#Laurel Button

[finexbright]

this is very emotional to me specifically

[minarcana]

me sitting here nearly deleting like three replies thinking i was in my drafts and not my blog page

[q-nihachu]

i have a bad opinion. q!wilbur exclusively wears button-ups

[cas-sims]

Agaricus just met Laurel Grisby! She’s super cute,

[makeitquietly]

La Opinión, 20 February 1938

Found this photo in a newspaper! So it’s got nothing to do with the car accident, which happened in April. That there are photos taken in connection with a nervous attack (whatever that’s supposed to mean) seems weirder though than photos taken after being suspected of drunk driving.

[all-is-fair-in-love-and-war]

Lyn pushing all of Troy's buttons:

@themuselesswriter

[rationaliity]

massage | dr ratio blurb

1.5k words about giving ratio a massage because you're his partner and you love him. that's it. that's the post. there's nothing else i can say about that. purely self indulgent sweetness there's nothing else for me to add. reader is gender neutral, and referred to by him and themselves as veritas' partner. i wrote wayyy too much about such a simple concept but what are you gonna do ? lock me up ? i dare you.

you knew how veritas liked to wind down for the night. after a few years being married to him, you've figured out the routine by now. you can tell he's starting to get tired when he sits his book down and nods off a little in his chair. you have to gently shake him awake, or call out to him a few times before suggesting that maybe it's time for bed, that you're the one getting sleepy, not him. and then, finally, he'll sigh and tell you that he still has so much work left for him to do, but he supposes that he should humor you for a little while.

he'll get up, and trudge his way to your shared bathroom and begin to get ready for the night. he takes off his robes and puts them up on a hanger, and taking off his gold accessories, including his adornment and chain that went around his neck, and his laurel accessory. after unbuttoning the top button of his vest, he takes off his contacts and puts on his glasses because he's as blind as a bat without them.

and of course, then you come in. you'd change out of your day out and into your pajamas, which was usually just a tank top and a pair of underwear, and then you would make your way to the bathroom where veritas was in the middle of his routine, probably brushing his teeth. you would brush out your hair and make sure that you had taken off any makeup - and probably remind him to take off his eyeliner, too. you were usually trying to get a good look at yourself while behind him in the mirror, often ducking or tilting to the side so you could see yourself.

after brushing your teeth, were were mostly done, save for whatever skincare you did at night. and then you would glance at veritas, your eyes raking over his body, and you would snake your arms around his torso, your head against his back. " you look so nice, veritas, " you would mumble against the fabric of his vest, pressing a soft kiss against his back. " this is my favorite veritas. the guy with grandpa glasses and messy hair who snores at night. "

veritas stifled a laugh, finishing brushing his teeth and rinsing out the minty foam from his mouth before turning around, his arms lazily hanging off of your shoulders. " i suppose its only natural you have your favorites, just as i have mine, " he whispered, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly in a half smile, the exhaustion evident on his face. " although, i must admit, it's amusing to see you try to seduce me while i'm half dressed. "

" is it working ? " you asked teasingly, pressing a kiss on his shoulder, leaning into his touch. you could see the tiredness in his eyes, the way he could hardly keep his eyes open even as he shared such an intimate moment with you.

" it's.. charming, " he admits, his voice low and even, and he couldn't stop the small sigh of contentment that spilled from his lips as you kissed him. he knew that you enjoyed these intimate moments, and he'd found himself growing rather accustomed to them too, despite his penchant for a busier, more active lifestyle. but you knew something the world didn't, you saw the warmth in his icy facade that veritas presented to the world as dr. ratio.

" how about i charm you some more, veritas ? " you asked, smiling softly at him, knowing just what he needed. this was the time for your care to shine through, something that honestly didn't happen often enough. " how about a massage, doctor ? " you purred, your eyes glimmering with a longing to please him in a way that only you could. " let me indulge you, dearest dr. ratio. " you only ever used the title dr. ratio in two situations : when you're a guest speaker in his lecture room, and when you're trying to deliberately provoke him into your little games, just so he would let you take care of him for a little while. and it was working splendidly

" you know i've never been one for massages.. " he hums, allowing his voice to trail off as he thought about your little offer. finally, he gave a little sigh, too tired to protest much. " but perhaps, just this once, i might make an exception for you. "

you smiled, taking his hand, as well as a bottle of his favorite scented lotion, leading him towards the bed. once he was laying on his stomach on the bed, his vest long gone, you really had the chance to enjoy his body in a mostly nonsexual way. you sat on his butt with your legs straddling either side of him, hovering over his vulnerable form. you squirted the lotion on your hands, warming it up between your fingers before you began to work on massaging his shoulders. veritas let out a soft grunt as your skilled fingers worked through the knots in his muscles, finding himself relaxing under your ministrations.

your touch was firm and yet gentle, knowing that you would have to be a little rough with him to get out particularly tight tension knots in his muscles. massaging the expanse of his back, you found yourself completely thrown into the little side mission of pleasing your husband that you gave yourself. " when was the last time you had a massage, dear ? " you asked gently, your fingers trailing down his spine, pressing into his skin to work through the tension. " you should let me take care of you more often. you know i enjoy helping you out, you've just gotta ask your lovely partner for help sometimes. "

" i can't recall. perhaps its been far too long, " he mused out loud, his voice deep and grumbly as he closed his eyes, his head in his arms while he enjoyed this moment with you. he knew you well enough by now to know that you weren't talking about just giving him a massage when he needed to relax. you were also extending yourself to comforting him, or supporting him through his endeavors. you'd be there to listen and offer a shoulder to lean on should he need it. and although he may not say it verbally, he couldn't help but appreciate your unwavering support more than you could ever know.

" you know i'm always here, veritas, " your voice was inexplicably warm and loving as you massaged his back, feeling him relax so much more underneath your touch, your every move melting the stress from his body. " i always will be. "

" i wouldn't expect anything less from my beautiful partner, " he chuckled softly, the sound muffled by his arms. there's a note of admiration in his voice, a rare glimpse of vulnerability revealing itself beneath the layers of his typically stoic demeanor. he couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over him. for all of his faults and flaws, this is where he found his solace; in the quite moments shared with you. the world fades away gradually to him, leaving only the two of you together.

in this moment, he's not dr. ratio, the scholar within the intelligentsia guild, nor the doctor working tirelessly to save his patient's lives. he's got no doctoral under his belt that taught him to how to love, and yet he found himself doing so effortlessly with you. he was simply veritas, a man basking in the comfort and love of his partner. as you work your magic on his tense muscles, he lets his thoughts drift aimlessly. veritas lies there, basking in your tender touch, and he can't help but feel a sense of contentment.

you smiled when you began to hear the soft, familiar sounds of his snoring. you stopped for a moment, looking over his features. his hair was messy and in his face, his eyes closed, and there's no negative emotions on his face. he wasn't angry, or stressed, or worried. he looked peaceful, and happy. you picked yourself up, walking over to grab a towel to clean your hands from some of the lotion. the sound of his snoring became almost like a lullaby to you, a signal that something went right, that you had done something right. you wiped off the remaining lotion from his back, putting the towel on his bedside table before leaning over to him.

you paused, taking in his features up close, before gently brushing his hair out of his face, your hand resting on the top of his head before you gently kissed his cheek. " i love you, veritas. not the man you present yourself as, but the man that you are when no one else is looking. " you knew that underneath his many layers, veritas was a man who wasn't so different from everyone else after all. he was inherently kind, although stubborn in his ways, something that you had grown to love about him.

as you settled in beside him for the night, you couldn't help but think that you were the luckiest one in the room.

