, huh?

reverso default guess: So you come in season two

reverso alternate guess: You'll be participating in season two

capcom: So you come in season two

yandex: So you come in the second season

systran: That's why you come in season two

deepl: That's why you're here in season two

vibe: So your second season is here

technically all conveying the same information, but the vibes are very different. sometimes one translator or another will give you a clearly superior translation, so if you feel like the results you're getting are kinda crap, try running a handful of lines through another option and see if it's better.

ok! this was an incredibly long post, and i've almost definitely explained something poorly. again, there are almost certainly better ways to do this, but these ways are free and mostly effective, and they work most of the time, and are better than nothing.

feel free to ask questions and i'll answer as best i can. (the answer to any questions about macs or iphones is 'i'm so sorry, i have no idea tho.' please do not ask those questions.)

[olderthannetfic]

A question a bit out of the usual ones, but do you have any free resources on sex ed and female pleasure?

Like, i try masturbating and i know the parts work, but I've never been able to Like, get anything more than a little stimulation. Never orgasmed, really want to

Lots of sex ed books I've seen recced are paid ( and I live in Europe and can't exactly hope to get them here) and everyone I've ever talked to is like " just wait for the right person, pleasure ks related to feeling" which, while not wrong, I don't want as my only option, especially since the same ppl told me to wait since sex isn't all that's cranked up to be

So, any advice/ resources you might know?

--

I don't have specific book recs since everything I read was on paper and from the 90s.

I also think women's masturbation isn't all that well covered even by otherwise great books. Men's habits are covered everywhere, up to and including hilarious websites like JackinWorld. Women? It's usually just advice about vibrators.

I had my first orgasm while doing math homework. It occurred to me that I'd never had one and that this was rather silly since I masturbated every day and had for as long as I could remember, so I tried a different technique.

Frankly, orgasm isn't the be all end all of sexual pleasure, especially for women, though I'm sure it depends on the person. But yes, it makes sense to figure out how to have one.

If you're on any heavy-duty medications, it's possible they're making it harder to come. In the absence of anything like that, it's probably just a lack of strong enough, lengthy enough, or a specific type of stimulation.

People telling you to wait are morons. Even a partner you really like will be better in bed if you can tell them what kinds of physical sensations you enjoy. And experimentation by yourself is one of the best and lowest stress ways to figure that out. There's no pressure to get a move on or to worry about another person's pleasure while trying to sort out your own frustrating body.

One thing that often works (though not very well for me personally) is a strong vibrator with a good variety of settings that pulse in different patterns. Even if you've tried a vibrator, if it was some namby pamby weak one or if it only provided one consistent stimulation and not a varying pattern, it may not have been enough. (There's a reason vibrator advice is so overrepresented in what little sex ed stuff there is about female masturbation.)

However, another problem I've seen is that it seems like people assume that all men masturbate basically one way and thus women must be similar. I suspect men are more varied than that stereotype, but women are much, much, much more varied. Vibrators get a relatively large amount of attention, as does using fingers on one's clit. Using a dildo shows up way more in pop culture than its actual frequency in the masturbation habits of women I've known. Some people use water (like from one of those flexible shower heads). There are many options. The one that is by far the most common among women I've talked to shows up basically never in pop culture. The only example I can think of is in Secretary. That method is grinding on the corner of a pillow or the heel of your own hand or similar.

If what you're doing currently just isn't working, try a totally different method.

It sounds like you just aren't getting enough stimulation, but it could also be the opposite: stimulation that's much too strong can just make you feel kind of numb.

[rigelmejo]

On a lighter note. If you're a language learner browsing forums and sites, some fairly chill ones to check out:

Chinese-Forums.com: there are a lot of good study suggestions on here, and people who have shared their progress and stuff they did to study X skills. Even if you are not studying Chinese, a lot of their discussions can apply to learning other languages. And if you've ever been on some japanese learner forums where people tended to attack more over "study MY way, not X way," this forum has much less of that. So I've found the ideas shared on here have also been useful for applying to how I study other languages. Some great tips on reading here.

