#So I have to redo him entirely now
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egophiliac · 11 months ago
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new chapter 7 installment dropped how we feelin????
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
THAT'S HIS DAD
#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland spoilers#twisted wonderland episode 7 spoilers#twisted wonderland episode 7 part 6 spoilers#twisted wonderland book 7 spoilers#twisted wonderland book 7 part 6 spoilers#BABY DRAGON BABY DRAGON BABY DRAGON#i will take three thank you#god. lilia really has no idea how incredibly loved he is huh.#meleanor: (dies to protect him and her son)#malleus: (is literally born having a huge destructive tantrum because he wants lilia back)#silver: (bases his entire life and personality around how much he loves his dad)#lilia: wow i just can't understand why everyone is so upset about me dying#(somehow sebek ended up being the most normal about him and there's the most unexpected part)#man i really gotta redo lilia's um poster. i wasn't super happy with it to begin with but now there's like. fun shapes and context!#me: ha ha why is his magic called that. that's so weird.#me later: o-oh. oh i see.#SPEAKING OF SEBEK THOUGH there he is! THERE HE IS!#i was so afraid the armor was going to be a bad thing but NO he earned it!#he shook out his hair and turned out to have been beautiful all along!#episode 7 is about two things and two things only: dads and significant hair moments#and also speaking of dads!#i am taking lilia mistaking malleus for revaan based on his voice#as one more tick in the 'if crowley is revaan then there's going to have to be a really good explanation' column#the dulcet tones of dire crowley...#on the other hand if crowley tears off his mask and immediately starts sounding like malleus that would be THE funniest way to do it#auuuggghhhhh it's only been out for hours and already i'm like next part when#we've been cliffhanger'd again lads#idia finally came back to us and they were like 'please wait for the next release :)'#ortho did...did you somehow hack your way into silver's dream palace
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thespianinthebackcorner · 6 months ago
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are y'all ready for all my promo kid queer headcanons because I have. So many. Mostly in the form of ships but still. CW for a singular dysphoria mention, I'm not taking chances but I'm also not shying from the dark parts
Splatoon 1:
Lesbian couple Laura and Kaori, because Kaori deserves a hot girlfriend and Laura is everything to me
John and Pit are getting married at some point
Rui is bi but he has no fucking clue because his level of rizz for guys is negative five (he's only dated two people and both of them were girls) (one is Mizuho if you're wondering and yes they're still together)
I don't know what kind of queer they are but Yuriko and Yuya are the kind of queers that know all the tea the second it happens. They call each other the most out of the group- they don't wait to get home, they spill the tea to each other while it's hot. Chaos twins. They probably spam Uno Reverse cards on each other when the gang plays
Splatoon 2:
Surume and Cuttlefrsh are like Marina and Pearl in that they're both gay for someone of the other species (Patricia and Steven respectively. This also applies to them too obv)
Genderfluid Splashley! They go by Splash or Splashley depending on how they feel.
(Surprisingly, I don't have that many relationship or queer headcanons for the S2 group. Perhaps it's because Kensaki and Tof-U as a ship consume my every waking thought and as a consequence I forget half the others exist.)
Splatoon 3: (I have the most by far for this group, there's not a single straight character)
Transmasc Calamar! He was shy about it for ages but he's more confident now and doesn't mind keeping his tentacles long. According to Anemone he looks more masculine with them long
Non-binary Anemone! Them and Cal are twins, and Tof-U is their older sister! Subsequently they both got gender advice from Splashley while they were in the confusion state. Anemone spent longer in that confusion, but Cal had more dysphoria problems. They're both okay now, thanks to each other.
Poly Hiro, Veronika and Anemone. Is this because of the ship between them? Yeah. <-shameless bitch
Calamar is also aroace. Even if he wasn't from the start, he'd had ended up like that anyway from the amount of PDA his twin commits with their partners...
Stephanie is pan and ace! Wild bitch (affectionate), will date anyone that catches her eye, but isn't into the whole sex thing. She's not a cheater, tho, she's loyal to hell and back.
