#UNFORTUNATELY my plan for them is to put them in a travel palette but THAT won't be here til tuesday

[blujayonthewing]

got some watercolors

[mookymilksims]

ULTIMATE REALISTIC Sims 3 Roleplay Guide | Transform Your Slice of Life Gameplay! | Part 1

What is up my little MooMoo's, welcome back to my channel! If you are new, thanks for dropping by.

So I promised you all a slice-of-life roleplay guide, and here it is! This might be the single most important guide for my ultra-realism roleplaying series in The Sims 3. Traditional roleplaying in this game is a bit tricky, so you’ve got to get creative. With mods, you can maximize your roleplaying efforts with little to no labor.

And whenever you look up how to roleplay in the sims 3, you'll find yourself quickly being redirected to challenges, except when you come across my input.

I have so much planned to show and teach you all in this guide. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but I promise to make it simple and effortless. This guide is easy enough for beginners who’ve never roleplayed before, yet packed with fresh ideas and twists for veteran roleplayers.

I want you to think of roleplaying as a Sims 3 challenge, but not as strict or difficult. Everything I show you in this video are just suggestions, meant to inspire you and ignite your creativity. I want to excite you into playing this game differently and unlock the true potential of The Sims 3.

Unfortunately because there is so much ground to cover I am going to have to break this guide up into several parts.

There are in total 10 sections of this guide I want to be able to teach you, in today's guide we are going to be focusing on section 1: Basic Roleplaying: and things you need to understand about the game.

So, let's break down exactly what we're going to cover today:

Basic Roleplaying - Things you need to understand about the game.

Curating Your Sim's World - Setting the stage before you play them.

Personality Templates - Creating Sims you care about.

Style and Taste Bud Palettes - Refining your character's personality.

Hobbies and Routines - Enhancing your Sim's day-to-day lifestyle.

Vacations and Traveling - Adding excitement and variety.

Socializing Roleplay - Making your Sims’ interactions meaningful.

Mods for Day-to-Day Gameplay - Essential mods for realism.

Challenges and How to Transform Them - Keeping things interesting.

Storylines and Easy Ways to Put Them Together - Creating compelling narratives.

I care about your time, so we’re going to steamroll through all of these sections and videos together! Let’s dive right in and get started!

Basic Roleplaying

Remember when I said earlier that you need to have the right perspective to roleplay in this game? Most of you have been roleplaying to some extent even if you think you haven't.

Challenges are basically stricter roleplaying incentives. They give you a set of rules to follow in-game, where doing the opposite wouldn't make sense.

And this is the crux of roleplaying, essentially. It's about understanding the person you are playing as and what they would realistically do. It’s not just about completing goals, but about making choices that reflect your Sim’s personality, desires, and circumstances.

So, what exactly is roleplaying? At its core, roleplaying is acting out the life of a character you create. You’re not just controlling them like a puppet; you’re thinking and making decisions as if you are that character. It’s about stepping into their shoes and seeing the world through their eyes.

For example, if your Sim is an artist, you might decide that they spend their mornings painting in the park, meeting other creative Sims, and visiting art galleries for inspiration. On the other hand, if your Sim is a fitness enthusiast, they might start their day with a jog, followed by a healthy meal, and then head to the gym.

Roleplaying is about adding layers to your Sim's story. It's not just about what they do, but why they do it. Every decision should reflect their personality and circumstances. If your Sim is shy, they might struggle with social interactions, but if they’re outgoing, they’ll thrive at parties and gatherings.

This perspective transforms the game from a series of tasks into a rich, immersive experience. You're not just playing The Sims; you're living a story. And the best part? It’s your story, crafted by your imagination and choices.

What actions do you find yourself doing more than anything else in the game? What action is it that you focus on the most?

Skills. Jobs. School. And motive maintenance. These are the actions you find yourself doing the most in your gameplay instead of creating memories and developing your story.

What if I told you that skills, jobs, high school, and elementary school are actually not as important in the game as you think? There is nothing in the game that requires you to master a skill. So why are you maxing out their skills?

You don't always have to become the leader of the free world, especially if it's not even a lifetime wish for your Sim. The only thing you need to pass school is to not have a consistent F. Your children and teens were going to graduate regardless.

There are hundreds of mods dedicated to rebalancing The Sims 3 motive decay that would allow you more time in your day playing as your Sim instead of just feeding them.

When you change the way you think The Sims 3 was meant to be played, you begin to see just how much fun you could really be having in this game. I'm only saying this as the kid who stressed out about getting a B in-game, not getting that promotion by the end of the day, and freaking out every time my Sim's hunger bar got halfway full.

We should be having fun, relaxed, and enjoying our Sims' actual lives. Once you remove this stress from the equation, you're left with a bunch of freed-up open time in your Sims' day. And now, you have to fill it with creative roleplaying scenarios.

But don't worry, I've already got you covered on that in sections 5-10.

LifeSpans

If you already watched my lifespan and relativity guide, then you already saw me extensively go over this entire system. I realized very quickly how important a Sim's lifespan was to my roleplay. If the lifespan is too short, I don't have enough time in-game to care about my Sims, develop their stories, and complete pivotal moments in their character development. I used to turn their aging off, but in doing so, I missed out on the natural progressions of not just my active household but also everyone else.

A well-balanced lifespan is crucial for meaningful roleplay because it allows you to:

Build Deep Connections: With a longer lifespan, you have the time to truly get to know your Sims, form deep bonds, and invest in their personal stories. You'll witness them grow, change, and evolve over time, making their journeys feel more significant.

Develop Complex Storylines: Longer lifespans give you the freedom to create intricate story arcs. You can explore your Sims' lives in great detail, from their childhood dreams to their golden years, ensuring that no pivotal moment is rushed.

Experience Generational Play: Watching multiple generations of Sims grow up, interact, and leave their marks on the family legacy is one of the most rewarding aspects of the game. It brings a sense of continuity and history to your Sims' world.

Allow for Realistic Progression: A longer lifespan lets your Sims achieve their goals at a more natural pace. So that if the roleplay allows it, they can climb the career ladder, master skills, and pursue hobbies without the pressure of an imminent aging up.

Thank goodness I learned how to curate a mods list and create my own mods that addressed all of these issues. And thank goodness I shared it with all of you, so you don't have to do anything but install them and jump into the game.

Remember, a well-thought-out lifespan not only enhances your roleplaying experience but also enriches the entire game world, making every Sim's life story more impactful and memorable.

Questionnaires

Questionnaires are a great way to delve into the mind of your character, understand them inside and out, and effectively roleplay them in-game.

Think of this section as breathing life into your Sims' lungs. I personally find this portion to be fun while also gaining incredible insight into how my Sims think, act, and feel in-game.

This practice gives me so much confidence when roleplaying them. Without it, I find myself improvising without as much confidence, making certain interactions more awkward for me. I have to rewrite the interaction in my head, out of the game, to rectify it, when I could've just used this practice and character breakdown beforehand.

Why Use Questionnaires?

Character Depth: Questionnaires help you create multifaceted characters with rich backstories, motivations, and unique personalities. This depth makes your Sims feel more real and relatable.

Consistency in Roleplay: By understanding your Sims' traits, goals, and quirks, you can ensure consistent behavior and decision-making throughout their lives. This consistency enhances the realism and immersion of your gameplay.

Enhanced Storytelling: Detailed character profiles allow you to craft more compelling and believable stories. You'll have a clear sense of your Sims' desires and conflicts, making their journeys more engaging.

Improved Interaction: With a solid understanding of your Sims, you'll navigate social interactions more naturally. Knowing their preferences and relationships helps you respond authentically in various scenarios.

Reduced Improvisation Stress: Having a well-thought-out character profile minimizes the need for on-the-spot improvisation. You'll feel more prepared and confident, leading to smoother and more enjoyable gameplay.

How to Use the Questionnaires

Now, you don't always have to answer every question. You should aim to answer just enough questions in just enough categories to confidently roleplay your character in improv gameplay scenarios. Use the link below to the character question generator and begin breaking down your character. This practice not only enhances your roleplaying experience but also brings your Sims to life in ways you never imagined.

Remember, only answer enough questions where you get to know your sim inside and out. To enhance this further, consider their fashion style, and mini backstories behind their favorite food and color. Write this down somewhere where you keep a back up of your save file, so you can always reference it in the future if you get stuck on what they would do in a roleplay scenarios.

Link to Character Question Generator!

Conclusion

So here is where I feel is a good time to end the video, since I've given all of you a lot to think about. Let's quickly recap what we've covered so far:

Basic Roleplaying: We explored how to shift your perspective on gameplay, understanding that roleplaying involves making choices that align with your Sims' personalities and realistic behaviors.

LifeSpans: We discussed the importance of adjusting your Sims' lifespans to allow for more meaningful story development and character progression. I shared my mods and settings to make this process seamless.

Questionnaires: We delved into the practice of using questionnaires to breathe life into your Sims. This helps you understand your characters deeply, ensuring consistent and engaging roleplay.

Make sure to subscribe and hit that notification bell to become a part of the Milky Way Squad on your way out, so that you can be notified and come back for Part 2!

Thank you for watching and see you in the next video!

[beesgav]

So... for the past few days I've been watching Steins;Gate.

I initially checked it out because. uh. truth be told it's because I thought one of the characters was cute, haha. As of my writing this I'm 9 episodes in and WOW I'm invested. Spoilers for those first 9 episodes up ahead, but I think I'm only just now getting really into the meat of the series so it shouldn't be anything major.

(before I get too deep into this, though, I have to confess - before fully committing to actually sitting down and watching it I read about half its TVT page, so unfortunately I did spoil myself on some pretty major things coming up. So I do have a bit more insight into why certain characters act the way they do than I really should, and I really wish I didn't bc I think it'd be more fun to learn naturally :P whoops.)

I also very vaguely remember seeing a chunk of the first episode at a convention years ago, so for the longest time my impression of Steins;Gate was "oh, that's the anime where they have a microwave that can turn bananas into gel" which is not an unfair impression to get. There's a lot of gel bananas in the first few episodes.

---

On the whole I felt the show started a bit slowly, and I probably still would have felt that way if I'd gone into it completely blind. I don't think it's a bad thing because it allows the show to establish its central character relationships very strongly before it starts getting more action-oriented. It feels very day-to-day at first, with a lot of time spent on how the characters interact and the new characters they meet as they're slowly setting up the literal plot device of the phone microwave. It takes them around 6 episodes to build the time machine the series is known for and another 2 to fully figure out how it works, and while I absolutely wouldn't've sacrificed anything they did spend that time on for the sake of getting to that point faster, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a point where I was starting to wonder when they were going to start time traveling. Again, could be a side effect of "I know these beats are going to happen, I just don't know when" and I should've gone in totally blind, but...

I want to say here that I'm not the biggest fan of the show's color palettes, especially for outdoor scenes- I think I get what it's going for and it certainly conveys a mood, it just personally isn't my thing. Not really relevant, but wanted to get it out of the way early on.

---

I was not expecting to like Okabe as much as I do. Going in I honestly thought his design was pretty boring, which I mean. The mundanity of the characters and the world is kind of the point, but still.

and then he turned out to be Weird and oh no I really like watching him and how he interacts with people. He has this elaborate spy-fiction fantasy that the people around him just kind of have to either adapt to, indulge in, or just put up with. He's rude and standoffish and proud but he's dealing with interesting enough things that people (Makise) have no choice but to continue interacting with him, which slowly gives them insight into his true personality.

Later on it becomes clearer that these fantasies pretty much act as a coping mechanism for the fact Okabe doesn't really know how to let people get close to him, as well as to fulfill a deep-seated desire to feel important and like he has control over things- he'll brush off moments of emotional vulnerability or honesty by acting like it was all part of a grand plan, or deal with moments of uncertainty or when he feels like he's losing control of a situation by making himself feel like it's an outside threat he has to overcome. People have forced him to give up the act by just. not giving him what he wants until he's honest, and it's clear that this makes him feel like the narrative is being taken out of his hands, which he obviously dislikes. If I were to guess I'm assuming his main character growth arc is going to be about growing out of these habits and facing the world head-on, letting go of the need to be/feel in control of everything.

So needless to say it's very interesting to see someone who needs to feel deeply important suddenly be important and not know how to deal with the ramifications of the control he suddenly actually has. He has the ability to go back and change history while retaining the memories of what actions he took to change that history, but right now is figuring out that the actions he's taking as he's exercising this newfound control have massive ramifications that he doesn't know how to influence.

---

Mayuri is an interesting character to watch. She's a bit spacey and at least seems airheaded (and she won't stop staring at the sun), but also. she's the only member of the Future Gadget Lab who actually earns an income. She plays along with Okabe's fantasizing somewhat (moreso than Daru or Makise do, at least) but still recognizes him as who he is, to his chagrin. She's also definitely the closest to Okabe at this point, given that they're Unspecified Childhood Friends, and out of everyone he's probably kindest to her? He still sees her as someone to order around, but he also seems to just enjoy spending non-FGL-related time with her.

I do like how genuinely kind she is and how easily she gets along with the other characters, including the just-met Makise, Suzuha, and Moeka. She definitely has a social aspect that the FGL badly needs, and it's nice especially to see her and Makise's dynamic. I can't say I'm a big fan of the fact she doesn't seem to get innuendo, just because it feels a bit... archetypal? It's the most obvious joke to go for with a character like her, but with the surrounding characters there it's not too bad.

I feel a bit bad for not having more to say about her, I feel like we'll learn more about her as the series continues from this point. It's evident that she's had some kind of loss at some point before the series, and I'm assuming that'll be explored more as time goes on (it's also making me realize that aside from Makise and Luka, nobody's parents have come up yet). I do like that calling the future emails "d-mails", as in short for "delorian mail", was her idea.

---

I knew going in I was gonna like Daru. I've always had a soft spot for geek/hacker/otaku-type characters and while I kinda wish they hadn't gone the full mile and also made him a bit of a pervert (again, most obvious joke to go with given his character archetype) it's honestly. not a pain to watch? Obviously it remains to be seen what happens in the rest of the series but so far it seems to have a handle on just how far to push the joke with him, so while it does come up sometimes, it never feels like they're going to pull something shocking, further evidenced by the fact that nobody really behaves like he's actually hurt someone.

so. just wanted to get that out of the way first since it's the most obvious counterpoint to liking this character.

But yeah, I like him. He's generally grounded enough to be a good balance to Okabe's eccentricities, but still has a fair few of his own. Despite these contrasts it's pretty clear why they're friends, and honestly I think there have been more scenes of Daru and Okabe hanging out together so far than of Okabe and Mayuri hanging out. He's unwilling to really go along with Okabe's dramatics and gets embarrassed when he's doing it in a public setting. At the same time he's just as interested in time travel as Okabe is, just more on the technical side, to the point where he was willing to work for two days straight hacking into a European company's systems essentially because Okabe, on a hunch, asked him to.

There hasn't been much indication of how Daru and Mayuri really interact other than Daru sometimes taking advantage of her naivete, but he has called Okabe out on taking advantage of her financially and they generally seem to get along just fine. I like that Daru respects Makise's intelligence on the subject of time travel more than Okabe does (initially, at least) and they seem to work together pretty well too.

Given that the series is from 2011, the phrases Daru uses (at least, as well as the subbing team translated them) come off as charming in a way that I don't exactly think was intended. The one thing I don't regret looking on TVTropes for is for the references he makes because otherwise they would've gone straight over my head.

