#This entire image should stay the same size

[oscarwetnwilde]

Bless that Merchant Ivory documentary for blessing me with a high-quality and detailed version of this beautiful image from Maurice.

[gemmascouts]

TILE TRANSITION TUTORIAL

a couple of people have asked me for a tutorial on how I did the penultimate gif in this set, so here goes! this is my first tutorial, so please feel free to reach out with further questions if anything's unclear.

note: this tutorial assumes you know the basics of gifmaking, can create the base gifs, and are familiar with timeline mode.

STEP ONE: create the base gifs! I'd recommend staying between 25-40 frames for each gif, since the transitions we'll use later tend to increase gif sizes. these are the ones I'll be using for this tutorial:

STEP TWO: create the guide layouts for both base gifs. for this panel, I chose a 4x4 grid — I would recommend keeping the number of "tiles" low because it can get tedious, but have a minimum of 9 (3x3 grid).

now your canvas should look like this:

STEP THREE: create the tiles. this is where the going gets rough; there might be easier ways to do this that I couldn't think of 😭 if there are any please send me an ask!

essentially, in this step we'll cut up the base gifs into smaller squares so that each tile can be manipulated separately when we put both gifs together. to do this, first create a square using the rectangle tool and the guides. then duplicate the base gif, move it above the square, apply a clipping mask, and then convert the clipped gif and square (selected in the image below) into one smart object.

ALTERNATELY: you could duplicate the original base gif and use layer masks to isolate tiles. create a layer mask for the duplicated gif layer and, with the layer mask selected, drag your mouse over a square (using the guide layout) and press delete. then press ctrl/cmd + i to invert the layer mask so that the gif only shows in the square of your choosing.

now repeat until you've got the entire gif in tiles, and do the same for the other gif!

since the transition effect is achieved by staggering the crossfades for each tile of the final gif, you can cheat by having multiple tiles "flip" at a time, ideally no more than four. this means you need to cut the base gif up into fewer pieces. to do this, simply draw multiple squares instead of one and then merge the shapes, before duplicating and clipping the gif onto them.

if you do this, it's essential to remember that you have to divide both gifs up in the exact same way. each piece of the b/w gif has to correspond to a piece of the purple gif!

this is what the layers look like for each gif once I'm done:

I have them lettered so that it'll be easier to match them up in the next step.

STEP FOUR: this is the complicated bit that took me two days to figure out. I'll do my best to explain but don't hesitate to reach out if something isn't clear!

to begin, open up a new psd and import both base gifs into it. (remember to click "create video timeline" and ensure that your gifs are all in order before proceeding.)

now, the trickiest part about this transition is ensuring that all the little tiles sync up so that the larger gif is coherent. so first we'll create some markers (just empty layers) to ensure that everything lines up as it should. — marker 1: at about halfway through the first gif (b/w in this case) — marker 2: at about a quarter of the gif length — marker 3: close to the end of the gifs

at this point we're ready to start bringing in the tiles. I'm going to delete the base gifs from this new psd just to keep things cleaner!

first thing to do is import my b/w tile. move the timeline slider over to marker 1 and split the first gif. (if it helps, rename the split gifs and add (start) and (end) to the two halves.) then, move the (end) half to the beginning of the timeline, and the (start) half to line up with marker 3.

the purple tile is easier to manage. simply import it into the psd and line it up with marker 2.

your timeline should now look like this:

notice the overlap between the gifs at their beginnings and ends — this is where you'll be able to cascade the tiles flipping, so it helps to have a significant amount of overlap.

crop the three gifs for this tile as you see fit! since this is the first tile I want to flip from b/w to purple, I'll crop gif 1a (end) all the way to the current position of the timeline slider (red line with blue tip) and leave the beginning of gif 2a uncropped. for the flip from purple to b/w, I'll crop both gifs a bit.

once that's done, drag all three gifs onto the same level in timeline so they form a video group. your timeline should look something like this:

now you just repeat the process for all the other tiles! as long as you made sure that all the tiles in one gif correspond with tiles in the other gif in step three, this should be a fairly painless process. make sure to crop the starts/ends of the gifs separately so that they don't all flip together.

this is what my layers look once I've done all the tiles:

and the gif!

STEP FIVE: transitions! click on the half-white square (top right of the left column in the timeline, beside the scissors) and select the crossfade transition, then drag it between two gifs in a video group. it should create a two-triangle symbol and shorten the overall length of the video group.

apply the transition to all the tile flips, ensuring that the duration of all transitions is constant. this can sometimes be tricky because ps likes to change the duration of each transition, so right click on the transition symbol and manually change all your transition durations to be the same.

your layers should now look something like this:

STEP SIX: draw the grid. bring back the guide layout from step two and using the line tool (I like 2px thickness), trace the grid. adjust opacity as you see fit (50-80% is usually a good idea), so that the canvas looks like this:

STEP SEVEN: export and celebrate! you're done!

I hope this tutorial made sense and was easy to follow, and happy giffing! my inbox is always open for any questions <3

[the-daydreaming-show]

(1.) Threads of Time.

SUMMARY: Ever since you arrived in the Night Court, you've avoided awkward confrontation and the thought of going out of your way to talk to Feyre. You've barely looked at her in an attempt to avoid facing the very thing you came here for. But finally, one evening, after a flight over the mountains with Balerion, you come face to face with the past and present you've been avoiding.

Or

After not seeing each other for over a decade, you and Feyre finally meet in the woods again, but nothing is the same, not even the two of you. You make an agreement to try to find a balance, and you fail miserably.

NOTE: (All together, we are going to ignore that this should have been published yesterday.) The plan is for there to be an episode every Thursday, until it is finished. So stay tuned for that.

We are skipping many dinners and political discussion meetings because I did not like them and in the end what you need to know about them is explained by the reader in her monologue.

As always, English is not my first language so sorry for spelling mistakes and mistakes of the type, any comment on it is welcome if it is respectful. I am always trying to get comfortable and improve my writing in this language.

I hope you like it, let me know in the comments your opinions. XOXO Ella

Memories/Thoughts in italics

Dragon Language in bold italics

Previus Part: (0.) PREFACE

AO3 / Story Masterlist

“The past is never dead. It's not even past.” — William Faulkner.

The night in Velaris was as beautiful as it had been said to be during the endless negotiations with the Night Court's emissary, Morrigan, and in the secret meetings of your council regarding this visit.

The balcony you had ended up on after insomnia woke you before the sun came up was the size of a ballroom, and you suspected that was what it was used for due to the beautiful marble that decorated the floor. It had a view of the entire city, spreading below you in all directions.

Since you had arrived three days ago, it was the first time you could stop and admire the view that the House of Wind offered you of the city over which it loomed. Between uncomfortable meals, less-than-secret conversations, and discussions about the court's functioning, you had not had time. And you thought it had been for the best.

Upon your arrival at the house, you had been greeted by the High Lady and High Lord, with their court, as well as Morrigan, who, as the one in charge of the negotiations, was in charge of the introductions. Feyre had been perfect—the perfect image of a ruler that is everything. But you had not seen her outside official meals and meetings. Your people, and you suspected that she stayed at the private residence by the river. It made sense, given the matter of the child. In the house with your court, there was Nesta with her husband, General Cassian, who owned the residence and had opened his home to you.

It did not escape your notice that the highest point in the city was ideal for you, because it did not allow you to move around too much without being noticed. It kept your dragons as far away from the city and its inhabitants as possible.

You'd seen more of Nesta than Feyre or her husband, Rhysand, which didn't bother you as much as Armin said it did; he must have given her the disrespect he claimed she represented in matters of politics. But Night Court politics were more lax than the mortal ones they were used to, so you told him to relax. Well, to do what Armin considered relaxing. You weren't going to ask for a miracle, either.

You found it amusing to see how the proud and seemingly shallow Nesta Archeron was married to and in love with a man like General Cassian. They were so opposite in the eyes of the world that it was fun to watch them interact. It even made you feel tender. Nesta had caught you staring a couple of times, and she had already told you several times to shut up, even when you hadn't said anything.

You had seen Elain the day you landed too; she had been fascinated by Dreamfyre, one of the dragons that had come to the Night Court with you, along with Caraxes and Balerion, your own mount.

You hadn’t looked at Feyre much. Or at least, you hadn’t looked at her normally—not thinking much about how the interactions would be normal. You didn’t want to make her uncomfortable either, and you knew there were things you couldn’t control if you looked at her. Like the way it made you gasp at how she seemed to glow in her place in the world. She looked so comfortable and right where she was, and it led you to believe that you no longer had a place in her life, which led you to believe that was selfish.

And her husband could reportedly read minds, so you'd rather not think about her, out of respect for him. You didn't look at him much at first either, but it seemed like you'd be spending some quality time with him during meetings he wasn’t going to.

The sun began to peek over the mountains as you finished your thoughts, and the lights in the city slowly faded as the city took in the morning light. You decided you needed to get out and quickly returned to your room in the house so you could change into your riding gear.

As you changed in your room, Balerion woke up in his sleeping spot in the mountains, which he had taken as his own for the first few days of your visit. You could feel the way he moved, the way his muscles stretched, and the way the earth shifted beneath his claws. Finally, the feeling of both of your bodies coordinating through the bond, until your breathing and the dragon's were coordinated as if they were one, washed over you. Filling you with a calm that nothing else in this life had ever given you. Your breath felt hot as you pulled the harnesses over your head to adjust them at your waist and hips, then hooked those to the harnesses on your thighs.

Balerion took flight in the mountains as you walked around the house to the highest point you could reach on foot and began to climb without any problem to the house's highest point. Balerion circled the house twice before he was close enough for you to jump into the void and land on his back, something you had done many times. You got hooked on the mix and took Balerion to fly over the city and then the sea for a good while. You enjoyed the feeling of flying together and allowing yourself to leave all worries on the ground for a while.

You wanted to fly back to the house for breakfast, but Balerion was feeling like heading out into the woods and mountains, so you let him wander around the outskirts of Velaris with you on his back as well.

“Haven’t you played enough these days?” you asked the beast beneath you as he circled the sky in slow loops, indicating that he wanted you down there. He had probably smelled some prey in the mountains and couldn’t wait to drop you off at the House of Wind. A growl, the equivalent of an eye-roll to humans, sounded through the bond. “If I asked so nicely,” you scoffed, letting go of the reins of your mount and unhooking your harness from your saddle. You leaped off and landed in the woods surrounding the city, swooping down to the meadows that surrounded it. It was the first time Balerion—or any of your dragons—had seen mountains and forests of that immensity.

The three eldest, Vhagar, Balerion, and Meraxes, had been born in the lava of the volcanic islands. While these had a jungle surrounding the massive, steamy mountains, it was nowhere near a sight like Prythian and the Night Court. The rest of your dragons had already hatched by the time you reached the bay, so they knew only the burning desert and colorful cities. Dreamfyre, the youngest of the dragons you brought, was fascinated by the flowers and meadows surrounding the city. Balerion was obsessed with the mountains and the fighters he could take there. And Caraxes, the middle one, had a fascination with flying over the sea and perching on the rocky outcrops of the hillsides a few miles from the city. He wouldn’t go into the sea, but he fought the waves that rushed toward him when the tide came in.

Balerion's roar as he charged forward and the ground shaking at his energetic landing further up the mountain only made you laugh as you descended the mountain and admired the surrounding forest. You made it down a couple of meters when you heard a pair of footsteps in the forest and stopped dead in your tracks.

You had known these footsteps for years.

You walked through the forest, following the small, noisy footsteps. They were where you had been told they would be, and you approached, making noise so she would notice you, but you soon realized that the girl's awareness was not yet trained enough. You should have made more noise, but now it didn't matter. You would scare her one way or another because, standing a few meters behind her, young Feyre hadn't noticed you were there.

