#Idk we’ll see. But!! I intend on making this work.

[idontmindifuforgetme]

reminding myself on this busy morning that i also have dreams of taking piano lessons & singing lessons & also honing my writing skills & absorbing as many books as i used to when i was a kid & at the very least taking up cute tennis dates & dabbling into art & just becoming an artistic generalist. also reminding myself that there are pre-meds out there who managed to pursue something they’re passionate in (some are even professional athletes) & still excelled in medicine & if they can do it so can I

[starclancy]

can I perhaps see a jealous monster trio?? I don’t know in what context, but I’d love to see it! 😌💖

YES. Ty for this amazing ask 💋💋💋 (ps i love when you guys say perhaps idk why but it makes me giggle)

~ Jelous Monster Trio ~

PAIRING: Fem!Reader/Jelous!MonsterTrio

CONTENTS: 💘 - jelousy

WORDCOUNT: 1506

Request status: Open

Luffy ~

You were sitting at the edge of the Thousand Sunny, dangling your feet over the water, chatting with Law. The two of you were discussing strategies for your upcoming journey, nothing particularly personal, but the energy between you and Law seemed... comfortable.

Luffy, perched atop the figurehead, watched the exchange with a frown. His signature grin was nowhere to be found.

“Oi, Y/N!” Luffy shouted, leaping down and landing with a thud beside you. “What’s taking so long? I’m bored!” His arms crossed, and his usual sunny demeanor was clouded.

“Oh, Luffy, we’re just planning,” you explained with a soft smile. “We’ll be done soon.”

But Luffy was already tugging at your arm. “Planning’s boring. Let’s go eat meat!” His voice was unusually loud, his eyes darting to Law as if challenging him.

Law smirked, clearly noticing the tension. “I don’t mind waiting if Captain Straw Hat needs her attention.”

“No! She’s my crew, so she doesn’t need to plan with you!” Luffy’s voice boomed, and he puffed his chest out. “Y/N’s my crewmate… my treasure!”

You blinked in surprise. Luffy rarely got possessive, but there was no mistaking his tone.

“Luffy,” you began, placing a hand on his arm. “You know you’re my captain, right? No one could replace you.”

At that, his grin returned, as wide as the Grand Line. He grabbed your hand, dragging you away. “Good! Now let’s eat before he tries to steal you!”

Law chuckled behind you, and you couldn’t help but laugh too. Luffy might have been a little clueless about jealousy, but his protectiveness was undeniably endearing.

Zoro ~

The weight room on the Sunny was bustling. You were spotting Usopp as he tried to bench press a moderate load, his face red with effort.

Zoro entered, his katana strapped to his side, intending to get in his evening workout. His sharp eyes immediately zeroed in on the scene. You were laughing, leaning close to Usopp to give him pointers, and it set Zoro’s jaw.

“Oi,” Zoro called out, his tone low but firm. “Usopp, aren’t you supposed to be working on your aim or something?”

Usopp looked up, startled. “Uh, yeah, but Y/N’s helping me build my upper body strength. Isn’t that right, Y/N?”

You nodded enthusiastically. “He’s making great progress!”

Zoro’s frown deepened, and he crossed his arms. “Tch. You’re wasting your time. Strength like his isn’t gonna matter if he can’t dodge.”

“Hey, I’m right here!” Usopp protested, but Zoro’s intense gaze was locked on you.

“Y/N,” Zoro said, his voice softer, almost intimate, “come help me train instead. You know how to handle a sword better than him.”

There was no arguing with Zoro when he was like this. As you walked over to him, you caught the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. Zoro didn’t say much, but his actions spoke volumes. You were his, and he wasn’t about to share your attention.

Sanji ~

You were sitting in the Sunny’s galley with Franky, admiring one of his latest inventions. The two of you were leaning close, inspecting the mechanics, when Sanji walked in with a tray of freshly baked cookies.

“Y/N-swannnn~! I made these for you!” Sanji sang, but his eyes narrowed when he noticed how close you were to Franky.

“Oh, thanks, Sanji!” you said, reaching for a cookie, but Sanji held the tray just out of reach.

“Not so fast,” he said, his usual charm taking on an edge. “Franky, don’t you have some cola to replenish? This is a delicate moment between me and my darling Y/N.”

Franky raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “Relax, curly-brow. We’re just talking.”

“Talking?” Sanji repeated, his voice rising slightly. “Forgive me if I find it hard to believe when you’re practically breathing down her neck!”

“Sanji!” you scolded, though you couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Sanji placed the tray down and knelt beside you, taking your hand dramatically. “Y/N, my sweet flower, don’t waste your brilliance on brutes who can’t appreciate you. I’ll make you something far more exciting than inventions—how about a dessert as divine as you?”

Franky rolled his eyes, leaving the galley with a chuckle, but Sanji stayed by your side for the rest of the evening, basking in your attention and ensuring no one else dared interrupt.

[sufferingsokkatash]

THAT famous zukka hug in the atla north and south comic : an essay you did not need, by me.

i was thinking about how, in writing, there should be no accidents or coincidences in how and why something is described, or the detail the writer chooses to use. for example, zuko tapping his hand on his desk would be used to show that he is impatient or anxious about something.

so THEN i decided to apply this to the zukka hug, because why not be delulu about these things idk.

first of all, here are the zukka hug pages for context:

disclaimer: i don’t really know how the fandom feels about the comics. personally i like them, so i will proceed with that bias in mind. also please take this with the humour that is intended, it’s more fun that way.

i go down a sabre tooth moose lion hole below the cut.

this whole scene to me is largely what we all love about atla - humour and good characterisation combined with serious subject matter. king kuei and bosco are the comic relief and oblivious party in the face of quite a complicated issue, as zuko himself acknowledges. this humour then extends to kuei offering zuko the chance to join in on his hug with bosco, which zuko politely refuses. obviously, there is the clear issue of zuko being afraid of being eaten by a bear, but we’ll pretend that ernest hemingway is grading our papers here, okay.

it is a very deliberate writing choice and contrast to have zuko refuse hugs from one person/animal and then immediately and happily accept one from sokka. (see also: sokka running excitedly with a big grin on his face at the bottom of page 17 to greet them, naming zuko first, but remembering that he is a good ambassador to the swt and using their proper titles despite his excitement. more silliness mixed with seriousness. see also, also: HE RAAAAAN!) zuko may be touch averse and not a huggy person, but screw that when it’s sokka who’s offering the hug.

remember there are no accidents in good writing. kuei happily says: hello friends! to which, in both that panel and the next, he is clearly ignored. sokka and zuko are so absorbed in hugging each other that sokka neglects his duties in welcoming them both properly. zuko : 2 swt ambassador role: 0. also ignored is the fact that kuei brought his bear, which would normally be subject to some kind of smartass comment from our boomerang boi, even if he knows he’s obsessed with his pet from the ba sing se episodes.

this could be an actual mistake, but sokka ran towards zuko, who was standing in front of kuei. but in the hug panel, sokka is between them. that means kuei walked all the way around them trying to get their attention, and it still didn’t work. sokka, nor zuko, say a further word to kuei. like exactly how much tunnel vision is there in this, my goddddd.

bosco is protecting kuei and sokka is protecting zuko. could be why they mirrored them and their positions in the hug panel, so not a mistake. a swt person says: protecting foreigners, sokka?! but that is exactly what he does by ignoring the protesters and telling zuko not to worry about them. despite wanting to do his duty to everyone sokka puts zuko first, basically, and doesn’t care about what they all think of him. that’s kind of huge for sokka.

yes, hakoda is injured at this time and yes he’s proud of sokka, but surely as chief he would have gone to meet the earth king and firelord? why did the writers go to so much effort making sure that sokka was there to meet zuko and have them hugging take up a third of an entire page when printing and space in the comics is such a consideration? it is clearly important, y’all.

their faces when they see each other. sokka can’t stop grinning and zuko closes his eyes in relief he’s so happy. enough said.

sokka says: thanks so much for coming! like he doesn’t already know zuko would travel the world just to make him happy or help in what’s important to him. have you forgotten boiling rock, sokka? because that dude you’re wrapped around, acting like he’s been starved of you, sure hasn’t.

this comic is all about nations coming together and traditions being upheld and shared. in other words, marry him sokka. it is in your diplomatic interests to do so.

in utterly insane conclusion:

i am always surprised at how much they made the effort in the writing for this one scene. i don’t see the comics as something that tease ships, they aren’t natla. what i do see is two guys who clearly care about each other, almost to the detriment of their roles and responsibilities, and their relationship was worth the effort taken in the writing and artwork to show that. it is super heckin sweet. does this mean i think zukka is canon or could be? no. maybe did i have fun pretending and overanalyzing every detail? yes.

ps in all seriousness, the answer is that this is about my fav boy and how far he has come in his character growth journey - exhibit a from ‘the avatar returns’ episode:

the end, i am getting blocked and going to jail but it’s okay because zukka is my bosco hug.

[survivalove]

debunking lies zutara shippers say about the atla creators & writers

disclaimer: this is in no way an endorsement or defense of bryke or anyone mentioned. literally just debunking false statements i see spread throughout and outside the fandom as it pertains to kataang

1. that bryke made kataang endgame because the nice guy should get the girl

this is something I see often usually linked with this video of a man ⬇️ who they claim to be bryan/mike echoing this sentiment.

this man is in fact john o’bryan, one of the three known zk shippers in the writers’ room (we’ll expand on this in point 5) talking about how he saw aang. not the creators. so of course it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he doesn’t even like kataang in the first place.

2. that bryke made kataang endgame last minute and zutara was the original pairing

bryan and mike (notice how i’m using both of their names separately. this too will be important in the next point) have talked about how kataang was planned since they originally wrote the show.

they have also talked ad nauseam in a video (which I will not share here cuz it made a lot of ppl angry) about why they do not like zutara and its shippers, so this entire point is bogus.

++ the reason why they say zk was the original pairing is because of one of the zk writers (joshua hamilton) wrote this in the atla fun facts that used to run on tv. (we’ll get into him later) those atla fun facts contain a lot of inaccurate/non canon “facts” which you can check and verify on avatar wiki if you know what i’m talking about.