TakoTruck is lesbian and currently dating Stephanie. :)
Had to restrain myself from typing "Kayoss and Yarrwhal are oblivious gays" in all caps but they are. Like the fools they are, it's a bet that makes them confess to each other.
Mostly unrelated, but Kayoss has their wedding planned despite them being 15 and 16 respectively. (He's the kinda guy that plans his entire life over and over again.)
Squids and octopuses! In celebration of Pride Month, reblog with YOUR queer Splatoon headcanons!
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rapidhighway · 1 year ago
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i made my first ever full character model in blender and i had no idea what i was doing but i made this hiiiii based on this drawing of mine :)
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zarvasace · 7 months ago
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Why are there NINE LINKS THAT IS SO MANY TO DRAW
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sunnysduet · 10 months ago
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btw i got into act 3 of bg3 and astarion rejected me. So guess what i’m gonna do :)
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irhabiya · 9 months ago
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today sucked the life out of me ya Allah
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merakiui · 2 years ago
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you dreamt scara kissed you 😳😳😳 uuuu that's so sweet...
once I had a dream that azul gave me his credit card to use for some reason and I bought something really small (like worth 8 bucks or so) and ended up calling him on my phone and being super adamant that I would pay him back and how I really didn't want to spend anything in the first place. I remember he sounded really distracted and kind of hushed, so I asked if I called at a bad time or if he was busy to which he replied "....no, of course not. I'm completely free" turns out he was most definitely not free, and I called him while he was in a business meeting. and being the simp he is, he picked it up right away in front of everyone before leaving the room lmao
I wish I had more blorbo dreams esp romantic ones like you had with scara but my brain would rather it show me getting chased endlessly instead 👉👈
Holding that dream close to my heart!! <3 it was so sweet, too. We were holding eye contact for the longest time and he whispered, "Can I kiss you?" with the most sincere, softest expression ever and omg!!! It was a romantic film moment! >0<
Aaaa that's so cute!!!! Azul will always be a simp no matter where he is. (*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ) How generous of him to lend his credit card!!!! He is a sweetheart when he truly cares hehe!! I like that he will always choose you even when he's in a business meeting. Business is not nearly as important as answering a phone call from his crush. >:D
I wish I could have more romantic dreams as well! Although speaking of being chased, I do remember I had a dream where Floyd kept chasing me down and confessing over and over. I'm pretty sure that dream ended with lots of kisses lol. I am not immune to the love language of eels. There was also a vivid dream I had in which I pulled Halloween Jade back when I was fighting for my life trying to summon him, and when I logged into twst that morning (fully expecting to see Halloween Jade) I was disheartened to realize it had only happened in the dream. T_T
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wastelandhell · 2 years ago
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do you have a list of mods you use in your game? val always looks so pretty u_u
I have nearly 800 mods active rn and its kind of a mess in there, but here's some of the ones specific to him.
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I use Natural 2k face Textures for faces, I'm using an alternative ba2 packed version that used to be included in 2k LMCC ba2 but it looks like that has since been removed.
His body/hands are based on Samuel Redux from SynthOverboss. I did some edits to the normals/specs, as well as add all the body scars. That mod is based on Victoriam Line, which isn't hosted anymore but has been included in 4k Hairy Men EVB. The body and hand models are from BodyTalk 3.
I use Unique Player to give him a different body texture from npcs. I use HiPoly Faces REDUX for his face model, but iirc I had to do some fucking around in xEdit to get this to use the unique player skin for the maleheadRear.nif.
His eyes are from The Eyes of Beauty, but with material and normal/spec textures from TBOS-EyeOverhaul, which I can't find online anywhere. I've used a couple different teeth mods, I think I'm using xrayys natural teeth right now.
His face freckles are also from Samuel Redux, I edited the f4se file to change the blend modes and remove calls to broken textures. I edited these to have gaps where his scars are. I also duplicated the vanilla beard and eyebrows he uses and did the same so his scars cut through them. For extra textures I use one of the contours from Guyliner and probably something from LMCC but I'm not sure. His face scars are custom but I included them in Furby's Face Paints and Scars.