forum.language-learners.org: this site may be easier to find posts for, if you go to a web search site (google, duckduckgo, searx.space) and search this site's name as well as the question you have. So for example "language-learners.org how to improve reading skill" or "language-learners.org listening reading method." This forum has posts by many language learners, who share experiences with study methods, progress they've made, language challenges and study methods and how they went progress wise. It's very useful for looking up study methods and how they've worked/not worked for people, and seeing people's progress they share. The forum seems a bit less ready to attack others compared to some subreddits on reddit.

reddit.com/r/dreamingspanish: Dreaming Spanish is a youtube channel and website that teaches Spanish through pure comprehensible input designed lessons (and the creator designed the lessons for Automatic Language Growth, but people use DS in a variety ways including as practice to supplement explicit study so the community is somewhat open to people studying DS in ways besides purely comprehensible-input). The subreddit is more focused on pure ALG method, so no looking words up and no trying to translate in your head and no explicit vocabulary and grammar study, because that's how DS instructs students to study using it. But their study suggestions still work very well with other study methods, so if you are a learner doing a lot of explicit study like anki flashcards and textbooks, the Spanish resources suggested on DS subreddit are still useful for practicing listening to Spanish or reading Spanish. It's also cool to see people share their progress doing an ALG method, and a lot of people on DS subreddit share how they're doing, what they've done so far, progress during different stages. I did a lot of digging a while back, to try and see if any learners who did the ALG method shared WHEN they spoke, and how they improved their speaking over time. And also, when they found content made for native speakers understandable. DS subreddit has a lot of learners sharing that stuff - when they started speaking, how they're practicing it, how it's improved over time, when they could understand X content and how well they could understand it and how it's improving.

Heavenly Path Notion Site: excellent resource for finding recommendations of content to read/listen to in Chinese. I think their ranking of difficulty on their website is incredibly useful, and matches well to my own experiences. Their recommendations for how to start learning to read Chinese are also super solid, from mentioning Pleco and graded reader options to suggesting when to transition to materials for native speakers around (1000-2000 words learned/HSK 4) and which materials to start with (their Newcomer recommendations are way easier than the novels I started trying to read with). MoonIvy has posted recommendations on Heavenly Path, and shared their progress on reddit and other forums as well, and their journey and progress learning is something I'm hoping to follow along after lol. They're a great example of progress through reading Chinese. There's other people involved in Heavenly Path who also made amazing progress, someone shared they read SaYe within a few months of starting to learn Chinese, then increased novel difficulty from there! If you are learning to Chinese and wish to eventually read webnovels, I highly encourage you to check out this site and start working on reading as soon as possible. Their guide on reading has a place to start for anyone (beginner graded reader suggestions even if you only know 300 words like Mandarin Companion, and up), and if you follow that guide I do think it's entirely reasonable you will be reading a novel for kids by the end of the year (like TuTu DaWang) and a webnovel by an author you love in 2 years (or sooner, if you read a lot or aren't an absolute beginner... after all, I read some of a Priest novel within 1 year, and some people who referenced Heavenly Path's recommendations read bl webnovels Within the first year of studying). Reading that novel you love in Chinese is not an unobtainable goal, it's something you can do in 1-2 years. Please check out Heavenly Path's recommendations for a path to achieving that, with reading material that may not feel as hard as if you randomly selected novels.

[budynsliwkowy]

❝ STARRY NIGHT❞

Norman Osborn x female!Reader

Summary: you're at an OSCORP gala as Norman's assistant, Harry's ex-girlfriend

A/N: first one shot on this blog, hope it's okay. It's for Rosie, love you<3

Word count: 1,7K

Warning: age gap

Harry's eyes were staring at you in shock and disbelief, while his lips were vainly trying to exclude any words. He couldn't believe what he just heard from you. His gaze was on your face, on a cup of coffee, on his own hands, then again on the face.

"What do you mean you're breaking up with me?" His hands moved chaotically, trying to understand the situation.

"That's what I'm saying. That's not it, Harry." All his current emotions were visible in his dark eyes. He would do anything to prevent the situation from happening. He'd do anything to keep you by himself.

"But we can talk about it. We can come up with something else, please. Just tell me what you need--"

"No, it doesn't make sense." You sigh. His opposition made the situation more difficult. You had a need to explain yourself because of his silence, so you're in your words. "We don't match each other. I have nothing to you, but I don't feel like I have what I need. You're immature, that's the main problem."