[watchmegetobsessed]

MY HUSBAND

A/N: some extra fluffiness bc this scene was stuck on my mind all day

WORD COUNT: 835

SUMMARY: It's been days since your wedding, but it is just now sinking in. Harry is your husband.

MASTERLIST | SUPPORT ME!

It’s a miracle you’re up before noon. You haven’t really seen the sun before twelve these past days even though you are supposed to be on vacation.

Well, honeymoon, to be precise. 

That’s right. You married your best friend and love of your life exactly four days ago, but it still feels like a fever dream. You got the wedding of your dreams in the Italian countryside with all your loved ones, family and closest friends, you danced the night away celebrating the start of your marriage. Part of you expected an extraordinary feeling the moment you said ‘I do’ and it really was the best day of your life, but you haven’t quite processed the change it has brought to your life.

Now you’re lying in bed, the warm breeze is carrying the salty scent of the sea through the open windows and you’re watching Harry snoozing peacefully beside you in bed, the crispy, white sheets are tangled around his waist, but most of his upper body is fully naked to your sleepy eyes. He looks beautiful, delicious, like a dream and it finally hits you, like a switch has been flipped.

He is your husband. Harry is now your husband.

Lifting your head up above you, you stare at your wedding band with a full heart and giddy head. It’s such a simple, tiny object but it means so much, if not everything. Even after five years of dating, seven years of being friends, it’s still hard to believe Harry chose you the way you chose him to spend the rest of your life with. 

Your teeth sink into your bottom lip as you turn to your side and examine his side profile in the soft light. The slope of his nose, his puckered lips, his curly eyelashes fanned out perfectly… The way his chest slowly rises with each breath he draws and how his ribs are showing through his soft skin, since one of his arms is tucked under his head, the other one is somewhere under your pillow. He is radiating warmth and every inch of his perfect body is screaming to be kissed. 

At first you reach out and run your fingers down his sternum, across his tummy and over his little happy trail that disappears underneath the sheets and you know for a fact he is wearing nothing, because you were the one who freed him of his clothes last night when you got back from dinner. 

He doesn’t react to your touch, so you dare to draw the laurel tattoos on his hips with the pad of your finger before pulling your hand back and admiring his beauty in silence. But then the urge is just too hard to fight and you push yourself up, the sheets pooling around your naked waist and you lean over, bringing your lips to the delicious, exposed skin just above his navel.

You pepper tiny kisses down his stomach, over his belly button and down his happy trail, kissing each of the laurels as well and that’s when he takes a deep breath, his hands moving to his face to rub his eyes.

When he finally opens them you’re sitting up next to him, staring down at him with a beaming smile.

“What’s gotten you so smiley?” he asks in that irresistible, groggy morning voice that makes your insides turn in an instant.

“You’re my husband.”

You see the surprise on his face at first along with the confusion before he breaks out into a smile.

“I am, yeah,” he grins, his hand reaching out and settling on your waist. “And you’re my wife,” he adds with a chuckle.

“Doesn’t that sound… magical?” you sigh dreamily and he finally understands what this is all about.

“It does. I love the sound of it. I’ve been waiting for a long time to call you that.”

Heat crawls up your neck at his words, even after all this time he never fails to make you giddy.

“We’re not just girlfriend and boyfriend anymore.” Moving closer you lie back down as his arms lock around you, pulling you on top of him.

“Mm, not anymore,” he smirks.

“You’re not just my fiancé…” you keep musing and Harry nods. “You are… my husband.”

“That’s right,” he chuckles and you can feel his chest vibrating under you. 

“Thank you.”

“For being your husband?” he arches an eyebrow.

“For choosing me.”

“I didn’t choose you,” he says, squeezing your sides. “There was no choice to make, no decision. I knew you were it for me, I didn’t have to even think about it.”

“You always say you knew it the moment we met.”

“I did.”

“But we didn’t even talk that night, how would have you known?” Harry shrugs.

“I just did. In here,” he says, tapping his chest with one hand. When it returns to your waist you lean down and kiss his peck over his heart. 

“Alright then,” you smile at him. “I believe you, husband.”

Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed and buy me a coffee if you want to support me!

[funkyllama]

The "Bernadotte" Collection,

I've caught myself making quite a few Swedish Tiaras over the past few months and decided to round up the ones I've created so far. In this small collection are edited versions of: Crown Princess Margareta's Laurel Wreath Tiara, Queen Sofia's 9 Prong Tiara, and the Six Button Tiara. To pair with this set, I've created three pairs of earrings, two of which are linked here and downloadable on The Sims Resource.

All Hats Are:

Disabled for Random Sims.

High Poly.

Brimless Hat Subcategory.

Lilian Button Tiara (Six Button Tiara)

22 swatches (11 gems, rose gold & silver bases).

Margareta Tiara (Laurel Wreath Tiara)

20 swatches (10 gems, silver & gold bases).

Sofia Tiara (Non-Prong Tiara, lol)

Un-edited from WIP Update #1.

12 swatches.

Emmylou Earrings (Pair to Margareta)

10 swatches.

Mid - High Poly (idk what's normal for earrings, so sorry ;-;).

Disabled for Random Sims.

Dinah Earrings (Pair to Lilian)

Avalible on The Sims Resource.

Simone Earrings (Pair to Lilian)

Avalible on The Sims Resource.

DOWNLOAD: Patreon (Always Free!)

@itsjessicaccfinds @alwaysfreecc +++ shoutout my love @tiaramania who 4sure doesn't need a shoutout, ily Create A Sim thumbnails, The Sims Resource thumbnails, and unedited/no reshade screenshot below cut & on patreon post.

casually just using elle in every thumbnail ever bcs i'm too lazy to click Load Game instead of Resume & changing her eyeshadow so it looks like i'm not doing exactly that.

[shinynewboots]

In the Night Sky: GuitarSpear

Guitarspear week: Day 3

Prompt: Sun and Moon - Celestial

AN: A fun little fluff/feel-good piece about the beginnings of Lute and Adam's relationship!