I use Oni vanilla hair re-texture for the vanilla hairstyles. His hair is a mashup of vanilla and azar ponytail assets but you can get something similar with "Maximum Casual" from Crocodile Hairstyle.
A big part of taking nice screenshots is just nice lighting. Without boring you; I use Reactor ENB with Screen Archer Menu to pose/light scenes, and FreeFlyCam to move the camera.
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jankillbride · 2 years ago
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#the sctir brain rot is real even tho I haven’t picked it back up in literal months#just thinking about Han Yoojin and Yoohyun and Yerim and this is why I write fic for them. cause I just. SCREAM#I’m dumping a lot of my thoughts into the authors notes so that when I post it hopefully tmrw I can inflict damage#but it’s just. I love them so much. I have so many agonies scenarios for them#hyj loves his brother so much that he can’t just let him die nor be alone. he’s constructed his whole life of being a caretaker#and if he can’t be a caretaker then what is he? what has he spent his entire life doing?#hyh loves his brother so much that he knows that he can’t get hyj to leave him even if hyh is sure that’s the only way hyj can be safe#not that he wants it of course but he breaks away from hyj so violently because he’s seventeen and he misses his brother and he’s hurting#but this is the only way he can see to actually take care of his brother for once#cause there’s also the guilt you know? my situation is very different from there’s but I’m also a younger sibling lol#and don’t get me started on yerim… oh yerim my childddd#I think about scenarios for all of them and I’m like ach it’s all about love#and it’s the fact that love isn’t the only thing that goes into a relationship#veering more into au territory but the brothers love each other very much but that doesn’t mean that hyh isn’t afraid or bitter thinking#that yerim is sort of a redo/better version of him#cause like Yoojin is older now and more prepared to actually take care of a child and yerim is more outwardly likeable than Yoohyun ever was#and it goes on and on and on and damn I really need to do he#*hw. so gotta leave this rant in the tags#but YEAH anywyas that’s why I hate it when people are just like yh is possessive haha! like you don’t GET it.#esp when people take that to then mean shopping time 🤮🤢🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫#jkb.talk
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notsolveda · 2 years ago
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as a teenager stiles was really into old technology. and just technology in general. he spent hours researching and studying it. he would take it apart and put it back together. all because he thought it was cool and it gave him something to do with his hands. after his dad dies ( which is when he's in his late thirties ) and he has to go through the house he finds some of his old n.intendo's and other stuff that he had when he was a teenager. so he starts messing with those again. it gets him back into collecting and fixing them. and so he opens a space that's just for old technology to be fixed or sold to so people can buy for enjoyment or collectable items.
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jackalhadrurusluvr · 7 months ago
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want to get back into tarot but my dad would nooooot approve
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randomhealer · 2 months ago
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(L&D) When a hot scene comes
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characters: Xavier, Rafayel, Zayne, Sylus, Luke & Kieran
warnings: Crack, don't take it seriously, not reviewed, GN reader, use of the word dick in Sylus' part only once, but really nothing explicit I think
n/a: did you see some parts cut? if so I'm sorry, this has been with me for a while and it was a big smut actually but I tried to redo it- sylus part was so big it was a whole one shot i cut off lmao, Happy bday Doktah zayne
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Xavier
Xavier is watching attentively but not like a movie but like a documentary in his mind, he is using all his brain cells to remember important points of the scene. Do you like the scene in front of you? Do you like it when the man does those things? Okay, so he'll remember to be a little more dominant next time, the movements, some lines... he'll try to remember that if you find it hot...
Xavier is more attentive to observing you and your reactions than in the scene, he already has what he needs so he observes closely... your cute little smiles, your lip bites, your low giggles, sighs... he doesn't really like you giving such reactions to another guy, even if it's on TV, he'll still let it go this time since he'll use what he learned to his advantage
(If you look to the side you will see Xavier looking at you sideways while he has a pillow on his lap, he looks a little angry)
Zayne
He's fine with what you chose to watch, he won't blink because of you even if the movie is boring, although he's a little surprised by the kind of movie you like, he expected something more... innocent? romcom... something like that, not a dark romance full of whips, ropes, candles being used in unconventional situations... even fruits are in it?!