He didn't say anything. He still couldn't understand you. You've survived through the end of high school together, you've been in college for over a year. You want to break up after that? Although he could have understood the problem. He was also quite poor in this connection. Maybe you didn't really feel good about him.

"Look, I'm sorry for whatever I did wrong, okay? Just... Okay, you know what, all right." With a sigh, he lifted himself out of the chair. He left the coffee unfinished and took his jacket from the back of the chair. He looked at you again. He will accept this fact in his own time. "Thanks for your time."

☆☆☆

It's been over two years since you broke up with Harry, but it wasn't enough time for you to get him out of your life. Working at Oscorp provided you with frequent casual meetings, but you, focused on work, did not bother. Your thoughts were fully focused on your desk job as Dr. Osborn's assistant. Despite working right next to the boss's office, you didn't have much opportunity to talk to him about nicer topics. You used to spend your evenings at Oscorp or at home, but tonight was more interesting.

There was an Oscorp Gala. The borrowed hotel hall in downtown Manhattan was swarming with important figures and scientists. Journalists and photographers ran between representatives of Oscorp and other companies. Osborn was in the business of holding galas every so often, mainly to show off the amount of money in front of other companies. The hall was decorated in gray-black tones with elegant accessories with a wide variety of food and liquor.

Of course, it would have been a wasted opportunity not to show off your own person, so you decided to dress pretty. Osborn requested to be sat right next to you, but there was still a vacant seat waiting next to you. The event had started almost two hours ago, and he still hadn't found the time to at least sit down for a while. Your evening mostly passed with table talk. It was a good opportunity to start building relationships with other employees, including scientists you had not faced early on. 

After some time, Osborn came in, sitting down in his seat. He sighed, tired of his earlier conversations with other guests. Then his gaze fell on you, his lips curved in a smile, almost immediately asking you a question. "It's good to see you. How are you enjoying yourself so far?"

It was hard to tell how you enjoyed yourself. You spent the entire two hours sitting in your seat and possibly picking up something from the buffet, however, you couldn't complain. "All right." You took a sip of your champagne, and soon he did the same after you.

"Good to hear. I'm glad you enjoy it." A nice music was playing in the background, which, despite being drowned out by people's conversations, gave a pleasant atmosphere. He drew comfort from it, trying to take as much as possible from it.

"It's good to relax sometimes." You spoke up. You stared at Osborn with a glass in your hand. He was wearing a suit, his hair, as always, was neatly combed. Perhaps he didn't even need to prepare for the ceremony.

"Right." He smiled slightly, but this broke up the conversation for a moment. He seemed to need at least a short rest. He wanted a break from talking to people, the other hand he didn't mind talking to you. It was something different. "You know, we don't talk to each other very often, so let me change that."

You admitted the fact, but did not comment on it in any particular way. He was right, however, this conversation changed that point. The discussion began to get quite nice, not only hooking on work topics, but also on private themes that you were comfortably able to express. He did not give the impression of being pushy, but curious about you. Despite the image of a focused, firm boss, he was able to hold a relaxed conversation. During the conversation, you emptied your champagne glasses again and again. He allowed himself a variety of questions, including those about his previous studies and college. In the final, you also managed to get to some interesting facts about Osborn's private life.

At one point his figure raised, and before he completely disappeared into the crowd he leaned over you. He said he was going to get some fresh air and he was gone. He left you with your own questions in your head. One of those questions was the relationship with Harry Osborn. Did Norman know about it? Should he have known? What does he think about it? You didn't know if you would ever know the answers. The interesting fact was that you just spent the next two hours of the event talking to your boss, who at the same time is the father of your ex.

Afterwards, you could only confirm for yourself that Osborn is interesting, but also open. You did not expect such a pleasant conversation with this man. In all this flurry of thoughts, you forgot how long he disappeared for. You were reminded of this by the man who tapped you on the shoulder with his finger. Asking where Norman was currently, you were completely distracted. In response, you said you would go for him, so you did. You raised yourself from your chair and fixed your dress.

Your heels clattered against the paneled floor as you walked toward the balcony. When you finally made it to it, you kept your surprise hidden. You could hear Norman's voice, but when you stepped out onto the balcony, there was no one there but himself. He was standing by the railing, against the night skyline of New York. He was looking down, leaning his elbows against the railing, almost pulling his hair out of his head. He mumbled something to himself until you decided to speak up.

"Sir?"