3. that aang is bryke’s self insert (specifically mike)

yeah, here’s where the separation becomes important. bryan (L) and mike (R) are two different men. mike has never said that aang was his self-insert, nor has he directly talked about relating to aang. bryan, however, constantly talks about how much he relates to zuko. even, going as far to say he tries to think like zuko when he writes characters and shows.

the only time mike has come close to saying he relates to aang is when dante said he thinks mike is more like aang while bryan is more like zuko, and they, mostly bryan, agreed. (mike has actually said he relates to korra more than aang but hey) bryan also is the one who drew mike’s beard on adult aang because he considered it a nice reference to his friend. this is the main reason why shippers ran with that self-insert narrative because half the time, they think bryke is actually one person ☠️

++ in fact, aang’s original character design is based off the mixed black-chinese son of sifu kisu

4. that atla was supposed to have a season 4 where katara and zuko got together

this is mostly something that has come out of a fabricated interview by the head writer, aaron ehasz. he was allegedly asked what he would have liked to do if given the chance to write a fourth season of the show and talked about an azula redemption arc among other things. zutaras then made up a whole fake interview including that he wanted to make the two characters endgame.

ehasz then came out to say that most of these “interviews” were faked and that he has never talked about having a preference for any ship. if you go on his twitter, you will see him talking about an azula redemption arc tho.

as for atla having a 4th season at all, it was never intended. the creators, the music composers have all said at various points in time, the show was written and pitched as three seasons, three elements.

5. that most of the other writers shipped zutara and bryke’s authoritarianism shut it down

as I said above, only three writers on the original show have come out to say they preferred zk at some point. atla has had a total of 21 staff writers. 3 out of 21 is not most if you ask me.

as for bryke (yes now i’m using the shorthand cuz i proved my point earlier) being authoritarians, no writer or staff that has worked with them on the show has said this so…? idk where that came from but i’m not here to back them up just mention facts.

6. that all the women who worked on the franchise shipped zutara while only men shipped kataang

atla has very few female staff as it is:

5 writers (elizabeth welch: zk; others: unknown)

1 director (unknown)

5 storyboard/character artists (lauren montgomery: ka; elsa garagarza: ka; angela song mueller: zk; others: unknown)

1 comic writer (faith erin hicks: ka)

2 comic artists (gurihiru: ka)

++ mae whitman (katara’s voice actress) has expressed her like for both ships throughout the years.

so i’m not sure what defines all and only for some ppl but those definitions are not in my dictionary. disclaimer: i’m not declaring anyone here as a shipper in any official sense. this is just based off statements they have made that you can google!

7. that katara is written poorly in post-atla content because of kataang/bryke

I mean the first part isn’t really a lie, more of an opinion which I can agree with to an extent.

why I mention this here is because zks will not only go on a tangent and link the misogyny in the writing to a m/f ship and say the other m/f ship would have been more feminist…

but they also refuse to hold all the men involved accountable. like I said, 3 known atla writers shipped zk and 2 of them (joshua & john) were men (who would’ve thought men could like a ship and it could still be considered feminist 😃). they were also 2 out of only 4 atla writers that came back for legend of korra, outside of the creators. (19 to 4 ☠️ no comment). these shippers very well know this and instead of holding these men accountable for the misogynistic writing, they instead brag about them shipping it and ask them about zk whenever they have the chance.

another example is gene luen yang, a comic writer who again shipped zk (another man GASPPPPP) responsible for the first 5 comic books. everyone knows his comics suck in terms of characterization, particularly katara’s. in fact zutaras have made multiple threads on how poor the writing is. funnily enough, they always fail to mention that gly was the script writer or acknowledge his part in this mischaracterization, while bragging about him shipping zk in other posts. ironic.

meanwhile, bryke have never offered writers’ commentary on any of gly’s comics besides the search - mike (because they were mostly writing legend of korra during his run.)

basically these shippers don’t care about misogyny or holding male writers accountable if they ship zk which is funny because I thought it was… for the female gaze? why are you hyping men shipping it anyway? confusion.

[peakyltd]

New Endings - Part 3

Part 3 | Tommy Shelby x reader

A/N: Well this is posted later than I intended but I was struggling with this one and after working a little bit too long on it, idk what to think of it anymore 🥲 Anyway, I hope you'll still like it!

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of injuries, mentions of domestic violence/abuse.

Word count: 5.4k

MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS PART | NEXT PART

Tommy held his aunt's displeased gaze, if her angry tone didn't already gave away how she felt, her eyes would for sure. "Did you forgot who her fiancé is? Who says we can trust her?"

"It's (Y/N), Pol." Tommy's toneless voice objected, not impressed by Polly's words. "You think people won't change? It’s our company that’s connected to the house, it’ll become a fucking target." She confuted.

Tommy had gathered Polly, Arthur, John and Michael for a family meeting in his office in Arrow House. He had enlightened them on the new situation and found details about David. Much doubt arose when he announced that (Y/N) stayed at the old family home, mostly from Polly who questioned her intentions or that from her fiancé.

“Ah c’mon Pol, d'you really think she’d try anythin'?” John turned in his chair to look at his aunt, his eyebrows furrowed. Not believing (Y/N) would have any intentions to screw them over.

“She won’t.” Tommy interrupted them as he leant back in his chair. He hadn't expect the backlash he just received, assuming they would all just accept it. The words of his aunt lingered in his head, maybe he was taking a risk but at the same time he didn’t believe (Y/N) would go against him. Not in the state he had found her in.

“She stays there. I’ll find her a home in the meantime.” He looked at each of his family members, a dominant look in his eyes, a sign that there was no room for negotiation. Something that didn’t work well on Polly. “You’re blinded, Thomas. Remember how it worked out for you the last time.”

Tommy clenched his jaw at her remark, annoyed that she brought up his late wife and the way she had lied to him. Despite the betrayal it didn’t stop him from loving her and forgiving her. Something Polly never did.

“I’m helping her so that bastard doesn’t kill her.”

Michael cleared his throat, the tension between Polly and Tommy was clearly palpable and it made him feel uncomfortable. “With who is David involved with?” He wondered, recalling the information Tommy gave them earlier. “I don’t know yet.”

“We’ll keep an eye on that bloody bastard, right Tom?” Arthur looked at his younger brother, showing him that he got his back. “We do.”

Polly shook her head. “Isn’t this place big enough?" She referred to Arrow House. "You have plenty of space for a guest.”

“She felt safe at Watery Lane.” Tommy directed his attention back to his aunt. Polly narrowed her eyes. “That’s what she tells you.”

Tommy sighed as he kept his gaze on her. “Thank you all for coming.” His brothers and cousin got up to leave the office together, unlike Polly, who remained in her chair with her arms crossed.

“You’re dismissed Pol, free to go.” He bossed her while he put his glasses on his nose and took a folder with documents from his desk.

“You wouldn’t let her stay here, do you?” Polly sneered at him. He looked up over his glasses. “I wouldn’t want to give off the wrong ideas now, do I?”

A humorless laugh fell off her lips. “Please, Thomas don’t-“ Tommy slammed the folder on the desk, making Polly slightly jump at the sudden noise. “Listen to me, eh?! She's no bad news. We’ll go see her tomorrow and you’ll see with your own bloody eyes what happened. I’m not fucking stupid Pol.”

Polly let the silence after Tommy's finished sentence surround them for a moment as she stood up. She walked over to his desk and leaned over it, pointing her finger in his face. “You don’t realize what you got yourself into.” Her eyes were boring into his, showing him that she meant it.

Rays of sunlight streamed trough the small gaps of the curtain, touching (Y/N)'s face in a kind way. The soft light slowly awoke her from her peaceful rest. She snuggled into the blanket as she opened her eyes, carefully taking in her surroundings. Her mind took her back to the events of the day before, just like it did during the night until exhaustion took her into it's arms and gave her the rest she so desperately needed.

The room felt safe and if she could, she would lock herself in there so she didn't have to worry about anyone. Unfortunately things weren't that easy and she had to prepare herself for her new future, something new and unknown.

She sat up and put the pillow against the metal bedframe. While she got comfortable, she looked around the room. It was exactly how she remembered it, the flower pattern on the wallpaper, the chair next to the bedside table and the tapestry that hung next to the bed. It was as if the younger versions of both her and Tommy could walk trough the door at any moment. The sigh that left her mouth was slow as she reminded herself of easier times.

She got up and changed into the dress that Tommy had left for her before opening the curtains. The sky had replaced the somber grey colors for a calm blue one, clouds were dappled here and there. Golden threads of the morning sun directly shined into the bedroom, a smile tugged on the corners of her lips as she looked outside. It felt as if this was nature's way to tell her that she made the right decision. Or well, she would like to believe it was.

She turned away from the window and left the room to make her way downstairs where she got herself a cup of tea. The kitchen didn't offer her the same safe feeling as Tommy's bedroom did, making her feel like some kind of intruder in a place where she shouldn't be.

She looked up at the clock on the wall, no idea on what to do next. Her belongings were not with her, she didn't dare to set a foot outside and she didn't know when or if Tommy came back today.

The sound of footsteps made her snap out of her thoughts as her heartbeat exceeded. "Good morning, love."

"Polly..." She breathed out the visitors name while she tried to keep her composure, knowing her voice had probably betrayed her already. She hadn't expect to see Tommy's aunt, at least not yet. "Good morning."

"It's been a while." The dark haired woman looked at her as a small smile played on her lips. While she eyed the younger woman in front of her, she let Tommy's words play trough her head again. He was convinced that they could trust (Y/N) however there was something that didn't sat right with her.

"It is." (Y/N) returned a small smile. "Would you like some tea? I just made some." She asked Polly, her hands trembled slightly while she put her cup on the table.

"I'll get it myself." Polly answered before taking off her coat and hanging it on the rack. "How have you been?"

"Well..." She let her hands rest on the back of a chair that stood by the table. "I'm alright."