---

Makise is great. I feel a bit bad talking about her so far down, but given how the order of relationships between characters was presented in the series it would've felt odd to talk about her earlier. She's at this point very clearly the main contrast to Okabe, with their interactions forcing them to reveal aspects of themselves they otherwise wouldn't, making the both of them into more well-rounded characters. She's clearly very intelligent, definitely moreso than Okabe, but with Okabe having stumbled upon a technology she thought was impossible, she has no choice but to put up with him to learn more about it and how it can be used. However, she's still very dry and unwilling to participate in Okabe's fantasies while being polite and friendly to everyone else, so it's always fun to see them interact, even with Okabe refusing to just call her by her name until she forces him to.

So far her main character arc seems to be confronting her analytic detachment to the things and people around her- Okabe calls her out on her not wanting to tamper with her own history and the past at large- she's very determined to keep facing forward no matter what, even presented with an opportunity to go back- but being perfectly fine with sitting aside and allowing others to tamper with history. Since joining the FGL, though, she's started to form friendships and connections with the other members- initially Mayuri, who I already said I loved her friendship with, but she gradually seems to be connecting with Okabe and Daru more as well.

She does warn Okabe about the butterfly effect and how small actions can have large unintended consequences, something which doesn't sink in for him until Okabe goes too far and alters the world beyond recognition, and I'm very curious to see what her thoughts on the damage/alterations he's caused are.

There's also, obviously, what she's dealing with from her parents. I haven't gotten far enough to have too much insight into how things will resolve, but having spoiled myself somewhat I certainly know Things are Afoot.

A smaller detail, which feeds back into her feeling/being isolated, is her disconnection from Japan, having spent time in America. Maybe it's just a personal thing because I haven't seen much anime in the grand scheme of things, but I thought the scene where she reads out the SERN reports Daru uncovers because she can read English while Okabe and Daru can't was a super cool use of that character detail. It's also fun that she later used it to make fun of Okabe in a test text, which Okabe only realized after the fact.

She's the character I'm probably the most interested in seeing how her story unfolds and how she develops, because she's definitely the most fun to watch.

---

Luka is adorable and I'm very worried that they're not gonna do her justice. Yeah, granted, I'm coming into this 2010s series with 2020s ideals, and in all honesty she's not disrespectfully handled, I feel. There are a few off-color comments made about her, but everyone pretty much immediately respects her wish to have been born a girl and are willing to give what she's asking for a try. Her ask also brings up a genuine conundrum for the issue of time travel: how can you send a message to a past before cell phones? They figure out a solution, but it's definitely something I'll be keeping in mind as the story continues: there's a limit on just how far back they can go based on the rules of the tech at play here.

Back on track with Luka as a character, her relationships with the others are very cute. She's close with Mayuri and surprisingly close with Okabe, being one of the ones most willing to just go along with his fantasy. Makise is, of course, instantly polite, and it's always nice to see her just have a normal friendship with someone. On the whole, very cute, Mayuri's just gotta remember that no means no next time.

---

Suzuha starts off fun and quickly becomes wildly interesting. She's probably the one I regret the most spoiling myself on, because I feel like it'd be so much more fun to learn her deal naturally, but oh well. My added insight does allow me to connect a few dots that an initial watcher may not have, and it remains to be seen if I'm right or if I'm completely off-base, connecting one thread with a thread that is supposed to be invisible to me at this point.

I really like her being so relaxed with the weird things Okabe, Daru, Mayuri, and Makise are getting up to and even helping Okabe out with parts shopping at one point. It's also very obvious even at this point how out-of-step she is with the rest of the world even if I'm not supposed to know the full extent of it yet. Again, oops.

Her reaction to first meeting Makise, of course, is what has me most intrigued, and has become one of the series' bigger mysteries by this point- what did Makise do to get her this on-edge around her?

---

I like pretty much all the characters in the show so far, but if there was one I was closest to disliking, it's Moeka. It's not that I even dislike her, either, it's just that at this point her behaviors have no explanation, and I know it's just because I'm still pretty early in on the series. It's very clear she has some kind of issue with communication, hence her communicating primarily through email over talking. But she's also very... driven, in a way that seems suspicious, especially when concerning the IBN 5100. It's surprising how lenient Okabe's been with her considering how paranoid about conspiracy he generally is. She's otherwise quiet and cold, which makes it hard for the other characters to form any kind of meaningful relationship with her. I'm curious to see what the show does with her moving forward and if I'll get more invested in her, because right now I (and the show, tbh) are much more interested in seeing how Okabe deals with the butterfly effect consequences of using the D-Mail system than I am in seeing what she's up to.

---

Feyris is really fun. I like that she's this idol that Daru adores, but is also just a person they know and seem to kind of be friends with- especially with Mayuri being her coworker. She's also a lot cleverer than she seems at first blush, but is also the most willing along with Luka to go along with Okabe's fantasy. At this point she's also set up a pretty big question- just what did she text back 10 years to change the city so much, and what happened to her dad in the previous world line? The aspect of her outward persona being this sunny, confident idol who doesn't look back or regret anything, but then as soon as she's given a chance to change her past she goes for it is also an archetypal character conflict to give her, but it's archetypal because it's immediately intriguing.

I keep expecting her to be revealed as another character I spoiled myself on and I'm slowly realizing it's probably not gonna happen. But does she really have pink drills??

Related, I also really like how her main outfit is her work uniform so in the intro it just looks like this show stars a catgirl. (I couldn't get the version of the shot with Makise in it because it went by too fast sorby)

---

I'm a really big fan of how the time travel mechanics work in this series- with the texts sent back in time essentially allowing Okabe to "slip"/"jump" from world line to world line, which represent the infinite outcomes that come from choices that affect how events play out. There seem to be some rules as to how these effects happen- whatever happens, Okabe has to wind up in the exact same geographical location as he was when he made the jump, despite the events leading up to that point inherently being different because of the text he sent back. It also seems like there's a threshold of interference- when Okabe tries to use the D-Mail to win the lottery, it causes a jump even though Luka gets the wrong ticket and they don't win, but when Okabe tries to use it to get Daru to win against Feyris in her board game competition, Daru loses anyway and the world line doesn't change, even though events in that same world line have now played out differently for Daru to have received Okabe's text.

In a way, it kind of reminds me of the copy/paste mechanics of SOMA? As in, with the simulation of the world lines all existing simultaneously, the original world line continues to persist while we switch perspective to the new one where the choice was made, but it's probably more accurate to think of each worldline being theoretical and only the one Okabe is currently in being the one that exists. It's probably the least headache-inducing explanation of time travel I've seen in media, since as they've established, sending anything more than a bit of information back in time doesn't work (well. it works, but not in a way that's useful to anyone) and each divergent choice is treated as its own timeline.

The central question of the series to me, at this point, is how did Okabe accidentally sending a text back in time to Daru, which he said he ignored because he thought it was spam, about Makise's stabbing at the radio building cause events to be rewritten in such a way that a satellite crashed into the building instead?

On the whole, I'm surprised by how much it grabbed me and I'm very eager to continue watching when I get a good chance to. I'm really liking it so far.

How much rambling about an anime i'm watching would you guys tolerate from me

[just-jammin]

Muddled Neutrality

Word Count: 1246

Summary: The delivery of a single letter might give way to someone’s sanity loss, apparently.

(Or: The author is still a dumbass weirdo because they want an excuse for her persona to know whatever the fuck is happening in the side of treason. Hooray, I guess. /s)

To the Angst Side:

Greetings!

I do have some new important (I think) info to report to you guys. It’s about what I like to call the Neutral Factions. Yes, I am calling them that, unless you have a better name for them.

It turns out that there has been another Neutral Faction other than Team Switzerland (is it even called that anymore?). The group’s quite small, seemingly new to the war. When I first saw them, they were talking about how they’re going to… commit war crimes, I suppose?

To be honest here, I think that they have no idea what they’re talking about. I mean, war crimes? Really??? War crimes are pretty much bad as all hell! Unless they mean, like, disrupting the flow of the war/battle and mess everything up so that they can win, so it depends on how they describe war crimes, really.

Ah, shit, I might’ve rambled on paper…

Anyway, that’s all I can report to you for now! If you want me to do something about the War Criminals (again, I am calling them that for now), just hit me up with a letter!

Ok, byeeeee!!!

— Jam

>> —^— <<

As Jam zoomed across the setting sky, she started thoroughly proofreading the letter that she wrote a while ago. It was quite a journey now when they traveled to the Angst Side Headquarters (or whatever they called the usual meetup place, she doesn’t know), since the pond where she settled was located a bit deeper into the woods.

They noticed some muffled laughter from below the trees. When she looked down, three people could be barely seen walking around the forest, seemingly laughing and talking to each other.

Ah, shite, she unfortunately realized. They’re wanderers…

Shaking off the thought that they have to confront those War Criminals someday, she folded up the letter and sped up to finally arrive at the Angst Side’s place. They landed in the driveway, soon marching her way towards the mailbox.

Then she felt a quick, strong breeze about halfway there.

That left her in confusion, so she turned around. She saw a small bluish blur in the sky, with… brown bits in the sky?

A few moments passed by as the blur became smaller, then…

Wait, was that Ave?

To be fair, she hasn’t seen any of the other Angst members (other than Adri) since she left. But for some reason, the thought felt… strange. Suspicious, even. Maybe it’s just a gut feeling, but who knows? Gut feelings are usually right, after all.

Wait, most of the members have a blue color palette.

…

Oh well.

So she slammed the letter into the mailbox and took off towards the trees.

>> —^— <<

Jam kept an eye on Ave from below the canopy, trailing behind them if she was following them on the same level (like a dumbass).

Then she heard the twang of a string nearby, and an angry yelp from her comrade. As she’s losing track of them, she got hit by… is it a rock or a pebble?

She wasn’t expecting more after that…

…except there was much, much more.

“Hoooooly shit, what the he— aCK FUCK!”

She was hit by a barrage of weapons and ammunition, be it stones, bullets, fire, arrows, just anything that can be thrown towards a person.

Jam wasn’t even able to look up while desperately dodging… whatever this is. Her speed increased as she zigzagged across the trees, hoping to dodge and get out of this chaotic shoot-out.

Thankfully, she did, and she looked up to see that Ave wasn’t doing so well either, being a clear target of all of this.

Man, she thought to herself, I sure hope that this isn’t a regular thing from now on.

>> —^— <<

Finally, Jam noticed that Ave was starting to slow down.

What’s weird was that her comrade was nearing a building in what was known as Team Switzerland territory.

Huh? Why would they go ther—

They crashed head-first into one of the windows.

WHAT THE SHIT?!?!?

Bewildered by the… sudden decision they made, she stared with wide eyes at least for more than a few moments. Then she remembered what she’s here for, so she took a look inside and quickly got in to hide behind a counter.

And then, when she thought the coast was clear, she got her pen and paper out, took a peek, and listened carefully.

>> —^— <<

A few minutes of conversation between Ave and Rowan, the goat person, was just enough to reveal her comrade is actually a traitor.

That’s great info! But not so great to take in.

Jam, now clutching her black pen tightly, is seething with rage. Not the one where you lose control and release it almost immediately, but the one where you can push it down inside yourself. It’s more powerful, yet easier to control. At least, according to her.

She wants to calm down, so she started looking around, at things other than the main conversation happening in the room.

The room all of them were in was slightly disorganized, but still clean enough for whatever this room is used for. Judging by the large vats of glowing liquid and scattered vials of varying emptiness or fullness, it’s most likely used for scientific purposes.

She put her focus back on the main action.

“So, what’s the plan? Are we going to destroy Fluff?”

Huh, so their goals haven’t changed. Interesting… right, back to the convo.

“You see, my aim is to unite both sides… under me, of course.”

Hold on… what? Shit, I need a minute—

Shifting her focus onto the vials on the counter she’s hiding in, she read the label on one of them. It’s labeled… ‘Bobcat’?

That’s… strange.

Jam read the label on another vial.

And another.

‘Wild Dog��.

‘Red Deer’.

Then she saw the vat of glowing liquid.

‘WARNING: MUTAGEN’

She did not like where this is going.

And, as if this was gonna get worse, she saw the goat person walking towards her hiding spot. She immediately ducked back in, waiting for a while before Rowan goes away.

She quickly wrote as much as she can remember before she heard some growls and hissing. Jam looked around to find where those sounds came from, only to see a dog-like humanoid with… long dark hair? It was defending another humanoid beastly thing, this time it’s more cat-like, and with red hair.

Both were wearing clothes, and somewhat… aware of the danger in here.

Peeking a bit more out of the counter, she saw Ave’s horrified expression right in front of those creatures. Or, at least, mostly horrified. She can’t seem to pinpoint their exact emotions at the moment, but damn, they’re scared as fuck right now.

She looked past the other side of the counter, seeing Rowan adding the contents of the vial to a test tube filled with the bright orange mutagen.

As soon as they brought out the syringe, she booked it.

Jumping out of the window she entered in, she fired herself up into the sky with all the anger and fear that she could muster at the moment. All she can think about is how everyone’s in danger. Both the Angst and the Fluff Side can’t stand a fucking chance of turning into these… these monsters. And that’s a big motherfucking problem right now.

Yet something broke into her thoughts and worries.

A loud, fear-filled, bloodcurdling shriek.

[currywaifu]

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: barbie movies as troupe plays part 1 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: sfw

𝐚𝐧: if you think i won’t do all 36 barbie movies, you’re wrong. regardless of whether people want this or not. i have barbie brainrot 24/7. i’m just separating it into parts so it’s not too long *this isn’t meant to be that serious y’all my reasons vary from legit to just jokes

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥: i won’t go in-depth with any plot differences from movie to play, or how the characters would work out... for now *chuckles in future ppt*

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏: nutcracker, rapunzel, swan lake, princess and the pauper, fairytopia series, magic of pegasus, barbie diaries, island princess, three musketeers 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐: coming soon 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑: coming soon

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: mixed troupe! spring x autumn. one of the seasonal events/scouts for A3! has a nutcracker theme, and to avoid spoilers that’s all i will say :3

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: since this is based on barbie’s take on the nutcracker, changing up the cast from what tsuzuru had in plan:

clara/sugarplum fairy: sakuya. i want to see him go through a costume & hair transformation sequence, not gonna lie. 

nutcracker/prince eric: juza. obviously he has to be the ruler of the land of sweets.

mouse king: sakyo or chikage. i want one of them to wave around a sceptre and say quotes like “i’ll reduce the Nutcracker to a pile of splinters"

pimm: taichi... pimm is a spy :O who has to do dirty work :O but the real reason is i just want taichi to follow around sakyo again or maybe even chikage this time lol

major mint & captain candy: tsuzuru and citron respectively. mint is pretty serious and awkward, candy is a lot friendlier- i just think it’ll be a good way to insert some humor in the play

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: mixed troupe! summer x autumn.

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: rapunzel in this one actually is the “servant” of gothel. also, rapunzel has a magical paint brush and also there’s dragons. who are purple. 

rapunzel: kazunari. obviously. actually, kazu has a lot of similarities with her: a good artist, patient, adventurous, quick thinking, hardly ever complains- also he’d look good with long hair i think ><

gothel: omi. there is an action fighto scene + also just the theme of omi playing villains lol... also THERE’S A SCENE WHERE GOTHEL PRETENDS TO BE RAPUNZEL BY WEARING A LONG WIG AND BOI- KAZU AND OMI’S BODY BUILDS ARE SO DIFFERENT BUT IT’D BE FUNNY IF THE PRINCE FALLS FOR THE TRAP ANYWAY

penelope: kumon. a PURPLE funny and clumsy dragon- fight me, the only answer is kumon especially once you see who’s next.

hugo: juza. a PURPLE dragon who’s penelope’s dad but he’s gonna be the older bro in this one (i wonder why...) 

hobie: a passive and worrisome rabbit... Tenma.

prince stefan: he also has a couple fight scenes... ngl bc stefan has blue eyes, light brown hair + described by the wiki as “fierce”, he’s banri. 