His voice suddenly quieted. He decided to simply pretend that nothing had just happened. He turned toward you straightening his previously hunched posture and adjusted his jacket.

"Yes?"

This sight stuck in your mind, you couldn't guess what it could have been about. Norman saw your confusion, however, he did nothing about it. He stood still while you approached him with a slow step. You stopped at the railing next to him. Your eyes encountered the night skyline of the city. From this floor, everything was perfectly shown. This view took your breath away, leaving you almost speechless. "They're looking for you."

He frowned, ignoring this observation. He had no interest in going back to the people. He wanted to take in some more air. The night breeze cleared his mind. "Stay with me for a while."

You just nodded glancing again at the view of the city, while his gaze this time rests on you. He understood what Harry saw in you. A beautiful, intelligent woman with charm. Paying attention in this way to a person who was so connected to his son was strange to him, and oh so it is. He found you an attractive woman, even if much younger. He took another deep breath, enjoying the night air.

"Even on an evening like this, it's good to disappear for a while, don't you think? Get away from the crowd, to take time to think." He leaned his forearms against the railing and gazed up at the sky again. You did the same. "Aren't you cold?"

"No, it's nice." Your dress may not have been the warmest, while the weather was sufficient.

He nodded. The weather was lovely. He wondered how he could not find time to talk to you earlier. Better late than never. Even this moment of silence between both of you gave him comfort. He glanced away from the scenic landscape, giving you a small smile.

"It's good to have an assistant like you. You really help me in my work." He gave you praise that you didn't expect to hear. Everything that was happening between you now had a different ambience than it had before the event began. You see each other every day and will continue to do so, but differently.

You thanked. The voices of the guests in the room reached the balcony. You also talked among yourselves. Another pleasant conversation on the balcony. Time was once again losing its value. He did not have to bother with other people, however, until then. Norman leaned slightly over to you to add something to his speech, until someone entered the balcony. Recalling the surname of Osborn, your gaze dropped to the man. Once again, someone needed him. So much for the good, everything comes to an end sometime.

His gaze fell on you again, looking at your entirety. He moved a little closer as the last words to you came from his lips.

"You look lovely tonight."

He smiled one last time. Correcting his shirt sleeve, he moved away and with a slow step walked away. His step changed to a sure and firm one as he headed toward the man.

With that, you were left alone on the balcony.

[softchouli]

When Katniss' third trimester collided with winter, she stopped going to the woods altogether. It was a reasonable decision advised by her mother who was now on close watch, but it didn't do any good to the intense uneasiness Katniss felt most of the time.

As much as she was trying to keep busy indoors, what seemed to placate her the best even if short-lived on some days, was Peeta's contribution to their child's bedroom.

She immediately took interest when he started to block out a variety of big green sections. Then her husband picked the comfiest armchair in the house and paired it with pillows, so she could watch for as long as she wanted, her favorite person doing their favorite thing.

On breaks Peeta would sit beside her, while she took one of his sturdy and contagiously warm hands in both of hers. Tracing and caressing the colorful smudges, hoping their child could take after him and inherit those very same hands.

As days flew by, flowers began to bloom on the gradient green that became intricate foliage, but with no onions in sight. Peeta diligently embellished all the flowers Katniss had taught him about. A wildflower garden shielded from wilting, curated with all the ones that bring hummingbirds and bees around.

Even Buttercup acquired a spot on the wall, peacefully curled up, fur in a generous rendition, surrounded by the blossoms that gave him a name. An old resilient little thing, he barely hears anymore and Katniss suspects he soon won't see too. He lays on Katniss' lap while Peeta paints, the cat's new habit consists of sleeping next to Katniss whenever he sees her close enough to do it, as if on duty to protect her belly.

Later on a ladder, Peeta moves to work on the ceiling. A lilac base starts to take form with pale pinkish clouds that meet his orange right on the corner of the wall that has a window. It looks just like the sunset's 12 displays in better weather. Like Peeta is ensuring their child's little world would still have a clear sky even in grayish times. It's so limpid that sometimes Katniss swore if she was sleepy enough the fluffy clouds would start moving lethargically.

"I can repaint when our child gets a little older and asks me for something else," Peeta told her, the day when there were no more blank parts to give life.