"Alright?" Polly filled a cup and turned to face her. "If you were alright, I don't think you would be here." She pointed out while she sat down at the table. "I-"

"Please take a seat." Polly interrupted her, directing her with her eyes. Her gaze did not leave the woman in front of her until she sat down. "I heard you were engaged."

"I am. For a while actually." (Y/N) confirmed while she twisted the ring around her finger. She felt her palms getting sweaty, unable to tell why she felt so nervous all of sudden. Polly had always been good to her and they got along from the moment they had met.

Polly sipped on her tea, letting the silence linger for a while before she spoke up again. "You're living in London now?" (Y/N) nodded in response. "Yes." She wasn't able to stand the long silences Polly used after her answers. "It's been very different from what I was used to."

"Better?" The older woman asked her. (Y/N) shrugged. "In some ways."

"I think London is convenient for your fiancé's work, isn't it?" Polly's head was slightly tilted backwards as she looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, (Y/N) broke the eye contact and looked down at the table. "It is. Easier for the distribution of the car parts."

"I see." Polly noticed that the behavior of the woman in front of her was different, nothing like she had remembered. She noticed the bruises in her neck and on her arms, which she had tried to cover up with the dress she was wearing. Her confident appearance was replaced with fear and shame. "And now you're here."

(Y/N) felt Polly's gaze almost burning into her skin. Her questions made her wonder what else she knew about her life or David's. She just nodded, thinking about a way to tell her without making it too complicated for herself. "I couldn't take it anymore." Her voice was soft, almost too scared to admit it.

"Tommy told me." Polly's expression softened as she started to feel pity for her. "I didn't expect him to help me." (Y/N) dared to look up at her again as she heard a soft laugh coming from her mouth. "He's full of surprises lately."

The sound of the front door alerted both of them. She felt her body tense as she looked at the opening that led to the small hallway where a familiar man had showed up.

"Did I miss the tea party?" Tommy's low voice filled the room while he walked in, giving his aunt a stern look.

"You did." Polly shot back at him, unfazed by his attitude. "Very eager to come see her, eh?" He sneered, annoyed by the fact his aunt didn't listen to him. "I thought she'd like some company." Polly fake smiled at him, knowing exactly how to push his buttons.

Tommy took his cap off and put it on the table in front of him before sitting down. "Would you like some tea?" (Y/N) questioned, already getting up to get him some.

"No. I won't be here long." He leaned back in the chair, looking at her the way Polly did, waiting for her to sit back down. "Oh, okay." She sat back on her chair. "I guess you've already discussed a few things?" Tommy asked, referring to Polly's early visit.

"We did." Polly answered before drinking some of her tea. "Good." Tommy redirected his attention back to (Y/N). "We might have a house for you, it's not much but it's safe. You'll be able to move there in a few weeks."

"A house? Tommy..." While she was lost for words, she tried to let the new information sink in. Tommy took a wad of cash out of his pocket, shoving an amount of it, her way. "This is for food and clothes. Finn can get you some groceries." He assured her while glancing at his aunt who's dark eyes were almost burning holes into his skin. "And I'm sure Polly wouldn't mind to buy you a few dresses."

"No. No I can't take this." She pushed the money back to him. "You did enough already, I don't even know how I have to pay you back." She was taken aback by his gesture, it was way too much.

"You don't have to pay me back. Just take it." He shoved it back to her way, putting the rest of his money back in his pocket. "I know it's not the same as your belongings but this is what I can do for now."

"Oh no... Please don't worry about it. I'm... I just don't know what to say." It didn't felt right to take his money. She wasn't sure if it was because it came from Tommy or that things just went way too fast but either way it made her feel uncomfortable.

"You don't have to say anything. It's yours." He assured her while he got up, grabbing his cap off the table. (Y/N) looked up at him, shaking her head. "I can't-"

"You can." Tommy put his cap back on his head. "Can I at least invite you dinner for tonight? I can't just take it without doing anything back." She offered, it was the least she could do.

He looked at her in silence while blinking a few times. "If you insist." She nodded. "I insist. 7 PM? "

"I’ll see you tonight."

Plates were neatly put across from each other and the bottle of whiskey was already waiting to be opened. Food was almost finished and even though she was a bit late there was no need to hurry since there was still no sign of Tommy.

Knowing he was always on time, she started to worry. Maybe something had happened to him or maybe he changed his mind about the dinner. But if it was the last thing, he would’ve let her know. Right?

She cleaned her hands after she turned the stove off and peeked trough the window. The streets were pretty calm, except for a few people here and there but none of them was the one she was looking for. She decided to wait a little longer and sat down at the table, opening the book Polly had brought her, along with her new clothes and groceries.

It was a welcome distraction for the time she had to kill because much later than expected, Tommy finally entered the house.

She put her book down and looked up at him. "Is everything alright?" She asked him while he took off his cap and coat and sat down at the table. "Everything's alright." He looked at her when she gazed quickly over at the clock. "A little inconvenience at one of the factories." He added, addressing the fact why he was late.

An embarrassed feeling went trough her body when she noticed he caught her looking at the clock, not wanting to give him a feeling as if she was anxiously waiting for him. "Oh, no don't worry. I already thought that it had something to do with... business." She half lied, leaving out the fact that she was worried.

Tommy nodded as he observed her, noticing her new dress and the make up she was wearing. "I like the dress." He boldly told her, making her smile in response. "Thank you. I like it too, Polly got exactly what I wanted."

"I'm glad." He replied as he watched her get up. "You must be hungry." She assumed when she got his plate and took it to the stove. "I made roasted chicken and baked potatoes with cheese."

"It smells nice." He admitted while she put his plate back in front of him. She opened the bottle of whiskey and poured him a glass. "Thank you."

When she got herself a plate as well and had poured herself a glass of wine, she sat across from him. An uneasy feeling crept up on her, it felt weird to have dinner with him after everything that had happened. The only thing that made her feel better was that he didn't seemed as tensed as he was that morning.

"I hope you'll enjoy your meal." She politely smiled at him as she cut a piece of her chicken. "I think I will." He responded before taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Were you able to get some sleep last night?" Tommy wondered, he had noticed that she looked less exhausted than the evening prior. "Yes, a bit but enough to feel better than yesterday."

He nodded as he calmly ate his food. She eyed him carefully, becoming more aware of the things she had already seen in The Garrison. The tired look on his face and the lack of happiness in his eyes were a big contrast to what she had remembered. She thought back at the words he had said to her in the pub, their kiss and how she hit him after. She had felt a yearning to go back and undo what was done. What she did was equally as bad as the things David did.

"I'm sorry." She blurted out, earning a confused look from Tommy. "For what?"

She looked down at the table, feeling insecure under his intense stare. "Hitting you. You know... at The Garrison. After you-." She stammered, feeling stupid that she wasn't able to get out one proper sentence.

"It was very painful, y'know." He deadpanned. She looked up at him, a hint of guilt in her eyes until she realized he was joking. "I'm serious Tommy." He leant back and took a sip of his whiskey. "Me too, that ring hurts."

She parted her lips to speak up but didn't know what to say. A small smile appeared on his face. His attempts to be funny didn't gave her the chance to explain her feelings. "I felt really bad."

"Don't." He assured her, his way to ease her feelings. "You're not angry about it?" Tommy shook his head. "No, 'm not."

She was relieved that he wasn't mad about what she did although his short answers didn't gave her full satisfaction, wondering if he maybe didn't want to talk about it. While Tommy continued eating the food she made, she wondered if the silence had become a family thing since the conversation with Polly wasn't really flowing either. "So..." She awkwardly started, trying to bend the conversation into a different subject.. "How's the family been?"

"Good." He put the cutlery down. "Arthur got married, John became a father again, Ada and Finn are doing well." Her eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" She marveled with a small smile on her face. "That's great news."

"I guess it is." Tommy filled his glass with whiskey once more. His comment made her wonder what he meant but she decided to leave it. "Finn must've changed a lot."

"He did grew up, yeah."

"I remember I caught him smoking when he was just a little boy." She chuckled softly. "Probably wasn't the first and the last time." Tommy snorted lightly as the corner of his lips turned slightly upwards. He couldn't keep count on the numerous of times he had caught the young boy with a cigarette in his mouth.

(Y/N) shared a little more about her memories of the Shelby's as it seemed to be the easiest way to make a conversation with the one in front of her. While they finished their dinner and drank some more, he attentively listened to her stories.

"Well, I think I'll have to thank you for dinner, eh?" Tommy had turned his chair to look at her while she was doing the dishes. He had taken his suit jacket off, leaving him in his dress shirt and vest. "You're not staying for a drink?"

"I've already had a few." He stated as he saw how her lips turned into a smile. "I can get you a glass of water." Her witty comment made him think of the many she used to make all the time. "I'd rather not."

While she dried the last plate, she turned to look at him. "Then at least stay for one more?" She asked him. Despite their dinner starting off awkward, she ended up enjoying it and she wouldn't mind to chat a bit more. "Alright then."

Once she finished, they both moved to the small living room where they sat across from each other. The fireplace warmed the room and a few candles were spread trough the place, the flames glowing on their faces.

"The whole house is exactly like I remember it." She giggled, the wine had given her a little more confidence but also helped her to feel at ease. Tommy looked around, nodding his head slowly. "Not much has changed."

"It's weird to think about how it looks like time stood still while everyone's lives has changed so much." She concluded as her eyes fell on a picture of the three brothers, Tommy was no older than 19. Tommy's gaze moved to the picture before looking at her. "Everyone's lives or our lives?"

(Y/N) turned her head to meet his eyes and shrugged, not expecting his question as it seemed he wanted to keep a distance in every conversation that night. "Both, maybe." Tommy swirled his whiskey in his glass. "Do you think you'd be still living around here, if you didn't meet David?"

She thought about his question. "Maybe, yes. I don't think London is where I belong." She pulled her knees up and let her legs rest on the sofa she was sitting on. "It's too busy, I guess. The people are different as well."

"How did you meet him?" Tommy asked while he leaned his arms on the chair, curious about how she met him. "At a party, in a club. Also in London." She took a sip of her wine. "A friend invited me. He was there with a group of his friends and he came to the rescue when some Italian was bothering me." She smiled at the memory. "We hit it off pretty well and it turned out the Italian was friend of his who had a few too many drinks."