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: winter troupe. i will stand by this forever. 

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: this is like one of the ones i’ve had figured out for a while already...

odette & odile: tsumugi. i’m just saying, tsumugi’s duality- he can do both the white and black swan because he has power. impact.

prince daniel: not tasuku bc spare him the prince roles he’s sick of it. guy. why guy? because he obviously has a good idea of how to act like a prince :3 

rothbart: HOMARE! I WANT! THIS MAN! TO PLAY THE ANTOGONIST! GO OFF ABOUT DARK ARTS! TRANSFORM EVERYONE TO ANIMALS LIKE THE EXTRA BEING YOU ARE.

fairy queen: azuma. ugh just- imagining how ethereal he’d look.

erasmus: tasuku. he’s a troll that can act mean, but is genuinely kind and helpful... also, the VA of erasumus is also the VA for “unnamed burly villager” and i’m just saying-

kelly the cygnet: hisoka. there’s too many animal children, so hisoka is gonna be the baby swan. uwu. also, kelly has a quote, “I can't sleep.” and wOW THE IRONY

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: WE’RE GOING FOR THE COMEDIC ROUTE WHAT’S UP SUMMER. reason: i went “wait... no actor really looks super alike though.”

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: tafahfuoahoaf it’s my favourite barbie movie... OKAY SO THE RUNNING GAG OF THIS IS THAT THE PRINCESS & PAUPER DON’T LOOK ALIKE, BUT EVERYONE KEEPS GOING “Wow! you two look so identical!” no they don’t

anneliese: muku. first of all please look at the sprite i used in the header. anneliese = pink = muku. she’s the sweet princess archetype... but in this version she also goes on tangents about rocks and mineraLS AND HOW THE MINING INDUSTRY SUX AND THE ABSOLUTE AUDACITY OF-

erika: kumon. first of all, the sprite in the header again. erika = blue like ugh this is perfect. ALSO erika has a cat who BARKS and i just imagine kumon talking to her cat like: WOOF WOOF WOOF GRRR GRRR and the dog responding and everyone in the palace going wtf

king dominick: i had such a crush on him anyway he’s tenma. rich, young, talented king who disguises himself as a page so he can find love for realsies. im just saying. he won’t be tenma’s only role tho ><

julian: kazunari. the wiki went “he’s the only bestfriend a barbie MC ever married” really shook me like ugh friendship dynamic between muku and kazu roles??? also kazu’s genuinely smart so him as the tutor was just gucci in my eyes

preminger: misumi. FIRST OF ALL PREMINGER IS ICONIC? WHEN HE SANG HOW CAN I REFUSE I WAS LIKE UGH KING. i just wanna hear misumi play an antagonist that’s also funny and do things with his voice.

madame carp: yuki. a bossy and rich woman who owns a dress emporium. pretty much it.

nick & nack: YUKI AND TENMA. THEY WILL DOUBLE ROLE FOR THE SAKE OF BEING MISUMI’S DUMB UNDERLING DUO

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: spring troupe. i wanna see them have wings uwu.

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: just gonna combine the whole fairytopia series into one 

elina: itaru. first of all, pink motif. also i just like the idea of itaru being this recurring protagonist.

bibble the puffball played by kamekichi

laverna: recurring villain citron. for no reason other than i think it’s cool when he plays power hungry villains

enchantress: i just want sakuya to play a role that’s more of a “powerful character” but still really kind uwu. another recurring good guy.

azura & glee: tsuzuru. elina is azura’s apprentice, and glee is a friend who’s generally really happy... ngl, i wanna see tsuzuru play someone more energetic for funsies

nori: masumi. nori is kind of a stubborn and jealous person at first, him and elina won’t get along right away BUT DAMMIT THE ENEMIES? TO FRIENDS IS GUCCI!!! 

merman prince nalu & linden: chikage... yeah i just gave chikage the guy roles ngl... but i wanna see chikage as a handsome merman AND handsome fairy so *shrugs*

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: cross troupe. spring x winter.

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: partially based on the ice-skating cards (i have yet to read the event story, unfortunately).

annika: tsuzuru. i thought it’d be fun to cast tsuzuru as a more sheltered character due to annika’s parents’ protectiveness. the contrast y’all.

shiver: sakuya. shiver is a polar bear cub sidekick who’s friendly and likes shiny things and that’s just... really cute... put bear ears on sakuya...

brietta: guy. brietta is annika’s older sister... who got transformed into a pegasus by the villain... i wonder how they’d change the pegasus thing lol

wenlock: tasuku. NOT GONNA LIE- i want tasuku to play the villain for all these wonderful one-liners: "Oh, smile! You didn't lose a daughter; you've gained a pet!", and "I thank my lucky stars I didn't marry you!"

prince aidan: masumi bc i want more roomie interaction on stage i mean their friendship keeps getting cuter and cuter.

cloud queen: azuma... that’s all. i just remembered her bc her hair has a braided crown, and i went “azuma braided hair brainrot”

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: mixed troupe! summer x autumn.

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: i was gonna make it full autumn, but then the age casting felt awkward since they’re in high school...

barbie: taichi. barbie here is shy but wants to stop blending in the background! i just went “damn that do be resonating”. also i wanna hear taichi sing more y’all and barbie is a singer/guitarist here

courtney: azami. i like the idea of azami playing a spunky character who’s more of a tomboy, but still does like fashion and accessorising and... lip gloss?

tia: misumi? tenma? idk the intelligent and passionate archetype is very broad... especially in a high school setting

kevin: kazunari. just the whole best friend thing + kevin being a goofy person who loves to make ppl laugh ugh

racquelle: yuki. i know racquelle’s a bully here and say not to bullying... but sharp tongue.

todd: honestly? todd was so boring in the moving. we need someone like banri to give him CHARACTER!... yes that’s my reasoning ugh

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: sUMMER SUMMER SUMMER-

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: AHAHAHA WHAT IS THIS CASTING? MY REASONINGS FOR THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR ARE SO SHALLOW LMAO

ro/rosella: “a 16 year old girl who can talk to animals! adventurous and brave” me: *gasps* mISUMI-

prince antonio: “prince antonio loves travelling and exploring-” okay yeah it’s kazu...

queen ariana: i just want yuki to sing to me “love is for peasants which we’re obviously not” and i’d go :O also ngl... i wanna see yuki in like darker palettes and plotting to poison all the royals

princess luciana: queen ariana’s daughter... played by muku. because i wanna hear muku counter yuki with “all the shoujo mangas books i’ve read, all the poems always said, that the heart is made to share...”

sagi the red panda & azul the peacock: honestly, just basing it off of colour matching but tenma is sagi and kumon is azul lol

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐞: AUTUMN x SPRING

𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭: AHAHAHA WHAT IS THIS CASTING? pt 2 

corrine: i keep wanting to put sakuya in these roles oops. i just... let him sword fight on stage again :>

viveca: purple musketeer, artistic, designs clothes... fights with ribbons... you know, for the sake of banri being a fAshIoNisTa... it has to be banri y’all "Don't mess with the animal print dress!"

aramina: green musketeer, fights with fans, romantic and loves ballet... pfft, for the sake of “wouldn’t it be funny-” it has to be azami. poor bby, having to swoon over romance on stage- he can’t relate

renee: chikage. purely because of that scene where she threw a feather duster (?) at a flying shard of glass and perfectly hit it. yeah.

helene: the old and strict instructor that teaches them how to be musketeers... sakyo.. duh.

philippe: the main antagonist... it has to be omi again. and since philippe has a goatee, we’re bringing back facial hair omi~

prince louis: itaru, lol. he’s like the one significant non-action oriented character in the film. he has just enough moments where itaru still looks princely, but mostly? he just wants humans to fly y’all.

want to order again?

[nihilnovisubsole]

My fashion queen, incredibly important question: How would one go about figuring out fashion *style* for characters? I've noticed your OCs always have a Look(TM), and I've gathered from your blog (and fics) that you've got an eye for aestethics - please, could you give me advice at least where to *start*. I'm completely unaware of fashion and, frankly, completely overwhelmed at the prospect of just starting..

Ah! Previous Anon again - forgot to add a more specific question about fashion (I’m squeezing in 2 quesiton in one xD). Do you have fashion advice for sleek/distant female character’s clothing that doesn’t hinge on formal dresses? (as is discernable, I have literally NO idea what a Grown Ass, Self Respecting Woman would wear)

wow. that’s high praise. when i got this yesterday morning, i knew i wanted to give it the answer it deserved. this is over 1500 words long, so apologies to anyone on mobile, but i wasn’t letting go until i’d really sunk my teeth into it.

unfortunately, since you’re anon, i don’t know enough about your character to suggest anything specific. instead, i want to take a step back and see if we can solve the root of the problem - “where do i start?”

when i was a teenager, an english teacher told me this: “the biggest constraint in writing is no constraint at all.” when you have the whole spectrum of something - in this case, clothes - to pick from, it is overwhelming. the natural human instinct is to freeze up. so while it may sound strange, if you’re just starting out, you might feel better if you have some constraints to work within.

with that in mind, you can treat finding a ‘signature look’ for your character like solving a murder mystery. you eliminate all the suspects that don’t fit until you know enough to narrow it down to the one that does. that’s going to involve something else you’ll recognize from murder mysteries: you’re going to have to interrogate the character. open them up and get to know them - their background, their likes and dislikes, their quirks, the role they play in the world around them. every answer will give you clues and weed other things out, and eventually, you’ll get a box small enough that you feel comfortable working in it.

now, i love fashion, and i love using clothes to send messages about a character’s personality. so as someone who’s had that interest for my whole life, i work from the other end. the constraints happen, in large part, without me thinking about them. i tend to zoom right to a certain aesthetic or item of clothing, say, “okay, what outfit can i build with this,” and go from there. but since you’ve said you’re “unaware” of fashion and it’s intimidating to you, i’ll try to ease you in through a different route and see whether that helps.

so, if we’re going to pick your character apart, let’s think about some practical questions first:

what setting does your character live in?

if you’ve narrowed your setting down to a historical decade, you’ll find most of the style questions already - firmly! - answered for you. for example, a victorian woman would, by default, wear skirts. if the character is contemporary, you’ve got a lot more wiggle room. if you want to mess with historical fashion rules for symbolic or story purposes, awesome, but i think that’s probably more advanced than you’re looking for right now.

if the setting is fantasy or sci-fi, what’s its dominant aesthetic? is it cyberpunk? sleek ~apple~ sci-fi? or is it more like star wars? is it medieval fantasy? woodsy faerie fantasy? JRPG-style fantasy? you get the idea.

what does your character do?

speaks for itself. what’s their job?

what is your character like, just in general?

this is where everything you know about their personality goes. if they’re a fussy courtier who’s worried about their reputation and appearance, they’re probably not going to be comfortable in plain, casual clothes.

what can your character afford to wear?

again, speaks for itself. do they buy designer brands? are they trying their best with what they have? or are they super strapped for cash and just have to get the job done?

does their social scene have an easily-identifiable aesthetic that you could work with?

does your character wear urban/street fashion or preppy rich-kid clothes? are they part of a subculture that dresses in a certain way, like teddy boys? do they have the desire or freedom to go all-in with that style, or do they have to play it down, like being corporate goth?

do they need to wear something they could travel, do hard work, or fight in?

goes with the job question above. do they need some kind of outerwear or accessory where they can hide weapons? do they always need to be ready, or is it situational?

basically, where does the character’s aesthetic need to sit on a chart of form vs. function?

what do other characters who are similar to your character wear?

look at your favorite movies, games, and TV shows and see what professional designers are doing with characters like yours. what colors and cuts are they using? what other elements do they choose? do you like them? if you don’t like them, what would you change? sometimes you can learn more from what you hate than what you love.

hopefully, you’ve already culled a huge swath of fashion ideas that you Know You’re Not Going To Do. you may still not know what you do want to do, either! that’s fine. let’s move onto some more artsy questions:

are there any colors your character would prefer or avoid?

it sounds silly. it’s not. a limited color palette will go a long way toward making a character’s outfits look unified and purposeful. obviously, in real life, most people don’t restrict themselves as much as fictional characters do. but if you were a costume designer, you’d want to have some guideposts to work with.

are there any motifs you associate with your character?

animals, elements, religious or cultural symbols, plants - you can sneak all these into their clothes’ details. maybe their dress has beading in the shape of a peacock, or rose earrings, or icy sparkles, or a bear pelt for a cloak.

have fun with meanings! moon motifs for mysteriousness, poisonous flowers, etc. let your inner lit major out.

do you want your character to have a certain silhouette?

this may seem odd if you’re just going to be writing your character and not drawing them, but think about it anyway. do you want to emphasize that your character is tall? is everything they wear skintight? do they have a large, unique hat?

a great example of this is maleficent. not only does she have a horn-shaped headdress, her huge, flowing robe tells us there’s a much bigger power in her than her body would suggest.

is there a certain ethos you want their clothes to project? what, in their world, would do that? what in our world would do that?

let’s say you want your character to look very powerful, to the point where people would find their looks alone intimidating. should they wear sharp, simple, severe clothes, maybe in dark colors? or should they wear very embellished clothes, like royalty? what are your setting’s ideas about beauty? modesty? does your character play by the rules, or do you want them to stand out?

what colors, shapes, and styles appeal to you personally?

for all the time i’ve spent talking about restrictions and guidelines, it’s important not to lose the fun of it, either. use your favorite color! give them clothes you’d want to wear in real life! character style is a playground where you can let wish fulfillment run wild.

at any time, feel free to turn to google or wikipedia if you’re not sure how to answer one of these questions. if you see an interesting idea, pick it up and follow it - what you’re doing here is training your eye, and that’s how you’ll learn. that said, if you’re already intimidated, i wouldn’t dive too deep into couture/aesthetic blogs until i had a more solid grip on how i wanted the character to look. it comes back to what i said earlier - there is such a thing as too much to choose from, especially when you’re not sure what you should be looking for yet.

there’s one other thing i want to mention that can help bring a character’s wardrobe together: repetition. if you’re planning several outfits for a character instead of just one, echo some of the motifs, shapes, or colors from one to the next. they don’t all have to be identical takes on the same thing, but if they have certain traits in common, they’ll feel less like separate outfits and more like a matched set. they could all be in members of the same color family or have similar patterns on them. maybe your character has a certain accessory that they wear with everything. you get the idea.

while i may not be able to plan your character’s wardrobe outright, i hope this makes the whole process seem more straightforward. or that it gives you some ideas to work with, or any other kind of help you might take away from it. this post is getting unfathomably long, so i’ll wrap it up, but i’d be happy to put any of my own characters through a “question test” like this one if you’d like to see how it works in practice.

finally, if you can find an interview with an artist or costume designer who worked on something you like, those things are worth their weight in gold. i read an interview with colleen atwood when i was in middle school, and it revolutionized the way i thought about fashion and storytelling. and when i say “revolutionized,” i mean “i owe basically everything i just told you to that article.” dig into them and see how they think and talk about their art! they’re more qualified to teach you than i ever will be.