Something twisted deep inside you. If you were a man, and you had bad intentions, she wouldn't have noticed until it was too late. The hunters in the area were mostly good husbands and sons, good hunting partners to go out with from time to time, too.

But you can never know someone well enough, especially a man.

You saw a branch on the snowy ground and stepped on it, making a noise that would cause the girl to notice, with the file raised. At least she had good reflexes, you thought.

“Hey,” you greeted her with a smile, the same one you used to give Rue when you wanted to encourage her to do something new. “You are being too loud. You aren't going to find anything being so noisy.”

You approached the area where the footsteps were sounding, and with the silence that had characterized years of habit, you silently came to stand behind the footsteps that advanced with a predatory rhythm on the ground. They stopped dead a few seconds before she entered your vision.

The image was strangely familiar.

There stood Feyre, bow in hand and arrow on the string. She was watching a fully grown deer eating the grass a few feet away, visible between the trees. But she wasn't ready for the shot. You didn't understand why she wouldn't get a better angle to kill such a large animal. Her feet weren’t positioned for the shot or the possible chase. The string wasn’t stretched, nor was the bow raised to aim. If she moved too much now, she could make noise on the ground, and she’d miss the shot.

She wasn’t really looking to hunt that animal, you realized.

You could have turned around and left the place as quietly as you came. Feyre wouldn’t notice, as she hadn’t noticed you were so close, letting the opportunity slip away and going back to ignoring the moment until there was no other option. But you were here just for this, so you let habit take over.

“Are you planning on waiting for the deer to walk to the arrow on its own, Fey?” you asked, loud enough to send the deer running.

If she wasn’t ready to shoot when you found her, she was now. Feyre had turned fully and nearly fired her arrow at the sound of your voice, but you didn’t even blink and just let your gazes meet. With the hearing of a High Fae, Feyre must have grown unaccustomed to being surprised.

“Fey,” you called, and the rabbits that were just a few feet away from Feyre ran away in terror at the noise, returning to their hidden cave underground and easily avoiding the fired arrow.

“Stop scaring me,” the aforementioned begged irritably, her youthful and elegant voice echoing through the woods, probably scaring any other animals that might have been in the area.

“Stop being so mean and thinking so much, Fey,” you recommended with a mocking smile. “It’s not a good combination for a hunter.”

“So she can be loud or dubious? But not at the same time?” she asked, mocking your logic.

“You have a bow and arrow; if you want to hunt loudly, you simply train your hands and eyes to be able to reach greater distances,” you explained softly as you crouched down beside her and pulled a wild blackberry from your pocket. Feyre leaned in but gently moved her chin out of your reach. “And if you want to hesitate, you can let nature decide for you.”

You left the innocent-looking blackberries a few feet away from you, and both of you went off to continue your hunt. That day, when you walked down the road back to the house, a rabbit lay dead with blackberries in its mouth, with no physical wounds to be seen. Nature had decided.

“Good to know you still know how to draw a bow. For a second there, I thought you didn’t remember how I saw you there.” You turned to look at her, approaching her, not offended by the arrow pointed at your face.

You stood a meter away from her and looked into her eyes as she slowly lowered her bow, coming out of the fight instinct. You heard her subtly sniffing the air for any trace of a non-human scent on you, the same way Morrigan had when you had done the same to her once when she visited the bay as an emissary during negotiations. But like Morrigan, Feyre wouldn’t find anything amiss, and you wished you had an explanation to give her, but you barely knew more than she did about what you were these days.

“You ruined my dinner,” Feyre said matter-of-factly, to which you smiled knowingly and simply crouched down, grabbing a rock from the ground. You heard Feyre shift her feet out of habit.

It was like the world had suddenly lost all sense of time, as the present bled into your past. When you threw the rock at the tree, causing a group of hidden birds to fly away, and Feyre killed two of them with a single arrow, it felt like nothing had changed. Even though neither of you was even the same species you were when you used that trick.

A silence formed between the two of you and the forest, with only the abrupt sound of birds falling to the ground echoing around the area before silence returned. She wasn’t sure if she was expecting you to leave or if she just didn’t know what to say about the sense of time running out around the two of you. It was all the forest’s fault.

“I’m sorry about Rue,” was the first thing she said to you directly after all these years.

The forest moved naturally as you and Feyre each held Rue’s hand while venturing out on the little girl’s first expedition. At ten years old, Rue was two years younger than Feyre, and she seemed excited to teach someone else as you had done with her. The fact that she was teaching your little sister felt like a full circle for her—a way of repaying you for your teachings.

Watching her crouch beside a trail in the dirt, diligently explaining how to follow it and how much time had passed since the animal had gone by, you realized that you could never tell her the truth about your teachings.

“Look, Rue,” Feyre whispered lovingly as she pointed to where the trail ended, at the door of a cave where the rabbits lived. “We need to set the traps here, near the cave. Not too close so that they leave and create a new entrance, but in the area where they’ll take a path in search of food. Look over here.”

Feyre led Rue, who was watching her intently, by the hand through the area. You didn't interrupt her lesson.

When you learned that Nesta and Elain were alive, despite everything they had been through, you found envy in your heart.

Rue had been safe, barely managing to buy her freedom from the brothel where she had been sold, without ever having someone lay a hand on her, thanks to your uncomplaining work. Nesta and Elain had been in the middle of a war, turned into beings they didn’t understand, fighting with their own identity and caught in the crosshairs of many enemies.

The odds had been on Rue’s side, not Nesta’s or Elain’s. You should have felt something about the fact that the sisters had survived against those odds, while she had died in a situation that hadn’t even been targeted.

But you quickly realized, with sadness, that you were only relieved the Archeron sisters had beaten the odds—all three of them together and against all logic. The absence of your sister weighed on your heart like a stone sewn into it, tugging at the stitches, opening unexpectedly at the thought of something she would have liked or moments she would have enjoyed seeing.

Never fully healed, but never truly as raw as the moment she bled out in your arms. You wanted to say something, but a lump formed in your throat, and you realized you didn’t really have anything to say to that. All you could manage was to acknowledge that it was what it was—and you meant it deeply, too.

That always drew looks from people you didn’t like, and you didn’t want to, nor could you, allow Feyre to see you that way now.

“I hope you’ve learned to cook with seasonings over the years, Fey,” you said, moving a little closer to her and pointing at the dead birds a few meters away. “Because wild geese require skill so they don’t turn out dry on the grill.”

Feyre grimaced as she looked at the fallen animals. She quickly concluded that, first, she didn’t need the meat since she didn’t hunt for food anymore—she just went out shopping—and second, she lacked the skills to cook them even if she wanted to, judging by the face she made while staring at the dead birds.

There was a time when such a hunt would have been a relief, providing a week’s worth of food for both families. The weight of the present lingered between you both more than you’d like.

“What are you doing out here so early?” Feyre finally asked, trying to spark a conversation and shake off the awkwardness. You realized the one stuck in the past was you, not her, so of course she wanted to escape the memories that were creeping into the moment. “I thought you’d be sleeping in, given the late meetings your court had.”

As you walked downhill asymptotically, pacing yourself to avoid getting too close, you thought about what she might have said if you did approach: We know what you are doing; We are in the house, and we are watching you.

But you and your council had anticipated that. There were magical barriers you couldn’t defend against. Still, you knew what not to say, simply assuming that the shadowsinger would pass his information along to his superiors one way or another. Communication, in your humble opinion, was much easier that way.

“I’ve found sleep less necessary than usual these days,” you commented as you passed her. “And if I didn’t take Balerion out for a ride, he’d start getting fussy and end up landing on the house just to annoy me. It’s a very nice building, and I fear Nesta would poison me for dinner if even one brick of her house moved because of my dragon.”

You heard Feyre moving through the forest, but you resisted the urge to turn around and look. You allowed yourself to walk slowly, telling yourself to watch for uneven ground. Feyre joined you silently, the birds tied around her neck, with her quiver of arrows resting on her back.

“Personally, I like to keep my quiver on my hip,” you pointed out as you adjusted yours in its place, hanging below the bone on your left side. “It’s easier to draw several arrows at once that way. With my eye, it’s sometimes necessary before I get a prey to fall.”

Feyre nodded, looking at the left pupil that dripped down onto your iris. She had noticed the way you turned your head to the left over the days, so she had gotten used to walking on that side every day.

“Balerion?” Feyre’s question set off a roar that echoed into the distance. She looked in the exact direction of where your beast was in the mountains, and with her hearing so precise, she would surely create a beeline to it if she wanted to.

“He’s a bit of a diva,” you explained as you began to walk down the mountain.

In the pace of the walk, you naturally ended up half a step ahead of Feyre, with her to your left—the same formation you used when walking in the woods to hunt. Your right eye was not only a genetic anomaly, but it was also a cause of vision loss on that side. You had never known how that drop had gotten there. Your mother had once told you that you were born with it. Your father had once coldly told you that it had come to you by accident.

Now both of your eyes could see perfectly—both of them. The fire and the lava had healed them the same way they had healed any scars or pains on your body. But you didn't say anything about it.

At the foot of the mountain, at the edge of town, was a clearing of green grasses and small white mountain flowers growing in random places. You and Feyre walked in silence; you wished you had something to say, but anything felt wrong. When you stopped, you waited for her to keep walking, assuming she didn't want to either; she had nothing to say.

As you began to walk across the grass and passed the first patch of flowers in your path, Balerion flew over the area, casting a shadow that made it seem like night had covered the hillside. Feyre looked up to see him pass. Your feet settled on the ground, ready for the tremor that came as the dragon landed dangerously close to your position, but Feyre stumbled enough that she had to instinctively grab onto your arm.

When the earth stopped shaking and Balerion settled back on the ground, Feyre was still clinging to your arm. You could understand why. You were the odd one out in this situation, smiling at the beast in front of you like it was a puppy barking at your arrival at the house because it brought a new friend.

“Relax, Balerion,” you demanded, using the language of dragons, making sure he understood and heard what you were saying, still not approaching the part of the dragon that was raised in front of you. “You are like a child!!”

The dragon's breath washed over both of you, and you pulled Feyre's arm so she was behind you. The color radiating from Balerion's breath was always bright; sometimes it could burn the grass he breathed on when he took naps, and sometimes it was like a summer breeze.

You never knew what would happen, and you didn't know how Feyre would react to the worst options. You knew it wouldn't affect you, so the instinct to protect led you to act before thinking. You immediately felt uncomfortable with your actions. You were out of place, you shouldn't have done that, you thought to yourself.

You let go of her hand and walked toward the dragon's snout; his jaw was higher than yours, but Balerion lowered his head so you could caress his nose. You took a deep breath, resting your forehead against the tip of his nose, and he imitated you naturally.

The way Balerion moved under your hands and the sound of their coordinated breathing left you baffled by the world for a few seconds. You didn't notice when Feyre relaxed into place and sighed heavily.

“I don’t know what to say,” Feyre confessed from behind you. You lifted your head from where your forehead was resting against Balerion, but you didn’t look at her. “It feels like I don’t know you, but I know I do, and I want to know everything about why—I don’t know how to ask without feeling like I’m invading someone’s life and that I have no right to want to know when you were alone.”

Silence.

“We both live what we have to live, Fey,” you said, caressing the scales on the dragon’s nose, looking at the shape your sunlit hand made against Balerion’s blackness, which seemed to absorb the surrounding light. “You have to believe that we are both where we should be now, and that will not change.”

Silence.

“The past doesn’t change either,” Feyre said, whispering your name at the end, the same way she used to call you when you were both young.

She was right; they both are who they are now, but they had also once been what they had been, neither canceling out the other despite the feeling that filled you these days. Sometimes you wished one would undo the other, that the past would be enough to win over the present. Or that the present would wipe out the past. But it didn’t work that way. Maybe, just maybe, you might be able to accept the mix, to lose nothing and have everything.