Tommy nodded once more, replaying the words in his head. This could be information that would help him find the missing link he was looking for, it confirmed his suspicion.

"For how long have you been engaged now?" He continued asking about her relationship. "6 months. He promised he'd do better so I said yes."

"But he didn't." He concluded. "No." She looked at the fireplace as she thought about the past few years. "For how long have you been married?"

"A few months." (Y/N) saw Tommy's eyes change, although his expression remained the same. "Did you love her?"

"I did." He sighed after he finished his whiskey. "Yeah.."

"I'm sorry Tommy." She immediately apologized. She didn't want her curiosity to be the reason behind a ruined night as it appeared to be a sensitive topic. He shook his head, his eyes finding hers again. "No, it's okay."

They both remained silent, thinking about their lives and how things could've ended so differently. (Y/N) decided to get up and get herself another glass of wine. She passed the chair where Tommy was sitting and gently took the glass out of his hand. Their fingers touched briefly, sending a kind of warm sensation trough his body. He looked up at her, her eyes meeting his as they locked their gaze for a moment. His electric blue eyes stared directly into hers, just like they had done many times before. A familiar feeling found it's way in her stomach before she looked away. "I'm- I'll get you a new one." She mumbled before making her way to the kitchen.

Her heart was beating faster as she leaned against the counter, not fully understanding what her body tried to tell her. While she took the time to get herself together, she decided to just blame it on the alcohol.

When she returned with their drinks, she found him smoking in his chair while he let his head rest on his other hand. His eyes were staring at the table. She stopped in front of him, getting his attention as he looked up. “Are you okay?” She asked before handing him his glass.

He blew smoke out of his mouth while he sat up. “I am.” Her hand found its way to his cheek as she gently stroked his skin with her thumb, a way to comfort him. Their eyes finding each other again while she continued. He had missed the genuine and gentle touches of solace. The contact of her skin on his, made him crave for more. Just as he wanted to lean into her touch, she pulled her hand away. Taking the comfort only she could give, with her.

She hadn’t expected to be so drawn to the urge to touch him. Usually she wouldn’t dare and she wasn’t even sure if he was okay with, although his intense stare almost assured her that she was doing something right. The increase of confidence from the alcohol was helping her more than she realized, it could be a good time to use it while it lasted.

“Can I ask you something?” She sat back on the sofa as she watched him finish his cigarette. “You can.”

“Did you mean it what you said? That the ring on my finger should’ve been yours?” Tommy blinked a few times before nodding slowly. “You know I did.”

“Then why did you let me go in the first place?” She let her fingers slide over the stem of her wineglass, the wait for his answer forming an unknown feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Because this life’s not a life where you belong. We'd be better off without each other.”

She remembered the countless arguments that started that last conversation which broke her heart. She didn’t want to give up on him, on them but he forced her to. He forced her out of his life as if it was nothing, as if she was nothing but just an erased memory.

She remembered the evening he told her it was for the best if they didn't saw each other anymore. It was for the best he said but in the end nothing turned out for the best.

She remembered how he told her how life was going to be from that moment, that she had no choice if she stayed but that the exact life within her choice, wasn’t one she belonged to. His words were harsh and his demeanor was cold, as if he didn’t want to understand her feelings or might as well pretended that he didn’t. Only to make it easier for himself.

She remembered how she called him a selfish bastard, how she hated him and how he just stared at her, saying nothing.

“You could’ve protected me and still let me live my own life.” Tommy shook his head as stubbed out his cigarette. “You hated how there were people always watching you, remember the many times you told me it was suffocating you? It only became worse after that, you wouldn’t be happy.”

She couldn’t deny the suffocating feeling it gave her, knowing that everywhere she went, there would be someone watching her. Good or bad, it didn’t matter. But she loved him deeply and a part of her didn't care anymore, as long as she could be with him. “I loved you, do you realize that?”

He sighed softly at her words before taking a sip of his drink. “You think I didn’t love you?”

“No… not the way you left me heartbroken with a shit explanation in the middle of the same fucking kitchen we just had our dinner in. If you really loved me, you would’ve listened to me but you never did.” Her words held the anger she had for years but still came out calmly. "And don't even get me started on how quick you fucking replaced me, that's not love."

Tommy clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I listened (Y/N). I always fucking listened but I knew it would never make you happy. I never would. And talking about replacing, eh? I fucking told you I didn't replace you. Have you forgotten how I went looking for you after you left?"

She scoffed as she listened to him. “Oh yeah, because you were so sorry. So sorry for yourself, that you ended up alone again." Her voice became louder, just like the anger within her. "If you really wanted to find me, you would. Just like a few weeks ago."

"You didn't want to be found." He defended, getting annoyed at her accusations. "Not after what you did, no."

He shook his head as he put his glass on the table, a little harsher than expected. “You wouldn’t be happy but I wanted you to be.” He pointed his finger at her. “I didn’t want to throw away the years we had and I didn’t want to break your fucking heart but I knew how much you loved your fucking freedom and I didn’t want to be the person that would take it away from you.”

She looked at him, his words hitting her in a way she didn’t expect. His voice was strong and determined. She wasn't sure if it was anger or not. “You were always that strong, independent woman. Always out there to do whatever you wanted. Who the fuck was I to take it away from you, eh? You know it would’ve made you unhappy. Love wouldn’t have changed that.”

“I still am.” Her words sounded soft as she disagreed with his statement. “What?” His eyebrows furrowed at her comment. “I’m still the same woman. You said were.”

“Please, have you looked…” Tommy didn’t finish his sentence, instead he took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. Her body tensed and her eyes narrowed as she waited for to finish his sentence. “Have I looked, what?”

“Have you looked at yourself?” He continued his abruptly stopped sentence. He sat up straight, his voice picking up the same tone as before. “You’re far from that. The woman I knew would’ve dared to yell in my face if I deserved it, she would speak up when no one else would and she wouldn’t take shit from anybody.”

(Y/N) gulped at his words, tears brimmed in her eyes as she kept his gaze, listening to the other things he had to say.

“The woman in front of me is a ghost of all of that. The spark in your eyes is gone and all I see is fear. You changed in the worst way and it’s because of him. He fucking ruined you (Y/N).”

She sniffled softly, as she tried not to break down in front him. He was right.

Tommy's eyes did not leave her frame. She tried to take a deep breath, ready to speak up but she couldn't. He moved to the edge of his seat to place a hand on her knee, squeezing it gently.

"You're nothing better." She choked on her words as she watched his thumb moving in patterns over her knee. "I would've ended up the same as I stayed with you." Of course he wasn't the same as David but her life wouldn't have looked much different than from what it did now.

Her mind took her back to David who told her so many times how much he loved her. Who always made it up to her after his outbursts, telling her how sorry he was and that he would do better. He did, even if it only lasted for a few days until he fell back in old patterns. Despite it all, she still loved him, or at least she thought she did. Perhaps it could be the fear speaking, that when she told herself she didn't, he'd come find her.

Tommy shook his head as he felt himself losing his temper. There were many people who held grudges against him and those also brought many accusations however being compared to David was something completely new.

"If you ended up the same, then please enlighten me on the last time I caused this." He grabbed her arm and lifted her sleeve a little harsher than intended, revealing her bruised arm.

She gasped and looked up at him with widened eyes. "Stop, Tommy." While he let go of her arm, she quickly pulled her sleeve down. "I never laid one single finger on you, now tell me again that I'm nothing better than that fucking bastard!" His voice was harsh and full of bitterness. "I don't understand why you keep fucking defending him while nothing like this looks like the love you've been desperately looking for."

She watched him get up and looked up as he towered over her. His words hitting her like he hoped they did, an attempt to wake her up and make her realize what she was doing.

"If you want to go back to him, then please go but remind yourself that if you stay with him, you'll end up six feet under within a year. And he wouldn't even be sorry."

Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think!

Taglist: @cyphah @kissforvoid @liter4ti

[rysingsun-art]

had half an hour to kill before work... which is also why i didn’t have time to finish details on grif (alas, no nostrils for the man to breathe). anyways, a friend in the rvb fandom recently invited me to join a multi artist project, but i wasn’t sure if id be able to hold myself to completing a finished piece right now. still, it did make me miss drawing rvb characters enough to draw them in this edition of “drawing the eyes first and hoping for the best”

The other artwork from the last few months that I haven’t posted— reverse chronological order. Both fanart and OCs. Some of the notes I wrote will make a little more sense chronologically though haha.

Was going to do drawings of blue team over time. might add one of two more if i feel up to it so i can include Tex and Kai. I still want to finish this… so we’ll see.

The first sketches for the priorly mentioned concept. Also some sketches after I heard that animators in the industry who drew the eyes first got both more dynamic and faster character art. If anyone is wondering, both of those cat kiddos were intended to be Jordan (specific) haha. Though the laying on the grass one really gives Shadow vibes.

Some sketches of OCs— with some fun lettering for their names. The “(maybe)” is because I was so focused on drawing Jordan’s body proportioned correctly that I didn’t think ahead of time about which alter I was drawing, and the facial expression doesn’t immediately make me think of anyone in particular. So. idk it’s someone i guess lol

More practice with body types.

Revamped some characters I haven’t done anything with since high school. Premise is basically these people representing concepts that people value (love, fear, nature, etc) have powers and protect the multiverse. The story basically begins that a few of the Guardians were killed, so new chosen ones must be trained in to take their place… But the threat that took those lives is still at large, and these new Guardians in training must figure out how to embody these roles that they don’t feel suit them.

Human version of Niffty from Hazbin Hotel, unfinished.