He knows it will take time for the baby to sleep in the room, even when the little one can finally be by their side. Katniss had long before accommodated a crib by the couple's bed, just to be sure it would fit perfectly there, and it has been the furniture's designed place ever since. However, putting the nursery together gives them a sense of a new reality. It makes them both aware of a future where everything good in their family could take a life of its own.

One night when he enters their shared bedroom, the sight of his wife on the bed greets him. She's frowning, seemingly lost in thoughts while working on soft wool, baby shoes judging by the size of the yellow piece she's holding. For months she's been doing all types of small-sized garments to occupy her mind and free time, and by now they could dress a whole town.

The moment she notices him and looks up, Peeta turns the lights off.

"What are you doing?" Tone telling him her frown it's even deeper now.

His answer comes in the form of him gently scooping her from the bed, "taking you two to see a surprise."

"Peeta I'm not looking forward to seeing the floor, turn on the lights, you're going to drop us all." She's clinging to him now, knowing well her full weight, precious baby bump included, are in utter safety in his arms. The years she was steadily taken care of in their hold could prove It.

That makes him chuckle, the rumble on his chest a feeling too familiar. She wants to stay annoyed but her body, the betrayer that it is, instantly relaxes towards his stable warmth.

"Alright, close your eyes."

"I don't know if you noticed yet…" she gestures in the air, "it's already pitch-black." She tries to state the matter-of-fact information with a brisk voice, but by the last word, her hand is back on his shoulder.

So Peeta, as best as he can, presses his forehead on hers. "My love, close your eyes please." He can feel the sigh she lets out against his face, and he's sure she can feel how that only served to amplify his grin.

"They're closed now, but I could be lying, and you wouldn't even know," she mumbled defeatedly.

The sound of his steps, so distracting for hunting, grew to be the kind of noise Katniss is most fond of in their home. The comforting signal that her husband was nearby. And said noise takes her to the faintest smell of paint. Their child's room.

"You can open them now."

There's no complete darkness when Katniss does as she was told to. Diminutive spots are carefully placed everywhere and they timidly shine, like fractionated versions of the sun that mirrors on the lake's surface.

As her eyes take in and get gradually used to it, Peeta slowly walks closer for further inspection so she can make more sense of the dots. The little bright circles have shapes, it's too delicate and detailed, he must've used one of those thin brushes to make this frizzy at the edges. And it's when it hits Katniss.

Dandelion seeds.

Dispersing as if they were being blown away by the wind, twirling in pretty, fluid patterns, going up to their child sky to take the place of stars. Forming constellations that seemed to be dancing just like the fireflies that accompany cicadas and dragonflies in the summertime.

"It's luminescent paint, it absorbs light so it can look like this when there's none," he says smiling, cheek pressed against her loose hair. "But I think it looks the brightest after getting exposed to natural light."

"Their last glimpse before falling asleep." She softly blurts out in awe, and as tears are threatening to spill over the edge; she manages to release a "thank you," right by the side of his neck, her best-loved hiding place.

"Katniss just a few more days until we can see them, my love" Peeta whispers against the crown of her head, squeezing her a little tighter, his endless effort to make her lighter.

The last thing Peeta remembers from that night is blurry, a mixture of them going back to bed, the slight dampness from the tears on the nightshirt his wife was grasping. The soft sounds of Katniss humming herself to calmness.

The first thing Peeta remembers from the next morning is clear as that first day of spring. It sent him running to bring Mrs. Everdeen. To help them finally welcome the permanent visit they couldn't wait any longer to receive.

[saltywithsarcasm]

I’m writing a compilation of the Straw Hats touching Sanji’s hair and the first Chapter is him and Usopp, bonding over hair care.

Let know who you want next.

Usopp yawns and stretches as he walks to the bathroom in the morning, still groggy from sleep. He pushes open the door and sees Sanji already at the sink, brushing his hair. Usopp blinks a few times, trying to wake up fully and gives a small nod to Sanji before starting his own morning routine.

The snipper has to take particular care of his curly hair every morning. He starts by gently detangling it with a wide-tooth comb to avoid breakage. Then, he applies a generous amount of leave-in conditioner to keep his curls hydrated and defined. After that, he uses a bit of oil to lock in the moisture and give his hair a healthy shine. It’s a meticulous process but he knows it's worth it to keep his curls looking their best.