Could you do it?

Yes, you could try.

“He wants to know who you are.” It wasn’t a lie; Balerion really was like a puppy wanting to meet a new friend; he probably sensed through you what Feyre meant. But you were desperately changing the subject with them.

“Looks like he wants to eat me or you.” Feyre stared blankly at Balerion from her spot, bowing over the man, dead birds still in her hand.

“He always looks like that; he just has a problem with not knowing when to stop eating.” The joke caused an irritated growl from the dragon, who blew to ruffle your hair and playfully tease you. “It’s the truth.”

Balerion sat his butt down on the grass with a slam, agreeing to change position so that his new friend could get closer, thus making his form smaller in front of both of them. This was an attempt to make himself less intimidating, you assumed.

“Would you like to introduce yourself?” you asked Feyre, and she saw that for what it was: an attempt to not want to ignore the past or the present, an attempt to find a balance between the two without what they were and what they are or will be preventing them from knowing who the other is now. And she nodded slightly.

You motioned for him to put down the birds, bows, and arrows on the ground. He walked calmly and steadily up to where you were standing in front of Balerion's enormous head. Balerion moved closer in excitement, and you pushed him back into position immediately by pulling on one of the tusks protruding from between his fangs, while Fey waited for you to signal him to come closer.

“Give me your hand,” you asked when she was at your side. Feyre gave you her right hand. You placed her hand on the scales and let it sit there for a moment, letting the tension of the moment pass. When you felt her body realize there was no danger and her fingers moved only over the scales, you let go of her hand and allowed her to pet the dragon herself. “See, he’s a very big pup.”

“A fire-breathing one,” Feyre joked back, Balerion snuggling under her hand like a kitten, causing you to roll your eyes at his attitude. He’s not all that gentle and obedient when it comes to dealing with younger dragons. “He’s quite beautiful for such a dangerous animal,” Feyre commented as she stroked the scales with both hands and felt the heat of the fire running beneath Balerion’s scales. You smiled at the sight.

“You should see it at night, in the moonlight. When he flies through the sky, it looks like he has stars and can camouflage himself perfectly. He disappears from view if you are underneath him,” you explained, proud of Balerion and how he had grown from a rock in the volcanoes to the enormous beast he was now.

A glint on Feyre's hands caught your attention. Her wedding ring, a jewel that sparkled in the sun, reflected in your eyes as if it wanted to purposely annoy you more than its meaning could.

“It must be quite a sight,” Feyre commented, and your frown changed before she saw your face as she turned to ask you more questions about Balerion.

To your chagrin, you quickly realized that the plan for acceptance and balance you had outlined with Feyre that day was far too ambitious for your circumstances.

It all started the next morning. It was time to visit the Illyrian Mountains. Armin, as your general, and Luka, your secretary and master spy, refused to let you go alone, despite your insistence. It wouldn't make any difference if they tried to kill you, whether they were there or not, but you still gave in, in the end, for their peace of mind. Rhysand, Morrigan, and Azriel were your guides on that occasion.

You figured Cassian was staying in town because the dragons were supposed to be staying there, too. Though that must have meant Feyre’s court believed the Illyrians would be able to handle several dragons at once if need be, which you found amusing, both because it sounded like something Cassian would do and because it also meant they hadn’t decided yet how much control you had over the beasts.

It was even funnier when the three of them appeared flying over the camp hours after you arrived, where you had to explain that it was difficult to tell them to stay far away from you. Dragons are protective beasts, and you were their mother, after all.

Cassian joined you not long after. He was the punchline in your statuses, and Armin had to hit you to stop you from laughing.

Spending time with Rhysand was torture. You wanted to hate the bastard.

Would that be the most logical thing to do, right?

You wanted Feyre, and he had her; hate should have been the healthiest way out of everything. But you didn't. You severely suspected he was perfect. Not because he didn't have flaws. No, you'd heard plenty of those flaws from Luka. But you also knew what he'd done, which was more than you should know.

When Luka, with his tattooed face, ink-blackened hands, and raspy voice, had offered the most drastic way out for information, you had refused his sacrifice. But ultimately, you knew there was information about the High Fae that no information network you could muster would get from them without them noticing. You needed the tactical information if you were going to move forward with negotiations and visits for a potential deal, and you desperately wanted to follow through.

So you ended up giving in, knowing that it was the only way to overcome the Shadow Singer, or at least level the playing field as much as possible in your favor.

You had offered to make the sacrifice, but he had refused, as there was no telling what your blood might do to the process, and so now Luka had no ring finger on his left hand. “I don’t plan on listening to wedding tales for myself. So I can’t do anything but grip my daggers, and I can use my other hand for that until I get used to it,” Luka had told you.

The ritual gave you the information you knew you needed, even if you didn't know you needed it or that you needed it at some point. For more precise information, more sacrifice was needed, and you wouldn't let your friend sacrifice a full hand for you, even though he had been more than willing until you sternly ordered him not to.

The information you had been given was indeed what you required. Your council needed to know how trustworthy the Night Court was and what they might find there if they went. That they had received, and perhaps all too effectively.

Rhysand played the annoying idiot role well enough, but you had the information to see through him in a way you hadn't expected to be able to. You weren't sure if it was his love for his people or his loyalty to Feyre, but you couldn't find it in yourself to hate him. You respected him in a way that wasn't just out of fear, but because he seemed to be where many (including you) would want him to be and not waste the chance (like others).

And it only made everything more difficult because the trip to the mountains confirmed the information about the Illyrian armies you had thanks to Luka's missing finger. You returned to the House of Wind on Balerion to ensure that you got the dragons out of the mountains as quickly as possible, as the few days you were there caused nervousness among the locals. You definitely wouldn't be going on vacation to the mountains at the invitation of anyone from the area anytime soon.

“And?” Mayhem, your lady-in-waiting and bodyguard, asked. You glanced at her through the mirror, and it answered the question sufficiently. You silently wondered if Azriel and his shadows had already realized that they weren’t communicating, as if they already knew what they should know and what they shouldn’t.

You still didn't understand how you would manage the balance if the path remained as marked as it had been since before you left the Bay. The next stop would be the Court of Nightmares, so you could see the other part of the court's military forces.

You found yourself standing on the same balcony, looking up at the darkening sky the night after your arrival from the mountains.

“Hello,” Feyre greeted, appearing in the doorway. The two courts were supposed to be dining together that night—some sort of political dinner, you supposed. You waved back, leaning over the balcony railing, looking down. She leaned against you, and you shifted in place to put some distance between you, even if it was just a few inches. “How were the mountains?”

“Very windy,” you commented, sighing heavily, “and it seems the locals didn’t like me very much. I’m still not sure if it was my lack of a penis or my extra dragons. A mystery indeed.” You scoffed, and Feyre laughed in response.

“Devlon is a delight to be around, no doubt about it,” Feyre explained as she turned to sit on the edge and looked at you for a moment in silence, as she often did when she wanted to tell you to stop thinking. “I hope you still enjoyed the beauty of the mountains.”

“I did,” you admitted, glancing at her briefly and pointing at Balerion in the distance with a smile. “And Balerion seems to want to take up residence in those sacred mountains of yours. He says it has good hunting, which is a guarantee of moving by their standards, but I don’t think he’d be very welcome.”

“I don’t think they could do much about that, could they?” Feyre seemed amused at the idea of the massive dragon you called a pup taking up residence in Ramiel and no one being able to stop it, the same way she imagined you taking the bay. Her imagination wasn’t close to the truth, but they didn’t know, nor would they be told anytime soon.

“The wedding,” you pointed at her ring, shining in the sunset, looking at it instead of her face, afraid something would betray you. “And the birth.”

“Thank you,” Feyre whispered sincerely and looked at the ring on her finger fondly, as if remembering her happiness and being happy about it. You moved your gaze to the horizon again.

“I hope he was and is chubby.” You wished for him, remembering the words that adults in your town exchanged when a baby was born alive in one of the families. The memory made Feyre smile honestly.

“Yeah, I guess that’s consistent,” Feyre whispered, and you nearly rolled your eyes as the scent of expensive cologne hit your nose before you looked at the man in question.

“Your husband has nosy tendencies,” you blurted out before you could control yourself, crossing your arms. Feyre let out a laugh at the lack of malice in your voice.

“A little,” she admitted, looking over at where Rhysand stood, his expression feigned offense.

“And I wanted to tell him that the food is ready, but I ended up being insulted,” he complained, approaching Feyre. And before he could reach her, you were already on your way to the door. “I thought we were all friends.”

Rhysand stood in his way as if expecting you to confront him and share a mocking fight, but you simply muttered and continued on your way, not even looking at him, running away from the situation as if you weren’t even aware of the fire.

“Something like that.”

The balance slipped from your grasp as if you were trying to hold onto seawater in a storm, and it cruelly hit your face during your visit to the Court of Nightmares. You sat in an elegant chair in front of an elegant table, with your boots on the polished marble floor, so polished it was like a mirror. A high-faced fae stared at you in disgust from her spot directly in front of you. You didn’t know if it was your presence or your casual attire (your usual riding clothes) that bothered her. You suspected it was a mix of both.

Rhysand asked for updates on the court and didn’t explain who you were or what you were doing there. He just allowed you to sit and listen. The fae whose name was Keir was the ruler of this side of the court on behalf of Rhysand and Feyre. Keir answered Rhysand’s demands, not taking his eyes off the way your boot was thrown over the edge of the table and into his line of vision because of the way you had crossed your legs. You had only made sure he had that angle of vision, much to his irritation.

Azriel was leaning against a wall not far from where Rhysand was sitting, and he seemed as entertained by Keir's irritation as you were, though it was less subtle.

For some reason, you felt the comment coming. Ever since you’d taken over the bay, it always got through to some people, and you’d learned to feel almost like you were an oracle when the need to point fingers got the better of people. You picked up the wine glass on the table, and the single sip you took while Keir was talking about what you knew about court caused him to grimace in disgust.

“Is our finest wine of the season not enough for our mortal guests?” Keir asked, his tone making it clear where he had changed the word he wanted to use to one that wouldn’t get him into trouble. But he spat out the word "mortal" with such abruptness that it felt just as insulting in some way. Now that was a skill, you thought with amusement.

“Is this the best there is here?” you asked, genuinely concerned about the quality of the spirits here. “I guess you can’t expect much from a vintage made in stone and darkness.”

“The whiskey is more passable,” Rhysand commented in amusement. You let out a murmur and looked at him skeptically.

“We have better wines in the Bay, and it’s a desert!” you pointed out indignantly.

The floor is a mirror; the wine should be just as luxurious; it was a huge contradiction in your opinion. You wondered when else that place was just part of a facade for the rotten and bitter beneath.

“That is true,” Keir said again, looking and speaking with undisguised disgust now. You looked at him in response. “The Aspiring Whore of the Slaves sits with the Night Court this moon.”

You smiled. There it was, the comment.

“Well, I’m retired as a courtesan. And I use the term 'courtesan' because if I had been just a prostitute, I would have been cheaper,” you commented. You settled back against the back of the chair to move your boot in front of him again, annoyed as much as you could.

“You’d think a courtesan would be better educated,” Keir spat.

“You wouldn’t know, with the quality of wine you drink. You couldn’t pay me dead,” you explained simply. It was true that, at your peak in the market, you had been one of the highest-paid in the Pirate Islands. It wasn’t something you were bragging about; it was a fact. You knew what you had been and what you were. That idiot couldn’t use it against you. You had learned that long ago. “And in my view, I have tasted fine wines in the Night Court, mostly in the restaurants of Velaris. I assume you haven’t had that opportunity, given their low standards.”

A bitter but malicious smile formed on Keir’s face, and there you knew. The idiot.

“I haven’t had the honor yet, but soon, I hope.” The arrogant idiot. If only he’d kept quiet. Or maybe you could have, but you needed the information.