He is shocked... although still cold on the outside, looking at you, the little creature next to him, looking innocent, smiles at the scene unfolding on TV, he just sighs after all you are small but you are still a big box of surprises.
At the end he will be warning you about the risks of using items or anything unconventional for that type of thing.
Rafayel
"Oh you destroyed my innocence, you monster"
That's what he'll say at the end of the movie, even though he watched it all the way through and with a carefree smile on his lips, he seemed more used to all the heavy stuff in the movie. Of course, none of those fake scenes can beat the dirtiest thoughts he has about you. If that's what people like, then his thoughts about you would win four Oscars. He could make a movie with more than four hours in seven different settings with more than twenty hotter scenes than this one with you in a single day.
He is more interesting than a lame movie with bad acting performances and he will show you after the movie is over
Sylus
Sylus is judging the entire movie, laughing at how different things are from real life, and how bad the lead actor was, although the movie was a bit similar to your first meeting...
"Do you like watching this kind of stuff? I thought you were a well-behaved kitten..." Sylus murmurs softly in your ear pulling you closer as he tightens his arms around your waist as the two of you lie on the couch.
"My dick is way bigger than his, and who needs so many toys to make sure their partner come at least once?" He says with slight sarcasm, a chuckle almost like a light heavy purr echoes from him before you respond.
"but you have a room just like the one in the movie with some toys too"
Sylus just raises an eyebrow at this before sighing and replying while drawing circles on his waist with his thumb "No Kitten... those are not 'toys' they are items for real torture, the first thing you thought when you entered my work room was 'wow bdsm toys?' you are dirtier than I thought love."
Luke and Kieran
You got Luke, You got Kieran
and now you have one on each side sitting next to you while the three of you watch the movie together, even though it didn't go as planned.
The movie was more of a comedy to them than anything, it was almost like taking the boys to an amusement park, first they didn't like the male actor, they found him tacky or even compared him to Sylus a little to the point of choking on laughter, they were rooting for the girl in the movie to break up with the guy and have an independent life, saying lines from the movie to you and telling you how lucky you are to not have just one guy but two guys who could make a better dark romance and that you wouldn't need to call the police on them...
"Boss has a room just like this room in the movie... do you think Boss is actually a dom who likes BDSM?" Luke asks looking at you and his brother on the other side of the couch, both with their arms around your waist, Kieran just rolls his eyes slightly
"no, I still think Boss is a secret Wanderer, I'm sure he turns into one every night, that's why he doesn't sleep...Mc can confirm this"
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clegfly · 2 months ago
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OUGH GHEYRE SO CUTE… THE BABIES
These babies because I think their friendship is really understated, Basil and Aubrey were friends as little kids and that’s so important to me…
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Very small very anxious Basil sooo exited to have a friend and little does he know she’s about to bring him to meet MORE friends !!
#YES they’re so important to me#they were friends FIRST!!!#which makes how their friendship ended up in canon so much sadder… ough#I always wonder what would have happened if sunny had never destroyed the album#I feel like basil and Aubrey would still be friends but like. on incredibly awkward terms#like she describes it in game before she found out about the album#but she would be the most chill with him because he’s the only one that actually ‘stayed’ in her mind#even if he’s quivering in fear and barely talking and avoiding eye contact through most of it he’s here and he listens and she can’t ask-#for more#which is funny because BASIL used to be the venter#so did aubrey but still.#OUGH now I’m imagining a basil hooligan au#he’s there because. Aubrey#matching monogrammed jackets guys. see my vision#she roped him into DELINQUENCY!!!#honestly for real though i really REALLY want to make a delinquent basil au one day#solely because it was the most popular trope back in the early omori aus before anybody really REALLY understood the characters so the-#characterisation was… off to say the least#Is it petty to make entire aus based off of old omori au tropes with better retrospect on the characters to make them better? YEAH!!!!#that got off topic quick WOAH#but I really do want to make an au or multiple aus some day like that#redoing those old tropes and aus with the perspective I have now#I feel like it would be really cool to see an in character basil or an in character ‘role swap’ au#though marzenie is kind of like that??? wjjeejejhe it’s perfect though#MORE BASIL AND AUBREY CONTENT!!! I LOVE THEM!!!#omori#omori basil#omori Aubrey#also don’t know if this is from me or if you have done this before because you don’t draw Aubs often but…#AUBREY TOOTH GAP HEADCANON SPOTTED!! HELL YEAH ITS CANON!!! I SAID SO!!!