As he starts carefully working through his own hair, he glances over to the sink where Sanji is standing. He notices the array of hair products lined up neatly beside the cook. Sanji's collection includes high-quality shampoos, conditioners and a variety of styling creams. Usopp can't help but to admire how the cook’s hair always looks so healthy and soft. Usopp feels a blush creeping up his cheeks as he watches Sanji's hair gleam under the bathroom light, feeling a bit envious of how effortlessly smooth and soft it looks. The thought of asking to touch it crosses his mind but he quickly shakes his head, embarrassed by the idea. He fidgets with his own curls, trying to push the thought away but the curiosity lingers, making him feel awkward and self-conscious.

Sanji begins to trim his facial hair with a steady hand, focusing on getting the lines just right and as he glances in the mirror, he notices Usopp's fidgeting behavior. Usopp seems unusually restless, tugging at his curls and avoiding eye contact. Sanji pauses, lowering the trimmer and turns to face Usopp.

“Hey, you alright there?” Usopp's eyes widen slightly as Sanji addresses him and he feels his face heat up.

“Y-Yeah, I'm fine.” He stammers, quickly looking down at his brush and scrambles to continue brushing his hair, his movements a bit more hurried and clumsy than before, hoping the man doesn't notice his embarrassment.

“Usopp.” Sanji raises a brow, clearly not buying his answer and leans against the sink, crossing his arms. “What's bothering you?”

“I think you have pretty hair.” Usopp admits, still fidgeting with his comb.

Sanji's eyes widen in surprise, caught off guard by the compliment then a warm smile spreads across his face.

“Well, thanks. You have pretty hair too.” Both men smile at each other, sharing a brief moment of mutual appreciation before continuing their morning routine. As Usopp busies himself with his hair, he can't shake the silent bafflement. Sanji, of all people, had just complimented him, another man. The sincerity in his words takes a moment to sink in, leaving Usopp with a surprising wave of pride he hadn't anticipated.

He still wants to touch Sanji’s hair though. Usopp's eyes dart around as he thinks quickly.

“Hey, Sanji, did you change your shampoo or something?” He asks, trying to sound nonchalant and reaches out to touch his hair, pretending to examine it closely. “It looks different today.”

“Hm?” Sanji glances at him in the mirror, noticing the hand touching his hair then back at Usopp and without a word, he returns to finish up his shaving, seemingly unbothered by the interruption. “Nami let me try some of her shampoo she picked up from the last island.”

“It looks very soft.” Usopp notices how fluffy the cook’s hair is and catches a whiff of citrus, which doesn’t surprise him because it’s Nami’s. “I’m jealous.”

“My hair isn’t as nicely maintained as yours.” Sanji muses, setting the razor down and picking up a rag to wipe his face then notices Usopp's hand still lingering in his hair, clearly fascinated by it. A slight blush creeps onto his face but he leans his head forward a bit, offering silent permission for him to continue playing with his hair. Usopp absentmindedly runs his fingers through his hair but then it hits him that he might be overstepping and quickly pulls his hands away, offering an apology. “It’s whatever, I don’t mind.”

“You can touch my hair if you want.” Usopp offers, feeling a bit awkward after pulling his hands away. “Might need help reaching the back with the oil since it’s gotten longer than I’m used to.”

Sanji pauses for a moment, knowing how much effort Usopp puts into his hair and worries he might mess it up since he has no experience with his hair type.

“Are you sure? What if I mess up?” Sanji asks hesitantly, wiping his hands off as he takes the comb from him.

“Best way to learn is from hands on experience.”

Brook walks into the bathroom some time later and finds Sanji standing over Usopp, carefully combing his hair. The blonde is deeply focused, adding oil to their friend's hair with a meticulous touch and can't help but chuckle at the sweet gesture.

“Mind doing my hair next?”

[windvexer]

Hello! I hope you're having a good day! Feel free to ignore this ask, I just haven't been able to figure out anything myself looking into this.

I have alexithymia, which basically means I can't register my feelings, or vibes in or around me, or do the empathy thing, etc. I can't even register the feeling of tired. Total head blindness. Whiiiiiiich hasn't worked out too great for me trying to get into witchcraft because so much of it is about feeling what you're doing (Energy work is a great example of something I can't imagine working for me in any traditional way) (Visualization is a weird gray area). I haven't really been able to find anything within the realm of witchcraft that comfortably excludes any need to feel. Do you have any suggestions for things that might suit this kind of thing well? (if it matters what I'm interested in, really I just want to explore everything I can to find what suits me) Thank you and I hope you're having a lovely day/night!