You dined with your court privately that night. Nesta and Cassian were gone, but you wouldn’t let a word slip out of place because you knew that didn’t mean you weren’t being heard.

“Was the visit as we expected?” Luka asked casually as he figured out how to hold the fork with his missing finger, trying out positions and attempting to poke his potatoes, slowly figuring out how to best use it.

“Yes,” you said in a tone that ended the conversation before it even began. You downed your entire glass of wine (the same one you bragged about that afternoon in the Court of Nightmares) in one go. You quickly wiped the little that escaped your lips with the napkin on the table.

Everyone at the table knew what it meant. There would be no alliance because the Night Court had not yet recovered from the Hybern War.

Luka's sacrifice had not only shown the truth of Rhysand and his Inner Circle's character; it had also laid bare the results of the wars and circumstances that had wronged the Night Court.

With Amarantha ruling for sixty years, leaving Rhysand trapped without the ability to control his queen, the Illyrians had grown too accustomed to freedom, not only resisting the High Lord's ancient rules but the laws as well. They had gone to war through gritted teeth, but more for the chance at glory, and had been slaughtered in the thousands at a time. Many believed Rhysand had driven many to their deaths, knowing they had no chance, and though death in war was noble in the culture, the grudge of those who hadn't died still smoldered. To top it off, Nesta and her Valkyries had been spit in their faces, for they surely hadn't expected her to survive as she did.

To add Keir's forces to his troops, a deal had been made, one that the appointee himself had confirmed had not yet been paid.

The rest of the war with Hybern wasn't enough to get you back into battle, something you needed them to do if you signed that treaty. It was sooner rather than later because you had fired the first arrow when you declare yourself queen of all mortal lands. The queens of the continent were quick to respond with their own declaration or action, which wouldn't be long in coming, and it was only uphill from there.

She would be flying with Balerion into battle before the year was out, something he had seen coming. And the Night Court could not offer you the troops you required even if they now intended to help you, and you could not walk into battle with one of the Inner Circle as your weapon. They would tear apart any mortal army that crossed them, and you were not going to rule over ashes other than those of your own making.

What security would it give to the people who would be your subjects, who feared invasion because of the lack of a wall, if you won their lands with the direct help of those they saw as enemies?

There would be no balance, no matter how much you held on or wanted to put on or take off the scale. The reason you were there was nonexistent, and that left anything else you built on top of it in the dust.

You knew that. But you had still come. You had come anyway, knowing the possibilities, and you knew it would break your heart one way or another. It was a reality now, and it didn't feel any better even though you saw it coming.

Next Part: (2.) EMBRACING ILLUSIONS

TAG LIST: @pinksmellslikelove @saltedcoffeescotch @raisam @asweetblueberry2 @kabekusa @throneofsapphics @makayla2036789 @jojodojo02

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

Congrats on the followers!

If it pleases you, Wrecker with 12 and 27.

Hasta próximo!

Hola @merkitty49, thank you for the love and for the request, mi compadre. I hope you enjoy this little fic with Wrecker.

Love oo,

I'm Here

Warnings: Unrequited love, mentions of death, loss of a loved one, crying, fluff, cuteness. I think that's it, if I miss anything please let me know.

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Wrecker was trying to find his spritely little explosive technician. Not that you were really needed, since he handled all the explosives for The Bad Batch anyway, but he didn’t mind when you joined. He even made sure Hunter agreed to let you stay. 

He liked you, maybe a lot more than he should’ve. After all, you wouldn’t be interested in him, right? Whenever they went to a village or town, all the women always flocked around his other brothers. It was rare for any of them to bother with him. Maybe it was the scar on the side of his face, or the prosthetic eye… maybe it was his size. 

There were times when you looked at him that he thought, maybe … maybe there was something more between the two of you, maybe there was a chance you felt the same as he did. Yet, he reminded himself that he was being delusional. 

“There you are!” He practically screamed for joy when he found you sitting on the highest point of a boulder, he did his best to climb up to you, although his armour was a little in the way. “What are you doing up here?” He chuckled as he sat down.

“Everything looks beautiful from up here.” You answered sincerely as you kept your eyes on the horizon, the valley below was lush and the leaves were changing colours, the usual green was sprinkled throughout with orange, yellows and red. It made the war seem a distant memory.

Wrecker followed your gaze and hummed in agreement, “Yeah, you’re right. It is beautiful.” His eyes glanced over to your face, there was a perfect sense of serenity encompassing your beautiful face, your eyes were filled with joy and peace. It was a rare sight to see you like this and he’d treasure this image all the more. 

“Were you looking for me?” You forced your eyes to look at Wrecker, not that you really needed to force yourself to look at him. After all he was Wrecker, the man with big muscles, a big smile, and an even bigger heart. The moment he introduced himself, you were besotted; and you only wished you could’ve opened your heart to him. Only wished you could take his hand and declare how much he really meant to you, but you weren’t ready. It hadn’t even been two years since you lost your fiance when the Separatist invaded your planet, and as much as you wanted to move on, somehow it just didn’t feel right to. At least not just yet. And truthfully, Wrecker didn’t look at you like that, why would he?

“Hunter says that we’ll be heading into town soon to get supplies and dinner, I wanted to check if you wanted to come.”

“Yeah…” You stretched, easing out your muscles from sitting too long on not the most comfortable boulder, “I need to get some supplies. I found a formula that could make our explosives ten times stronger, and more efficient.” You slowly stood, Wrecker’s hand following you to make sure you didn’t fall.

He let out a laugh, “Ha! Now there’s someone after my own heart.”

You chuckled, shaking your head, “Come on, I’ll tell you what I have planned.” And you did, the entire walk to and from the town, that’s all you and Wrecker talked about, explosives, the formula, possible uses, it was perfect really. You never had to put on airs around Wrecker, never had to act like you should be interested in other things, you both loved explosives, and that’s all that mattered. 

“You should’ve joined our crew sooner.” He shouted triumphantly when his own heart shouted for joy that there was someone else who understood him better than his brothers. Who didn’t question his love of things exploding. 

His eyes focused on your beautiful face, as the setting suns gave you the most radiant glow. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t pull his eyes away. 

“Well that may have been difficult, my life … was very different a few years ago.”

He’d known about your fiance, it was one of the first things he learned about you when he found you crying and clutching the pendant on your neck. And even though you’d been with them for almost a year now, he could see how you still clutched it, under your tunic. 

“Right.” It was the only acknowledgment he wanted to offer, he hated seeing you sad, gloomy wasn’t you, you were happy, usually smiling, so he made an effort to not let you get downcast while he was around. “Well, I’m glad you’re with us now. Now, I have a buddy who can blow things up with me!”

You smirked, his joy was always beyond infectious, and inevitably you were laughing. 

“Thanks, Wrecker. It means a lot. You guys always made me feel like I belonged, and … I appreciate it. It’s nice to have family again.”

Wrecker took a chance and brushed some of your hair gently off your face, after the wind had pushed it there, “We won’t leave you behind, cyar’ika. You’re stuck with us for a long time.”

You’re not sure why, but at that moment it struck a chord with you and you couldn’t stop crying, he didn’t hesitate and pulled you in for a hug. He was grateful his brothers hadn’t lingered around outside when they got back to the Marauder, so no one would see you fall apart, “It’s okay, I'm here.”

You nodded, wiping your tears as you laughed, “I’m sorry, I’m just … really happy.”

“I’m glad cyar’ika.”

“If you two are quite done” Crosshair seethed out, he wanted to rest, but with Wrecker’s loud voice it was always difficult to actually fall asleep. 

“Sorry, Cross. We’re coming.” You offered, you both gave him your best puppy dog eyes to appease him. 

“Oh, don’t be cute.” He mumbled in annoyance, at the two of you. 

You laughed, wanting to goad him a little more, “Wait, you think I’m cute?” Both you and Wrecker falling into a fit of laughter. 

“Ugh! Shut up” was all Crosshair offered as he headed to his cot, to get some rest before you all had to leave for your next mission.

Main Master List   |  Star Wars Fic Roulette

Tag list:

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[angel-in-shibari]

god, okay

so I'm in this discord server that's for a bunch of ao3 authors who mainly write kink and stuff. for some reason, the owner made me a mod for that server. I didn't have an interview with her or anything, she kinda just told me "you're a mod now". and idk, I think it's been really weird for me.

so there's a rule that chats stay in one channel and images and videos go in other channels, just to keep conversations separate. and of course in the media channels, people will chat in response to the media. but there's not supposed to be full on conversations in the media channels. and I try to enforce that rule but I don't know what counts as a conversation. like, five messages back and forth? ten? a different mod said two full pages is her limit, but that means different things depending on your screen size.

and then just today, I had a different situation. so I posted something I found hot in the nsfw media channel. I will admit, it was pretty heavy and definitely not for everyone. but I didn't think it needed a spoiler tag. so when someone posted a barfing emoji, I was like "oh yeah, haha, I guess my kinks are a bit intense even in this very heavily porn-centric server *nervously laughs*" but the person who posted the barf emoji said it as a joke I think? I'm not entirely sure. so anyways, a few minutes go by, and the owner comes and she times the barfer out for 24 hours for kink shaming. and like, I know that kink shaming is against the rules. I should have said something. but I felt like then I'd be abusing my power as a mod.

idk. the owner is a super close friend of mine, and she trusted me and made me a mod. so I feel like I kinda of owe it to her to try. but I'm constantly worried I might say something that'll piss people off or accidentally kick someone for something really minor that isn't a huge deal.

and then the owner will complain about things in the private mod channel, like how certain people will piss her off but not technically break any rules and how she just doesn't like some people. and I'm worried that if I'm not a mod, she would say the same about me behind my back. but she doesn't ever ban or kick the people she doesn't like. and I'm too nervous to do it for her. sometimes I wish she'd just run the server like an absolute dictator and sorta use me to enact her will. because then at least we'd still be friends. but she'd probably piss off a lot of people who read her stories. so she'd never actually do that.

idk. being a mod is stressful.

[thebatmansbiggestfan]

Looks that SHOULD have been on The Batman's press tour. 🦇

So after my other post about the outfits that Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz wore on the press tour, I was super disappointed that there weren't more notable outfits to share. Their stylists tended to keep it subtle (the cat cut-out dress that Zoë wore notwithstanding) especially with Robert's outfits. Personally I think it would've been great to see some of his more colourful fits, like in his streetwear, but keeping with the whole 'Batman' theme.

There's endless potential for things they could have worn, so here are a few outfits I think would have levelled up the press tour.

1.

(Image creds: John Rasimus (Barcroft Media)/The Daily Mail/JustJaredJr.com)

This is the look that inspired this post. I honestly just liked the splash of red with the tie as well as how the hidden grey blazer contrasts with the charcoal coat. This look was from the Berlinale International Film Festival in 2015. Since this is what inspired this long post, many of the following looks take inspiration from the pop of red while keeping with the black & greys theme. It's not really a premiere kind of look in my opinion but for outings and other events this would have been amazing subtle promo of the movie.

(I could not find the designer of this look ANYWHERE so if anyone knows please feel free to tell me!)

2.1 Alexander McQueen Spring Collection 2019

(Image Creds: Guillaume Roujas(Nowfashion))

Another one for Pattinson here. I was just looking around for collections that were released close enough to the movie that they may have been considered and this one kept popping up. I can honestly say that I adore the tassels on this and the paint-like stripe of red that brightens up an otherwise simple suit. It feels very tasteful and breaks the regular mould of black and white suit for the men. Although keeping styling Pattison in mind I would size up a bit due to his recent fondness for baggier carpet looks.

This is part of the Alexander McQueen Spring Collection 2019. It sticks with my theme of a pop of red while not being too on the nose. Plus I think that Pattison would have loved the gems and the tassels around the arm area.