[the-heart-of-a-monster]

I’M BACK MUAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAAA COWER IN FEAR FOR I HAVE RETURNED ONCE MORE TO ONCE AGAIN SPEW THE OBVIOUS

Translation: I’m back and I’m making it everyone’s problem

So yes, I saw the new pages, and as it turns out I was right about Sonic! As suspected, he’s hiding how he really feels about his new bodily features, and I think he’ll continue to do so for the rest of the comic. The finale for this series is right around the corner, and this issue is gonna have a lot of Eggman fighting, so based on what we already know… Yeah. Unless Sonic’s development is intended to be kinda rushed or last-minute, I don’t think he’s going to stop faking his optimism. It also has to be remembered that Sonic doesn’t always have to fake said optimism because he is at heart a hero and a snarky little gremlin. During the earlier days of the comic, Sonic was seen being elated at the prospect of Shadow willingly keeping a secret for him. Bro danced and sang all the way home just because someone was being nice to him. But even still, he’ll most likely continue faking his true emotions at least until the very end of the comic when things go back to normal for him. Because at the end of the day, Sonic is a happy little guy who just does what’s best for him and his friends, and that is that.

About the secret base, I honestly find it so funny and so realistic that the Chaotix have to basically beg for new cases in order to pay for their home and the secret base. It’s like families who thought they’d have enough for two homes but then a year or two goes by and they’re like “Oh crap, we’re broke.” It makes so much sense and it’s so funny to me! Meanwhile the others just appreciate the fact that they have a secret base and not the fact that they pay for both homes. 🤣

Chaotix: 🥲 Yeah yeah we’re fine we’re not broke we’re totally alright 👍🥲

OH AND HERE IS SOMETHING I JUST THOUGHT OF. There is of course a reason why the Chaotix have a secret base, and I wondered for a second why they would need it in the first place. They’re detectives, journalists, problem-solvers. In their field of work, it doesn’t take too much effort to become targets of the government. So, in case they got noticed by either GUN or some other important people, they have a back-up place where they could continue their work in secret. I think they specifically anticipated GUN, because they make a point to mention them in their explanation in the newest page. Probably not something SuperEm thought too hard on, but uh. I did. So… Guess I did their job for them???? idk I thought it would be cool to flex my worldbuilding skillz

Now I wanna talk about Rouge here. She, along with Amy, know far more than they let on and I’m wondering if that will have a part to play in Sonic’s story moving forward. In the newest page, we see him standing awkwardly and trying to grasp the fact that his friends knew about him for a while! He figured Tails might have taken the hint a while ago because he knows Tails better than anyone, but Amy?? That’s a different story. The two haven’t properly interacted in a while, almost 2 years (Or maybe 1 year I’m terrible at this) in our time and a week or two in their time. Amy and Rouge have been investigating Dark Gaia and Sonic’s new form for probably a month or so, meaning that they’ve known for a long, long time! I think Knuckles and the Chaotix were the only ones left in the dark the longest. So if Sonic were to find out about this, how would he react?? I’m thinking it wouldn’t be too different to his reaction about Tails and everyone else knowing, but him and Amy have had a rocky relationship status over the years, so it could also be different. I doubt we’ll get to see anything since it doesn’t make much of a difference to the blue blur at this point in the comic, but if we do I’m excited to see how he’ll react!

Now I’m going back to Sonic for a bit because I noticed something intriguing about him in the newest page. In the first panel, we see him standing awkwardly with his hands tied behind his back, fidgeting with his fingers impatiently. Then we see him immediately walk over to Shadow, who’s waiting for him outside. When he opens the curtain, we see him squint upwards towards the sky, a warm light seeping onto his face and his whole stature seeming softer. (For lack of a better word) Thematically, this sequence of movement/expressions is used to indicate a character’s growth, or to just show that they are willing to become better. I mean, that’s my takeaway from that. I’m not a theatre/film professional. All I do is stare at animations and talk about each frame as if I know stuff. But for me that’s the kind of vibe I’m getting from this page, that Sonic is learning or growing, and that he’s willing to step out into the light and be fine with who he is. Earlier on in the comic, he would’ve requested for Shadow to come inside or for him to not be seen by others, but now that he’s been through quite a lot and after being appreciated by the small snowy village, he feels much better about himself and is thus willing to just. Walk outside for a bit and talk to someone. Sonic is learning how to be around people again, learning to trust others with his secrets, and I love that for him.

Again this most likely is not SuperEm’s intention and I highly doubt those were the actual the thematically correct rules, so if anyone is reading this and is a film/comic geek, please Please PLEASE correct me via a reblog or a comment. I need some correction desperately please. I don’t wanna spew incorrect information.

Now, I would go ahead and talk about Shadow because he clearly has a lot going on in his brain, but OH MY GOD THIS THING IS HUGE. PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ASK IVE EVER WRITTEN HERE ON THIS FINE WEBSITE CALLED TUMBLR. So please do yourself a favor and give your eyes a break because holy crap I did not skip any corners for this one. Your pupils will thank you later, I promise. Go read a real book or go outside or something, please.

Anywhizzle, thank you so so so much for reading this whole thing, and have a good day/night!

(Also SuperEmeralds, just know that I adore your outdoor backgrounds so so much and they are not being overlooked. Your background skills are amazing and I’m so hype for what you have in store for the next few pages)

i think it is interesting how split the opinions are on sonic having learned nothing throughout the story and sonic finally having accepted his flaw and adapting. the mirror snap has divided the thoam theory community like no other askfjhasjkfhajk

who says they're paying for that run down place though? trust me i think super hard about literally everything, im sometimes embarrased abt it bc literally no one ever points most of my little details out but it makes me happy to connect dots so i just keep doing it

though sonic already reacted in a way, he knows everyone knew. granted the explaination happened off screen because quite frankly i didnt want the same conversation to happen twice back to back with the end of issue 8 and the beginning of issue 9, its better to just fill in the blanks yourself with everything.

the way i wrote sonic's emotions after waking up hopefully convey everything going through his mind well. there's a whole lot more pages to this so rest assured it's not over! your interpretation definitely makes sense! though i'd def disagree with the idea that in an earlier state of the comic sonic would've called for shadow to come inside? if his secret came out earlier in the comic he would still have reacted similarly and learned his lesson equally. the difference with the way it is in the comic is that he learned more about himself, and shadow, by dragging out the resolution to his (non)problem

thanks btw i love drawing environments and ur gonna get a good view of some really cool stuff soon ^_^

btw i have a name.. u can call me talaka, it's a little awkward to be called by my @ lol

[sgtmickeyslaughter]

Answer the Questions and Tag 5 Fanfic Authors

Thanks for tagging @jrooc

1. How did you get into writing fanfiction?

I’ve always been an avid reader and as a kid I wanted to be a writer so that was the start. I’ve been reading fanfic since i was in highschool, and I’ve had many different barely started fanfics started over the years but last year was the first time I was able to actually finish anything/taken it seriously. I think it just came down to college teaching me the last bit of discipline in my creative practice

2. How many fandoms have you written in?

Just Gallavich, but I’m very confident I will write destiel in my lifetime

3. How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

I published my first fic in September of last year!

4. Do you read or write more fanfiction?

it goes back and forth, when i enter a fandom i read fanfic voraciously but now i think i write a little more, its a balance between you can write the fanfic you want to read and you can read other peoples work to experience ideas you would never think of or just a different take on a familiar topic - both are good. I’m currently slowly going through and re-reading my old fics to get them ready to print and bind and its been a super fun process

5. What is one way you’ve improved as a writer?

I hope i’ve improved a lot overall lol the main thing i always want to do well is portray the environment the way i envision it bc the worlds of my fanfics are rich and beautiful in my head so i just want to get better and better at pulling people into that

6. What’s the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Not a ton of weird research, a lot of google maps-ing to get a better understanding of the layout of Chicago and understanding how far away states/cities are from one another (i’m american, just a weird bicoastal one)

7. What’s your favorite type of comment to receive on your work?

literally any comment, all of them are amazing and i can’t believe people read what i write and actually like it ?!? beautiful and very novel

8. What’s the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

um - i guess ABO, i was originally going to publish mine all mine anonymously bc it was very cringe inducing and still kind of is but tbh when i read it back i was like- wait this is good, even if it’s weird.

psychopomp is also a weird story, the way i thought/felt about it while writing was deeply weird and all the the themes of death and decay and devotion and consummation as an allegory for love were intended to be dark and just- weird

9. What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

Emotionally introspective fics that also really study the characters are really hard and i dont know why I keep fucking writing them - after finishing the fic im writing now i have to shift to something more plot focused

its really hard for obvious reasons but i also feel like i am an extremely logic driven person with a very particular worldview and all these characters are more emotionally driven than me. so i have to work very hard to not write behaviors from my pov and my decision making but from a studied understanding of the characters - which might be a good thing idk

um also idk if it needs to be said but brevity is not my strong suit, i should probably work on that

10. What is the easiest type?

Fluff, just cuddling and pillow talk baby i love that shit, also idk if i write smut well but it def goes the quickest for me

11. Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

Pages app on my icloud - I write after work some days, on my lunch break and on the train ride home. Every so often ill wake up early on a weekend and be in the mood to put on my noise canceling headphones and write for hours, but thats not super often

12. What is something you’ve been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

uhh - we’ll see. my true crime au is def one i want to write but all my ideas for the plot are just too dark rn, so well see if i can get it to lighten up a bit

13. What made you choose your username?

tagging 5 writers: @callivich @mmmichyyy @iansw0rld @energievie @metalheadmickey

[noneuclideanwhimsy]

Hey!! This is really random coming from me since I usually yap to u abt catcf, but im rlly curious to know what the other fandom I keep seeing u post about is, something involving a G-man?? Idk what it is but it looks rlly cool :3 could u maybe explain it to me? Feel free to yap as much as u want.

Thank you for asking, I love rambling about my interests and this particular fandom is my special interest so I really love rambling about it :]

Anyway. Half-Life is a video game series released by Valve Software, the first game came out in 1998 and was about an experiment going horribly wrong at a research facility called Black Mesa. On May 16th 200-, 27-year-old theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman (this is our player character btw) did what his higher-ups told him to do and shoved a suspicious crystal under a beam. This resulted in the Resonance Cascade, the inciting incident of pretty much everything that happened since in the series, in which a bunch of portals to a borderworld (basically a universe that can serve as a bridge between other universes) called Xen opened and aliens started coming out of them and wreaking havoc on Black Mesa. Then things got worse somehow with the military showed up, but not to save the BM staff but to shoot everybody on-sight to cover up the incident. Gordon grabbed a crowbar and started fighting his way through all of the aliens and soldiers, eventually making his way to Xen and killing a creature called the Nihilanth, who was keeping the portals open and invading Earth with an enslaved species called the Vortigaunts because it wanted to get away from the Combine (we’ll get into what the Combine are and why they’re so scary in a bit). Then Gordon gets saved by the G-Man.