[xodaniellevictoria]

8 Days in Paris

I’ve been wanting to visit Paris for as long as I can remember. 2 weeks ago my life long dream, CAME TRUE! My fascination with the city began with my love for ballet. For those who don't know I was a ballet dancer for 16 years, and the type of ballet I was taught, originated in Paris. I have envisioned myself walking amongst the city streets for years and to finally cross this off my bucket list was an indescribable feeling. I want to share everything we did while we were there, and any quick tips to help you out if you’re wanting to visit this amazing place for yourself! 

Alright lets start with planning. I searched for EVER to find affordable flights. Typically out of California round trip tickets to Paris are around $1200 each. By some miracle I was able to find round trip tickets for $500 each. (Because it’s off season for tourism and once the weather gets colder, the ticket prices drop) I didn't use any specific sites or cheap airlines, I was just always looking for a deal. So I definitely recommend going on off season (Fall to early spring) to avoid high ticket prices. 

While you're planning, I would also really recommend staying at an Airbnb over a hotel. We really felt like we got the true Parisian experience and most Airbnbs are cheaper then hotels is what I noticed while planning.

HERE IS A LINK to the cute private apartment we stayed at while we were there. It was PERFECT for what we wanted. The iconic Parisian windows, a great view to a little courtyard, in the city center, and 3 minute walk to the subway. (Photo below for the ideal Parisian windows I was talking about.)

We decided to break up our trip by spending the majority of our time in Paris at the Airbnb, and then the last 2 nights we splurged and stayed at a hotel I’ve had my eye on for awhile now. Hotel Providence is the Parisian hotel of my dreams, and it did not disappoint. The stunning lush decor and rich color palette of the entire hotel checked off all my aesthetic points. We had champagne waiting for us in our room, and they were accommodating for early check in and leaving our bags at the front desk after we checked out, since we had some time to kill before our flight. I found the hotel on Instagram and I’m so glad I did. They have an amazing bar downstairs that was great for pre and post dinner drinks. They serve food as well but we unfortunately never got to try any. The front desk and service at the bar was amazing, super friendly, spoke great English and would absolutely recommend staying here if your budget allows. See below for pictures of our beautiful room and the outside seats of the bar / restaurant! CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE HOTEL

Another thing I would highly recommend is getting the PARIS CITY PASS. This pass will get you into the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, you name a Parisian attraction, and this pass will most likely get you in, and the best part is you won't have to wait in ticket lines. At the Louvre, there was a 2 hour wait to get tickets, and we literally walked RIGHT in... Sorry everyone in line! Should have done your research! 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SITE TO GET YOUR PARIS CITY PASS

While planning, something else to think about is transportation. Basically the entire trip, we took Paris’s subway system ‘Le Metro.’ If you have an iPhone, using apple maps is going to be your best friend. Switch your directions to transit instead of walking or driving. The apple maps directions will tell you exactly where to go for the train stations, which lines to take, and which direction you need to be heading. There are signs in English in the subway so don't worry about not being able to understand French signs. There are trains right at the airport, and everywhere you will want to go in the city. Its truly amazing and so affordable compared to trying to Uber everywhere. We honestly preferred taking the subway way more than taking Ubers, because traffic in the city is.... Intense, and most of our Uber drivers didn't speak any English. The trains were always much faster and just easier in general.

Now I want to share the things we did that were noteworthy, and that we would recommend to anyone who is coming to Paris for the first time.

1. Eiffel Tower. Just as magical as you would think it would be. Head to the Tracadero across the river Seine to get an amazing view and its a GREAT picture spot. Another amazing picture spot is on the same side of the river as the Eiffel Tower and its a little dead end street with the perfect view of the tower with some French buildings in the line of view as well. 

Heres the address: 228 Rue de l’Universite (the picture below was taken HERE)

2. Versailles. The grandest palace in all of Europe. It is breath taking. Especially if you're a history nerd like me. I got an audio guide so we didn't have to take a tour, and it was perfect. Also highly recommend renting a golf cart to get around the gardens and to see the other buildings and Marie Antoinette’s little village she created. PICTURE SPOTS: Hall of mirrors, Petite Trianon, and the Grand Trianon. Advice for getting pictures here, PATIENCE. Just wait for people to move so you can get cool shots with no one in them.

3. Crazy Horse. Ok this one won't be for everyone, but when I think of Paris I think of burlesque. Crazy Horse was one of the coolest burlesque shows we’ve seen and its a must if you're wanting a sexy night out. ( We preferred this over Moulin Rouge. )

4. MontMarte. MontMarte is the cities highest point. resting on a hill, there's a gorgeous old church, the Sacre Couer. MontMarte is also the cities historic artist district. Artists such as Van Gogh, and Renoir, found inspiration in this quaint part of town. Behind the church is the cutest little area where local artists are still paining city scapes and personal portraits. Seeing this area was a highlight for me. It felt so like what I thought Paris would be like. Good rooftop bar with the view of the city and the Eiffel Tower: Terrass Hotel, the rooftop bar is open to the public, you don't have to be staying at the hotel.

5. Le Marais. This is where you need to go if you're wanting to shop. Clothes, local pastries, apothecaries, you name it this area has it. Our favorite stores were Blue Garage, System Vintage, Luka Luna, 

6. Notre Dame. A Paris staple. Currently closed for renovations but still worth seeing from afar. The streets around the Notre Dame are covered with vintage magazine / book stands. They make for great home decor. Make sure you have euros pulled out though because they don't accept credit cards!

7. Musee d’Orsay. Paris’s second biggest and most famous museum. Is in an old train station which makes for a cool setting for a museum. (See picture below) We liked this museum more than the Louvre...Way less crowded, and more modern artists that we actually knew. Holds famous paintings from Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Highly recommend grabbing a drink on the 5th floor cafe behind one of the old clocks!

8. The Catacombs. Super interesting walk through some of Paris’s old Limestone quarries that they filled with bones from the cemeteries, when the cemeteries were getting too crowded in the 1700′s. I didn't get any spooky vibes. Just felt like a museum.

9. Palais Garnier. The Opera house in Paris. Reminiscent of Versailles, this grand Opera house is soooo extravagant and gorgeous. The first real Ballets were put on here. How cool is that?

That wraps up the things to see that we loved most. Now lets move on to my favorite part... THE FOOD!

Basically everywhere you look in Paris there are little cafes. Sometimes as many as 4 on a block. Eat at as many of them as you can. They're all pretty incredible. If you're from America and have never traveled to Europe, something to note is that in Europe, slow service is good service. You have to ask for your check. dining out in Europe is an experience and they want you to relax and enjoy your time dining. There is no rush with food there. Its pretty life changing coming from a country where you are accustomed to being in and out of a restaurant within an hour and getting angry if your food hasn't shown up in 15 minutes. 

Things you need to try at any Parisian restaurant: bread, butter, wine, and cheese. They're all usually locally sourced and man let me tell you... It just tastes DIFFERENT over there. The butter is the best butter I’ve ever had. When we got home I legitimately looked up where I can buy French butter here in San Diego... The wine? INSANE. One night I had 6 glasses (which is WAY way way too much for me) and the next morning I didn't wake up with any sort of hangover... I don't know what they're doing in France but wow it is amazing. The cheeses are also wonderful. All so different depending on the restaurant, and all taste soooo much fresher then any cheese I’ve had here in the US. It’s hard to describe. 

Some of our favorite restaurants we came across while we were there:

BREAKFAST / LUNCH-

Any cafe usually has a Croque Monisuer or a Croque Madame which is basically a grilled cheese sandwich with ham and egg, they're amazing and make a great breakfast sandwich. We also ordered Cafe Au Lait’s everywhere we went for breakfast (Coffee with steamed milk.) And croissants are always a good idea.

La Terrasse Des Archives for an amazing avocado toast eggs Benedict

Hollybelly 5 for some americanized / English style breakfasts and some amazing lattes

Hardware Societie for another amazing Americanized / English breakfast

Breakfast in America is a full on American diner in the heart of Paris.

DINNER-

My favorite meals we ate in Paris were our dinners. There is endless amazing food options but here are some of our favorites.

Sacree Fleur did not disappoint. Located in MontMarte, this cozy restaurant will blow you away. We started with the cheese course, wine, and bread. Had steak and mashed potatoes as our main course, which by the way, continues to cook at your table on a hot slab of rock. SO COOL! And we finished with the creme brûlée, which actually made me CRY, it was so good.... (Terrass Hotel is walking distance away, the rooftop bar is open to the public and you get an amazing view of all of Paris including the Effie tower while enjoying some after dinner drinks, and you don't have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy the rooftop bar.)

Le Petit Italien is an amazing option if you're wanting some Italian food in Paris.

Le Sancrerre in MontMarte was another stand out. I got the beef bourguignon and it was incredible.

Chez Janou was also outstanding. Perfect French dishes, great service. Our waiter was actually living in San Diego for awhile before he moved back home to Paris so it was a super random coincidence to eat there and have him as our waiter!

[jedifighterpilot2727]

So... how about some Taylington smut? Or sexy time- or however you want to write it!

Lol finally found the ask that inspired the #Taylington smut!! Hope this is what you wanted!

Lexi just wants to take Taylor out for  nice dinner, but Taylor has other plans!

Also, comments make the fanfic writers world go round, so if you leave me one

The Paint Fight

It has not been a good day.

Lexi wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s been a bad day; but it was most certainly not on the spectrum of good.

Overwhelming, to say the least.

Long, certainly.

Mind-numbingly exhausting, perhaps.

Definitely not a day she would like to repeat anytime soon.

In fact, if she could erase the day from her memory and pretend like the day is just starting the moment she gets home, she would be more than fine with it.

Fortunately, there is light at the end of the tunnel - it’s Friday, and she’s on her way home. Plus she’s almost positive that she can convince Taylor to let her take them out to a nice, quiet dinner. Somewhere expensive and private, where she can spend some long overdue time with her girlfriend.

The new space travel project has been taking up every spare moment her time for the past few weeks; so between that and Taylor’s new gallery opening coming up next month, they’d been hard pressed to find time together. That was all going to change this weekend though, they’d both agreed to take a break from their prospective projects and spend some quality time together.

Needless to say, Lexi was looking forward to it.

So much so that by the time she parks her bike, rushes past the doorman and makes it through the short elevator ride to the top floor, she’s practically bouncing.

Quickly, she rotates her key in the lock - pausing half a second for the retinal scanner to do its work until she hears the click.

The moment she steps inside, all of the remaining tension leeches of her, and she feels her shoulders drop as a contented sigh flutters past her lips.  

It always hits how odd it is for a place to just smell like home. When they’d first started dating, Taylor had always smelled like - well, Taylor - like an art supply store had been outside in the rain and left to sun dry. She’d always loved that smell; but she loved it even more now that it had somehow blended with Lexi’s scent to form something that was uniquely them. Where Lexi feels like she and everything she loves just … belong.

It sounds like home too, the pop-happy playlist that Taylor tends to listen to when she’s making ‘fun’ art drifting down the hall.

She gives herself just a moment to let it all sink in, a smile tugging at her lips for what feels like the first time since leaving that morning.

“Honey! I’m home!” she calls out - the same cheesy greeting that she’d given the first time she’d come home to find Taylor already there. Taylor had rolled her eyes, of course, and teased Lexi about it, but it had quickly become a sort of tradition. So much so that even Taylor had picked it up for when she was the last to come home.

“I’m back here!” Taylors voice sing-songs down the same trail as the music,  and Lexi’s grin widens.

She doesn’t think coming home to Taylor will ever get old.

Still grinning, she turns to hang her messenger bag and coat on their designated hooks by the door, and toe off her ankle boots onto the mat. Unfortunately, she catches sight of herself in full length mirror that Taylor had insisted on putting up in the entry way.

She looks like …

Well, she looks like she’s spent the past 10 hours in a working laboratory.

Which is exactly what she’s done, but it isn’t exactly how she wants to greet her girlfriend.

“I’ll be there in just a minute!” she calls out, stalling for time.

Her braid is beyond repair; either from the safety hat at the lab, her bike helmet, or both - strands of dark brown hair are sticking out every which way, and it’s evident after a few attempts at fixing them that the effort is futile. Instead, she releases the tie holding it all together and runs her fingers through it before pulling it back up into a ponytail.

Her glasses are so smudged that the light is reflecting off of them and she can barely see her eyes. Frowning, she takes them off and digs out the corner of her undershirt to clean them off. After a few tries, she’s finally satisfied, and settles them back on her nose before tucking her shirt back in and straightening her suspenders.

The suspenders had been Taylor’s idea -  one that had started out as a half joke and ended as an emphatic must-have after Lexi had tried them on. The thought of her girlfriend’s face in the dressing room that day is enough to make Lexi smirk, and on impulse, she undoes the second button on her white dress shirt, effectively ditching her polished work look for something slightly more roguish.

She takes one last look in the mirror to make sure the rest of her is presentable; from her tailored black pants to her quirky red socks.

Finally convinced that she fits the weekend dress code, she turns down the hall to find Taylor.

Their apartment is a cute little two-bedroom condo in the art district - fulfilling Taylor’s wish that it be within walking distance to the main strip of art galleries but also ‘not too extravagant, Lex, something small’; and also Lexi’s wish for something secure and quiet (and also her secret desire to make sure there’s enough room for Taylor to have a room for an art workshop).

It was difficult to convince Taylor that a two bedroom where both rooms had large windows over the river front was ‘not too extravagant’, but Lexi had cheated slightly by enlisting the help of Taylor’s dad - who also acted as their real estate agent.

Unsurprisingly, he was more than on board with helping Lexi give Taylor her dream apartment, and he gave the place an excellent pitch on their initial walkthrough. Between Lexi and Mike, Taylor was unable to resist the condo’s renovated but rustic charm, and within a week they were signing the papers and moving in.

Taylor refused to let Lexi buy the building outright, and Lena refused to let Lexi live anywhere that wasn’t vetted by her security; so in a show of bipartisanship, L-Corp Real Estate had bought the property. It still feels weird, writing out a check to her mother’s company every month (a small portion of which goes straight back into Lexi’s trust fund), but it makes Taylor happy, so she lives with it.

She would do a lot of things if they made Taylor happy, she realizes without surprise.

The thought warms her heart, and she smiles as she heads toward Taylor’s makeshift art studio.

She can hear the music loud and clear now, and her grin widens as she reaches for the door knob.

The sight on the other side of the door is enough to render her speechless - Taylor in worn out overalls and a sports bra, pants legs rolled up over her bare feet.

It’s enough to stop her in her tracks, but really, she should have expected it - Taylor has developed quite the penchant for wearing overalls lately, (admittedly, she usually pairs them with more clothes.)

What she doesn’t expect is a missile of yellow paint to hurtle into her her chest, leaving a mustard colored explosion across her torso.

Stunned, she looks up from the stain to find Taylor staring at her, open-mouthed.

“Oh my god.” Taylor breathes, looking back and forth between Lexi’s face and the stain. “I’m so sorry!”

“I mean … I don’t really mind, I just … what are you doing exactly?” she squints around the room to see a semi-circle of canvases spread around the room and Taylor holding a paintbrush covered in yellow paint.

“Oh! It’s an abstract study in random color patterns.”

“So you’re throwing paint across the room?”

“I mean … strategically.” Taylor concedes. “Wanna try?”

“Oh no, you know I’m not really artistic! I mean outside of coloring pages I guess.”

“Hmm, sounds to me like you’re chicken.”

“Chicken? I’m not chicken, I just don’t want to ruin your masterpiece!”

“You’re not going to ruin it! Just come on, one little flip of the wrist.”

“I regret that I must cordially decline.”

Taylor narrows her eyes accusingly.

“Spoil sport.”