2.2 Alexander McQueen Fall Collection 2018

(Image Creds: Marcus Tondo (Indigital.tv)/Yannis Vlamos (Indigital.tv)

I know, 'Another Alexander McQueen look?!' I hear you cry. And yes, another one (or two). While looking around for any other looks that I wanted to use for this post and I kept finding ones that fit the theme so well, it would be a crime not to include them.

For outfit number one I thought the red waistcoat was the perfect shade and the pinstriped suit would have been absolutely iconic. Described in one word, I would say 'cunty.' I just love the whole thing. Also, I think that the jacket wrapped around his waist is entirely optional. Obviously looks that were originally on the runway don't tend to be worn the exact same way on the red carpet, so I'll leave it up to you if it should stay or not.

The second outfit is a bit different from the previous looks I've shown you but I swear I have good reason! So every batman fan knows that one scene in LEGO Batman where Bruce is in his red silk robe saying, 'I don't have feelings, Alfred. >:/'. Well I chose this one mainly for the fact that it reminded me of that. (Think of all the call backs during the Barbie press tour to previous outfits of Barbie's). Anyway, I think people would have loved it for that especially but also the beading and the many featured patterns.

3. Ermanno Scervino Fall 2019 (Ready-to-Wear)

(Image Creds: Alessandro Lucioni (Gorunway.com))

I love this whole collection and that made it pretty hard to choose what would fit with Zoë and Selena Kyle's vibes. When I think Catwoman I tend to think leather, zips, cut-outs and lace. Zoë Kravitz's looks usually have leather — especially if it's the red carpet — and more boho for streetwear.

The first look leans more into what Selena would wear (my credentials being me obsessively stalking her comic panels) while also adding in a teensy reference to the funeral scene from the movie. The lace peeking out at the bottom of the dress is really what made me choose this as I just loved it as an addition to the dress. Personally I would pair with some sort of headpiece (e.g. like the hat in the funeral scene) just to add a bit more flavour, maybe even a statement diamond necklace that Selena would love.

For the second one I really wanted to take into consideration the sheer amount of leather that Zoë has worn during the tour and mix in a bit of her usual comfortable style while keeping the theme. The suit is perfect for just that. I would maybe add some sort of silver suit chain to the look, either on the collar or attaching from the pocket to a button.

Okay so that's pretty much it! I had a few more I wanted to include but this post would get incredibly long lmao. Let me know if there's any you think I missed out.

[hayaku14]

hello why is kaishin more popular than shinkai or what i mean is why bottom shinichi is like the most widely believed one? lol not really in the fandom just vaguely familiar with the anime from childhood it's just my mutuals likes this ship. i'd thought shinichi being the top would be more popular given his personality.

anon sorry for the late answer!!

imma be real honest with you, anon, i've loved the kidco dynamic since i was conan-sized but i only realized kaishin should be making out around 2021 so i don't know if i'm the best person to answer this question LOL BUT, i'll give you an answer!

tbh, i think for fandom shipping in general, the main character more often than not is the chosen bottom and whoever else is the other party is topping them. in japanese media especially, the ship names are mostly born from putting the kanji of their names together wherein the order of which indicates the seme and uke. since this happens early on, we kinda get stuck with that as the popular ship name whether you prefer the other way later on.

perhaps kaishin is more popular but not entirely by a lot compared to other ships where it's completely skewed to one side. i see a lot of shinkai too. ofc there are people who prefer one way over the other exclusively and that's completely fine!

personally, i think confining them into seme and uke or top and bottom does a great disservice to the kaishin dynamic because to me we should be looking at their sub-dom dynamic more and why they're actually peak switch sub and dom!!!!

that's fucking right kaishin is actually peak switch and i will die on this fucking hill!!!!!!!!!!

when you say shinichi would be the "obvious top," i'd like to assume in your heart you actually meant "the obvious dom" (LOL) but i think that could also apply to kaito.

i think the appeal of kaishin is the push and pull between them. the give and take. they're always trying to one-up each other. sometimes one pushes and the other gives way, sometimes it's the other way around.

i will be honest, perhaps switch pairings might just be my preference but I have never encountered a pairing that felt this completely equal in the switch department more than kaishin. like for other ships i'd sometimes be like, "yeah they switch but A is 70% more dom than B." But for kaishin I'm like, "oKAY THEY'RE 50/50 THEY'RE EQUALS THEY'RE PERFECT HALVES RAAAAAHHHH"

now how does this answer your question? well, i have no proof and im going off of vibes and like i said im no veteran in this ship fandom but, i think a lot of people do enjoy the other way around as you think it would've been. it's just that...it's something that can just be filed under the kaishin tag too. because it's basically the same sometimes. the only different thing is who's topping and bottoming. like sometimes i'm scrolling through twitter and i'd see art that's giving shinkai but it's tagged as kaishin and vice versa lol.

also personally i prefer calling them kaishin because i love the letter k and i associate the name shinkai more with makoto shinkai so every time i see people refer to kaishin as shinkai, my mind just conjures up an image of kaito, shinichi, and makoto shinkai together and i know that's fucking hilariously weird but it sometimes happens!!!! LMAO so even if i'm thinking about shinkai stuff, i still prefer using the name kaishin lol.

(but having the kaishin/shinkai distinction is definitely still useful especially for people who want to filter through one way or the other so fuck yeah to the ship name shinkai you're here to stay!!!)

anyway in conclusion, top shinichi is popular too dw lol, or maybe i should say bottom kaito is popular too lol i see yalls

also sorry that this answer is not only late but also a whole essay that doesn't even straightforwardly answer your question lol my bad anon

[antimonyandthyme]

martian inception au

In Seb’s notebook, in his scratchy scrawl Mark has grown very accustomed to reading:

Side effects – no dreaming

That’s it, no dreaming. Seb doesn’t write, Failure differentiating reality and dream, because any dreamer worth their salt should know which boundaries they strictly do not cross. They create and shatter worlds in their heads and the one thing they give up is the ability to do this without being hooked to a PASIV. That’s not too bad, considering.

But if you bothered to flip the page:

Sub side effects

Entire paragraphs dedicated to specific complications for each role, extractor, chemist, architect, point man. Under forger:

Loss of self

The first time Mark realizes it’s happening, Seb walks by him in a dream. Seb walks by him and ignores him, as if Mark were merely a projection of the dreamer.

Bewildered and irrationally hurt, Mark goes, “Seb?”

His voice is the safety click off a gun. Seb flinches and looks around wildly. Projections aren’t supposed to speak.

It takes a moment before Mark looks down at his hands, and realizes they’re the wrong ones. He turns his back to Seb, and changes to what he assumes—hopes—is the appearance he should be wearing.

“There you are,” Seb snaps. He only gets like this when he’s worried. “I couldn’t find you.”

Mark makes up some ridiculous excuse. Got turned around in the maze, or something like that, as if any of them would ever get turned around in a maze.

Seb looks at him. “Don’t let it happen again.”

Mark doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.

--

Ironically, it’s Seb who notices last. He’s not being careless. His faith in Mark is just so unshakable that he doesn’t look back when he hears the fall of Mark’s footsteps behind him. Among the hardest things to forge is a person’s gait. Distributing weight and sound according to the target’s walking habits is an intricate and tedious task. Seb can always tell it’s still Mark, even when he wears a different face.

So Seb doesn’t look back.

Jenson does, though. Coming out of a dream, all of them nearing the final kick, and Jenson looks back.

Mark is wearing a stranger as his skin.

Jenson waits until Seb’s gone on ahead. And then he punches Mark so hard Mark will probably feel it for a week in reality.

“Are you trying to break his heart?”

Mark looks down at his hands again.

“Get your shit together,” Jenson demands.

Mark shifts back, and when he wakes, he places two fingers on his own face, and is surprised to see them appear correct.

--

He forgets his totem once. Forgets it, because the last person he was forging doesn’t have one. So he leaves it behind when he goes to get groceries. Chocolate chips and bananas, because Seb wants to make chocolate chip banana bread.

When he gets back, Seb is waiting for him. He has Mark’s swiss army knife cradled in his hand.

Seb knows every stitch of Mark’s totem. Seb helped create Mark’s totem, reasoned that they could custom the knife so elaborately that no extractor would be able to recreate the exact version which belonged to Mark. Sometimes Mark thinks his totem is better off residing in Seb’s hands. These days he shifts so often he doesn’t need it any longer. In reality his hands stay the same. In dreams, his hands change shape and size and colour.

There, no totem needed. Seb doesn’t even need to worry.

“Mark.” Seb’s voice is wobbly. He’s gone and figured it out. Because of course he has.

Mark places the grocery bag on the table. The veins running atop his hand are as unfamiliar as the hundreds of dendrites splitting out from the Indus River.

“Side effect,” he says.

“No more jobs until this stops,” Seb says. Mark can hear him trying to be authoritative, brave. Seb comes close, and wraps Mark’s fingers around his totem. “Don’t ever leave this behind again.”

Seb’s hand above his. Mark tries to memorize the image, but he’s not sure if it’ll take. Almost trickier than an Inception.

--

Jenson puts his research skills into good use, and finds an island off the coast of Victoria that houses a population of zero. He arranges transport and food and beer to last Mark a month at least. Mark spends the first two days drinking his way through the supplies, and considers radioing Jenson to send more.

He holds up his hand to the sun. It’s gotten severely tanner. Jenson forgot sunscreen. But the shapes are good. The knuckles aren’t sewn together by someone playing at god. The angles won’t cut him open.

Mark drinks away the sting of abandonment. The team’s in Toronto for a job. He wonders who their forger is. He drinks some more.

In the third week he dreams.

Real dreams—they’re confusing. There’s no story, no plotline. There’s no job. There's no point. Mark’s falling down a chasm of mirrors. The faces reflected back are not his own. Mark’s smashing every mirror with his bare hands. Mark’s watching the blood run down in rivulets, real enough to taste.

On second thought, maybe these dreams are the ones that make the most sense.

--

Even after an alcoholic induced state lasting three and a half weeks, Mark’s still capable if he wants to be. He finds a way to get off the island. And then he goes to find them.

More specifically, he goes to rescue them from some botched mission.

“I leave for one month,” Mark says. He’s allowed to be dramatic, and a little smug. He pulls them out of the third layer, and then the second layer, and then the first. Each time with his own goddamn hands. It’s as if he has the strength to bend steel.

Seb doesn’t let go. Refuses to let go even as they exit the dream. Mark looks down at their joined hands. Seb’s hand fits perfectly in his, as it has always done.

Yeah. That looks just about fine.

[headspacedad]

excitement time

so - how many of you don't watch your feet when you walk around inside your house? And how many of you go barefoot in the same conditions? I want you to remember your answer.

Because this morning I got up and wandered into the bathroom, sat down on the toilet and looked, naturally, back the way I'd just come. Now, my eyes aren't the best when I first wake up and I thought to myself: 'self, that is one big ass piece of fabric lying there in the doorway you just came through'. Because Sam, you see, likes to chew fabric and so I'm used to small pieces of it scattered everywhere thanks to his hole-punch jaws. But this - this was big for a Sammy scrap of fabric and it was -

pointy.

Lots of pointy in fact.

'There is no way' I thought, still seated, 'that that is a spider. It's not round enough.

But it sure as hell looks like a spider with those legs.'

I'm from Florida. In Florida we get Bugs. There's a lot I can deal with. Not happily but I can deal. Careful, I lean forward a little bit and squint and yeah - that's not spider.

Also yes, it is Very Definitely A Bug.

A golf-ball sized bug

before you added the legs.

Well by now I'm not happy, very carefully getting some pants on, not looking away from it. It hasn't moved and its sitting there in the middle of the floor so I'm thinking its dead (bugs have a weird habit of crawling out into the middle of my floor in this current place I'm staying before they die). That thought - I have lived a long life upon this earth and I am not about to get stupid now when it comes to a giant bug I don't recognize that might be dead but might not.