Since you asked about the G-Man specifically (and since he’s my biggest comfort character and I love him to death), I’ll explain what we know about him. He looks like a mostly ordinary human authority figure, just a tall man in a blue suit, if a little uncanny and with glowing eyes. The term ‘G-Man’ is old-fashioned slang for a government agent and is what the fandom calls him (I sometimes say G' for short) because it’s his name in the game files (it's not his in-universe name, he doesn’t have one to our knowledge). However, he’s strongly implied to be a far greater force than any human government just assuming a form humans can comprehend. He’s widely considered to be the greatest mystery in gaming; nobody knows exactly who he is, what he is or what his motivations are, the only things we know about him is that he more or less controls time and space and ensures the story of the games happens as intended with minor nudges in the timeline and by ‘hiring’ important people. Nominally, he answers to a group of even more nebulous ‘Employers’, but his goals don’t always align with theirs and he occasionally deviates from their orders.

Anyway, the G-Man says that him and his Employers are impressed with Gordon’s work liberating the borderworld and preventing further invasion of Earth, so he offers Gordon a job under him. Gordon accepts, and the G-Man puts him in stasis outside of time and space for about 20 years.

In this interval, a whole lot of things happen on Earth, mostly to do with the fact that this is when the Combine choose to come a-knocking, attracted by all of the interdimensional disturbance caused by the Resonance Cascade. The Combine are a nightmarish parasitic collection of alien species that cannot innovate on their own and therefore seek to invade and assimilate as many worlds as possible in order to steal their existing innovation. The Seven Hour War happens, and that name kinda speaks for itself. It ends when Wallace Breen, the former administrator of Black Mesa, strikes a desperate bargain with the Combine in exchange for humanity’s surrender, and so they keep humanity alive and establish an oppressive, dystopian regime on Earth with Breen as its puppet leader as they slowly drain Earth of its resources, turn humans into brainwashed soldiers and try to replicate the teleportation technology that caused the Resonance Cascade.

However, as it often is with humans, not all hope is lost: a handful of other Black Mesa survivors including scientist Eli Vance and his daughter Alyx Vance start a Resistance against the Combine, which includes teaming up with the now liberated Vortigaunts, who now live on Earth and are even more oppressed under the Combine than the humans are (poor guys can’t catch a break).

Half-Life 2 was released in 2004 and is about Gordon Freeman being returned to the post-Combine Earth after his stasis and teaming up with Alyx and the rest of the Resistance. A lot of humans see Gordon as a saviour figure come to liberate humanity for a second time after he already saved them from one alien invasion, which also paints quite the target on his back for the Combine. Quite a few things happen in this game: a Resistance member named Judith Mossman who wants to protect Eli and Alyx is manipulated by Breen into betraying Gordon’s location to the Combine but Gordon gets away and they get Eli instead and ship him off to torture prison, which Judith did not agree to. Alyx and Gordon then storm the torture prison to rescue Eli where they find Judith and figure out that she‘s been working with Breen and Alyx obviously doesn’t take that very well. They find Eli and go to escape with the Combine’s half-finished, clunky replica of a Black Mesa teleporter, but Judith panics and sends herself and Eli to Breen’s headquarters in the Combine Citadel instead. Alyx and Gordon reroute the teleporter back to a Resistance laboratory and make their escape, but the teleporter, being a half-finished, clunky mess, proceeds to explode and bring down the whole torture prison.

This explosion also messed up the teleportation process and Gordon and Alyx only made it back a full week later, when they find that the blowing up of the torture prison has sparked a full-blown uprising from the humans, who now have solid proof that the Combine aren’t untouchable. Gordon and Alyx join the fight, wanting to storm the Citadel and rescue Eli for real this time. They fight their way there but ultimately get captured, coming face to face with Breen himself, who tries to get them all to surrender. Judith then decides she’s had enough of Breen’s nonsense and backstabs him, setting Gordon, Alyx and Eli free. Breen attempts to make an escape using a Combine portal, but Combine teleportation devices aren’t exactly known for their stability, so Gordon destroys it before Breen gets there and Breen falls to his death in the elevator. Before the whole Citadel can explode and take the whole surrounding city with it, the G-Man freezes time and appears once again to save Gordon (and possibly also Alyx), putting him in stasis once more.

This is where things get a little messy, because instead of using another full game to wrap up this story, Valve decides to release the sequels via smaller expansions called ‘Episodes’; at least three were planned, but only two ever came out.

Not a whole lot happens in HL2 Episode 1, the most notable thing is that the Vortigaunts all team up and use their powers to pull Gordon (and possibly also Alyx) back out of stasis, which the G-Man isn’t pleased about but does let them go. The rest of the episode is everybody trying to get the sparkles out of the city before the Citadel blows up, which they successfully do.

HL2 Episode 2 is where the plot picks back up. The Resistance find out that the Combine are trying to use the leftover energy from the Citadel explosion to send a call for reinforcements to their home universe, something they can prevent if they launch a rocket into space from a Resistance base called White Forest, so that’s Gordon and Alyx’s next destination. They do have to stop for a bit when Alyx gets stabbed through the back by a Combine-made creature called a Hunter and almost dies, but Gordon helps some local Vortigaunts save her life, with the minor caveat that Gordon’s and Alyx’s fates and souls are now forever intertwined. The G-Man also appears here, telling Gordon that Alyx was originally meant to die at Black Mesa but he defied his Employers to save her life. Then he tells the still unconscious Alyx to tell her father to ‘prepare for unforeseen consequences’ and, as usual, mysteriously disappears.

Alyx wakes up and they make it to White Forest, where they receive a message from Judith informing them that she’s also been busy since she left the Citadel. She somehow managed to uncover the Borealis, a research ship that went missing many years ago from Aperture Science (Black Mesa’s rival research facility, they’re very unhinged and have their own games, the Portal series) and is thought to have incredible technology on-board. Most of the Resistance is enthusiastic about finding the Borealis and using its technology against the Combine. However, Eli, upon receiving the G-Man’s message through Alyx, reveals to Gordon that he’s heard these words before and that he’s certain they mean another Resonance-Cascade-level disaster is inevitable if they use the Borealis and decides they should destroy it instead. Then there’s a big battle with Combine forces as the Resistance try to launch the rocket. They’re successful, and the Combine fail to call for reinforcements. Then Gordon, Eli and Alyx go to board a helicopter to the Arctic where the Borealis is located, but before they can do that, they’re interrupted by a pair of Combine Advisors bursting through the wall. Advisors are creatures with powerful psychic capabilities, unlike anything the Resistance has faced before, and while they eventually retreat and Gordon and Alyx survive, Eli is killed in this struggle.

For a very, very long time, this exact cliffhanger was the end. HL2 Episode 2 came out in 2007 (which is also the year I was born, funnily enough). Half-Life 2 Episode 3 still does not exist, and neither does Half-Life 3, to the point where it’s a meme in the pc gaming community that Valve can only count to 2.

What does exist is Half-Life Alyx, a VR-only game with Alyx as the protagonist that released in 2020 and technically takes place between the first two games but also does a lot of cool wacky timeline things that would take a separate post to explain because this one is already getting absurdly long. Another thing I didn’t mention is the HL1 expansions, which are a handful of shorter campaigns released between 1999 and 2001 that tell the stories of other characters who survived Black Mesa and are also questionably canon due to being made by Gearbox Software, who got a few Valve canon things wrong. There is so much more to talk about here but, again. This post is very long and I would understand if you didn’t even read this far. If you did, thank you very much!!! I love my silly anti-nihilist video games about the indomitable human spirit standing in the face of forces beyond its comprehension, and it brought me great joy to get to yap about them for 14 paragraphs straight. Thank you again for sending this ask ^^

[disney-rapunzel-merida-vanellope]

Random rambling thoughts on ✨WISH✨ before the movie comes out

- This movie is for the sleeping beauty girlies… or at least IT HAS TO BE. Any other vibe and I’m gonna be extremely disappointed. It’s already giving medieval European fairytale with gorgeous animation so they can’t fumble this bag. I’m not really sure yet what I expect from the plot but I just need a sleeping beauty energy to it idk idk. I don’t really know what I mean by it cause sleeping beauty is so contradictory in itself, it’s so epic but also so quiet and calm and simple… we’ll see

- This movie is gonna comment on astrology and the horoscope right right??? You cannot do a movie about wishes and stars and not give us a peak into the starry night the characters look upon to and study! If I don’t have a scene of asha discussing constellations then what’s the point 😒 but like even just the aesthetics in the background or something. I need it

- I know everyone knows this movie is set in Spain but the official sources say Iberian peninsula and u bet your ass that, as a portuguese gal, imma remind y’all about it cause we get so little representation while the Spanish get everything well now they’ll have to share 😭😭😭😭😭

- Asha having friends is so anti Disney princess of her 😭😭😭 those other girls only talk to animals. Tiana and Pocahontas are the only girls with a bff and that’s only 1, Asha has 7 😭😭😭 I’m not very impressed with their designs but I guess they can grow on me

- I’m guessing the movie is entirely in the kingdom and it’s nearby places like tangled and sleeping beauty, as opposed to movies like moana or frozen that force them out of their home in a long journey

- Do u guys think the Easter eggs will be subtle or Ralph breaks the internet kind of in your face? Cause disney is making a lot of promises, dozens of Easter eggs right? But I think the in your face crossover will be just for the once upon a studio short, and in the movie the cameos will be more Easter eggs and subtle. (Out of topic but have y’all seen that Lego trailer for the Disney princesses vs Gaston thing? I’m telling y’all rn, disney in gonna give up an official disney animation studios movie of the princesses all together in an adventure before 2040!! IM JUST SAYING!)