“I am not a spoil sport!” Lexi scoffs, stepping closer.

“Mmm, seems to me like you’re a spoil sport.”

“Oh really?”  She moves even closer, effectively stepping into Taylor’s space.

“Yeah,” Taylor nods, a smirk teasing at the edge of her lips. “For sure.”

Lexi’s hands settle on Taylor’s hips, and pull her close.

“Would a spoil sport do this?” She dips her head to capture Taylor’s lips with her own, effectively silencing all trash talk and not stopping until she elicits a moan from the other woman.

Without breaking the kiss, she reaches for the paintbrush in Taylor’s hand, tossing it onto the drop cloth covering the floor.

Taylor responds immediately - arms wrapping around Lexi’s neck and tugging her closer.

It’s easy to get lost in the kiss, the feeling of Taylor’s lips pressing against her own and the heady swipe of tongue in her mouth.

She lets herself free fall for a few a long minutes before she regains control of her facilities enough to move again - reaching her fingers into the palette behind Taylor and gathering up a scoop of paint to smear it across Taylor’s cheek.

The result is like if a bucket of cold water splashed over them, with Taylor immediately jerking back to stare at her incredulously.

“Who’s a spoil sport now?” Lexi teases with a grin.

“I can’t believe you!”

“What?” Lexi shrugs. “You wanted me to paint! So I painted!”

“Yeah! I didn’t mean me!”

“Well, to be fair, you didn’t specify.”

“Didn’t specify?”

“No, you didn’t.”

Lexi’s laugh dies off when Taylor’s paint covered finger makes contact with her nose.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

“Ooh, payback’s a bitch.” Taylor teases.

“You splashed me first! I just retaliated! It was self defense!”

“You’re really going to use the self defense excuse?”

“Because it was!” Lexi protests.

“Oh really?” Taylor mocks before swiping across Lexi’s neck, some of the paint sticking to the collar of her shirt.

“Alright, okay; that’s taking it a little far, don’t you think?” She tries to capture Taylor’s hands to prevent further attacks, but her girlfriend dances away with a laugh.

“A little far? Don’t you think you should have thought of that before you attacked me?”

“Attacked you?” Lexi blinks comically before continuing to circle Taylor around the room. “I thought we established that I acted in self-defense.”

“It can’t classify as self-defense because technically I splattered you on accident.”

“Ohh, you’re saying all this was an accident?” Lexi gestures to the yellow smear across the front of her shirt.

“Mmhmm! Like I can’t say that this -“ She grabs another brush, dipping it in bright red paint before flicking it at Lexi. “- is an accident. But before, that was definitely an accident.”

Maybe it’s the kiss from before, or maybe it’s the way Taylor is looking at her now, but Lexi feels a heat rise in her belly, even as the paint soaks into her shirt.

“That’s true,” she says, stalking once again in Taylor’s direction. “You definitely can’t call what you just did an accident.”

Without warning, Taylor takes off to the opposite corner of the room, but Lexi reads her cues - easily able to intercept her - and she wraps her arms around Taylor’s, pinning them to her body and lifting the other woman off the ground.

“Lexington!” Taylor shrieks with laughter, her legs curling up as she gives into Lexi’s momentum to swing them around.

Only the sheet beneath them slips, and they tumble forward - a giggling mass of limbs and wet paint.

When they finally land, Lexi finds herself slotted between Taylor’s hips, and she gasps at the contact, but it’s swallowed up by Taylor’s mouth - hungry and searching.

Minutes, or hours pass - she can’t be a hundred percent sure - her only thought the next move of the kiss; like some sort of erotic chess game. Eventually, she braces herself before reaching up to undo the clasps on Taylor’s overalls.

Taylor sighs, a soft, contented sigh that stutters into Lexi’s mouth with hesitant release. Lexi can’t help but sink into the warm arms around her, cupping a hand around Taylor’s jaw and using the touch to draw them closer. She should feel bad for the paint she knows is getting in Taylor’s hair, but she’s too love drunk to stop, the intoxicating feel of Taylor’s lips against her own is too much to resist.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she feels Taylor’s ankle hook around the back of her knee, but she doesn’t give it much thought -  not until their weight shifts and she finds herself tumbling over as Taylor flips them. She manages to catch herself from landing flat on her ass, the palms of her hand skidding in the paint - hands that she immediately brings to rest against Taylor’s hips as the other girl straddles her; bracing against Lexi’s chest.

“You know, this brings an all new meaning to the term ‘paint fight’” Lexi grins evilly, but falls silent when Taylor moves to unbutton her shirt.

“And you’re wearing entirely too many clothes.” she counters, and Lexi can’t argue, especially since the bib of Taylor’s overalls has fallen down, effectively leaving her in just a sports bra from the waist up

As soon as the last button is undone, Taylor growls frustratedly; fingers tugging at Lexi’s undershirt.

“This needs to come off.”

And again, Lexi can’t exactly argue, (nor does she want to), so she pushes herself up; letting Taylor tug the tank to over her head.

Of course, the moment they’re evenly dressed, she seeks out an edge - relying on quivering ab muscles to hold her in a crunch position as she reaches for Taylor’s sports bra.

As soon as it’s off, Lexi latches on; covering Taylor’s nipple with tongue and teeth; unwilling to let go even as they fall backwards. Taylor’s hands brace somewhere above Lexi’s head before moving to her shoulders, but Lexi cant’ bring herself to mind the slick of wet paint against her skin.

“Lex.” Taylor gasps, and she immediately pulls back, head thudding against the floor. “Too many clothes.”

The complaint sends Lexi into immediate action, as she flips them again and kisses her way down Taylor’s torso; following with her fingers and leaving multicolored paint flecks in her wake.

She meets resistance at Taylor’s waist, encumbered once again by the overalls, and swiftly she pulls both them and the underwear beneath over Taylor’s shapely legs.

“Fuck, Lexi.” Taylor breathes, fingers fisting in Lexi’s ponytail, and Lexi wants nothing more that to bury her fingers in wet heat, but one glance at her paint covered fingers nixes that option.

Instead, she uses her hand to spread apart Taylor’s folds before licking a long stripe up her center.

The sounds Taylor makes as Lexi makes contact with her clit should be illegal, and the hand in her hair tightens almost painfully.

“Fuck.” Taylor repeats, and Lexi takes it as both encouragement and a command, effectively burying her face in the warm heat of Taylor’s core. She’s been doing this long enough to know exactly what her girlfriend likes, and she doesn’t waste time, pressing her tongue in slow circular motions against Taylor’s clit before fucking her with her tongue in long, slow strokes.

Taylor’s feet lock behind her shoulders, and Lexi drops her hands, slipping underneath her girlfriend’s ass and offering soft squeezes as she brings her up to meet her mouth.

The curses and pleas falling from Taylor’s lips paired with the clenching of her hand in Lexi’s hair is enough to spur Lexi on, and she doubles down on her efforts.

It isn’t long before Taylor is squirming beneath her, and she can feel her girlfriend’s thighs clenching even more tightly around her head. Carefully, she slips one hand from Taylor’s ass to press a thumb against her clit as her tongue reaches far and deep.

The act is enough to send Taylor over the edge, and she barely has time to brace herself before the hand in her hair tightens almost unbearably and the thigh around her head clench down hard enough to render her immobile.

It takes a few long seconds of Taylor’s inner muscles fluttering around her tongue before the grip on her loosens and her girlfriend is rendered boneless.

“Fuck, Lex.” Taylor repeats, and Lexi can’t help but grin as she pulls back to regard her girlfriend.

“Good?” she questions with a knowing smile, and Taylor slaps her shoulder.

“Payback’s a bitch, you know.”

* - - - - -  - - -  -

“Sorry.” Taylor breathes some time later. “I know you were wanting to go out to dinner.”

“Pfft, dinner?” Lexi scoffs. “I already ate.”

The back of Taylor’s hand smacks against her shoulder, and she laughs.

“No, but seriously; we can order something. I’d much rather be here with you than out at some stuffy restaurant.”

“True,” Taylor concedes. “We can’t exactly stop to make out in the middle of a restaurant.”

“Exactly. See, staying home has its benefits.” Lexi punctuates the point by leaning down to cover Taylor’s mouth with her own.

A long moment later, and Taylor pulls away - the hand on Lexi’s chest firm but reassuring.

“Okay, but I am actually hungry though.”

Lexi can’t help but laugh at that; pulling away to reach for her phone.

“Does pizza sound okay?”

* - - - - - - -

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell buzzes in the other room.

“Pizza delivery?” it asks, and Lexi rushes naked to answer.

“Yeah, send it on up.” She instructs the doorman, searching around for something to cover herself up.

Taylor is one step ahead of her though, stepping into the kitchen wearing nothing but Lexi’s boxer briefs and white shirt - now splattered with paint.

“You’re going to answer the door like that?” she asks teasingly, and color rises on Taylor’s cheeks.

“Is that a problem?”

“I mean, no? You might give the pizza delivery person a heart attack though!”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Taylor informs her, and while the pizza delivery person may be okay, Lexi finds herself frankly incapacitated - unable to form complete sentences as she watches Taylor take their order from the person at the door. Even more so when Taylor turns to face her.

“See? No one had a heart attack!”

“Speak for yourself!” Lexi teases, reaching for one of salad boxes.

The look Taylor gives her is enough to send her spiraling into a vortex of want, and she groans.

“Woman! Please! At least let me carb load before you look at me like that! My body needs nutrients before round two!”

Taylor’s smirk is downright evil.

“Technically, it would be round three.” she corrects before waving the box of cinnamon sticks under Lexi’s nose. “Besides, we could always start with dessert if you think a sugar rush will get you kickstarted.”

“No.” Lexi says firmly, almost wavering at the pout that crosses Taylor’s face.

“No?”

“No. First I’m going to eat this salad.”

“And then?” Taylor smiles coyly.

“And then I’m going to eat a piece of pizza - maybe two - actually you know what? Make that a definite two, I’m starving.”

“What next?”

“Well, then we’re going to eat cinnamon sticks.” Lexi answers as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and Taylor frowns.

“I mean, okay, I guess.”

Lexi feigns surprise.

“Oh sorry, did I forget the part where I lick icing off your fingers and then pin you against the wall and fuck you until you scream my name?”

“Is there any way I can convince you to skip steps one through three?“

* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The art gallery is closed -  everything from the sign on the door to the dim lights says so; but Lexi knocks anyway, almost startled when the door immediately opens.

“Hey!” Taylor’s face fills the doorway before it swings wide, Lexi letting herself be pulled into the space. “You made it!”

Lexi feels her brow crinkle.

“Of course! I said I would!”

“Yeah, but you were also talking about how slammed you were earlier -  you didn’t even stop for lunch.” Taylor’s tone is accusing, and Lexi winces under her glare.

“No, but you’re way more important than lunch. Besides, now I’ll have a ginormous appetite when I take you out for your celebratory gallery opening dinner.”

“Technically it doesn’t open until tomorrow.” Taylor laughs, but Lexi just shrugs.

“So? I’ll take you out twice then! Besides, I’m sure that tomorrow we’ll end up going out with our parents - tonight can be more of a … private celebration.” she wiggles her eyebrows, and Taylor  shoves at her shoulders playfully.

“Lex!”

“What? I have a thing for artists! I thought you knew that by now!” she laughs before trying to sneak a peak around the corner hiding them from the gallery. “While we’re on the topic, am I the muse for any of these pieces? Are there any dirty nudies of me anywhere that I should be prepared for?”

Taylor blushes prettily and Lexi’s eyebrows shoot to the ceiling.

“There are nudie portraits of me, aren’t there?” she demands, but Taylor shakes her head.

“There are no dirty pictures of you, I promise.”

Lexi narrows her eyes.

“Then why are you blushing like that?”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” Taylor teases before reaching for her hand. “Come on, if we want to make our reservations, we need to get started.”

“What makes you think I have reservations?” Lexi tries to look appalled, but cracks under Taylor’s knowing look. “Okay, fine, I have reservations, but they’re flexible, so we have plenty of time, don’t rush.”

“You know you don’t have to do that.” Taylor protests. “I don’t need reservations at a fancy restaurant.”

“I know you don’t, but if I can give them to you, then why shouldn’t I?”

Taylor doesn’t seem to have a response for that, instead staring at her for a long moment.

“I love you, you know that?” She asks finally, and Lexi grins.

“And I love you too.” Lexi agrees, bending down to press a chaste kiss on her girlfriend’s lips. “Now show me all the pieces you’ve been working so hard on.”

* - - - - -

It’s the first time that Taylor has done an entire gallery for just paintings, and Lexi can’t lie; she’s pleasantly surprised.

She knew Taylor was good, but this, this is on a different level. There’s everything from acrylic to watercolor, and the inspiration varies from the landscape outside their bedroom window, to a coffee shop they once visited in Paris.

It’s all strikingly beautiful, and Lexi finds herself marveling at just how talented her girlfriend is.

“Wow.” She says for what feels like the fourteenth time, and Taylor frowns.

“That’s what you keep saying.”

“I’m sorry! You know I almost failed art history! I don’t know the correct terminology to tell you that I think 90% of your work belongs in a museum!” she shrugs. “But it does though! I mean look at this -“ she turns to point at the painting of the Parisian cafe. “Just looking at that takes me back to exactly how I felt that day! And I’m sure it makes other people feel that way too! - I mean hopefully it doesn’t make them feel like they want to make out with you under the Eiffel tower, but similar!”

Taylor’s frown shifts slowly into a grin, and before Lexi can brace herself, Taylor is using her grip on Lexi to pull her down for a quick kiss.

“Well, you’ll have to tell me what this next piece makes you feel like.”

They round the next corner, and Lexi is confronted with a giant canvas banner - at least ten feet wide, and no doubt as long - covered in a smattering of acrylic smears that seem to be dashed haphazardly across the sheet.

It’s stunning, to say the least - if not for its sheer size, then at least for it’s seemingly random color pattern - nothing making sense, but working together in a cohesive pattern; one that leaves her eyes flitting around for the next spark of color. There’s a larger concentration of paint towards the middle, but other than that it’s a diffuse canvas.

“Wow.” she breathes, and Taylor’s elbow connects with her side. “What?”

“I thought we agreed that you would try and be more descriptive.”

Lexi grins sheepishly.

“Sorry, it’s just -  wow. I mean where did you have room to put this? Did you have to paint it here?”

She would swear she sees Taylor blush in the low light.

“Ah, no? I painted it at home.”

Lexi’s brow crinkles as she turns back to study the piece again.

She spots the faint outline of a handprint slightly off center, and finally, it clicks.

“Is that …?” She trails off, unsure exactly, of how to ask the necessary question.

Taylor hums beside her.

“Mmm-hmm”

Lexi turns to stare at her in incredulous disbelief.

“So you’re saying that you planned on us having paint sex so that you could hang our … product up in your art gallery?”

“Product?” Taylor scrunches her nose. “I prefer masterpiece.”

“Tay.”

“No, I didn’t plan on us having sex on the canvas. That was unexpected. I was just planning on hanging up whatever paint drips were on it. But, you have to admit, we added a certain … flair.”

“Flair?” Lexi deadpans. “I’ve been scrubbing paint off myself for two weeks!”

Taylor barks a laugh.

“Sorry!”

“I mean, don’t be sorry, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” Lexi concedes, draping an arm around Taylor’s shoulder and turning them so that they’re both facing the paining. “Besides, I have to admit, we look pretty good.”

“Pretty good?”

“I told you, I don’t know a lot about art critique.”