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6okuto · 1 year ago
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WEDDING MOMENTS
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gn!reader | kuroo, bokuto, akaashi, hinata, atsumu, osamu, ushijima
hello everyone i'm back 🫶 these are more reception moments than wedding but y'know. give me a break man...
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KUROO leans in and whispers in your ear as you dance, “is it bad i want to go home and just lie in bed with you now?” “why are you whispering as if someone can hear you?” you snicker back. tetsurou shoots you a cheeky smile. “so it looks like i’m saying something romantic.” you hit his shoulder, and he only laughs before pulling you into a tight hug. you wait for him to let go before replying. “idiot. but no, it isn’t. my back and feet hurt.” he hums, and you can feel his fingers tapping your back. “do you think it’s possible for newly weds to sneak out of their own wedding reception?”
BOKUTO is walking down the aisle again as everyone disperses to talk or get ready for the reception. you walk up to him, curiosity piqued as he bends down. “what are you doing?” “huh?” he drops a few petals that he was clutching. “crap—hi, baby. i’m just, uh, picking up some of the flowers to take with us. i saw someone do it online, and i thought we could press them or put them somewhere,” he explains softly, as if a little embarrassed. your heart flutters at the thought, and you smile before reaching down yourself. “we better get some flowers, then. and a ziploc bag or something.”
AKAASHI relaxes and rests his head against yours while you watch your guests mingling and dancing. you reach for his hand and intertwine fingers. “you okay?” he nods in response and presses a chaste kiss to your jaw. “yeah, i can finally calm down and not worry about something terrible happening.” “mm, something terrible could still happen.” “love of my life, can you please give your husband a break?” keiji blows air against your skin, eliciting a laugh from you. his tone is light, and you can feel him smiling even while you apologize.
HINATA takes one of the polaroid cameras that you got for the guests. you watch as he poses and takes a picture of himself before handing it to you. “do you want me to take a selfie?” he nods with a grin. “yeah! and also sign it so i can put it in my wallet, or maybe the back of my phone?” his sentence ends as a question to himself. you get your phone so you can check your appearance before mimicking your now husband’s pose. “sho, i swear if mine is bad i want a redo,” you say. he sputters as he looks at his forming photo. “well that’s good because i definitely screwed mine up. i’m like half in the frame.”
ATSUMU’s knee bounces as the video of your relationship the both of you got done nears its end. you shoot him a look, but he doesn’t seem to notice, gaze fixed on the scene. that’s when you hear a familiar voice, but unfamiliar clip start to play. “it’s, fuck, what day is it? november 13, and i’m pretty sure i need t’look for an engagement ring,” your now husband says into the camera. you gape, shock evident across your face. atsumu’s voice is soft as he says your name. “i love you, really. and if you’re seeing this then i didn’t fuck this up, and you decided to marry me, and i’m probably ‘bout to have a heart attack,” he nervously laughs. you turn to atsumu next to you, whose face is flushed red. “don’t look at me, the video isn’t done yet.”
OSAMU keeps holding your hand, and if he isn’t holding it he’s probably thinking of doing so. you don’t mind, finding comfort in the way he rubs the back of it. you’re sitting together when he silently reaches for it again. “i’m pretty sure you’ve held my hand more today than this entire week.” osamu rolls his eyes but smiles. you stare as he gently takes hold of your ring and fidgets with it. “sorry, can’t stop thinkin’ about how we’re actually married now.” you stare at each other, and he rests his chin in his palm. with his other hand, he brings yours up to press gentle kisses against the ring and your skin. “just another excuse to stay close t’you.”