Good evening, Anon. I'm not understanding your question, so I think there must necessarily be a disconnect between what terms we're using.

Google is telling me that alexithymia is a disconnection from feeling or recognizing emotions. But the practice of witchcraft, including sensing and perceiving spirits and energies, isn't necessarily emotional.

For example, you describe not being able to imagine doing energy work. But I have been doing energy work for years, and I don't recognize it as being an experience contingent on emotional sensitivity.

If I wanted to raise (let's say) fire energy, I might use a variety of techniques - like growing energy tendrils, accessing/imagining/believing that I am connecting to a source of elemental fire, and using breathing techniques to draw fire energy within myself.

None of these things are related to emotional experience. While I do sometimes experience vibrating/buzzing sensations on my body where the energy moves, I don't always - and experiencing those things isn't necessary for the exercise to have worked.

If you're saying that you've already been trying lots of energy work and you just aren't experiencing physical sensations of energy work, that is IME unrelated to experiencing emotions, and that is something that can take time and experience to unlock (or, there could be many reasons why a person actually working with energy doesn't feel specific physical sensations).

As I work spells and rituals, I sometimes feel frustrated, tired, bored, or whatever - but these disconnected emotions are unrelated to the experience of heavy air, spontaneous visualizations, clairaudience, and so on.

It seems to me that some wires have been crossed about the experiential nature of witchcraft being focused around feeling emotions. The emotional experience can be an important aspect of witchcraft, but it's not as if being in tune with your emotions is prerequisite for charging a candle or talking to spirits.

One way to think about this from a technique standpoint is that emotions are a vehicle which can carry information back and forth between you and the otherworlds.

So, you can receive emotions as a way to pick up on extrasensory information; you can also package information inside of emotions and send them outwards.

But emotions aren't the only vehicle available. You can focus on other methods of sending and receiving information, and it's probably best to start with whatever ways you already prefer to process information.

I'm a very wordy person, so it's easy for me to send and receive information through words. Instead of ~feeling fire energy~ I can breathe focus into a statement, like "I collect Fire from the air around me."

I'm also a visual thinker, so instead of feeling that a spirit is nearby, I may see a flash of them in my mind's eye.

And more often than not, I don't really feel anything during a spell at all, except for a random headache and sudden carb lust that onsets a couple of minutes after the spell ends.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but I'm not exactly seeing the connection between being aware of of your own emotions and practicing witchcraft.

[crystaltoa]

If I may ask. Your headcanons what kind of food and dishes the turaga like best? (Remembered the post discussing and being silly about the turaga realizing that they and the matoran have to eat food on Mata Nui. It was probably also an adventure when they figured out how to prepare it to make it taste better / able to be eaten at all.)

Hmm...

A lot of this depends on whether you assume Matoran's nutritional needs are at all similar to humans, or quite different, or whether they consume food for energy and nothing else. I'm kind of going with the latter but assuming they still can taste their food.

I've kind of made it a bit about the villages in general since what the Matoran have access to is going to influence what the Turaga eats and vice versa, hope that's okay.

Some general notes first:

Crops and orchards do not appear to be a thing on the island of Mata Nui. Each village has a single Vuata Maca tree, and some villages also had access to Bula berries, both of which are high energy fruits. Other foraged fruit and vegetables are on the menu, but grain-based foods are likely out.

Some of the foods I mention here would typically be made with a flour in our world. but since grains aren't really a thing, you can imagine it would be made from something like ground up nuts, tubers, or maybe even something like tree bark.

That said, despite not exactly farming the land, the Matoran on the island did try to maintain the health of the "natural" environment, for example, volcanic soil from the lava farms was used to improve the health of Le-Wahi's forests.

Two real life plants with edible parts are confirmed to be found on the island: Bamboo, which has edible shoots, and the harakeke, which has nectar used for flavouring. I'm also going to include seaweed in this category.