- I hope the musical numbers take notes from encanto in the dynamism of we don’t talk about Bruno and dreamlike sequences from surface pressure. I just don’t love when characters are forced to be stuck in reality, it feels very limited. Animation is supposed to break those restrictions. And like, not every musical number has to be like this, but I just want more than a character singing in point A, B and C u know? And I like how, for example, a character would start singing the song and then the 2nd half is a montage? Or like in when will my life begin where she starts singing, but then it’s all montage and she just sings again at the end. (Uncharted waters was a very good song with a very boring scene let’s be honest, and something like that is criminal but it would be even worse in animation)

- I’m really not sure what to expect from the plot and I haven’t really thought a]much about it but rn, if I had to guess, I’d say the movie is about a kingdom that parallels present day USA kkkk hear me out!!! The kingdom had low days of war but fought for independence and began from scratch. This family has magic and can grant people’s wishes and promises the people the equivalent of the American dream. But as generations pass, the king starts collecting more and more wishes without ever intending to grant them to the people or maybe the price of the wishes keeps getting higher. The "American" dream doesn’t exist anymore but people still believe in it cause they are powerless but hopefull. Basically the movie is gonna be about dethroning a tyrant and dismantling capitalism 😃 (look I’m not good with words or brain power but I think u understand what I mean). Maybe the king’s magic is fake, he just knows how to work with the stars own magic while no one else can. And in the end, Asha and her friends are gonna Robin Hood their way into granting the peoples wishes or just make then see that wishing only goes so far as you’re willing to work for your dream??… but like I’m serious, I really think this movie is gonna be a shade to America and is gonna go against everything bob iger represents

[serosluv2]

hi love! idk how long ago you posted that you wanted sero requests but here i am.

tattoo artist!sero and it’s like your first time getting tattooed and he talks you through everything that’s going to happen and everything that he’s doing and just making sure that you feel safe. i acc love it so much honestly it could be his partner or a complete stranger but honestly OBSESSED with this idea rn it’s doing my head in i just NEED it on paper

thank u sum for the request & i love tattoo artist!sero !!

You've been thinking about this for quite some time. Ever since you saw your eldest cousin with their first tattoo when you were much younger, you’ve been dreaming about getting your own.

On an impromptu girls' trip into the bright city of Tokyo, your closest friends, Momo and Ochako, convince you this is the time! “but I need to do so much more research about what place I want to go to! what sized needle I should get, and… SO MUCH MORE!” you say in the dimly lit bar, tipsy enough to even be thinking about this idea but not so much that you’re stumbling. “Oh, com’on Y/n !! my girlfriend knows this guy who owns a tattoo place, I think it’s near here, and he’s like, so legit ! she only goes to him and his people.” Momo chimes in. This made you even more unsure. You love Momo’s girlfriend! She is cool and funny but the crowd she runs with is… a wilder than you’re used to. “Is this the same guy that almost got us arrested at that house party?” you say back, reminding her of that night year or two ago. “oh my lord no !!! That’s Denki. this guy is Sero, he is super chill, an amazing artist, and can do anything. even those super small, dainty ones you like.” After about 3 more drinks, the three of you guys are outside by the bar, and Momo is calling this Sero guy, asking if his place is still open. and it is.

After about a 10 minute walk, you arrive at the place. “Tokyo’s Ink” looks cool enough. Rustic and dark enough to draw in the right crowd but oddly clean and tidy enough so no one thinks it’s some sketchy dump. you stumble in with the help of Momo and are greeted with a tall male at the front desk. “uh.. Momo, are you sure she’s ok to like do this?” aww sweet. you think. he clearly cares about his clients which makes you more open to trusting him like this. “yeah yeahh she’s fine. not as bad as ochako though.” momo replies, laughing before she notices- oh shit. where’s ochako? after mumbling you can’t understand between the two tall dark haired people, she dashed out, assuming to look for her. “so, y/n right? i think we met a couple times when you went out with momo and jirou.” oh yeah. You remember seeing him in the crowds with Jirou’s ragtag friends group. “oh yeahhh. you used to have a lip piercing, where’d that go?” you ask, peering up at his face. “oh i uh, got into a fight and it got ripped out.” he says so nonchalantly, leaving you stunned, wide eyed. “holy shit!” “yeah, so you’re thinking of getting a tattoo?” he says and sits back on the desk in the entry way. You can see him a little more clearly now and he’s gorgeous. His hair looks clean and soft, a little outgrown mullet but it looks good. His hands show the ends of some complex artwork going up his arms. even though his lip ring is gone, he still has a lot of other jewelry hanging from him. Earrings and bulky silver rings and a thin chain around his neck. “um yeah i’m definitely getting ones,” you say a little louder than you intended. “but i need to know you are like, legit.” you say and he laughs. It’s a nice, deep laugh that makes your heart do flips. He says he can take you to the chair where he’ll go over the procedure and you can ask any questions you want. “so hopefully you’ll come back when you’re in a better, state and we willl start by sketching out some designs of the tattoo you want. we’ll work on that untr it’s perfect for your pretty self,” your ears perk up and blush at his comment. He notices and smiles back at you, “then i’ll print it out as an outline and trace it with a marker on the spot you want, once that placent is where you want it to be then we will start inking.” he says.

Sero starts talking again. About needle sizes, ink color, if you wanted shading and color or just an outline, blah blah blah. As much as you wanted to, you couldn’t focus on his words when he looked like that. he sat directly in front of you, legs slightly spread, you could see the tension his muscular thighs were putting those tight black jeans through. Sero, with his pericings almost glistening in the overhead light, a light that contorted the muscles of his arms, was slouching and leaning forward ever so slightly so that you could see down his thin and baggy white t-shirt to his chest. He stopped talking but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from his torso. god he looks so good.

He said something. Your name maybe? Then he was standing. It only took half a step until he was towering over you. His hand reached up to caress your jawline and lift your chin up to him. You could smell him now. Not the sandalwood that aired in the shop but him. He didn’t smell like a cologne, more like fresh sheets, warm vanilla with a hint of that manly musk. “you got it, princess?” he said. you could feel his warm and calloused hand against your hot, soft skin. god he definitely works out. you don’t get calloused hands from tattooing. you thought. “um yes. i-i- i’m sorry what do i got?” you replied. Suddenly the buzz you felt in the bar was back but this wasn’t from alcohol, you were high off something else. He laughed softly before saying “i asked if you understood everything i just told you. we you want i can schedule you for an appointment tonight.” his hand dropped from you face and planted on the table behind you. He was leaning down, closer to you. You could practically feel his breath, his lips on you. Sero’s eyes darted down to your lips, then slowly back up to you. His eyes were determined. Searching for any discomfort in yours as he slowly, and i mean slowly, attempted to close the distance between you two until,

ba dingg !

the bell above the door jingled, causing the both of you to retreat quickly. “Found her !!” Momo exclaimed as she was dragging a very sad Ochako, face covered in ice cream, by her side. “O-Oh great !” you said standing up. Sero stood and backed up, giving you room to walk to your friends. He went behind the front counter and grabbed his scheduling book out from under it. Opening it he look at back at you, “so are you free next friday?” he asked clicking his pen, looking at you. “um, oh yes. yes i am after 4pm!” you replied. he scribbled something down and looked back up at you. “great then. i’ll see you at 5:00pm next friday.” he said with his million dollar smile. Momo then proceeded to tell you how late it was and how your group should probably turn in for the night. “I’ll walk you guys out!” Sero jumped into the conversation following Momo and Ochako already half way out the door. Then he put his hand on your lower back, guiding you out of his shop. You turn your head to thank him for letting you come in way past business hours. “don’t worry about it princess, it was my pleasure.” he whispered back to you. his lips softly kissing your neck for the first and last time that night before leading you out.

god you can’t wait until friday. now you just have less than two weeks to figure out what kind of tattoo you want.

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

ARI *slams palm on table* i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. YOUR JJK CHASE ATLANTIC THOUGHTS PLEASE. (i agree very geto very gojo very megs)

SEL. take a seat we’re gonna be here for a while. here r some snacks for u while u read <33 🍦🥪🥤

but okokokok so these are my general assignments!!!!! pls let me know what u think…

gojo; heaven and back, ozone, obsessive, vibes

geto; swim, triggered, hold your breath, moonlight

megumi; roxanne, august

FIRST OFFFF heaven and back…… obvious gojo pick. sue me but it rly is so Him. so pretty and angelic and high and mighty………. but also kinda melancholic?? the way he flirts w godhood…. yeah. the chorus makes me think of him so bad sel. and the instrumental in general.. hhhh…. T_T

and then!! ozone!!! star and space symbolism aside…. its just so pretty and soft n hypnotic. and the lyrics GOD the lyrics sel…. the angst of it all. the same person that i need is the one i’m running from // i don't know why……….. oh, no, you don't understand // i neglected you again (explodes) 

as for obsessive and vibes….. no pun intended but both of these just have gojo vibes to me. Extreme gojo vibes. they feel so warm and nice 🥺☹️ n make me smile sm!! i can see the edits in my head 

BUT ALSOO the lyrics in vibes……….

oh, she says i’m out of her league // i don't think so // i’m not ready to leave, but i should go

and i’m ready if you're ready to go // just say the word, just say the word // please say the word

let this feeling slide // and girl, i’m yours tonight 

HEAVY on the last one im a big advocate of satoru ”im yours” gojo <33

(also sel…. i just finished reading col 2 and im gonna write a whole bible for it BUT for some reason these lyrics just make me think of col!reader and gojo…… idk why exactly its just such a lovely song and it makes me think of like. gojo being w someone hes comfy with!!!! after hes started letting his guard down more…. can i imply that it’s alright to let me in? // just give me time PSJFJD THEY MAKE ME INSANEEE)

but okok gojo aside. cracks knuckles….. Sugu Time

ive assigned him angsty songs but also some that r very soft bc to me he just has that contrast yknow…. teen sugu is the softest boy in the world to me but obv breakdown sugu is angsty and cult leader geto is just Twisted. and i love them all!!!!

swim…… its just. mesmerizing and pretty but also just a lil twisted to me… i feel like it can work for a lot of different versions of sugu. you picked a dance with the devil and you lucked out……… world is on my shoulders // keep your body open……. i’m exorcising demons, got ’em running ’round the block now???? its HIM.