USHIJIMA looks over when you poke his shoulder, and quickly realizes you’re trying to feed him some cake. “say ahh,” you sing song. it’s a half-joke, and you don’t fully expect him to accept, but he leans forward and opens his mouth, hand underneath the fork to catch any crumbs. despite his serious expression and stature, you can't help but think he looks cute. “i know we picked this flavour, but does it taste good?” you ask. wakatoshi nods. “it was a good choice.” he gets a forkful for who you assume is himself. but instead he lifts it toward you. “do you want to try now?”
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@devilgirlcrybabiey @lordbugs @smiithys @xfangirl-trashx @passionateuchiha @scaramouchesfootstool @fifteenshadesofpinkk @lotus-sukimono @chloee0x0 @kenmaslov3r @bakugosgrenade @semifilms @sakusasdirtyragdoll @dai-tsukki-desu @Thathoneybee3 @momoewn @aintgeluh @dazaisfavgf @simpforerenn @crystal-lilac @vhenis @omiigad @kur0-kawa @semispilledcoffee @ksyhmm @idontlikeyourjob @sparrowb3nscloset @awkwardaardvarkforever @rory-cakes @prblmtic @dimslover @kuroaka @vampyrkookie @sunaslay @the-midnightskies @h0n3ysgh0st @lackey-laufeyson @bontensbabygirl @dira333 @Kamukayakmonyet @danyisapingu @isentsworld @lilithlunas @anime-ships-gay @todorokiskitten @kellesvt @scill-a @curiouslilbeast @fiona782 @cvhenia @mitskiologist
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ventique18 · 8 months ago
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Ghost Chef: "It's great that you're learning so quickly! You never know when you'd need to cook good when you graduate!"
🐉: "Me? Prepare food? With my own effort? Haha, how ludicrous! But an entertaining thought, nonetheless."
Five years later, the man is flipping a third batch of pancakes at four in the morning, with his brat of a son glaring daggers at him and threatening him with the loudest, most obnoxious shrill cry in the kingdom's history unless he serves the flawlessly dragon-shaped pancake that the little prince demands.
🐉: "Ridiculous! What is with your unhealthy fixation on a pancake's shape? It will end up an unrecognizable mush in your stomach anyway! Just eat the dam-- the perfectly cooked pancake in front of you! Do you understand how many people are starving around the world?"
🐉🍼: "I want it green!"
🐉, magicking the food: "You have an unrefined palette. This is entirely unappetizing. But fine. There you go! Just eat and go back to sleep!"
🐉🍼: "NOT A DRAGON! THAT'S SHREK!"
🐉: "What is a Shrek?!"
🐉🍼: "MAMA! MAMA! PAPA MADE SHREK!"
🐉: "Stop! Stop! Hush! Don't cry! I'm going to redo it, okay? I'm going to unshrek it. Just stop crying."
Normally, he would keep a firm foot and not relent to his child trying to order him, a king, around. He has a duty to raise his children properly. But it's four in the morning and his wife is tired and heavily pregnant with their daughter and he didn't want to burden her any more than she's already going through...
So he exasperatedly goes back to the frying pan to try and make an artwork out of a kid's snack. Sevens, does he need a vacation right about now.
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wordsinhaled · 4 months ago
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Restaurant owner/chef Charles / Food critic Edwin AU!!!
So, I just thought of this AU and I am so jazzed about it that I need to drop this idea somewhere so it can become a 100k fic I can devour in one sitting asdfhfhfhf
In an ideal world I’d want to offer the floor to someone Desi to run with this idea, or to collab with me on it because I want to do Charles' food and culture and relationship with his mum justice. I’ve only been adjacent to the restaurant business (my family ran a small café for a bit and I worked there, and I have a family member who did culinary school, so).
I just know that this idea has Arrived in my brain and I can’t just let it sit in there unattended, asdjfjfjf
I'm tagging @nix-nihili and @queen-of-hobgobblers 'cause I feel like this will be up your street???
Okay - so Charles and his mum own a small Indian restaurant. It’s a family business and his parents ran it together ("together") before. Charles’ father was incredibly controlling about the menu, their community partners and suppliers, as well as pretty much every other aspect of the business (and their lives, behind the scenes). Now Charles’ father is out of the picture—I'm undecided how this happens, but I just think Charles deserves to live an unfettered life without Mr. Rowland hurting him anymore, tbh.