No warnings

Lute stood on the wall, sipping her champagne slowly as she took in the scene of the ballroom before her. Emily had wanted to start the tradition of throwing an annual gala to 'boost morale and good spirit' among Heaven and its host. Lute didn't quite understand the point, but who was she to argue with the young seraphim.

And so she had, along with her exorcist sisters, dressed up for the occasion. Emily had chosen the theme "In the Night Sky" and gave everyone a rather vague idea of what was to be expected of them. So far, Lute had seen everything from someone dressed up in a beautiful ball gown meant to envision the Milky Way to another angel wearing a large ball that engulfed their body and proclaiming themselves to be "Jupiter".

Lute had chosen something a tad simpler, and opted for a silver mini dress with a haltered top that clung to her body before stopping mid-thigh. Her hair had been curled (curtesy of her fellow exorcist, Lyre) and was adorned with a small silver tiara with star embellishments.

She knew she should interact with people (lest she face the wrath of Emily) but Lute wasn't good with people. She was always too abrasive, too vulgar, too dark (especially to Winners who indulged in their own piety and declared such things to be beneath them). No, Lute was better off here on the sidelines. Watching.

Emily had outdone herself. The ballroom had been transformed into an accurate representation of the night sky, complete with stars that twinkled to give the illusion of one floating amongst the galaxy. She looked around the room to see her various sisters floating around the room and she couldn't suppress the hint of jealousy at how it just came so easily for them.

She took a final sip of her champagne before setting the flute down on a table and stepping outside to get some air.

The balcony was even more magnificent than the ballroom and it gave the illusion that she could simply walk off the ledge and begin to walk among the stars. And even better, it was empty and quiet. Away from the warmth of the ballroom. Lute sighed and walked towards the edge, placing her elbows on the railing.

"More booze for your thoughts?" A voice behind her said.

Lute shot up and turned to see Adam, the First Man and leader of the exorcists.

"Sir," She replied. "I didn't think you were coming."

She looked him up and down, unable to stop staring at the angel in front of her. He was dressed in a traditional Greek toga (right down to the sandals) with a golden wrap around it. In his hands he held two glasses of champagne. His hair had been fixed in such a way that his normally messy hair was now lying playfully in boyish curls, adorned with a golden laurel wreath crown. His golden wings were spread out behind him and Lute truly believe he looked like an ancient Adonis.

Adam shrugged. "I figured I wouldn't pass up free booze."

He handed one of the champagne flutes to her. She gave him a hesitant smile and grabbed the glass. Appeased, he moved closer to the railing and turned so that his back was leaning precariously over the ledge.

"Thanks." She said, taking a sip and letting the bubbles flood her senses.

"What are you supposed to be anyway? An astronaut?" He asked, poking a teasing finger into her arm.

She scowled at him. "I'm supposed to be the Moon."

Adam took a long look at her, his pursed as he thought. His eyes held a strange gaze, as if taking her appearance in for the first time. He shook his head. "No way you could be the moon."

Lute took another sip of her champagne. She could feel him trying to push her buttons. He rarely saw her out of uniform, but when he did, he was very vocal about his thoughts. "And why not?"

"You're too pretty to be the moon." He replied, his face serious as his golden eyes looked down at her sincerely.

"Oh." Was all she could muster before she tipped back the flute of her drink and downed it in one gulp. The multiple glasses were already going to her head and she could feel a future of questionable decisions ahead. "Well, what are you even supposed to be?"

Adam chuckled, spreading his arms and wings out wide so that she could get the full effect. "I'm Apollo."

Lute raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And he's the Greek God of the Sun." He said, gesturing towards his golden attire. Lute couldn't help but giggle.

"Sounds blasphemous." She smirked. Adam tapped her on the nose and laughed.

"Not blasphemous if I really am Apollo. Or at least, the inspiration for him." Adam replied, shrugging.

"Wait, are you trying to tell me that you're the reason Apollo exists in Greek mythology?"

"Yeah! We used to go down to visit Earth more back in the day. Where do you think a lot of inspiration for myths comes from? I might have been revered as god in a culture or two, but who's counting." Adam shrugged, grinning in a way that said he definitely was counting.

"The real Apollo?" She asked again, still trying to wrap her head around the revelation.

Adam nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yeah, I even brought my old lyre."

And from God knows where Adam pulled out a lyre that looked as though it had seen better days. He began to strum the strings softly, very different than the aggressive way he would play guitar. She found herself entranced by the way his large fingers strummed the strings in such a gentle manner.

She found herself forgetting his absurd claim of being Apollo (though some of those statues did bear a somewhat striking resemblance in a certain light she supposed) as she watched him gently play .

He soon finished up his somber song and Lute couldn't help but set down her champagne flute and clap.

"What did you think?" He asked, his cheeks flushed as he looked at her for approval.

"Shockingly wonderful, Sir. I really had no idea you could play something that wasn't AC/DC." She teased.

"I'd say there's a lot you don't know about me." He said, giving her that strange look once more. He stowed the lyre back where it was he kept it in the first place and stepped closer to Lute. She had to look up at him to meet his golden eyes.

"I uh, I could play it for you again. Some other time. I even take requests." He said, the words more confident than his tone.

"I'm sure the girl would love to hear your playing skills on something other than a guitar."

He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I was actually thinking more outside of training. Just me and you."

It was Lute's turn to flush. She was grateful for Lyre (maybe she would be grateful for both lyres tonight) for helping her apply enough makeup so that hopefully her reddened checks wouldn't be noticed.

"I think I would like that," She replied, her voice softer than she could ever remember it being. "Sir." She added for good measure.

"Adam. I want you to call me Adam. At least in private if you're more comfortable that way." He said, a hesitant smile on his lips.

"Adam," She said, feeling the word as it moved through her vocal cords as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Or you could call me Dickmaster."

Unable to help herself, she punched him sharply in the arm earning a high-pitched 'hey' from him.

"Absolutely not, Adam."

"Okay, maybe I deserved that." He said turning to stare out into the illusion of the night sky. Lute joined his lead and rested her hand on the railing. She heard the noise of something moving on the railing and looked down to see his hand hesitantly deciding if it wanted to reach out for her own. She looked up at Adam, her golden eyes matching his own, and nodded softly.

The large hand tenderly held onto the smaller hand as their owners gazed into the night sky and witnessed the beginning stages of a star being formed.

[v3nusxsky]

Hii hope your doing well :)

if your up to writing requests can I request a fic where R is in a maths exam and its really stressing her out so she slips to a really little headspace and the teacher won’t let R leave maybe beacuse they think she’s faking it or something to get out of the test. so Larissa and/or Marilyn comes in and saves R and gives lots of cuddles and comfort and tells the teacher off. Then they go back to Larissas office and R gets take care of and looked after and its all sweet and fluffy.