Briefly, probably longer than I should, I consider attempting to clear the doorway the bug is blocking to get my cell phone to take a picture because 'holy shit, I need a record of this thing, mostly to share with friends to gross/creep out but also, perhaps, to identify it later'. Luckily, my non-social media side of my brain kicks in and points out that just because its not moving now doesn't mean it won't be moving soon and if I take my eyes of this thing and it disappears I'm going to have to take my rabbit, put him in my car, and then lose my security deposit because I'm going to have to burn the entire trailer to the ground.

I find a nearby box of hair dye and carefully position myself in my well honed 'cockroaches always run just as the box drops' position which means I'm ready to immediately leap onto the toilet lid. I slam it down. The bug is crushed underneath the box!!

But is he really? Because its a box of hair dye, not a book. There are a lot of light things in a box of hair dye, it doesn't have a lot of solid weight behind it. I do the grind and twist method with it. Then I very carefully lift an edge, ready to retreat to the sink top this time. The bug is dead! Very squished and very dead. I am triumphant!

I still have no idea what the bug was.

Taking my sister's advice, I type "Big ass North Carolina bug" into the search engine of my laptop and hit images. I regret hitting 'images'. I persist. And there! There it IS! Sure enough - it is, indeed, a big ass NC bug'.

It's a Camel Cricket.

I'm going to put it under a read more because I love you, dear followers and potential stranger.

That was what was in the doorway of my bathroom. That I did not see, as I walked with my bare feet into the bathroom. Somehow some guardian angel somewhere, caught my foot just enough to have me step over this thing and settle down, soles of my feet unmolested.

I also feel I should point down that, last night, before the BAB was found in the bathroom, Sam, sleeping under the covers of the bed with me, woke me up thumping. I reached down, patted his head and then eventually moved him when he kept thumping at me. He went back to sleep. I went back to sleep. The night was very dark.

For my own sanity, I chose to think Sam was thumping, something he never does, for an entirely unrelated reason.

[unknown-goose]

Raison D’être: The Reason For…

In which anomalies are brought to light, yet there’s still so much unknown

A Transformers:Prime Story

———————————————————————

"I’m not sure if it will be of much help to you, but I suppose there’s no harm in offering a helping hand." Void proposed

"Are you certain you are willing to part with such a treasured relic?" The Prime inquires

"Absolutely. Anything for a noble cause far greater than my own." Zero hesitation in her words

Void then turns around, powers flickering to life in her left hand, coating it in a thick, black, venom-like substance. With her newly formed claws she waves her hand in a sharp diagonal slash through the air, opening a vaguely rectangular portal to The Deep Sea roughly half the size of the average bot. Only a few feet in the distance could it be seen. View mostly clear, its image slowly etching its way through the dark.

It was massive, taking up almost the entire height of the portal. Its sheer size alone drew a number of questions about its origins. Its blade was held at an angle by the sand below. There appeared to be a small, vaguely diamond-shaped cutout in the hilt for what could only assumed to be a gemstone; of which Void had known to be long since lost to time. Despite the missing stone the remainder of this exceptional blade was in pristine condition, appearing as though it had been forged only yesterday. The color however was difficult to discern, muddied by the portals dark haze. It struck Optimus as familiar, but unable to put a pin on how exactly. He quickly decided to wait until he got to hold it before inspecting further.

The Jasper Trio watch in awe from the other side of the room, Miko jogging towards the portal to get a better view despite the words of her peers.

"Is that what the bottom of the ocean looks like!? And just where did that thing come from anyway!?" The young girl jumped in curiousity, not so sneakily peaking out from behind the goddess’s shoulder.

Void chuckles and nods her head yes

"In this portion of it anyway, not all seas are created equal." She smiles through her words, bringing her right index finger to her lips to signal it as a secret. Selectively ignoring the second question to hide her lack of knowledge.

"Awesome!!"

Miko smiles wide before running back to her human friends, crafting up all kinds of theories in her mind.

Void once again faces the portal, a split second away from stepping inside and retrieving the sword when the booming, authoritative voice of the Deep Sea calls out—

“You may not proceed. This relics removal is prohibited.”

Void’s face crinkles in both insult and confusion. “And just why is that?” She demands. “You haven’t given it a single thought for millennia, and neither of us have any use for it.”

“But we do need it, a lot more than you know.” The Deep Sea’s tone was less aggravated and more protective this time, almost concerned.

“I find that hard to believe given its blade has been stuck in the sand since the dawn of time. But clearly you have a story to tell. Don’t think for a second that I ignored your tone.” Her response was rightfully bitter, given there were supposed to be no secrets between the two as they are one and the same. No punches held back.

The ocean sighs as if defeated, resigned to whatever fate its following words may bring. “I suggest you take a seat my dear friend, it’s about time I disclose you of our only secret from you.”

The Autobots turn to each other before turning back to the scene before them, questioning if they should be there in the now uncomfortable silence. Void then turns to face Optimus, the brief eye contact and a gentle nod signaling that it is ok for them to stay. “Regardless of what the outcome is, I believe it is for the best that you all know.” A gentile smile gracing the goddess’s features.

“As you wish.” The Prime returns in kind, briefly returning the same gestures

“Alright then.” The Deep Sea speaks up “Now let’s Begin.”

“You see, this is not your average blade. This was once known as the Prism Nebula, a sword forged among the stars containing a fragment of what Cybertronians know as the All Spark. For reasons it would not disclose, it fell through the atmosphere, landing itself in our hands. Despite the All Spark granting it a consciousness of its own we would coexist in peaceful silence for millennia. Until one day it proposed a deal of equivalent exchange: That I would inherit the power of the All Spark fragment in exchange for the blades eternal protection. I quickly agreed, restoring it to its former glory but leaving my new power untouched until the evolution of mankind. It was then I used that power to create you my dear. That is the truth of its disappearance, because it gave everything it had to help make you, you. Not only can it not be drawn from the sand because of my oath of protection, but with the fragment now gone from its hilt it is now rendered a shadow of its former self in terms of power. Even if it could leave my presence consequence free, I am afraid it would be of little use to you now. I sincerely apologize for crushing any hopes you might have had.”

The entire room was floored. The base was so littered with silence you could hear a pin drop in the next room over. Optimus Primes’ suspicions were now confirmed, it was indeed the weapon of untold power that went missing not long after the Cybertronian Civil War began. All historical records claimed it had been destroyed in an unknown accident and yet here is was right before him.

Meanwhile Void had been shaken to her very core. To think that only a few short years ago she had learned of planets other then her own, so now being told she only existed was because of a stone from another planet was far beyond anything she ever expected.

“…But, how? Why…W-Why?….Was, I just a tool to you all this time? Is that why you waited so long to tell me?” She could barely get the words out let alone think, but she wasn’t going to let it stop her from knowing more. No matter how much it hurt.

The Deep Sea considers its next words carefully, trying to soften the blow as much as possible. There was really no easy way of putting this. “Truth be told my friend, I hadn’t intended to wait to long. The only reason I waited at all was because I was afraid of what would happen if I disclosed this too soon. Prior to your existence I had zero experience of handling or creating a being so close to being human such as yourself. I was concerned that telling you right away you would reject your calling, abandon humanity and seek out a planet that’s not yours to roam.”

Voids heart shattered at that last phrase, veins gone cold and body numb.

“I didn’t want to even consider the course of action I would be required to take if that came to be. Otherworldly pact be damned, you couldn’t give me the planet to end a being of my own creation!…I just didn’t want to lose you. It was a childish concern of the past, I know far better than that now…” It trails off, leaving a rather odd sense of melancholy to settle though out the room.

In that moment the goddess’s emptiness quickly turned to a disgusted rage. “How…How fucking dare you! From day fucking one I made my intentions clear as day that I would stick by your side till the end of time! Even with the knowledge of our slowly impending doom I wouldn’t dare turn my back on humanity until it was time! My roaming the earth’s surface for the last 20 years hasn’t changed a damn thing! How on earth could you even begin to think so little of me after carving me in your own image…” The longer she went on all that rage slowly warped it way into despair.

Fists clenched, Void stared daggers into the concrete below. Unable to bear the pain of looking through the portal any longer. Turning her back towards the one who she considered to be family, shutting her eyes tight in order to fight back the tears.

“I sincerely apologize for not seeing that sooner, I never intended to hurt you. Those concerns died out millennia ago when you swore you would protect our home with your life. I am forever grateful that the All Spark brought you to me my closest friend. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me—.”

Exhausted, Void spits back—“That’s enough!” The portal closing rapidly with a loud snap of her fingers. “We’ll just have to see about that now won’t we.”

Both the Autobots and the children look to her in a mix shock of and concern. Void takes a few deep breaths amongst the silence before addressing them, attempting to save face even if for a moment.

“I apologize you had to hear that everyone, had I known it was going to take that kind of turn I would have moved the conversation elsewhere. I will be absent for sometime, but if the need calls for it I’m sure you will know where to find me.” With a passive wave of her hand Void turns to walk down one of the many long, empty corridors of the abandoned military base. The shadows casted masking her from sight only a few mere seconds later.

—————————————————————————————-

Void had spent the next several days dissociating, laying in the middle of the floor in the one the many empty storage rooms. Most of the rooms in the building had gone unused simply because the bots were too big to comfortably fit, assuming they could enter it to begin with. Retroactively this created a number of wonderful spots for Void to hide in. The kids would often end up using them when playing hide and seek too. With her sense of time once again warped beyond comprehension, for the brief moment she had clarity it had amazed her that no one had found her by now. Those moments never lasted long though, slowly deluding her mental state back into the sludge that got her here in the first place. Thankfully she lacked the basic self care needs humans and cybertronians did otherwise she would be in far worse condition.

She would have to go back home and talk with the Deep Sea at some point, but for now this was what she needed. Nothing but just her, her thoughts, and the concrete below. Or at least what she thought she needed, until a concerned yet friendly face enters the doorway.

[PART 1] FIN

[crisiscutie]

Can you describe more of this mysterious house in HoS? I have a hard time imagining it without any reference.

Also, i'm imagining the house basement is actually a dungeon somewhat similar to Persona, but the layout changes daily, just like some proceduraly generated dungeons in certain type of games. In that case, darling can get her adventure inside with whichever Sephiroth that stayed with her at that time. But upon further thought, not much of a challenge with Sephiroth staying with her. He'll probably annihilate everything before his darling finish blinking.

So... maybe a basement room with puzzles like the game escape room will be more interesting?

I dunno... I'm throwing out random ideas and stretching out my imagination too much, or maybe you had an entirely different vision in mind? XD

(I'm still trying to figure out the details myself, so my explanation won't be complete or fully intelligible)

I gotta pull out my favorite aesthetics to help me describe this:

I'd imagine the house be elevated on a hill or maybe even a mountain, surrounded by various creepy woods. And it has an eerie and ominous atmosphere, with a goth/woodland goth theme that made the darkness seem to linger, even in the daylight.

Overgrown weeds and tall grass had begun to take over parts of the house, a testament of nature taking back its domain. I think the Sephiroths would be unnerved deep inside when it comes to the nature aspects, hehe. The house is most likely more comparable to a mansion due to its huge size, still going to call it "The House" though.

And despite the wide, open hallways of the dark house, the darling will often feel a sense of being closed in, breathing in the stale air. Is it the mad Yanderes making her feel like that or this peculiar house?

These reference pics won't be exactly the same as the others but should get my point across. Some aesthetic daydreaming under the cut.

(The Conservatory)

(The Kitchen)

(Likely part of the Darling's Room)

(Woods Beyond the House)

(Main Bathroom)

(Entrance to the garden. One of the few places darling has peace and quiet since the Sephs hate going in there and sometimes wait for her outside of it.)