“You know, this place is deserted, I could give you a little tutorial session in the back room.” Taylor winks suggestively, but Lexi’s stomach picks that particular moment to growl.

“Sorry, no lunch.” Lexi winces self-consciously, but Taylor only laughs.

“Perfect, I can get you fully fed before I ravish you this time. Maybe we’ll even make it to the bed.” She winks, and Lexi whines, suddenly regretting her choice of a five course Italian meal for dinner.

And the next day? When everyone stops to ooh and ahh over the abstract canvas?

Well, Lexi hopes it’s dark enough that her blush doesn’t give her away.

[veridian-forest]

𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙩

Mars burst into the room through a warp panel. “Aren’t you excited?!”

Jupiter sighed quietly. The red-haired commander seemed to always be overflowing with energy, though that seemed to switch between anger and excitement often. It was sometimes charming, when she wasn’t getting her head bitten off.

Mars’ heels clicked on the smooth tiles as she approached her superior. “Well? You didn’t answer.”

“Take a guess, Mars. Master Cyrus is *this* close to achieving his plan.” She held up her hand, putting her index finger and thumb about a centimetre apart.

“I know! That’s why it’s so exciting,” she replied in a sing-song tone. “Lighten up! In a moment’s time, all of this can be gone!”

“You should be preparing yourself for such a situation. Instead you’re running around, yelling at everyone you see.” Jupiter turned away. “What if something goes wrong? There are hundreds of variables.”

Mars scoffed at her. “With an attitude like that, are you even in Team Galactic? A Commander, at that?! Don’t you have any faith in our leader?!”

“Of course I do. I’d be a fool otherwise. But you must understand the repercussions. The whole world will be destroyed, as well as the universe as a result. This will be to create a better world.” Before she could go on, she was interrupted.

“How can you be sure of that? Maybe Master Cyrus will only change the world, to create the ideal.” Mars suggested.

“I guess we cannot tell yet. But we are going to rather quickly.” Jupiter looked askance, watching the wall. “There is no time for this squabbling,” she turned back around, looking into her coworker’s scarlet eyes, which were charged with emotion. Mars seemed uncertain of what to say, and the worry was almost palpable.

Suddenly, Saturn entered the chamber, causing the two to jump.

“Jupiter,” he called, regarding the purple-haired woman. “There’s work to do.”

“Of course there’s work to do. We have jobs, Saturn.” She turned away from the redhead.

“Then let’s get to it. Lord Cyrus wants you to hurry.” He left as swiftly as he came. Jupiter promptly exited as well, leaving the remaining higher-up to look into the spot where the larger woman had been standing.

Mars ambled through the streets of Veilstone City, the lampposts spilling pools of warm light onto the sides of the road. Her apartment complex was still quite far away, but she enjoyed feeling the cool night air on her skin as she made her way back home.

In her pocket, her phone rang, quickly catching her attention. She grabbed it, flicking her hand up to her ear in an instant.

“Hello? Who is this?” There was eagerness in her voice.

“... Oh. It’s you. It seems that I called the wrong number.” Jupiter huffed curtly. “I can’t be bothered. I suppose we can talk, as you are pitifully lonely.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!” Mars shouted.

“Your only friend is that wretched cat of yours.” She could picture Jupiter looking away disapprovingly.

“Your only friend is that wretched skunk of yours,” Mars mocked, bursting into laughter towards the end.

“Fine, be that way.” Amusement lightened her tone. “I suppose we aren’t all that different.”

“So you’ll only believe that you’re a lonely bitch if you make me a lonely bitch too?” Mars snickered.

“If you wish to take it that way.” Jupiter also laughed quietly.

“Sooo, what are you up to? You have a life outside of this whole gig?” Mars smirked as she turned the corner, her building looming in the distance.

“I’m merely making dinner.”

“So soon? I haven’t even gotten home yet.”

“It isn’t my fault that you live on the edge of the city. No wonder you arrive so late.” Jupiter observed.

“Hey, I’m almost there! And I’m never later than half an hour!” She felt herself getting defensive.

“Oh, Mars, you always are the same.” Jupiter chuckled.

“As are you,” She pushed through the building door and rushed onto the elevator. “What are you having?”

“Currently, I’m consuming some pasta that I made. Though I can’t eat it much if I continue listening to you.”

“What? Are you too off-put by remembering my existence?” She fumbled with her keys, unlocking the apartment’s door.

“Sure, that’s why. I don’t even have to do the work to insult you, you’re practically doing it yourself.”

“Hey! You know—“

The line went dead.

Mars sighed, putting her phone away as she kicked her shoes off. Talking to Jupiter would have to wait for another day.

Jupiter tapped her heeled shoe, gently rapping the stone street. Her hotheaded coworker had headed out to buy something, but she was quickly losing time from her break. She checked the time quickly, noticing that there was only about a minute remaining. She scoffed, pushing through crowds of pedestrians to find her way into the Department Store.

A plethora of healing items, Poké Balls, magazines, and figurines were displayed on the first floor, but Mars was nowhere in sight. Hastily, she ran up the escalator onto the second floor. Everything around her was a blur as she continued to search for her colleague. Eventually, she found herself on the top floor, a familiar figure standing on the edge of her vision.

“Is that you?” She whipped around, speeding towards her acquaintance.

Mars was silent at first, and then turned, revealing a bouquet of red-violet pansies in her petite hands. “What do you want?” Her crimson gaze scorched Jupiter’s face.

“Why are you standing around buying flowers? You have a job!” She snarled.

“I was supposed to buy them for a friend, but they don’t want it anymore.” The short woman looked away. “I guess you can have them. Your whole house must stink like a Skuntank anyway.”

“She doesn’t stink!” She retorted, snatching the flowers out of Mars’ hands nonetheless.

“Maybe you just can’t tell because you smell like one too,” Mars remarked slyly, quickly slinking away to leave.

Jupiter stood there in shock, thinking about what had just occurred. The plastic of the bouquet crinkled under her tight grip. Had she just been gifted these flowers on purpose, or...? Her heart shoved against her ribcage like the fluttering wings of a bird. She examined the mixed palette of the pansies, momentarily dazed. Maybe it wasn’t a complete coincidence after all...

She travelled home, the sky tinged pink and red as the sun sank behind the horizon. The surrounding buildings blackened into silhouettes as she passed through the darkening streets. The maroon petals drifted onto the road in the gentle breeze. She couldn’t help but ponder if Mars had arrived at her home, considering how far away it was. She had left late herself, as the work was piling up. Without thinking, she reached for her phone, dialling in the number.

Mars picked up almost immediately. “Hello? Is it you again?”

“... Ah. Sorry. Wrong number again.” She looked away, trying to seem aloof though she couldn’t be seen.

“Fix your fingers next time, then!” The other woman was about to put her finger over the “End Call” button.

“Hold on...!” Jupiter tried to keep the sudden desperation out of her voice. “We can still talk anyway.”

“We did this yesterday! I didn’t know that you suddenly are so madly in love with me,” she mocked.

“Shut up! That’s not what this is...!” She cringed inwardly at how flustered she sounded.

“Sure, sure.” Mars broke into laughter, hanging up.

Jupiter opened the door to her house, stepping inside.

As always, work droned on. Though they were getting much closer, it was hard to feel any progress coming through. Mars felt more and more tired as it continued. Jupiter had to watch her snap at the Grunts far more frequently than possible, concern surging in her stomach. She couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. Though the Grunts had disciplined, this was crossing the line.

Finally, her break arrived, and she had her chance.

Mars was quiet, quickly devouring her lunch. She tried to ignore the sound of her coworker approaching, hoping for her to second-guess herself and leave before engaging with her. Unfortunately, she didn’t get lucky.

“Mars.”

“What the fuck do you want?” She glared at Jupiter.

“Nothing.”

“Then get the hell out.”

“I won’t.” Her voice was stern.

The redhead grumbled to herself quietly.

“Why are you screaming at everyone all the time?”

“Why can’t I? As a Commander, I have to keep everyone in line!”

“All you’re doing is harassing them. It’s not helping anything.” She insisted.

The short woman huffed, seeming annoyed with the very oxygen in the atmosphere.

Jupiter drew closer, their faces inches apart. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around her, keeping her in a gentle hold.

“It’s going to be okay. Soon this’ll all be over,” she whispered.

Mars nodded in understanding. Even if Lord Cyrus ended the world, she’d be okay with Jupiter by her side.

The days felt eternally long as they passed, and infinitesimally short whilst reflected upon. Nonetheless, the time slipped away, and the time had arrived for the plans to be completed. Cyrus summoned everyone onto Spear Pillar, leaving the Grunts to guard the inside of Mt. Coronet. Mars’ heart pounded as she skidded to a halt on the ground, releasing her grip on her Golbat. Jupiter landed beside her, white crumbled pebbles being expelled into the air in dust clouds.

“The time has finally come!” Mars shouted, the air thick with humidity. A storm was surely brewing, and it was just perfect.

“Calm yourself.” Jupiter looked away. “The end is surely arriving either way.”

She could hardly catch her breath as Cyrus began the ceremony. Dialga and Palkia would arrive at any moment! Everything was going to change! No matter what, she was always ready to be by Jupiter side, even at the demise of the whole world.

Suddenly, loud footsteps echoed through the rocks.

“Stop right there!”

[nicolewrites]

The Ecruteak Incident

You guys can thank @thecoordinatorsquad for this one.  Sequel/Prequel to ‘enter stage left’

Words: 3,658 FFN | AO3

When May arrives in Ecruteak City, the sun is still high in the sky. It’s a nice change from many of the later arrivals she’s been having since travelling on her own. Without Ash’s drive to reach the next city and the next gym as fast as possible, May has found herself distracted by training, relaxing and wildlife between towns and she often arrives just as night is falling.

It’s just after noon as she sets foot on the cobblestone streets that are a tribute to the older days. She notes, with interest, that many of the buildings are constructed in older, more traditional styles and with more muted colour palettes. The guidebook that she carries on hand tells her that it is out of respect for the Bell Tower that stands just to the north of the city.

Her first impression of the city is quaint: it’s smaller and less bustling than many of the other cities she’s visited in Johto so far, but it is definitely more pedestrian friendly. There are definitely still a fair share of coordinators and contest fans mulling about with the contest being two days away. The cobblestone streets are obviously not meant for cars, and the small market kiosks lining the streets further encourage walking over driving.

To the north, May observes the old Bell Tower rising on the horizon and she makes a mental note to visit it. Following her map towards the Pokémon Centre, she walks past the city’s gym. The building is like the rest of the city, painted in muted colours, but there are cheers from within and May smiles. Sometimes she misses watching Gym Battles. Ash certainly had a flair for making them interesting. Max was leaving in September, so maybe she should make some time to watch a few of his battles.

There are large maple trees on several street corners with their big green leaves open to the sky. It reminds her of Petalburg and the tree that’s on the corner near the gym. This part of the city, May knows, will be exceptionally beautiful in the fall when the leaves change colour and start to fall. She hopes she’ll have the opportunity to return for it, but her carefully planned schedule–Drew’s idea, not hers–says that this contest in Ecruteak is the only one for the season. The city wasn’t much for pageantry–much more about tradition.

She spots the crowd about a block from the PokéCentre and her heart sinks in her chest. It’s a group of, mostly, young teenage girls, some older and some younger than herself. None of the girls in particular are familiar, but the hunches of their backs and the high pitched giggles are all too familiar.

Fangirls.

Of course there are fangirls here. There is a contest in two days and there are some higher-profile coordinators entering. Plus, this is one of the larger cities in the region so the increased population of fans also makes sense. May walks hesitantly towards the Centre, just hoping not to get mauled by excited girls.

To her surprise, they don’t seem to pay her any attention as she approaches. They are much more interested in whoever is inside the Pokémon Centre as displayed by the way they keep glancing in the windows and giggling. Unfortunately, their crowd extends to block the front entrance which means May will have to wade right through them.

She takes a deep breath to steel her nerves and pushes through the first few, excusing herself politely. “Excuse me, just need to pass by,” she murmurs, trying to move unseen.

She gets almost to the door when one fan turns and stares her directly in the face. “Hey!” the girl exclaims, “What right do you have moving us from our view?”

May sighs. “Sorry, I was just trying to get into the Pokémon Centre. I need to register for the contest.”

“Register?” another girl pipes up, sounding scandalized. “You can’t compete! You can’t be given the opportunity to win.”

May frowns. “Well, that’s not how coordinating works. The best coordinator in the contest will win the ribbon.”

The first girl put her hands on her hips and gives May a condescending once-over. “Well that’s obviously not going to be you, so maybe you should just run along.”

May’s anger bubbles up. No one gets to talk to her like that, except maybe Drew, but he’s always teasing when he does. Before she can burst with frustration, one of the other girls stumbles away from the window, squealing dramatically.

The doors to the Pokémon Centre slide open and all the girls fall completely silent, staring in awe at the person who emerges from inside. May just exhales in relief. Out of all the people, he’s probably not a bad one to save her from this situation, even if he’ll never let her live it down again.

Drew looks puzzled by the situation, but he walks out towards May anyways. The girls part like the sea for him and he stands next to his rival, glancing at the girl who had been giving May spite.

“Maple, you made it before dark for once. I guess I can call off that search party,” he jokes. His tone is easygoing and relaxed. He seems to be completely ignoring the fans and is instead focused on May.

Smugness curls in her belly as May smiles at him. “Haha, Drew. I know you didn’t beat me here by much. You were coming from Blackthorn, weren’t you? I was only in Violet City, my journey was much shorter.”

He shrugs. “I still beat you here, and I’m all registered for the contest. You should do the same. We don’t want a repeat of the Len Town Contest do we?”

May frowned. She didn’t need reminding of her first blunder of the season. She had forgotten how busy the first contest of the season was and had arrived too late to register, leaving Drew with only Solidad as an obstacle for the ribbon. He had won and he still wouldn’t let her live it down, even as they planned an appropriate route through the region, determining at which contests they would butt heads.

“I’m getting there,” she says after a brief pause.

He laughs and just gestures back to the door. “Come on then.”

May steps towards Drew, and freedom from the swarm of fangirls, when one pipes up. “But, Mr. Drew! How can you encourage competition?”

Drew frowns at the girls. “I’ve asked you all already to leave me alone, I don’t want to get Officer Jenny involved. May is my rival, and my friend and none of you bear that distinction, so you should all scram before I report you for harassment.”

It takes a minute, but the gravity of his words sinks in and the girls start to leave, but not without glancing back at him as they go. Drew sighs and rubs his temples.

“Let’s get out of here, please,” he says, annoyance still heavy in his voice.

May laughs. “Oh but Drew, you have to tell me more,” she teases. He levels a hard look at her and May laughs again. “I’m only kidding. I find them incredibly annoying as well, don’t worry.”

They walk into the Pokémon Centre as Drew complains about how they’ve been following him around since he arrived in town. May giggles. She has her own set of fans, but none of them are ever as bad as the cult of fangirls that follow her rival around.

May does end up registering for the contest in time, and the morning of, she heads down to the lobby to get breakfast before heading over to the hall. Drew is sitting at one of the tables in the cafeteria with an empty plate and a steaming, half-full cup of coffee in front of him. He’s flipping through a newspaper and only looks half-awake.

May’s heart tightens as she watches him. It’s strangely domestic and almost cute. She blushes and shakes off the feeling, heading to gather her own plate of breakfast. After taking a generous helping–she’s hungry, there’s no excuse–she heads back towards where he was sitting. May places her plate down and slides in across from him.