Sorry for the long request and have a good day :)

<3

- ⭐️

Stressful situations

*Authors note~ we are gonna be Marilyn’s Teaching aid for a botany exam so not a student but a member of staff so we can be in a relationship with weems. I’m in an educational setting for placement which is why I changed it slightly I hope you don’t mind.*

Trigger warnings~ Agere little fem r cg Larissa cg ish Marilyn crappy invigilator stress cg Marilyn r and Marilyn are besties Marilyn isn’t laurel

Prompt~ see ask^^

The most stressful time of year for anyone in an educational setting as adults is a tie between the Christmas holidays and exam season. For assistants like you it was always the exam season that got you stressed the most. From the teachers being stressed with all things exams and the students being in various states of overwhelmed and burnt out coming to you for support. Safe to say you hate exam season but you always try your best to be as helpful as possible which is one of the reasons Marilyn became your best friend. You are her right hand woman when it comes to anything in school or personal life and she considered you a great friend.

Working with your best friend is great, until you realise you can’t hide from your girlfriend here either. See Larissa Weems, your ever loving partner, is the principal of Nevermore. Marilyn being your trusted friend soon meant she became one of Larissa’s too. And over time Marilyn learnt your secret and how to spot the signs too, you didn’t mind her knowing but now when your trying to hide from Larissa so she won’t notice, it’s more of a curse and not a blessing.

This exam Wednesday and Bianca have been particularly difficult, if one asked for a pen then the other was right behind asking for the same. If one noticed that the other had managed to race ahead questions then the other was racing to catch up while trying to sneakily out each other off. A constant need to one up another has you running back and forth the exam hall. A peak at the clock reveals you are unable to leave the room for another hour. But now with how overwhelmed and exhausted you are you aren’t sure you’ll make it.

You’d have to. The head invigilator looked at you like you’d grown three heads when you’d ask to get some air. It’s not unheard of that helpers for exam season would try to leave or get off the job early but you couldn’t help feeling the need to slip. But no. The guy stood firm in his answer and simply told you to stop being a drama queen and do your damn job. Fortunately, for you, Marilyn over heard everything and immediately pressed her little button on her pager to get Larissa here.

Being called to the exam hall as a principal is never a good thing, truly the blonde is getting a little tired of threatening Miss Addams with expulsion from Nevermore. But arriving at the hall tells her one thing, it’s not a professional call as Marilyn walks towards her with a sad smile and simple gesture towards you. There you stood desperately trying to keep control over your headspace and not break down crying but the two women just knew you didn’t have much more strength to give. “Thank you Miss Thornhill, come to my office when you’re done here.”

“Hi sweet girl” Larissa whispered as she stood in front of you, “look at me darling” she commanded and you did so instantly with tear’s shining in your eyes. “Let’s get out of her dear” was all it took to snap you out of the haze. “Can’t. Won’t let me” you mumbled stepping back from the woman. “He won’t stop you my love, come with me.” But of course as you start to leave the boss once again asked you what on earth you’re doing trying to leave only to be shut up with a quick few words from Larissa before she guides you out of the room.

Leaving the exam hall immediately triggered your headspace to slip at an almost instant pace but that’s okay because Larissa would ensure your safety and you knew that with your whole heart. With a hand on the small of your back, Larissa guided you towards her office with an ease that only came with experience, a gentle hand guiding you home. “It’s okay my darling, you can let it happen now love” she murmured making sure to shut the door and usher you further into her office.

As expected you broke down into harsh sobs that violently tore through your body. The sight alone caused the Principals heart to clench in sadness as she scooped you into her arms and cocooned you with her whole presence while whispering sweet praises in your ear in a hopes that maybe her scent and the words would help aid her in calming you down. You sat in the womans lap hands tightly wrapped in her blazer as if she was going to disappear at any moment, attempting to infuse your body to hers.

That almost seemed to do the trick until the sound of a gentle knock startled you, eyes flickering up to the woman whom you entrusted your life for an answer. “It’s just Mari sweetheart. I know my little one loves her Mari don’t you? Hmm?” She murmured before calling out to the red head to enter.

“How is our little star doing?” If anyone can calm you down it’s your girlfriend but on the occasions that Larissa had to rush off to a board meeting or deal with another Addams saga of trouble you knew Marilyn would act as her stand in. A fact that had taken adjustment from all parties but worked like a well oiled machine.

Instead of Larissa answering you mumbled into the woman that you were tired causing both women to be shocked, normally you wouldn’t involve yourself in this conversation, happy to just soak up Larissa’s attention before she had to hurry off. “I’m sorry darling girl, mama has to go to a meeting little love, do you think Mari can sit with you till I’m back? We will nap after that love” Larissa whispered causing you do whimper at the word go. “No mama I don’t like that” would’ve hurt Marilyn if she wasn’t so use to this routine, eventually you’d end up sitting closely, head leaning on her shoulder as you attempted to colour your mama a masterpiece. However, neither woman found it easy to watch you sob at the situation, pleading with her not to leave you, pleading your friend to make her stay. The closing of the door was always the final nail in that coffin.

Two hours later Larissa returned to her office to be met with you resting your head in Marilyn’s lap and lazily playing with her fingers. “Little star, I spy someone’s mama” Marilyn murmured to not startle you from your sleepy haze. “Mine mama?” You whispered hopefully, seconds later you’re scrambling off her lap and crashing your body into Larissa’s steady one. “Mama! I miss you! I did picture with Mari!” You squealed happily dragging your mana to your art work. “She was a star as usual Larissa, after her tears she was so good isn’t that right my star?” Marilyn murmured causing you to nod your head excitedly, mama always likes when you’re good for your friends.

That was how you ended up snuggled into Larissa for a lunch time nap after Marilyn had to go back to a revision session for another Botany exam coming in the next few days. Despite the start of the day, you knew that no matter what you had the best girlfriend and best friend who would advocate for your needs if you can no longer do so.

[cas-sims]

Agaricus enjoys spending time with Laurel Grisby! She’s so fun!

[reegis]

i dont ever post WIPs so dont reblog this or ill die instantly but

them….

[ID: a photo of a waist-up digital drawing on a screen. The drawing depicts Ashes O'Reilly and Gunpowder Tim of the Mechanisms as Hades and Persephone, respectively. Ashes is standing facing the viewer and Tim is standing in front of the with his back to their chest facing diagonally to the viewer's left. They are both smiling with closed lips.