(I like to think there's a creepy ravine close to the house like this. I wonder what's in the seemingly shallow water?)

(I imagine the backyard holds a serene, nature-made pool like the pic. The water's color is eerily reminiscent of mako. This is definitely one of the few places the darling can go to soothe her troubles away.)

If you guys would like share aesthetic pics or suggestions of your own, go right ahead! Especially if you got house exterior, living room or basements pics to share. I couldn't find anything to match the vibe/aesthetic closest.

And yes, that is a lovely idea for the basement and lower levels of the house! Being an absolute mindfuck for the darling AND the Sephiroths. I'd imagine that, in the lower levels of the house, there are some places that are relatively safe, like the cellar where the darling had taken refuge in the staircase during C.C.'s rampage. And Jenova and OG's Sephs bodies are probably just chilling nearby somewhere too... But once you descend beyond the safe zones, then that's when the fun begins.

To make it crazier, why not add a full blown catacomb system underneath it too?

Hope I gave you a better image of the house!

[shadowhaert]

Hi! I hope I'm not bothering you but I really love your yellowjackets gifs and was wondering if you could do a detailed tutorial on blending gifs?

hi! not a bother at all, thank you <3

i'm not the super best person to ask about this because i just kinda say fuck it we ball and don't actually know what i'm doing but i can do my best

this is under the assumption that you know how to make gifs. this isn't a hard thing to do, but if you're not familiar with making gifs or making gifs into a timeline then it will be incredibly difficult until those steps are mastered (really it'll just be a little more time consuming because it can sometimes force you to edit frame by frame when you're not in timeline format)

we're going to use this WIP of misty for this.

this is my start. remember, i imported to frames to layers, then converted to timeline and smart object. @/usergif has great tutorials on that if you aren't sure. then i just put on a sharpening mask (also usergif) and changed the fps and now i'm ready to edit

BEFORE RESIZING i have found that my adjustments stay clearer when all completed before changing the image size. you do not have to do it this way, i just do it. change image size is my last step.

here is the gif with all of my adjustments. you can see the purple lines on the timeline bar, that's what you want to see the entire time for this to work well. go ahead and resize the image (under the image tab) whenever you're finished

now that the image is 600 px like i want, i go to select, all layers, and then my layers in the right side toolbar should be highlighted. on my mac the command is 'command+g' to group layers, so that's what i do. now they're in a cute little group called 'group 2' (so creative!)

after it's in a group, right click on it and select 'convert to smart object'

ta da! it should look like this now. what this basically means is that, including all of the coloring adjustments and sharpening and masks that you've made, you can now move them as one group. before doing this step, you would have had to move around each layer as an individual. now, it's locked together. makes it easy for the next part, because now that it's locked together, any adjustments made to the first gif will not counteract the adjustments made to the second gif (you'll see what i mean)

go make your second gif the same way, do whatever you want to it, follow all the same steps, and the click and drag over to your other gif so that they get stacked. because they are grouped smart objects, the green from the second gif will not make the first gif green, so that's why the previous step is so important; it keeps them isolated from each other

after they're stacked, highlight the top gif and go up to that drop down menu and change it from 'normal' to 'screen'

bing! now they're blended together. the screen makes it so that the light parts of the bottom gif bleed through the dark parts of the top gif. when i do this method, i try to choose two light scenes or two dark scenes, not one of each as it gets complicated sometimes

if you are unsatisfied with the blend or want to blend a certain part more, make a certain part stick out, etc, then just highlight the top layer and then click the rectangle with a circle (this is a layer mask). a little white box will show up next to your highlighted group. make sure there's a blue rectangle around that box to indicate that you are editing on the mask itself, and then grab an eraser or black paintbrush and edit whatever you need! the eraser will erase parts of the top gif and the paintbrush will erase parts of the bottom gif

obviously this is a terrible explanation but again, i am not the person to ask for help unfortunately. my brain doesn't exist when i edit i just test things, black out, and then post. but i hope it was a helpful starting point!

[seakicker]

Miss Seakicker HI! 🦦 anon here, I just wanted to pop in and ask a question but before that;

How have you been? I’m loving the new theme and layout for your blog! I hope you’re drinking enough water and taking enough breaks. We can’t have Fertility archon Juju getting sick!

I started playing Tears of The Kingdom and there’s a place called Joju-u-u Shrine in the game (we almost had Juju Shrine!) I went bra shopping earlier (nothing spicy, just needed some new ones).

I’m not really sure how else to ask this but do you have any advice for when the insecurities about one’s body image start to get…loud? Like some days I’ll feel good in a pair of pants because i fill them out really well but then there’ll be bad days like the time i spent 2 hours on an online site buying a kazuha cosplay because I didn’t want to admit i was a size bigger. (I bought the bigger size in the end and that one fits like a glove)

Feel free to answer this whenever you like! - 🦦 anon

HELLOOOOOOO SWEETHEART GAH i’m very late in answering this because i’m just tryin to find the motivation to use tumblr consistently again, but i was thinking about this ask again today bc i’ve had it in drafts since you sent it to me. i’ve been working a ton but i’m alright; drinking water and working on eating healthier for myself 😊❤️ what kinds of things do you think we’d do at a juju shrine… 🤔👀

as far as the insecurity part goes, honestly i’ve found that staying off the internet entirely on days where you’re maybe feeling a little worse about yourself is extremely beneficial. with how prevalent bodychecking and diet culture BS are on tiktok and instagram in particular and with how advanced filters and photoshop have gotten (remember when people considered it impossible to use filters/edits on videos? good times), taking a bit of a detox and staving off of doomscrolling rlly go a long way on days where i may not be feeling the best about myself. like, i’ve seen people recommend eating an entire block of cream cheese under the guise of health because keto influencers love spinning nonsense and trying to make you genuinely believe that an entire brick of cream cheese is inherently better for you than a single piece of bread for toast, lol.

at any rate, i think it’s good to remind yourself that you are real and your body is real and not everything you see online is real— most people are able to (rightfully) internalize that they shouldn’t compare their bodies to digital art or anime characters, and i think that mentally should extend to just about any 3D picture you see online— while i’m not inherently anti-photoshop or anything like that, i DO think it’s harmful for these people who participate in photoshopping their pics or using filters to pass it off as (A) all natural genetics and/or (B) simple diet and exercise because no amount of genetics, diet, or exercise are gonna give you a 13 inch waist and 42 inch hips. even pictures of real life people can be twisted to the point where they might as well be fictitious, but your body is real when you look at it and real in anything and everything you wear, so why worry about how it stacks up compared to a picture that’s certainly edited?

i first read this on pinterest in like high school but it’s honestly sound advice and something that’s really stuck with me— we don’t get mad at our feet for being too small/too big/too wide/too narrow when shoes don’t fit, we just buy a different size— shouldn’t the same idea extend to all our clothes? our bodies aren’t made to fit clothes, clothes are made to fit our bodies— and buying a bigger cosplay to fit you better isn’t a fault of yours nor your body’s. you got this ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[hey-its-haliee]

[W6: Yet Another Exposé: Eco-Chic or a 'Force' of Habit?]

This isn’t about choosing sides—fast fashion isn’t completely bad, and slow fashion isn’t entirely perfect either. They both are playing the same game, just with different branding.

Slow fashion preaches sustainability like a holy gospel—buy this overpriced linen dress, and suddenly, you’re an eco-saint! Meanwhile, fast fashion peasants (a.k.a. broke people) are shamed for not caring enough. But let’s be real: slow fashion still wants you to spend, just with a smug little “ethical” label slapped on. And digital activism? Oh, it’s thriving—calling out brands, launching hashtag wars, and guilt-tripping consumers into “doing better.” So tell me, are we actually saving the planet—or just flexing our so-called ‘conscious consumer’ status for clout? 

Congrats, you did it! (Well—if you can afford it.)

1. Dress to Impress: Another Day, Another Expensive Guilt Trip

_They got us, huh?

Slow fashion tells you what to buy, but never asks why you feel the need to buy in the first place. The message is always the same:

Buy slow fashion, and you'll save the planet! Buy slow fashion, and you'll save the workers!

Too bad, most people don’t actually know how fast fashion destroys the environment, or why slow fashion is supposed to be better. We just nod along, guilt-tripped into thinking a $200 linen dress makes us ethically superior. Sure, we hear the usual spiel:

"Fast fashion pollutes! Slow fashion lasts longer!"

But how much longer, really? Five years? Ten? Long enough to justify the price tag?

_Luxury Guilt-Tripping: Now in Soft Beige!

And what about the workers—are they truly getting better conditions, or is that just another marketing line?

DW Planet A (2021) highlights how many so-called "ethical" brands still underpay garment workers and rely on exploitative labor, just with better PR. 

The narrative is simple: Fast fashion is the villain, slow fashion is the hero, and if you care about the environment, you’ll cough up three months’ rent for a "sustainable" linen dress.

...I hate to break it to you, but consumption is still consumption. No matter how many recycled buzzwords you slap on it, the industry still wants you to spend, spend, spend.

_Sustainability? More Like Expensive Self-Deception

If sustainability was the goal, we’d be buying less, not just different.

But no—rather than tackling our addiction to consumption, slow fashion just slaps on an eco-friendly label and a higher price tag, as no matter how much you try to brainwash yourself, slow fashion still operates within the same capitalist system as fast fashion.

Suddenly, shopping isn’t just a mindless habit—it’s a moral obligation (Brewer 2019).

Are we actually changing, or just paying more to feel better about staying the same?

2. Excuse Me? How Much for a Clean Conscience?

_Thrifting Ain’t a Cheat Code, Ya Know?

Ethical fashion isn’t about saving the planet; it’s about saving your self-image and flexing your moral superiority. Let’s be real—a $300 linen dress doesn’t make you an environmentalist. That’s not “activism”; that’s just bougie guilt relief. But don’t worry, you’re not the bad guy! You’re just “someone who can afford to feel superior while still shopping like everyone else!” It’s not a revolution—it’s… what’s it called again? Oh! Right. Same old capitalism, thrifted blazer.

And cue the self-righteous chorus:

“Just thrift more!” “Stop buying fast fashion!”

Aww, because secondhand stores are just overflowing with size-inclusive, work-appropriate, affordable, brand-new-looking clothes for everyone, RIGHT? 

News flash: thrifting isn’t the magical solution y’all think it is.

Prices are climbing, resellers are hoarding trendy pieces, and let’s not even start on the hygiene gamble. 

But sure, let’s keep shaming broke people for “not caring enough.”

Oh, okay. Too bad, so sad.

Sorry that my financial situation hurts your feelings! Guess I should dig through overpriced, picked-over thrift racks hoping to find something that fits? Or drop my rent money on a dress that still exploits workers, more aesthetically? Got it.

And if slow fashion is so “ethical,” why does it still gatekeep sustainability behind a paywall?

Chi et al. (2021) further confirm that slow fashion appeals mainly to wealthier consumers, reinforcing that sustainability is a privilege, not an accessible choice.

The message is clear: if you can’t afford to “shop responsibly,” you must not care enough.

But here’s the real tea—most people don’t choose fast fashion, they’re funneled into it. Meanwhile, slow fashion brands slap a sustainability sticker on a $400 dress and pretend they’ve solved overconsumption. If you’re poor, YOU'RE the problem.

At the end of the day, it’s not about buying better—it’s about buying less. 

But no brand wants to sell you that message now, do they? 

3. If I'm the Villain, Then You're Just a Hypocrite!

_Broke = Villain, Rich = Virtuous?

Fast fashion consumers get dragged through the mud, while billion-dollar corporations waltz away scot-free.