AND AND….. triggered. this one is mostly just the overall vibe and the way it sounds but like… idk. i can just SEE the edits in my head yknow……. geto during his deterioration…. the moment he just snaps. and then his acceptance afterwards…. patience is a virtue // and i’m all out of time right now…….. tell me u see the vision

angsty songs aside i had to give him smth soft because soft sugu is real to me. so we have hold your breath…. obv emphasis on teen sugu here but i just think he loves so gently…. hold your breath // we’ll be just fine….. the smoke’s building in my lungs // well, goddamn, i’ve gotta have you…….. 😔😔😔

and finally the biggest sugu song of them all imo!!!! (and also my fave :3) is moonlight. i just adore it soo much its so lovely…. and above all else sugu is so unbelievably mooncoded to me. which is weird bc canonically hes suncoded. but hes also such a moon character……. and the ocean!! any kind of mention of drowning/waves/etc just makes my brain go ”suguru” 

the lyrics are just. so so SO sugu like;

we’re diving through the bottom of the ocean // swimming through a bottle of emotions, girl

you’re hanging for a good time // something that'll make you stay

caught up in your own small world // well, i might wanna see it then // call it hesitation, girl

we’re running in the moonlight // could you show me the way again?

and then FINALLY we have gumi ….. to me hes just such a softie. so both these songs are soft and a little sad bc hes also a sad boy.

roxanne is sooo pretty and the lyrics make me think of him!! in particular college!gumi (ur influence)……. i don't ever wanna let you down // no, i just wanna kiss your lips in the rain // you know i’ll pull you closer if you start to drown…… hes cute.

as for august gumi is just SUCH an autumn boy. so ofc i had to give it to him. but its also just a pretty song for a very pretty boy!! the vibes are very Him :’3 and some of the lyrics too… you said you wanted to ride away from everything // keep pedaling, we're on our way out // i never said we should try to be anything…. yeah.

OK IM DONE 😭😭 as u can see jjk x chase atlantic is a concept im extremely normal abt. BUT SEL PLSPLSPLS……. lemme know ur own thoughts 🎤🎤🎤 recs 🎤🎤🎤🎤 anything 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

[darlin-djarin]

Lowkey hate Kallus’ redemption tbh. It’s clear they weren’t intending to redeem him at the beginning and the clunky retcons required to make it work are just… tone deaf, tbh. “You can’t judge all Lasats as the same” “What about all Imperials” and Zeb doesn’t point out how stupid the logic is like bro just pulled a Blue Lives Matter and you don’t have an answer to that???? Also like. This dude bragged about personally massacring Zeb’s people and now he’s like “just kidding?” Come on now. I mean Star Wars has done worse but still

BRO JUST PULLED A BLUE LIVES MATTER HEKP 😭😭😭💀💀 IM HOLDING BSCK TEARS oh god. you do definitely have a point. i’ve seen many people say his redemption was the best in star wars and i couldn’t really say anything then bc i hadn’t watched it. even now, i can’t really say anything bc i haven’t gotten much past that episode but i do definitely agree that kallus’ reasonings were kinda off, and clearly his thinking isn’t the greatest when it comes to that. STILL, i appreciate the fact that he IS getting a redemption, even as a facist, bc everyone deserves to get a second chance and fix things etc etc yada yada all that jazz. maybe not a well executed redemption (idk yet, we’ll see) but a redemption nonetheless. i still dislike how much he bragged about the massacres and he absolutely does not need to be forgiven for what he’s done but it’s good that he’s starting to see through the empire’s lies and it’s good he’s starting to make an effort anyway. i’ve only seen one other person hate on kallus’ redemption before, and again, i didn’t really have an opinion then. i’ll probably come back to this once i finish up rebels though. 🤷��♂️ slightly questionable on the authors’ part.

[midnightsun-if]

hi!! i was wondering.. will we have romantic dialogue choices that are more.. in between bold and shy? like, choices that are not too shy/too flirty? and not exactly oblivious, but more...genuine? idk how to say it properly afasfda. usually in games i prefer to choose the kind/genuine options, but its kinda rare for them to be considered romantic in the games, just friendly. so i kinda miss being able to.. "charm" the ros without being too shy or too bold, you know?

but, hey, i totally undestand if its kinda too much for you to add into your game right now (or ever). its a lot of work, and im not here to pressure you. your game is already amazing and your characters are awesome!!

Depending on the situation and if the context fits, yes! There will also be oblivious options depending on the situation too (and those will be marked slightly differently than the normally shy/bold options to make sure someone doesn’t use it on accident). There will also be genuine options whenever certain things occur (as, for some the characters, a genuine flirtation may seem like the MC was making fun of them which would detract from the intended goal). There may still be an undercurrent of shy/bold, but we’ll see what happens!

I usually go with what my story wants and how I think each choice will give a certain perspective that may otherwise be missed. If a genuine choice fits better than bold/shy it’ll be added!

Thank you so much for this ask! ❤️❤️❤️

[the-technicolor-whiscash]

I am going to genuinely try and jerryrig a Mercury spacesuit for idk Halloween or something or just to have cause why not

It’s not going to be exact cause I am one guy and cannot reasonably track down the materials needed but I have plans for substitutions and also there’s certain things I’m going to change like for example the cooling system in the suit was air-based and didn’t work super well in the spacecraft so god knows it wouldn’t work well when I’m running around in 101 degree heat so I’m going to implement a water cooling system under the long john layer probably using something intended for athletes or bikers or something. I haven’t decided if I’m gonna spring for one of the fancy pump ones or just get one that’s like. A bunch of ice packs. But either way it’ll be better for my usage than an air pump. And water cooling systems for under your clothes were basically invented for the Apollo program anyway so there’s still a space connection

And then because it is a lot easier rather than buying the fabric to make the internal layer of the suit itself I’m just gonna buy a wetsuit and chop it to pieces and probably get it in a size bigger than I need so it’s loose enough to fit over stuff and that’s gonna be way fucking easier cause it’s already fit to your body and it’s made of nearly the same material as that layer, just fitted more tightly to your body. So what I’m gonna do is use it as like a base and affix the outer layers to it.

The outer layer itself is going to be the more challenging part it’s really hard to find aluminized nylon especially stuff you can use as a fabric and not just for like. Insulation. And for this part I want it to look as close to a suit as I can get I have a lot of reference photos both taken from the internet and from my own personal collection (bless the space center for having Grissom’s suit at my disposal) so I know what I’m looking for as far as the appearance goes, I just don’t know how I want to execute that. I think Adam Savage used a particular type of vinyl with a little stretch to it for his Mercury suit but I uh don’t have the resources of a Mythbuster so we’ll see what I can do.

For the helmet I don’t even fucking know how I’m gonna do that. That’s a bridge we’re gonna cross later. Maybe I’ll just buy one.

And as far as the boots go I’m just gonna either buy a pair of silver boots or spraypaint a pair of leather boots cause like that’s what they did in that one photo anyway cause the boots weren’t done yet on two of the guys so like yeah that’s fine. If it’s good enough for a NASA photo shoot it’s good enough for me.

The various valves and all that I’ll probably just find parts that look similar to them from Lowe’s or ace hardware or something cause I don’t own a 3D printer and can’t just fabricate that. I’m just a guy with a sewing machine.

It won’t be easy I know it’s gonna be a bitch to work on but if there’s one thing I am it’s a determined fool

[crestofshame]

Fic Updates (second half)

As I mentioned previously, this is the second half of the updates I wanted to share that directly regard some stuff on my profile.

I mentioned that I like to be reserved about what I write, mostly because I don’t want to make false promises in case something falls through. A few months ago, I mentioned that I was working on an edeleth pirate AU. While I may someday go back to that, I found that what I was writing was a little too ooc, and would be better implemented into an original story than with the characters we already know and love.

After Tailtean: I said I wasn’t going to abandon this fic, and I’m not! I’m actually here to say that I plan to just move it around a bit. This was first posted around the time I was still figuring out how to use Ao3, and was me experimenting with writing multiple dynamics. My original goal was to include a chapter for each black eagle member, but in order to do that, I had to include some ships I was more curious than passionate about. To be honest, I no longer see value in writing for some of them. What I’m planning on doing is turning the first chapter into a one shot, and making “After Tailtean” the name of the collection. The pairings that I do intend on writing for and adding to this series are Ferdibert and Edeleth, and some pairings I’m sort of “maybe if I someday get inspired” about are Leonie/Lysithea and Caspar/Linhardt. Sorry if you were hoping for another one listed, but it seems disingenuous to also try and pair everyone up because that realistically doesn’t happen in actual playthroughs or real life.

TYFH: Still writing it! I’m getting into the territory where I’m implementing theories of mine based on actual real life science, so it’s taking a minute to fact check for chapter 15. Also, I’ve decided to go a slightly different direction for chapters 16 onward than what was originally in my outline because that’s just how story progression works which will make it so that some of the future updates will be a little less consistent. If you think about it, I’ve been writing TYFH for almost a year now, and I feel like I’ve done a lot of personal growth in developing my writing and also learning more about AO3 as a site.

God Forbid, Pastor’s Kid: This was such a passion project for me and was also super healing to write, so I am ecstatic that it performed almost as well as TYFH (which is a multiple month long long fic btw) and resonated with so many people with similar experiences. In the author’s notes of the final chapter, I toyed with the idea of a “sequel” fic, and also mentioned once before that I started writing it. Right now, it looks like it will probably be 2 chapters (with a potential bonus chapter?). I tend to write for this universe as a one shot and divide it by where the good breaks would be, but it kind of looks like a one shot split into two chapters with a third legitimate separate chapter. Idk, we’ll see how that actually turns out when I get there.

That’s all I have for now!