Ashes has medium brown skin and dark brown, kinky, shoulder length hair, which is faded to be mostly red. The side of their head is shaved, including sideburns, and they have a dark brown laurel behind their ear. Their visible ear is pierced, with two stud-type earrings in the lobe and three long, dark red, labret spikes in the middle portion of the helix lip. They have yellow eyes and red eyeshadow which extends over their temple to their hairline. They are blushing. They have a large rounded nose and a circular barbell in their lower lip. They are wearing a maroon suit, with a red waistcoat, a muted, dark red, button up shirt, and a bright red tie. Tim's head is rested in the crook of their neck, so their chin is on his forehead and they are looking down and away from him.

Tim has fair skin and medium brown, curly, shoulder length hair. The laurel behind his ear is the same color as his hair. He has short, brown, facial hair along his jaw, chin, and upper lip. His eyes are brass colored and the skin surrounding them is brown and cracked. He has purple eye shadow on. He, too, is blushing and his nose is more pointed than Ashes. Tim is wearing a bright red, strapless dress, with a sweetheart neckline and loose, off the shoulder sleeves. The dress shows off his chest, which is flat and hairy. He also has visible armpit hair.

Tim's left arm is extended out to the side, in front of Ashes and Ashes left arm is mostly unseen, but it is lifted at the elbow. His left shoulder is raised up to his chin. Ashes' and Tim's right arms are lifted and they appear to be holding each others fingers, with Tim's hand raised higher than Ashes'. Ashes is wearing a glove on their visible hand, which is close in color to their shirt.

The background is black.

Minimal outside of the drawing can be see, but there are tabs at the top labeled "Illustration 4 [Res-," "Illustration 6 [Res-," "Illustration 8 (2000 x 2734 px 72 dpi 87.5%)," "Mechs ref," and "H-." There is a minor glare on the image below Tim's left arm, on Ashes coat, from light reflecting off of the screen.

End ID]

ID courtesy of @majorshatterandhare 🥰

[oh-he-grows]

Today I put on my rainjacket and planted all 80 of my mostly native perennials that I picked up this week! This is what it looks like to rip up your lawn and go native! I was under pressure to get these all in today since it's going to rain all week and I didn't want these plants to stay in pots longer than they had to.

It still needs to be more leveled, topdressed with compost, and mulched with decomposed woodchips, and there's still plenty of cleanup left- but at least everything is in the ground.

If I had a few months and a few extra tarps I could have waited to smother or solarize all the grass, which would have been much less intensive on my part, but I took to it with an electric cultivator and a Root Slayer shovel. I'm very sore and tired now, but also very proud of the work I've done and excited for next spring.

Full list of plants: Coneflower (white, purple, orange), Autumn Fire Sedum, Pink Biennial Guara, Eastern Columbine, Agastache, Tall Meadow Rue, Heuchera, Summersweet (Clethra Alnifolia, lining the entire area), Pink Muhly Grass, Appalachian Barbara's Buttons, Allegheny Onion, Sweet Shrub, Itea Virginica, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Coreopsis, Early Goldenrod, Woodland Phlox, a bay laurel, and a single knock out rose.

[taylorsv3rsion13]

we never go out of style || c.f.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

words : 2.7k

synopsis : things were always rocky for conrad and you. after the whole break up, will everything be the same the year later? or will it all turn to shit.

Every year since we were little kids we would celebrate mine and Belly's birthday. We were born on the same day, but a year apart. And it seemed to make us closer. Susannah would decorate the house and Laurel would make us pancakes every year and Conrad would draw a sun with syrup all over my pancakes. It was like a holiday for us.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" My mom said over the phone as I was calling her.

"Thank you." I said, smiling.

"Okay, I won't keep you away for long, I know you're waiting for your pancakes." She laughed through the phone.

"Bye, love you!"

"Love you too."

I finished getting ready, putting on all of the makeup and jewelry I needed.

My outfit was normal, just wearing a teal tank top and a green cargo mini skirt.

As soon as I came out of the room Belly did too.

"You're looking hot." I said to her as we made our way down the stairs. She was wearing a floral patterned birthday dress.

"Morning!" We shouted in sync as we came into the kitchen.

Steven and Laurel were making pancakes, Jeremiah and Susannah were decorating, and Conrad looked like he didn't want to be there.

There were various smiles with "hey" and "Happy birthday!"

Susannah came to us first, hugging us, "There are the birthday twins!" She exclaimed.

Jeremiah hugged Belly as Steven hugged me, "Happy birthday." They both said to us before swapping.

"Belly Button's getting old finally!" I exclaimed as I gave her sixteen punches on the arm.

She was quick to return, hitting me even harder seventeen times as I screamed around the kitchen.

Laurel raised an eyebrow at us before giving us a group hug, "Happy birthday, beautiful girls."

"Did you call your mom?" Susannah asked as she plated some fruit.

"Yes, she was the first person I talked to."

"Your Minnie and Mickey Mouse pancakes are ready." Laurel smiled.

Belly looked at her mom for a moment, "I'm actually not that hungry..."

I looked at Laurel, "I'll take a pancake or two."

"Okay, how about presents?" Susannah asked.

"You're going to love mine." Jeremiah said, yet I don't know who he was talking to.

Conrad didn't say anything, eating his cereal in peace. He ignored me, but did wave hello to Belly.

Belly opened her present from her mom first. It was a beautiful book.

"It's a first edition. I got it from a rare book dealer." Laurel smiled.

We all noticed how Belly didn't have much emotion with the book, "Turn to the bookmarked page."

"That's the poem Susannah would repeat to us." I said, reading the page.

I grabbed the present that she had given me. I unwrapped it to reveal the most gorgeous cover I've ever seen on a book. It was Little Women.

"Oh, wow." I said, looking through the pages.

"Your mom said it reminded you of home."

I looked up to Laurel, "Thank you so much."

"Girls, open mine now!" Susannah squealed as she handed us our gifts.

Belly revealed a black velvet box, while I had a white one.

She opened hers, and a pearl bracelet was inside.

"Oh, wow." Belly exclaimed.

"These were pearls that my mom gave me for my sweet 16. Now Y/N, open yours."

I opened the box and there was a gorgeous pearl necklace.

"Those were also from my mom. She gave them to me when I was a debutante." She smiled as she admired Belly and I.

"Oh Y/N, I have another gift for you." Susannah said.

I looked at her, puzzled on why I would have two?

She handed me another box, this time it was a velvet red. I opened it and there was a golden chain with a sun in the middle. I immediately recognized it as a matching necklace, needing a moon on the other side.

"Isn't there supposed to be a moon as well?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe someone else has it." Susannah shrugged. "I just thought it reminded me of you."

Jeremiah jumped up, "Ooh! I'm next."

He handed us his somewhat neatly wrapped gift.

Belly was given a charm in the shape of a key.

"It's for good luck. So you can pass your drivers test." Jeremiah smiled.

I opened mine revealing a golden bracelet with a heart charm.