Matoran don't seem to eat meat apart from fish. In fact, the Skakdi mostly eat meat just to intimidate people from other cultures and they don't require it from a nutritional standpoint. Kualus was also alarmed and disgusted by the existence of predatory bird Rahi, so... Matoran seem to have a different view of what is or is not food than most human cultures. If you want to give them a bit more variety, perhaps there are shellfish, molluscs, or arthropods that they might also eat.

Terms that originate in cooking (baked, boiled, friedetc) are often thrown around in other contexts, but it implies that Matoran are familiar with them as cooking practices

Ga-Koro: Fish is going to be a big part of the diet. Nokama may have developed a taste and skill for hunting them as a Toa Hordika. I doubt that food poisoning is an issue for Matoran given how energy absorbtion works for them, so fish doesn't technically need to be cooked. However, cooking them for improved flavour or texture may have developed over time, though Nokama herself still prefers sashimi. I imagine Ga-Matoran have also experimented with sauces and marinades (including the harakeke nectar), and have derived a number of spices from aquatic and waterside plants. In the absence of refrigerators, they have probably developed a number of preservation techniques (pickling, drying, etc) that are largely used for trading fish to other villages, especially during spring-summer when the fish spoils more quickly (they may not get food poisoning but nobody wants fish that smells and tastes rotten!).

Ta-Koro: I headcanon that Vakama loves spicy food, and prefers meals that most people would consider slightly overcooked. Ta-Matoran in general probably like stews, curries and soups as well, even in summer, as they love the heat and aren't bothered by having a cooking pot going all day in their hut. I think they would also have invented various types of tea, some of which may have slight medicinal properties.

Po-Koro: Pie is mentioned in MNOG in Po-Koro, so I'm going to take that as canon. These could be made with fruit, root vegetables, or even fish when they can get it. I also think Po-Matoran, and especially Onewa, like a lot of salt on their food (interpret that any way you want) Maybe they even add other ground up minerals for flavour as well in lieu of herbs and spices. I think it's fair to say Onewa's favourite pie recipe wouldn't be considered tasty or edible by human standards.

Onu-Koro: Headcanon territory here, but I'm going to make this the one exception to the no farming rule. I like to think they grow a lot of root vegetables on the surface but mostly harvest them from below the ground, meaning the plants are almost never uprooted for harvesting, and some of the tuber root systems grow absolutely enormous. Cooking below ground has the obvious problem of smoke, which could be dangerous without good ventilation, so I like to think that quite often high-power heatstones are used to fry, boil and perhaps bake their food instead. Like Ta-Koro, they like their stews and curries all year round since the underground village is less vulnerable to the summer heat. I also think of the Turaga, Whenua is one of the most adventurous in terms of figuring out what is and is not edible. Some varieties of organic beetle grubs have made it into the Onu-Matoran diet as a result, though most of his culinary experiments don't really catch on. He does not trust mushrooms, and refuses to say why.

Le-Koro: Fruit is the big one here, with a lot of foraged fruit, berries and nuts making up a large part of the diet. Being the most energetic of the island's Matoran, most Le-Matoran love sugar, and anything they can use to make food sweeter is highly sought after. Marinating fruit in nectar, honey or juice is common. They even sweeten traditionally savoury foods like fish. If sugarcane exists on the island, they would be coating absolutely everything in raw sugar. Matau, while not as adventurous as Whenua, has tried a few interesting food experiments in his time, though most meals he eats are a fruit or berry salad with some kind of sweet flavour enhancer. He will not comment on the mushrooms.

Ko-Koro: Ko-Matoran tend to eat a lot less than other Matoran as their lifestyle is all about conserving their energy for things that really matter. Many of them live off the odd Vuata Maca fruit from the village's tree and don't feel the need for anything more exciting. A lot of their other food comes from trade, and they keep the traded goods in large storehouses as Ko-Koro often becomes inaccessible to other villages for weeks at a time in the winter. Cooking is not terribly popular, but smoked fish and marinated fruit obtained from other villages are well liked by many Ko-Matoran. Traders visiting Ko-Koro often have the problem of their wares, such as fruit juices, freezing solid during the trek up the mountain. Turns out many Ko-Matoran like their food frozen, however, so vessels similar to popsicle molds are used by some traders to take advantage of this. Nuju is a little different and has been known to try things that the local bird rahi recommend and bring him. So far the seeds are his favourite, and the fish was okay, but it was a hard pass on the mice and the worms.