He glances up only briefly to acknowledge her presence. “May,” he greets casually, before returning his attention to the article he’s reading.

She takes a couple bites of her food before curiosity wins out. “What are you reading about?”

He puts the paper down and slides it towards her. She notes the headline: ‘Excitement Continues Around Conclusion of Wallace Cup in Sinnoh’. May smiles. She skims the article briefly. It talks about the contest, the venue, and her and Dawn’s battle in the final. Curiously, she notes the fact that Johto and Hoenn were both bidding for the next Wallace Cup.

“It seems the coordinating world was pretty impressed by your new style out there. Even if you did manage to lose to a rookie,” Drew comments, stealing his newspaper back.

May rolls her eyes. “Dawn was good. And besides, her mom was a Top Coordinator before either of our times so she’s grown up around it. I almost won the Violet City Contest after I got back anyway. My slump is over, we both know that.”

Drew shrugs. “We’ll see today, I guess.”

May sticks her tongue out at her rival, who shares a rare smile at her childish action, and tucks back into her food. The whole situation is friendly and calm even though in a couple of hours they could be going head to head for what would be both of their fourth ribbons. Despite May’s apparent slump, Drew was equal to her in ribbons, though May conceded that he had entered far fewer contests and was spending more time on individual training.

Still, getting a foot up on him would be a welcome change since he always seemed to be one step ahead of her.

As the appeal scores are revealed, May takes one of Drew’s telling characteristics and spins it back on him. She smirks at him. She’s in first, and he’s close behind her, only 0.3 points back, in second place. They’re both comfortably through to the battle round, but May’s ahead this time.

It feels good, especially since May knows that Drew’s appeals and combinations are generally his strongest points, whereas hers lay more in powerful battling, something she had picked up from Ash. Still, Drew was notoriously good at spinning people’s power back on themselves to earn massive points, and he was also incredibly strong.

The bracket is revealed and to May’s surprise, she and Drew are not opposite each other. In fact, if they both win their first battles, they’ll be facing off in the semi-finals. She casts him a surprised glance and he shrugs in return. May laughs. She’s still going to beat him–that’s her plan.

As they take the stage for the battles, cheers spring up around them, but Drew’s cheering section is loud and very female. Drew smirks and flicks his hair. The crowd screams in appreciation and May smothers a snort. At least his fangirls will get to enjoy his showboating for a little while.

The announcers call for them to choose their Pokémon, and May watches as Drew calls out Flygon. The Dragon Type is one of his strongest, and May knows there is no going easy here with him. Still, she has an advantage in this case.

“Glaceon! Take the stage!” She spins elegantly and tosses the capsule containing the Fresh Snow Pokémon outwards.

Drew visibly blanches at the sight of her new team member. Though he’d been encouraging of May when she had gone to Sinnoh, she knows that now he’s realizing that Glaceon places her at a significant type advantage over many of his Pokémon, especially Flygon. May lifts her chin confidently.

The timer starts, and Drew wins first move.

As far as contest battles go, besides her stint in the Wallace Cup, her battle against Drew has been the fiercest she’s fought in Johto. He always has tricky combinations ready to counter, even if she pushes forwards with strength. Still, this time, she had been better. Glaceon has squeaked her through to the finals and May is elated.

There are despondent cries from the crowd: Drew’s devastated fangirls and May glances at her rival again. He returns Flygon and nods to her, conceding defeat respectfully. She was better today, and they both know it.

In the end, May makes a blunder, choosing Beautifly in the finals to match up against a Quilava. With both a speed and type disadvantage, she puts up a fight, but in the end, a Johtoan coordinator named Crystal eventually wins the Ecruteak Ribbon. She’s not overly disappointed.

She can use the battle with Crystal to create new defensive combinations, especially against moves like Aerial Ace and Swift that never miss. Plus, she reminds herself, she beat Drew. That’s always a plus.

May calls back Beautifly and heads backstage. The locker room has cleared out, as expected and May gathers her stuff. It will be a few more minutes before people start leaving as Crystal will still need to be presented with her ribbon. May doesn’t see a reason to stick around. She’s kind of hungry again and is interested in trying out some of the street food she’d seen over the last couple days. A treat sounds nice, for both her and her Pokémon.

She slings her bag up onto her shoulder and exits the room, heading for the main entrance. She only gets a little ways before she notices that Drew is striding towards her with purpose. She blinks at him, but he looks frustrated.

“Drew?” she questions, but he ignores her, basically grabbing her around the waist and spinning her around.

They walk at a brisk speed past the locker room, back towards the stage. Drew doesn’t say anything, but relief breaks into his face as he spots a janitor’s closet off to the side. He yanks open the door and herds May inside without breaking stride. The door shuts behind him and May gives her rival an incredulous look.

“What are you doing?” she demands.

“Shh,” he hushes her urgently.

The closet is dark, but not overly small so they each have personal space. May still has no idea what has gotten into Drew, but she tries to study him in the dim light. He looks frustrated, but she doesn’t think it’s from the contest. This annoyance stems from other causes.

Many of her silent questions are quickly answered as she hears footsteps pound through the hallway. She raises an eyebrow at Drew and he just lets out a long sigh.

“I know he went this way. And if we can’t find him, then we can surely give a piece of our mind to that girl who beat him,” a snarky voice exclaims.

May blinks. It’s the voice of the girl from outside the PokéCentre a couple days ago. Drew had been escaping from his fangirls and he’d managed to save her some hassle too by hiding her as well since it seems they blamed him for his loss in the contest.

“What’s the point?” another girl complains. “He lost. He’s probably not sticking around. There’s no point in us being here if he isn’t.”

A few other girls agree, and to May’s delight and Drew’s relief, the girls relent in their search. To be safe, they give it almost a minute of silence outside the closet before they emerge and scan the hallways, ensuring their safety.

When they know they’re not going to be hassled, May bursts out laughing. “Wow, they’re even worse about your losses than you are.”

Drew runs a hand through his hair. “It’s annoying. Don’t laugh at me, if this was you, you’d be the same.”

May shrugs. “It’s not me though, so I get to laugh. I did beat you today,” she reminds.

Drew rolls his eyes. “You still lost.”

May sticks out her tongue. “I beat you though, so it’s fine.”

Drew starts to walk towards the entrance to the contest hall, pausing briefly to let May catch up to him. They walk side-by-side towards the entrance. They’re almost to open air when Drew hesitates.

“There’s a festival tonight, for several reasons, mostly Johto culture stuff, but I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?” he asks carefully. “There will be lots of food, if you were wondering.”

May smiles brightly. “Sounds like fun! I’ll meet you in the lobby at seven?” she asks.

Drew nods. “Seven.”

“Did we lose them?” May asks, gasping for breath. She tugs at the hemline of her dress and scans the crowd around them.

Drew scowls bitterly. “For now, anyway,” he mutters.

May sighs. Everything had been going great. The festival was brightly lit compared the usual muted nature of Ecruteak City. There were sparklers and fireworks and dancers in the streets. Lanterns were hung from storefronts and homes and music twinkled through the whole town. The usual market stalls were bustling with life and energy and true to recommendation, the food had been incredibly excellent.

They had been in the middle of enjoying a demonstration by the Kimono Girls, something that was surely inspiring combinations for both of them, when the disruption had started. A couple people had begun whispering around them, assessing them as competitors from the contest that had happened earlier.

Both Hoenn Coordinators had tried to ignore it, but it quickly escalated as Drew’s fangirls began to appear. Drew had grabbed May by the hand and pulled her away, down an alley as they ran to try to escape the crowd. They had used the bustle of the festival to hide their escape, but still, it wouldn’t be long until they were found again.

“We really can’t catch a break with these girls, can we?” May grumbles.

Drew laughs and she glances at him. Under the moonlight and the light of the lanterns, his hair and eyes are almost glowing. Plus, she catches the shadows of dimples in his cheeks from his natural smile and May’s stomach twists. He looks gorgeous and she’s paralyzed by her realization.

He’s wearing dressy clothes–just as she is wearing a nice dress–for the occasion and he looks very sharp. She inhales quickly and tears her eyes from her rival. She can’t find him attractive. They are rivals. Sure, they’re mostly friends too, but he’s her rival first. Competition over attraction, she tries to will herself to believe.

“I am both really sorry, and really not, because that was honestly kind of fun,” Drew admits. He smooths out his already perfect hair. “Well, I’d imagine that we have a couple minutes before they figure out where we’ve gone, so let’s keep exploring, shall we?”

He offers her his arm and before she can talk herself out of it, she’s smiling and sliding her elbow into his.

They stroll out onto a main street again and May is quickly distracted by a cute vendor’s stall with several adorable accessories for sale. She drags Drew over and spends a little while chatting with the owner and browsing the wares. She steals a glance back at Drew, and he’s already watching her and she blushes.

“I saw green hair go this way!” someone yells.

Both coordinators flinch. May glances around, but she can’t pinpoint where the fan was, so she looks at Drew desperately. He looks a little pained and May lets out a short huff of air. She grabs a hat from the table of wares in front of them, apologises to the store owner and drags Drew towards another nearby gap between buildings.

She shoves the hat on his head to hide his hair and spins his back to the street so they are facing each other, and are much to close for May’s sanity. She feels heat rush to her cheeks as she makes eye contact with a startled Drew. There are more cries from the street of people that have seen Drew, and May is desperate.

She places a hand on either side of Drew’s face and pulls it down towards her. He’s startled, but he doesn’t resist as she brings him into a chaste kiss. For a brief moment, there is nothing, just their lips awkwardly pressed together as they pray no one recognizes them. But then there is a gentle pressure against her mouth and May almost jumps.

She kissed Drew, but now he’s actually kissing her.

She manages to kick her brain awake enough to kiss him back for a few seconds before he breaks away, breathing deeply. His green eyes are illuminated by the lantern over her head and the hat looks stupid on him, but he’s incredibly beautiful and he’s looking at her with a mix of surprise and pleasure on his face.

May blinks, breaking their staring contest and they both note that the fangirls have moved on and they’re alone. She slowly peels her hands from Drew, feeling heat swarm into her face. He’s a little flushed himself, but May drops her eyes to the ground quickly.

He coughs awkwardly and she lets her eyes drift up warily. He’s smiling, despite his best efforts, and he steps back from her a little. “Let’s just agree to,” he trails off carefully.

May laughs and it comes out rattled and nervous. “Never talk about this again?”

He laughs too. “Sounds good.”

May catches Drew’s eyes drifting to her lips one last time before he steps further away from her. A vibrant firework explodes over Drew’s head and May giggles one last time.

It’s a fitting night, she thinks to herself. But, they’re never going to talk about this ever–EVER–again.

[thassalia]

Agent and Reagent

@kernezelda asked for: Avengers/MCU / pipette, wrench, tea / cyclone  :D

Post- AOU, pre-CW. Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers. On hobbies and science and rain.  

The facility felt particularly frigid in the rain despite the preprogrammed temperature.  Natasha pulled the heavy sweater on over her head as wind lashed the trees against her windows and rain beat hard on the glass. It was worse than snow, which somehow transformed the gleaming modern monstrosity into something cozy and a little timeless. This kind of driving, torrential storm just upped the sense of isolation out here, although Natasha had never been bothered by solitude. A branch flew across the field, smacking into a telecom pole loud enough that she could hear the crack. So, more than a little rain. A shiver ran through her and she rubbed her arms, put her hand to the back of her cheek, but her skin was warm even a little dry. Maybe the cold was psychological. She grimaced, dismissing the thought.  More likely, she was just getting the damned death flu that Wanda had brought back with her from Indiana.  

She’d showered after morning maneuvers, held out in the elements because Steve was often an asshole who used the term “field conditions” to justify his sadistic streak. Eventually, the zero visibility and escalating gales had been too much for even Rogers and he’d called it, leaving them to their own devices.  Of course, it being Saturday, this only meant an hour shaved off an already shortened schedule, but it was a concession nonetheless. Now, despite an extra ten minutes under the hot water, cold crept into her bones. Natasha dug out thick socks and tall boots, hoping to stave off the chill. 

She’d passed on a group lunch in the canteen but she was due to meet with Steve in half an hour and wanted a sandwich. Beyond that, she didn’t have any plans for the day and she felt unexpectedly aimless. Downtime was in short supply with training drills, tactical planning, and the seminars she ran for the others on infiltration, disguise, intel gathering, skills she was better suited to impart than Steve. But there was nothing on the agenda today. Saturday afternoons were always free. It wasn’t like she had a rash of hobbies. String arts had been a bust, she didn’t enjoy playing an instrument although she was relatively accomplished at several, and while she’d taken dance classes in the city, out here it would just be herself and the music and decades of hazy memories, most of which she could live without.  The thought was unappealing.

She didn’t want for entertainment, exactly. Sometimes she went to the movies with Sam and Wanda on Saturdays, into the city for dinner with Pepper, hiking with Steve. Once a month the facility held a potluck and bingo night.  Natasha wasn’t bored, per se. It was simply that being trapped in this building reminded her of what she could have been doing out there in the world.  What she should be doing.  Running missions. Paying penance. That for most of her life, she hadn’t had hobbies because any free time she’d been granted had been filled with keeping her skillset fresh -- practicing languages, martial arts, programming and hacking, brushing up on deadly variations of chemistry and comportment.

There’d been exceptions to the rule of course -- weeks and weekends spent with the jostling, jovial Bartons, time spent cooking and cleaning and carousing with rambunctious kids, or drinking beer and bullshitting with Laura, silent shoulder-brushing companionship with Clint. Time in the tower, slowly building trust with Tony over anthropomorphized robots and delicate programming. Stolen moments with Bruce in coffee shops and boutiques, the art house theater in Greenwich and the galleries in Dumbo. Or in bed, his skilled, beautiful hands tracing along her spine, counting her ribs with his mouth following as she leaned her cheek against the pillow and rainwater trailed along the glass.

Things that she’d given up with her decision to live as an Avenger, to mentor a new team. (Given up, given away, been abandoned by...) Things she’d promised Steve that she’d refrain from pursuing unless absolutely necessary because this had to come first. Steve wanted to be the first line of defense, not the back up called in during desperate times.  Christ, he and Tony really were two peas in a pod, despite their inability to look at an apple and see the same color red. 

She really must be getting sick. This was maudlin and foolish, sentimental in a way she was loath to admit herself capable of.  Natasha shook her head and grabbed her phone, headed to the cafeteria.

***

Steve’s room was keyed to allow her access during certain hours, but she still called out to him as the door slid open.

“In here,” he answered and she made her way to the little studio he’d set up in the second bedroom of his quarters.  The light was excellent for drawing and drafting, but more often than not the pneumatic table was used as a hold all for the tacticals plans Steve still preferred to work out on paper.

Today, however, he was bent over a textured palette, brush in hand.  It warmed her, somehow, seeing him paint.  A sign that normalcy was possible, even if rarely exhibited. If Steve could occasionally remember how to paint, maybe she had it in herself to develop some outside interests.

Unfortunately, emotional warmth aside, it was fucking freezing. Steve kept his quarters on the ball-crawling side of uncomfortable since he ran hot. Natasha put down the roast beef sandwich she’d brought him and picked up a soft, camel-colored throw he kept for guests and wrapped it around her shoulders.  It helped a little.

He nodded at the sandwich, mouth tilting up and said, “I’m almost done, sorry.”

She shook her head, and went behind him to get a look at what he was working on.

Banded greens and yellows separated by slim open spaces occupied squares outlined in terra cotta.  They looked strangely familiar and at first it seemed like they were simple repetitions, gradation exercises, and then Natasha noticed subtle variations. 