Oh how we love a good scapegoat. And in this case? It’s the broke college student scraping by, buying a $10 Shein top because, SHOCKER, that’s all they could afford. Meanwhile, slow fashion brands are out here polishing their halos, prancing around happily with their

“We’re so ethical” banners for “doing better”

— conveniently ignoring the fact that they’re still underpaying garment workers, sourcing materials from god-knows-where, and engaging in the same exploitative labor practices they claim to fight against. But hey, at least their website has soft beige aesthetics and an “Eco-Friendly” badge, right? So chic. So ethical.

_You're Just B-R-O-K-E!

Just tell me, if a brand calls itself ethical but still refuses to pay fair wages, is it actually ethical? Or just better at PR?  

Because, half these brands aren’t selling sustainability—they’re selling the illusion of sustainability at a luxury markup. And the best part? The guilt-tripping is free! Oh, you can’t afford to drop $400 on a linen jumpsuit?

Sounds like a YOU problem, not a ME problem! 

_Gaslight, Gatekeep, Greenwash

And that’s "the angle". The whole conversation shifts blame onto consumers, guilt-tripping them into believing they are the problem while the corporations doing the real damage get off with a performative Earth Day Instagram post and a “We Care” marketing campaign. Sustainability shouldn’t be a privilege, but slow fashion brands sure love keeping it that way.

Plot Twist (Not Really): Same Game, Same Winners—The Rich Make the Rules

Slow fashion isn’t about ethics—it’s about who gets to play the hero and who gets shamed for being poor. Who actually benefits when expensive brands tell you fast fashion is evil? 

Spoiler alert: They do.

They get to sell you virtue, all while keeping that virtue just out of reach for the average person. Because let’s be real—the same people who never had to worry about affording clothes in the first place are the ones dictating what “responsible” fashion looks like. Convenient, huh? At the end of the day, there’s no hero here—just a bunch of privileged people moving the goalposts and gatekeeping morality with a price tag. So before you drop half your paycheck on that “conscious collection”, ask yourself: Are you really making a difference, or just buying into another illusion? 

Funny how the ones selling you ‘the solution’ are the same ones who created the problem in the first place, huh?

References:

Brewer, MK 2019, ‘Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility’, Laws, vol. 8, no. 4, p. 24.

Chi, T, Gerard, J, Yu, Y & Wang, Y 2021, ‘A study of U.S. consumers’ intention to purchase slow fashion apparel: understanding the key determinants’, International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 101–112.

DW Planet A 2021, ‘If you think fast fashion is bad, check out SHEIN’, www.youtube.com, viewed .

[tameblog]

What size? It's the pressing question when designing your home, whatever element of it you're choosing. The interaction between things that feel large and things that feel small is the tightrope walk which adds the tension to your scheme, and that translates into a sense of sophistication in the final design.Scale in interior design is an important concept to understand, especially considering it is vital in order to create aesthetically pleasing spaces that are comfortable to use. From decisions like selecting a sofa for a living space to curating an entirely new room design, considering scale — and how one design element relates to another — is a must.The relative size of furniture, patterns, decorative objects, and more are important in interior design, as are the proportions of colors. No professional would fail to take them into account, and to confidently make choices for your own home, it’s crucial to follow their lead.Once learned, though, the principles of scale in interior design will stay with you whether you’re embarking on large projects or putting together vignettes. Below, we've shared the expertise you need to get it right.What is Scale in Interior Design?The concept of scale in interior design takes into account both the room’s dimensions and the size of furniture and décor within it, both relative to one another and to the room. When considering scale, it's also important to think about is proportion: The ratio between two or more things.Why Is Considering Scale in Interior Design So Important?(Image credit: Tom Kurek. Design: SIKORA > INTERIORS)Without a consideration of scale, a design simply won’t be successful. “Scale and proportion are essential to creating a space that feels both visually harmonious and emotionally comfortable,” says Erica McLain of McLain by Design Interiors. “They ensure that every element — from the height of a bookshelf to the scale of a pattern on a throw pillow — contributes to a cohesive and balanced design.”Moreover, a space with good contrast between scales will instantly feel more expensive, adds Jordy Murray of boutique New York City interior design studio Friends of Form. The reason? “Because your eye moves naturally through the room instead of getting stuck on one focal point.”A Guide to Determining Scale for Different Design ElementsScaling Furniture(Image credit: Sean Davidson. Design: Friends of Form)Choose furniture sized to the room, but avoid sameness. “The furniture in a room should complement its size and function while maintaining a sense of balance and flow,” says Erica McLain. “Large furniture pieces can serve as anchors, but they mustn’t dominate to the point of making the space feel heavy or cramped."For example, working out what size couch you need requires assessing not only the size of your living room, but also how it will sit within the space and impact movement and flow."Similarly, smaller pieces need to hold their own, offering functionality and presence without feeling lost or insignificant," adds Erica. "Achieving this balance often means blending different scales of furniture — for example, a low-slung sofa paired with an oversized, sculptural armchair creates both contrast and cohesion.“Every piece should also relate to the overall dimensions of the room; for instance, in spaces with high ceilings, taller furniture can accentuate the verticality, while horizontally oriented pieces might better suit rooms with lower ceilings, encouraging a sense of spaciousness,” she adds.Scaling Patterns(Image credit: PION Studio)It's important to think about both pattern’s relationship to the room and to other patterns in it. “Large-scale patterns can make a dramatic statement, commanding attention and adding energy to a space,” says Erica McLain. “However, they work best in rooms with ample space to let them breathe. In more intimate settings, smaller patterns provide intricate detail that enriches the design without overwhelming it.“Layering patterns of different scales — such as pairing a large, botanical print on drapes with a smaller geometric motif on pillows — creates depth and visual intrigue,” she advises. But it's vital that you understand how to pattern clash or pattern drench to ensure the space looks balanced, rather than busy and overwhelming.Scaling Accessories(Image credit: Ali Budd Interiors)The scale of accessories matters as much as that of larger items. “Decorative accessories should complement the scale of the furniture and the overall room proportions to achieve a polished, intentional look,” says interior designer Ali Budd.“Start by varying the sizes of your accessories to create visual interest — pairing a tall vase with smaller objects like books or candles, for example, can add depth and dimension," says Ali. "Pay attention to balance in interior design, ensuring that larger pieces, like oversized sculptures or framed art, are given enough space to stand out without overwhelming the area. Vertical and horizontal elements should work together harmoniously: tall objects can fill vertical space, while wide trays or grouped objects can ground a surface.”Scaling Color Proportions(Image credit: Shannon McGrath Photography. Design: Manna Architects and Alessandra Smith Design)Proportions are key when it comes to an interior’s color palette. “A balanced aesthetic often begins with the tried-and-true 60-30-10 rule,” says Erica McLain. “This approach provides a visually harmonious foundation while allowing room for personality.”But she points out that this ratio can be extended beyond walls and furniture to patterns and accessories. “For example, if a rug features a bold pattern, it might dominate the 30 per cent proportion, with the remaining colors playing supporting roles," she explains, adding, "When mixing patterns, limit strong hues to the smaller percentage, ensuring they don't overpower the room.”Now that you understand scale in interior design, we'd recommend getting yourself well versed in other important concepts of interior design, including understanding the importance of negative and positive space in interior design, and how they impact a room. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

What size? It's the pressing question when designing your home, whatever element of it you're choosing. The interaction between things that feel large and things that feel small is the tightrope walk which adds the tension to your scheme, and that translates into a sense of sophistication in the final design.Scale in interior design is an important concept to understand, especially considering it is vital in order to create aesthetically pleasing spaces that are comfortable to use. From decisions like selecting a sofa for a living space to curating an entirely new room design, considering scale — and how one design element relates to another — is a must.The relative size of furniture, patterns, decorative objects, and more are important in interior design, as are the proportions of colors. No professional would fail to take them into account, and to confidently make choices for your own home, it’s crucial to follow their lead.Once learned, though, the principles of scale in interior design will stay with you whether you’re embarking on large projects or putting together vignettes. Below, we've shared the expertise you need to get it right.What is Scale in Interior Design?The concept of scale in interior design takes into account both the room’s dimensions and the size of furniture and décor within it, both relative to one another and to the room. When considering scale, it's also important to think about is proportion: The ratio between two or more things.Why Is Considering Scale in Interior Design So Important?(Image credit: Tom Kurek. Design: SIKORA > INTERIORS)Without a consideration of scale, a design simply won’t be successful. “Scale and proportion are essential to creating a space that feels both visually harmonious and emotionally comfortable,” says Erica McLain of McLain by Design Interiors. “They ensure that every element — from the height of a bookshelf to the scale of a pattern on a throw pillow — contributes to a cohesive and balanced design.”Moreover, a space with good contrast between scales will instantly feel more expensive, adds Jordy Murray of boutique New York City interior design studio Friends of Form. The reason? “Because your eye moves naturally through the room instead of getting stuck on one focal point.”A Guide to Determining Scale for Different Design ElementsScaling Furniture(Image credit: Sean Davidson. Design: Friends of Form)Choose furniture sized to the room, but avoid sameness. “The furniture in a room should complement its size and function while maintaining a sense of balance and flow,” says Erica McLain. “Large furniture pieces can serve as anchors, but they mustn’t dominate to the point of making the space feel heavy or cramped."For example, working out what size couch you need requires assessing not only the size of your living room, but also how it will sit within the space and impact movement and flow."Similarly, smaller pieces need to hold their own, offering functionality and presence without feeling lost or insignificant," adds Erica. "Achieving this balance often means blending different scales of furniture — for example, a low-slung sofa paired with an oversized, sculptural armchair creates both contrast and cohesion.“Every piece should also relate to the overall dimensions of the room; for instance, in spaces with high ceilings, taller furniture can accentuate the verticality, while horizontally oriented pieces might better suit rooms with lower ceilings, encouraging a sense of spaciousness,” she adds.Scaling Patterns(Image credit: PION Studio)It's important to think about both pattern’s relationship to the room and to other patterns in it. “Large-scale patterns can make a dramatic statement, commanding attention and adding energy to a space,” says Erica McLain. “However, they work best in rooms with ample space to let them breathe. In more intimate settings, smaller patterns provide intricate detail that enriches the design without overwhelming it.“Layering patterns of different scales — such as pairing a large, botanical print on drapes with a smaller geometric motif on pillows — creates depth and visual intrigue,” she advises. But it's vital that you understand how to pattern clash or pattern drench to ensure the space looks balanced, rather than busy and overwhelming.Scaling Accessories(Image credit: Ali Budd Interiors)The scale of accessories matters as much as that of larger items. “Decorative accessories should complement the scale of the furniture and the overall room proportions to achieve a polished, intentional look,” says interior designer Ali Budd.“Start by varying the sizes of your accessories to create visual interest — pairing a tall vase with smaller objects like books or candles, for example, can add depth and dimension," says Ali. "Pay attention to balance in interior design, ensuring that larger pieces, like oversized sculptures or framed art, are given enough space to stand out without overwhelming the area. Vertical and horizontal elements should work together harmoniously: tall objects can fill vertical space, while wide trays or grouped objects can ground a surface.”Scaling Color Proportions(Image credit: Shannon McGrath Photography. Design: Manna Architects and Alessandra Smith Design)Proportions are key when it comes to an interior’s color palette. “A balanced aesthetic often begins with the tried-and-true 60-30-10 rule,” says Erica McLain. “This approach provides a visually harmonious foundation while allowing room for personality.”But she points out that this ratio can be extended beyond walls and furniture to patterns and accessories. “For example, if a rug features a bold pattern, it might dominate the 30 per cent proportion, with the remaining colors playing supporting roles," she explains, adding, "When mixing patterns, limit strong hues to the smaller percentage, ensuring they don't overpower the room.”Now that you understand scale in interior design, we'd recommend getting yourself well versed in other important concepts of interior design, including understanding the importance of negative and positive space in interior design, and how they impact a room. Source link