"Thank you so much, Jere." I smiled.

"Think fast Y/N!" Steven said as he threw a present at me. He also threw one at Belly. "Open them at the same time!" He urgred.

We both ripped through the package, opening and unfolding a Princeton crewneck.

"Oh my god you actually got in!" I exclaimed as I ran to hug him.

"No, not yet." He smiled.

Laurel looked at Steven, "I didn't know you were still considering Princeton?"

"Well I'll probably get scholarships and Dad said I could get some financial aid." Steven explained.

The room got silent and tension was high.

"Uh Conrad, do you have a present for Belly and Y/N?" Susannah asked.

He passed Belly a black velvet bag. She opened it, taking out a silver infinity necklace.

His attention then turned to me, "Sorry, I forgot."

"Oh yeah, don't worry, it's cool. I wasn't expecting much anyway." I smiled, trying to actually hide how I felt.

It did hurt. He remembered Belly's birthday, yet he couldn't even remember mine. Which was the same day.

There was a lot of tension in in the room as everyone looked at each other.

"Uhm, so I have to go. I promised Cleveland that I'd show him some knots today."

I watched as he got up from his seat and left. I didn't want it to affect me, but it really did.

"Happy birthday Y/N, and Belly." He said.

"Why don't we go practice driving?" I asked Belly, trying to take my mind off of things. "So you can drive us to get Taylor as well."

She squealed excitedly, "Yes!"

I got up from my seat, heading over to go out the front.

"Hey Y/N?" Susannah called out.

I turned to her, "Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Of course I am." I smiled reassuringly.

I sat in the passenger seat while Jeremiah sat in the back.

She made a sharp right and we all went flying.

"Whoops." She laughed.

"Dear god, Bells." I said as I held onto anything I could grab on to.

The bus pulled up as we stood there, waiting for Taylor to come out.

"You excited, Bells?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said, but I could tell there was a part of her that wasn't excited.

"Twenty-bucks she's gonna call Jere, Jeremy." I said.

The girl emerged from the bus holding a handful of balloons and a bag.

"Oh, my god!" Taylor exclaimed as her and Belly ran to each other.

"Taylor!" I said as I ran to hug her.

"Here, let me take that for you." Jeremiah said as he took her bags.

Taylor smiled looking up at Jeremiah, "Thank you, Jeremy."

I laughed at Jeremiah as he just stood there smiling.

"So, should we head home?" Jeremiah suggested.

"Ooh, actually, let's make a stop first." Taylor said, making eye contact with Belly and I.

We sat under an umbrella as Jeremiah placed down a banana split with three spoons for us.

Taylor dug in first, "I would literally eat this every day if I could."

She also pulled out a gift for Belly. And another for me.

"Oh wow, these are cute." I said as I opened my present, revealing a blue bikini.

"I know right, it's hot." She said.

Belly opened hers and it was a white bikini.

"Y/N?" Taylor called out as we hung out in the pool.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Where's Conrad?" She asked.

"Oh, I don't know." I shrugged, swimming over to Jeremiah and Steven.

After a couple of minutes in out own little groups, Taylor suggested to play chicken, which we all agreed to.

"Dibs on Jeremy." Taylor smiled as she made her way to Jeremiah

"Oh, great, that means I'm stuck with Steven." Belly said sadly.

"Wait, what about Y/N?" Jeremiah asked.

Belly looked at me, "Oh, do you want to go on Steven?"

"No it's fine, you guys can play." I said.

There was a few complaints from Belly and Steven about being each others partners, so Taylor and Belly switched.

"Okay, three, two, one, go!" I yelled as they began fighting in the water.

The fight lasted less than a minute with Taylor and Steven falling into the water.

"Woo!" Jeremiah and Belly exclaimed in excitement. I gave them both a high five.

On the other hand, Steven and Taylor were bickering about who's fault it was that they lost.

"Hey guys!" A familiar voice said.

I turned my head around and Nicole was walking through with Conrad.

"Hey, Nicole!" I said.

"Hi. Happy Birthday you two." She said. "Are you guys playing.. chicken?"

"Yeah, it was Taylor's idea." Belly said.

"Hey, I'm Taylor." Taylor said from behind Belly.

Belly smiled, "She's my best friend from home."

"Yeah, I'm just visiting for the weekend." Taylor added.

"Oh, that's cute." Nicole said.

"Do you guys wanna play a real game?" I asked.

Everyone in the pool said yes.

Jeremiah had helped me set up the net and then the games began. I was on the girls side and Nicole and Conrad sat on the edge of the pool, dipping their feet in the water.

The boys groaned 'No!' as us girls cheered for our point.

We did a couple more rounds, as we all laughed a lot. This was definitely one of my favorite summers. Being with everyone, like nothing ever happened.

"You're not ready." Taylor smirked to Steven.

"You're on."

Taylor hit the ball, and it swerved, hitting Nicole in the head.

"Ow." Nicole said.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." Steven said through in-between awkward laughs.

"Taylor." Belly said sternly before turning back to Nicole, "I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. You guys keeping playing." Nicole said to us.

"Feel better Nicole!" I said as she began walking back into the house with Conrad.

Conrad stopped in his tracks, just looking down at me.

"Have fun playing." He said.

Dinner was just as I'd imagined. It was gorgeous and vibrant.

Susannah had made the girls all flower crowns as well, for Midsommar.

I sat in between Jeremiah and Conrad again, but we added another chair next to Belly, because Cam Cameron was here!

Throughout the dinner, Jeremiah kept question Cameron, making fun of him almost.

Somehow Jeremiah got on the talk about kissing dead animals and then kissing Cameron, which made me kick him hard in the shin.

"Ow." He exclaimed.

"Oh shut up."

"I don't mind at all, in fact-" Cameron said as he kissed Belly on the lips.

I'm not even joking. All of our mouths fell open.

From beside me, Steven and Jeremiah both pretended to retch.

"If you guys don't shut up." I said loudly over their obnoxious noises.

It got into our embarrassing moments throughout our childhood at the Fishers as well, but Conrad stayed silent the whole time.

"Hey, I was thinking. Maybe we should go out to Nicole's party?" I asked

"Yes!" Taylor and Belly exclaimed at the same time.

Conrad's eyes met mine for a second before dropping. He didn't seem happy with what I said.

I laid on Belly's bed, staring up at the cieling.

"I think Conrad still hates me." I stated.

Taylor and Belly turned to look at me.

"Why would you say that?" Belly asked.

'I don't know. When I brought up Nicole's' party, he just seemed to go quieter than normal.

Taylor laughed a little, "It's fine Y/N. He's just a dumb boy either way."

I sighed knowing she was right.

"Look at us," Taylor said as we looked in the mirror, "We're hot ass bitches."