He gets to rediscover the joy of cooking together with his mum, cooking as freely as he wants and not being held back by his dad's expectations, refreshing the restaurant's menu to feature more authentic versions of the dishes, making connections with new suppliers, redoing the accounting to pay everybody a living wage... Just generally, like, revamping the entire restaurant to be a more joyful place to be that celebrates delicious food and companionship as a form of connection and sharing. Edwin is a food critic who goes to the grand reopening of the restaurant. Edwin likes to write about and document food. He enjoys experiencing a restaurant and its food possibly even more than the tasting of it. He presents like the uptight, exacting sort of food critic restaurants are intimidated by, with his many layers and his bow tie and his posture and his perfect hair, his little notebook and his vintage pocket pen. But inside he just wants to be able to feel some sort of a connection: with the chef through the food (What is the dish trying to tell him?); with the other person at the table—if there is another person, which is so rare.
Family mealtimes for Edwin growing up were distant affairs, overly formal and stilted and coded, minefields for being scrutinized and speaking and acting in only the most acceptable ways; not places to be honest or genuine or to let one's guard down. Certainly not occasions to experience genuine enjoyment. He wants to believe that food, which is so vital to life, and the preparing and the sharing of it, can be different. Positive. Joyous.
Charles gives Edwin a tour of the restaurant when he arrives. Charles is not like a lot of other restaurant owners Edwin has met. He introduces Edwin to his mum and the way he looks at her makes a pang go through Edwin's chest because clearly, they love each other so much, and Edwin may have never had that but just looking at it heals something in him. He's not getting invested, though. (Right?)
Charles' enthusiasm is like, off the charts. He's practically vibrating, to the point where excitement tips over into anxiety, clearly trying to keep it toned down and failing. And Charles is like, "I'm sorry. Just a bit nervous, yeah? I really care about this place. I need it to—I mean. I really want it to do well."
Edwin's heart goes out to him. "Do not worry," he says, softly. "I am not here to hurt you." He doesn't know why he says it but all the tension goes out of Charles, the slightly frantic look goes out of his eyes, and he gives Edwin the brightest smile he thinks he's ever seen. It's a gorgeous smile. Relieved, and carefree, and warm like sunshine.
"D'you want to try some food?" He says it almost conspiratorially, as though this is not Edwin's primary and entire purpose in being here.
Edwin looks around the quiet, empty restaurant. It's cozy and warm with mid-afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows at the front. Even without any patrons, without the din or bustle of a full dining room, it seems to beckon to foster shared happiness within it. "I was under the impression that I would be partaking of your dinner service this evening," he says delicately, trying to hide that he might actually want nothing better than to never leave here at all, let alone try some food.
"Well, yeah," Charles says, "'course you are. But this is different, innit? Not for the article. Come on, let me cook for you. You look like..." He stops. Perhaps considering if he's about to say too much. His eyes are bright and thoughtful and fixed on Edwin so intently that Edwin doesn't breathe for a moment. "You look like no one's cooked for you in ages." It comes out soft, but firm; as though he knows what he's talking about. Edwin feels like the wind has been knocked out of him.
"No one has ever cooked for me," says Edwin matter-of-factly.
He has no idea what it is about Charles that makes him admit something so honest—although it is not entirely accurate. His family had had a personal chef. Technically speaking, all of Edwin's meals had been cooked for him, until much to his parents' chagrin he went off to a student flat, and culinary school, and began to cook them for himself. But he suspects that no one has ever cooked for him, the way Charles Rowland is offering to now. Properly. Like it means something. Like he is trying to say something through it; unspoken words that Edwin has always wanted to hear.
Let me know you. Let me connect with you. Let me take care of you.
Charles' eyes widen. Clearly, he is trying to process Edwin's bleak admission. "Right," he says, after a beat, as his posture gains something determined; his grin bright and charming. "That settles it, then. I know exactly what I'm going to make you."
And before Edwin can say anything else, he's taking Edwin's hand in his and tugging him towards the kitchen.
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