She was in the hot pink mini dress, Belly was in a knit crochet top with beige pants, and I was in a halter white and blue top with jeans.

As soon as we walked into the party, a man came down the stair banister, wooing.

And then to the right of the house was what I'm guessing was a dining room. Lot's and lot's of cakes and desserts with 17 and 16 candles.

"Y/N, you guys came!" Nicole's voice said as she made her way through people.

I laughed a little, "Hi, Nicole! You look gorgeous." I said, hugging her.

"Me? Look at you. You look like a goddess."

Nicole lead us through the house and they followed behind. Well everyone but Taylor. She had decided to find a drink for herself.

"Guys, look who's here." Nicole said to the girls.

Nicole began lighting the candles.

"Is this for us?" Belly asked.

"Who else would it be for, Belly?" Nicole asked with a smile.

"Thank you, guys." Belly and I both had said.

"Okay, well, girls, make a wish." Nicole motioned towards the two cakes.

The topic with the group got onto Conrad and how he was.

"He's not talking to anyone else. He's usually just to himself." I said

"Okay well new topic." Nicole said, not wanting to talk about Conrad, "Have you asked anyone to the ball"

"Oh, no. I'm waiting for the right person." I said, giving Nicole a smile.

I looked past Gigi who was saying something to Belly about asking Cam to the ball. Anywho, past Gigi was Conrad. He was messing with his hair and he was laughing and smiling.

I couldn't even lie. He was attractive.

He made eye contact with me as he drank a large part of his beer.

I couldn't like him again though. But there was part of me that knew it could happen again. Susannah told me to believe in second chances.

I don't know what happened really. I was just watching the boys play their little ping pong drinking game and then Belly came out all mad.

"Hey, can we leave?" Belly asked Cameron.

"Oh yeah, yeah." Cameron said.

"Y/N, you need a ride home? I don't want to take you away from the party." Belly said.

"It's fine. I'll give her a ride home." Conrad jumped in.

I looked at him questioningly, but he didn't look back.

"See you later, Bells!" I called out to her as she began to leave.

Jeremiah looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Fill in for Cam Cameron please."

I rolled my eyes playfully at him, "Fine, scooch over."

After an hour or so, we all were ready to leave. By now I was drunker then I probably should've been. So drunk that Conrad had to help me to the car and into the car.

He sat in the drivers seat as I just stared at him.

"You're like the moon to my sun." I sighed, touching his hair.

He grabbed onto my hand, putting it back into my lap.

"Y/N, you're drunk." He said to me.

"Noo, you're drunk." I said to him, booping his nose.

I came down stairs the next morning. Jeremiah already in the kitchen, mixing himself up one of his smoothies.

"Hit me." I said to him as I groaned and propped my head on the table with my arm.

He laughed, splitting his smoothie with me.

"You drank a lot last night for such a small girl."

"I shouldn't have." I said, gulping down a large amount of the drink.

Belly came down the stairs soon, grabbing the box of cereal and pouring some in her mouth.

"I'm guessing you and tay-tay haven't made up yet?" I asked.

"No." Belly said with no emotion.

At the party, Steven and Taylor were making out and then Belly had walked in.

"You guys want to do a muffin run?" I asked.

"I'm always up for a muffin run." Jeremiah smiled. Belly also agreed.

"Can you get the keys from Conrad's room? Jeremiah asked.

I nodded, "Yeah sure. Is he home?"

"No, he dropped you off at home and then spent the night at Nicole's" Jeremiah explained.

"Oh um." I stammered, "Do you know where he keeps the keys?"

"Uh, they should be in his desk." Jeremiah said.

I never really was in Conrad's room often. But it didn't look much different than the last time I had seen it. It was obviously boat themed which was cute.

His drawers were messy inside. Nothing was organized and there were like 5 condoms.

There was also a black velvet pouch which I took out. Yes, I'm nosy, but I wanted to know what was inside.

I opened it and saw a moon bracelet.

I put the bracelet charm against my sun charm and it fit perfectly. What the hell was wrong with him?

When we went home, I drove Belly and Taylor to the bus stop.

I sat in the car with Belly as we watched Taylor wait in line for the bus.

"You're not going to say goodbye?" I asked her skeptically.

"I don't want to talk to her." Belly said, not making eye contact with me.

"Come on Belly, she's your best friend. She loves you, especially if she came out here just for your birthday."

Belly sighed, "Fine."

Once she came back in, she seemed mad, but I didn't care.

"I know i'm only a year older than you, but just take my wisdom for once." I joked, "Boys might come and go, but your best friend is once in a lifetime. You're lucky you have someone like Taylor. We never know what the future will hold, so you have to hold tight to that relationship."

Friends come and go. Boys come and go. But best friends stay. They're real. That's what I loved about the Fishers and Conklins. They were my best friends and they always stayed. Every single year.

[everlastiingiimmortals]

Notes on Dr. Ratio: Design, Philosophy, and Culture

That's right, I'm back with another big thinkpiece! This time, I'll be doing a very long overdue analysis on Ratio and drawing notes to the real-life inspirations behind his character. I'll be having quite a bit of overlap with existing headcanon posts I've made, so if there's anything I repeat I apologize. I'll do my best to link the major posts I've written before as they come up!

I'll be splitting this piece into three different sections: design, kit and naming conventions, and miscellaneous (that gorgeous E6, his personality and backstory, statues, etc). So, without further ado, let's begin! This will be lengthy, just as a general note, and has a lot to point to, so the notes will be bulleted.

Design:

To start, Ratio has an overall blue and white theme. This immediately struck me as very Greek, especially since the colors in his chiton are of a similar shade to the national flag of Greece.

He has a modernized and modified version of the chiton and himation or chlamys, all of which are traditional articles of clothing in Ancient Greece. The chiton is the blue half with the sleeve, and and the himation is the white cloth. Both are tucked under a zone (the girdle), with it only partially hidden on one side. Usually the whole belt would be hidden under the folds of a chiton, but HYV likes their belts. An interesting note regarding the himation is that it's fastened on his left shoulder, rather than the right as it would traditionally be done.

The button fastening Ratio's himation in place is actually a Roman button! An example of one can be seen here, in the Met.

The sandals he wears are more of Greek origin than Roman, I think. It was hard to find the exact type or name, but this site points to several examples.

Naturally, the owl pauldron is a reference to Athena (Minerva in Roman mythology), the Greek goddess of wisdom and strategy. This is a motif that also shows up on Ratio's codex.

His hairpiece is a representation of a laurel wreath, which were awarded to skilled, accomplished people as a symbol of triumph -- though usually intended for victors of athletic or musical and poetic competitions (and for the Romans, martial victory), they have also come to represent academic success and achievement.

The column he summons in his Ultimate is a composite column, noted by the large volutes (reminiscent of an ionic order) as well as the acanthus leaf motifs similar to a corinthian column.

Similarly, acanthus leaves -- a popular design in Ancient Greece and Rome -- make repeated appearances on Ratio's outfit. We can see some sort of acanthus leaf with volutes on his belt buckle, acanthus leaves on his bracers, and also on the hem of his pants.

Throughout his clothing (particularly the flowy bits) we see endless vitruvian scrolls (also called wave scrolls) on his cape wings and the hem of his chiton. Though I didn't see anything suggesting symbolism, it was a very popular design in Ancient Greece all the same, and was thought to represent the Meander, a winding river in Turkey.

His alabaster headpiece looks nothing like him, but I wonder if it could possibly be modeled after Athena instead? The hair is long enough to be braided and curled into a bun, and it does look vaguely similar to some statues and depictions of Athena. It's hard to say.

He wears a signet ring! While the use of signet rings in academics is largely a tradition within the US and Canada from my research, they date back to the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece and were popular in Ancient Rome as symbols of status. Interestingly, Ratio wears his on his left middle finger, rather than his right (which would traditionally symbolize power and strength).

Ratio has a few gems on his person: an amethyst on his gold neckpiece (??? what is that thing, I still have no idea), and a sapphire or lapis lazuli on each bracer and sandal. Amethysts traditionally represent clarity of mind, while both sapphire and lapis lazuli can symbolize wisdom. Interestingly, all three stones have names of Greek or Latin origin.

Seriously, what is that neckpiece? It has wings that sit below the amethyst, and it occurred to me that it looks vaguely similar to a caduceus, with the chain being reminiscent of the intertwined snakes. It should be noted that the caduceus is not a medical symbol, as is commonly misunderstood here in the US, but rather a symbol of Hermes. It has associations with wisdom, eloquence, deception, and trade, which obviously don't all apply to Ratio as a character, but given his alignment with the Intelligentsia Guild/IPC and his role in the Penacony arc, it's interesting to note all the same.

His codex! This is actually a silly marble (??) version of a wax tablet, popularly used in Ancient Greece. Here is an example of a foldable wax tablet from Byzantine Egypt, but the general idea is the same. They were in Greece, too.

Kit and Naming Conventions:

First off, the man himself: Veritas Ratio. I've talked about this at length, so I'll link the most recent post on his etymology here.

His banner title, Panta Rhei. This is Greek for "all things are in flux," and attributed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. He was insistent on change and the idea of the world being in constant motion; that is to say, all things being in the process of becoming, but never realizing that final limit. This idea of people constantly changing and growing is something reflected in Ratio's philosophy as well.

Ratio's Lightcone is named "Baptism of Pure Thought," which is particularly interesting to his character. Baptism -- notably the act of immersing one in water -- is largely known as a Christian practice (which did originate in the Roman Empire!). While Ratio himself has never struck me as religious, it's obvious that his baths are an incredibly spiritual and sacred habit for this reason. It's cute lol

His Talent, Cogito Ergo Sum. This is Latin, and translates to "I think, therefore I am." This was most famously used in Descartes' philosophy. Descartes was a French philosopher around the tail end of the Renaissance, and is commonly associated with the rise of modern rationalism and epistemology -- both of these are central to Ratio's character.

Ratio's fifth Eidolon, Sic Itur Ad Astra. This phrase translates to "thus one journeys to the stars," and has its origins in Latin literature. Two noteworthy origins are Virgil, a Roman poet, and Seneca the Younger, a Roman philosopher and playwright. Given how he used to wish to reach for the stars (the Genius Society) and also quite literally travels among the stars, this is a fitting, if a little sad, name.

Ratio's (beloved) sixth Eidolon, Vincit Omnia Veritas. There's no literary or philosophical origin for this from what I saw. It simply means "truth conquers all," a nice, final declaration of Ratio's philosophy.

Miscellaneous:

Ratio's statues from his Technique have three famous real life references. I was unable to find the reference for the one where he's holding his book and lifting his hand up like he's giving a speech, but I saw some speculation that it was in reference to a pope statue. Nothing to really speculate on since I can't find a definitive reference. The flexing statue seems to be in reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous flexing pose, which is certainly A Choice, but it does make sense given Ancient Greek celebration of physical fitness and athleticism. Ratio himself is also fairly muscular and fit, and in his backstory he was noted to exercise frequently on top of his studies, so depictions of said fitness is not surprising. The most important reference, however, is to the Discolobus, an Ancient Greek statue, which also ties back to the idea of athleticism and fitness.

That beautiful, beautiful E6. It's a direct reference to Michelangelo's David. Interestingly, Ratio seems to have quite a number of nods to Michelangelo. Beyond the amazingly lifelike statues -- which Michelangelo is famous for -- he was also known to be generally unpleasant and reclusive, which does fit with Ratio's personality.

The strongest and most important influence, however, comes down to Leonardo da Vinci, and doesn't have any direct references like the others. Rather, the ties to da Vinci come in Ratio's accomplishments, philosophy, and appearance. The both of them are incredibly skilled geniuses technologically and artistically, and have made countless inventions. Like da Vinci, Ratio is a polymath -- that is, a person whose knowledge spans many fields and subjects. This was a fundamental aspect of Renaissance humanism, which posited that humans are limitless in their potential and knowledge and that all should seek to better themself through education and personal cultivation. Through the idea of the individual pursuing their own development, humanists advocated for the autonomy, progress, and equal dignity of all people. da Vinci was one such humanist of the Renaissance; this is something I've said before, but it is absolutely fundamental to Ratio's philosophy and motivations. He is a humanist just the same as da Vinci. Given that Renaissance humanism was a philosophy revolving around the revival of Greco-Roman culture, it is no wonder that Ratio ties back to those influences so strongly as well. (As a side note, like Ratio, da Vinci was supposedly a very beautiful and graceful man, who had a particular fondness for animals.)

Overall, it's really interesting to see how each section can more or less divide his inspirations: his design being Greek, his naming conventions being Roman, and his personality and philosophy being the Renaissance, with only a little overlap. I've mentioned this in passing I believe (I can't find where I initially put it), but Latin overlapping with the Renaissance is actually a very fundamental aspect of education, given that Greco-Roman culture was seen as the pinnacle of philosophy and knowledge during that time in Europe, and knowing Latin was considered proof of a good education and social standing. All this is the reason why I argue for Ratio being a representation of the Italian Renaissance, rather than Ancient Greek and Rome on their own.

Honorable Mentions (not tied to the themes of his origins! Just fun things deserving of recognition):

Isaac Newton's apple in his idle!

Heart statue :)

Jojo pose statue

Jojo pose in his trailer thumbnail

I'll also plug my piece on his parents here, not because they don't tie to his origins but because they're not relevant to the analysis itself.