The memory hit her all at once as she took a bite of her sandwich and her hand dropped slowly, placing the sandwich on the chair as her stomach clenched against more food.  Fuck that, she thought, more useless, rebellious sentiment.

Steve washed the brush through the rinse water, and glanced over his shoulder.

“Nat,” he said softly, and she shook her head.

The striations looked like little garden plots, strange ombred root vegetables growing in a row, but they weren’t.

It had been raining that day too. Less gale force hurricane than spring showers, but the water running down the side of tower had kept them inside all the same. She’d been curled on Bruce’s lab couch because she liked the light and the company, and because they all had a tendency to drift into his space like dinner guests into a kitchen.  The state of the art coffee maker and obscenely good sound system had helped, but some of it was also Bruce’s solid, stoic presence. 

Steve’s big hands had dwarfed the pipette as he dropped the mixture into the test tube, then inserted the little filter papers.  Bruce had been doing a basic chemistry course with Steve over the past weeks when he’d expressed an interest in filling up the gaps in his secondary education.  Today was chromatography, with a little history lesson on the development of the Pasteur pipette.  

“Now we wait,” Bruce had said.

While the pigments separated from the solution to travel up the little papers, Bruce had brewed espresso in tiny cups and Natasha’d roused herself to excavate a box of Danish butter cookies that she’d seen in one of the cupboards.

“I never thought much about science in school,” Steve had said, “but so much happened during the war, so many new things...”

“Yourself included,” Natasha had to add, but he’d ignored her with a raised eyebrow as Bruce covered a smirk.   

“This seems so benign. It’s beautiful.”

Bruce had brushed over the little papers and shrugged, shoulders hunching.  “It’s a tool, but yeah. It’s pretty. My mom loved this kind of stuff,” he’d added, hesitant and then growing more certain. “We lived in this little apartment with a wonky radiator. It was always too hot, and you’d have to bang on the valve with a wrench to get it to budge at all so we’d go outside, even in the winter. Collect leaves and sticks and stones, bring ‘em home for experiments. Classifications. She had a little garden out there that we’d weed, make potions to discourage the bugs.”  Bruce had looked a little embarrassed at the reminiscence, and she’d sidled just a little bit closer at the way his voice deepened with memory. 

Bruce never shared childhood anecdotes, and the anomaly had been too much for her to resist. The insight a precious thing she could add to her understanding of him.  She’d relished it. 

“It’s a kids game really,” he’d said, gesturing to the beakers. “Grinding up leaves, dissolving them in alcohol, watching the pigment travel up the coffee filter.”

“Sounds nice,” Steve had said, “Reminds me of my mom.  She was a nurse, always busy. Our radiator was always busted, too. Although we did fewer experiments and more rolling bandages. Or yarn.”

Everyone knew about Steve’s family, Steve’s home, Steve’s transformation but Bruce smiled at him like he’d shared a secret. Natasha had basked in that smile, bittersweet as ever, in Steve’s answering grimace as he made a winding motion with his hands.  “So much yarn.”

She’d leaned gently into Bruce’s space until her hip pressed against his, hidden behind the lab bench, keeping the physical closeness just between them. She’d felt the shift in Bruce’s body as he first stiffened, then relaxed, just a fraction, as his shoulders unhitched when he’d brushed his arm against hers, adjusting his glasses.  She ignored the way Steve glanced between them, eyes soft.  Anyone else and she’d have ruined the moment, stepped away from Bruce, derailed the conversation, but at the moment, she just wanted the heat of his body, Steve’s steady regard.

There’d been no need to say that she hadn’t performed experiments as a child, that she’d been the experiment. That the punishment for failing to perform her required chores had been corporal.  Not here amongst these other miracles of science and tragedy.  It was funny, she’d thought at the time, that while Clint had given her a place to go home to, she’d found an unexpected sort of solidarity here with these two men, with their warped reflections: monster, and killer, and savior, all variations on a theme.  Transformative beings, with the serum drawing up through each of them, breaking down into their own colored striations.

“It looks like water color,” Steve had said, drawing one of the little papers out of the solution, tracing over the separated pigment.  “Making art of out science.”

Now, Steve was making that statement literal.

“The rain,” he said, hunched into himself a little, and maybe she didn’t give him enough credit for continuing to absorb loss, pulling it into himself, thinning it out so that it barely touched those around him. He missed Bruce too. Tony...Steve kept losing people.  “It reminded me of that day with the leaves, and of turnips. I don’t know, maybe I was thinking about the war.”

“Turnips?” she asked.  

Steve nodded. “And radishes. Bucky’s mom used to talk about weeding them when she was a girl. And we ate them in France, with butter.”

She too had spread thick pale butter on slim radishes speckled with salt. Memories of a crisp, sweet bite followed by a bright wine bloomed on her tongue. 

“Banner talked about growing things, pruning and thinning and...well, It’s hard to believe it’s almost spring.” He trailed off, cheeks pink from the ramble. 

Natasha swallowed hard, and picked up her sandwich.  “A garden,” she said, and her voice sounded completely normal, nothing odd there, no sentimental rasp, no wash of memory.  “We’ve got the space.  When the rain stops, we can plant things. Watch them grow.”

She put her hand on Steve’s shoulder, and he covered her fingers with his for just a moment.  Comfort that she idly wondered if he could afford to offer. He dropped her hand and she came around to the other side of the desk.

“Carrots,” he agreed, “And arugula. For Sam to get his hipster on.”

“Potatoes for Wanda. Herbs for Rhodes. He’s apparently quite the chef.”

“Flowers for Vision.”

“We can compost.”

Steve barked out a laugh, and Natasha shrugged the throw from her shoulders, warmed through finally.

She touched the edge of the watercolor, cleared her throat.  “When you’re done,” she said, “Could I have it?”

[almost-sweet-music]

Could you please do an imagine where it turns out that Damon's s/o is actually the Gallaghers younger sister? I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, I have a tendency to do that to people. 🌼🍒You're nice.

(Ending is a bit rushed, sorry about that I might change it in the future)

Happy birthday Damon 💘❤💓💙💛💗💕💕💜💛💟💞💚💘❤💓

______

As it turns out, dating a famous person is hard. It’s even harder when that famous person is in the middle of a band fight between two most popular groups at the time. It also doesn’t help that the group your significant other is in a fight with features two of your brothers and they don’t know about it.

But that was your life.

And your life was pretty damn hard.

Especially while being a Gallagher dating an Albarn.

Often you found yourself trying to find a reason for why you couldn’t hang out with Damon when you knew your brothers were in town. The possibility of running into either Liam or Noel or worse, both of them in a bar or even on the street was far too dangerous.

It hurt turning him down but having moved to London you managed to keep your last name a secret. You were younger than your brothers. Well, only a year younger than Liam but still they managed to shield you away from their fame and the consequences that followed.You also didn’t have the face that’d be similar to any of the two so you weren’t easily recognizable either. That way you could still live like every other person with a normal job and a normal love life without the name “Gallagher” looming over you.___

“What is it this time, Y/N?” You heard Damon’s voice on the other side of the line. Even though you couldn’t see his face you knew by the tone of his voice he was getting frustrated.

“Damon I… listen…” A deep sigh echoed in the phone. “Please, can we not do this again? Look, I’m not feeling too well and-”

“No, no, no. You can’t use that excuse anymore. I don’t believe it anymore. Get dressed cause I’m going to pick you up in… Ten minutes.”

“Damon…” you cringed at his statement.

“And I swear to god if you pretend you’re not home or you don’t let me in I’m gonna break your window, crawl through there and kidnap you.” You couldn’t help but crack a small smile after he said that.

“I live on the second floor, Damon…”

“I have my ways. See you in 10.” and with that, he hung up. You sighed and put down the phone.

The truth why you didn’t want to go anywhere or see Damon today was the fact that Oasis was supposed to have a concert in London the day after and your brothers were going to stay at your place for some time. They were supposed to come tomorrow morning and you knew exactly how you would end up if you met up with Damon tonight. Unfortunately, resisting his charm was to most very hard, to you….Impossible.

And so, In the end, you did start dressing up. You put on some nice clothes and just as you started putting on makeup as well you heard your doorbell ring. ‘That bastard…’ you thought. He was exactly right on time, as usual, when it came to you.

“IT’S OPEN!” you yelled and a couple seconds later Damon came in your bedroom.

“Still not ready?” He said rolling his eyes jokingly.

“You seriously need to give me a little more time than 10 minutes to get ready love.” You replied. He sighed and flopped on your bed.

“Where you wanna go?” He asked. You raised one brow as you were putting on eyeshadow.

“I thought you had an idea?”

“I don’t.” Damon got off the bed again and came up behind you. He snaked his arms around your waist and put his face in the crook of your neck, making you chuckle. “Just wanted to spend some time with my girl~” You laughed.

“Sure you did.” Damon gasped, faking hurt.

“You know how dare you. Of course, I want to spend time with you. Mind you, it’s you that always calls off plans and doesn’t want to hang out.” You sighed and put down the eyeshadow palette. You turned around and looked at your boyfriend sadly. His hands moved down to rest on your hips, tracing small circles on them.

“I…I know, I know…And..I’m sorry if it seems as if I don’t care about us. Really, I do. It’s just…” you stopped for a second. “Ah…It’s hard to put into words… maybe one day I’ll tell you.” Damon frowned and his grip on your hips tightened.

“Wait… What are you talking about?  You’re not in trouble are you?” He looked straight into your eyes with deep concern painted on his face.

Fuck.

“Oh..God no Damon I’m fine.” He didn’t seem to believe that as the frown remained on his façade. “Seriously, baby… You don’t need to worry about me okay?” You gently caressed his cheek and smiled reassuringly. “I should’ve used better words. Now you’re going to worry for no reason.”

“Y/N if there’s anything that I-”

“Damon, stop.” You cut him off. “There’s just something I’m not ready to tell you yet okay? I will tell you what it is though. Just not right now. Forget about it, it’s really not that important.”

But it was important. Frankly, one of the most important things right now.

Of course, he had the right to know but the consequences scared you so much you just couldn’t.

He sighed. “…Okay. I’ll believe you for now but that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned anymore.” You smiled.

“Fair enough.”_____

Throughout the whole evening, you kept thinking of what you said just hours ago. Damn, that was close. You knew he was thinking about it too but as time progresses and as more drinks entered your bodies it all started to matter less and when you were coming back home at half past 11 at night nothing mattered at all.

You reached your doorstep, a wobbling, laughing mess drunk out of your mind. This was the first time in weeks you got to hang out with Damon like this and as usual, you went overboard.

He was smoking a cigarette. His favorite and one you in time got used to as well. You held his hand as you stopped before your door and swirled around like a drunk ballerina in high heels.

“I gotta go up.” You mumbled out.

“Can I go with you?” Damon asked throwing his cigarette on the ground and stomping on it with his shoe.

“Hmm…Nope.” you giggled.

“C’mooooon… Let’s have some fun huh?” He smiled and wrapped his arms around you sloppily. “I want youuu~” You bit your lip. Your drunk and your sober sides battled in your head whether you should let him or not but then his lips found your sweet spot on your neck and you were gone…

“Get up.”_______

A ring of the doorbell and your eyes shoot open. Momentarily you gasp and jump out the bed much to Damon’s disapproval and attempt to keep you in bed and preserve heat. Quickly, you put on a robe and close the bedroom door behind you as you jog to the front one.

You knew exactly who that was and you were definitely NOT prepared.

Your head hurt like a mother fucker. The pulsing pain was just everywhere and you don’t think you were ever this hungover.

You took a deep breath and unlock the door. Before you stood both your brothers with giant grins on their faces and big travel bags by their feet.

“Ayeee Y/N!!” Liam cheered pulling you into a tight hug. “Did we wake ya up?” You forced a smile and nodded.

“It’s nothing. I’m glad you did. Sorry I overslept. I got a couple drinks with friends yesterday.” Noel laughed.

“Well well well… Watch out for that, kid. You never know who you might end up with in the mornin’.” He and Liam laughed but all you could do is chuckle nervously. “We learned that the hard way. Seriously, never get drunk in fockin’ Manchester. You think you scored you wake up in the mornin’ and turns out ya shagged fockin’ Bigfoot.” You giggled.

“Yeah alright I don’t know what you guys are doing or where you’re going at night and frankly, I don’t wanna know.” You said with a smile.

“Just a warning girl, the Londoners ain’t better.” Liam added before he plopped down on your couch.

“I always had bigger standards than you two wankers ever had.” You pointed out.

You were about to go to the kitchen to get yourself some aspirin when you froze. To your horror, you heard the door to your bedroom slowly open.

Fuck. Oh FUCK.

You didn’t know what to do. Should you run there and lock Damon in so he doesn’t come out and see your brothers? But then they’ll know you brought someone with you last night and they’ll want to know who. Or worse, they’ll go and open the door themselves and god knows you won’t be able to stop them. But… if he does come out then…

It was too late.

“…What the FUCK is HE DOING HERE?” You squeezed your eyes shut the moment you heard Liam shout out.

You sighed and turned around. Damon was standing by the door to your bedroom, shocked and still ⅓ asleep. Both Liam and Noel were standing by the couch looking as if they were ready to murder him.

“DID YOU SCREW OUR DAMN SISTER YOU BASTARD?” It was Noel’s turn to raise his voice.

“God please don’t shout…” You pleaded, taking a step closer to them.

“Y/N what’s going on?” Damon asked now fully awake.

“I…” You didn’t know what to even say.

“Oh I’ll tell you what’s going on you fockin’ bastard-” You grabbed Noel’s arm before he could swing his fist at your boyfriend.

“NOEL STOP.” You shouted.

“This better be a fockin one-night stand Y/N.” Liam hissed.

“Guys can we… Can we please just sit down for a second?” You asked letting go of Noel’s arm. Hesitantly,  they agreed.

—

“Care to explain what is going on here?” Liam asked. You were sitting next to Damon not sure what to even say.

“I… I wasn’t completely honest with all of you…” you started. “And…” You sighed and looked around. They were all looking at you. “Okay fine. Fine, you know what? Here’s the truth:” First, you turned your head in Damon’s direction.”Damon, Liam and Noel are my brothers. I am a Gallagher.” next,  you turned to the two “Liam, Noel, Damon is my boyfriend. I’m sorry I’ve been keeping all of this a secret but I knew that this was going to end this stupid fucking way.”

Silence fell in the room. Both your brothers and Damon were shocked and speechless.

Oh no… You thought. You prepared yourself that someone will probably leave the room… But no one did.

“This… it's… it’s a bit shocking…” Damon was the first one to say something. You looked at him and nodded.

“Sorry…” You said weakly on the verge of tears.

“It’s shocking that you kept it from me for so long.” You frowned.

“Wait… What?” Damon sighed and grabbed your hand.

“Do you really think I would’ve cared? Y/N, honestly… I love you. I don’t care who you’re related to.”

“Yeah… and we…” Noel started “As long as you’re happy and he treats you right I don’t think we have the right to intervene in your relationship. Even though I’d just love to murder this cunt right about now for even holding your hand. ”

“It don’t mean we’re gonna like the guy…” Liam pointed at Damon “…or anything though. Just… we’ll try to tolerate him. But you fucker do one thing wrong to her and I’ll bash your fockin head in you bastard.” Damon scoffed,  offended but you just laughed.

“I… To be honest I don’t know how to respond to that…” You giggled.

“I don’t blame you…” Damon growled but he softened up when you giggled again and side hugged him. “I’m going to go now Y/N. You have fun miss Gallagher and I’ll see you later yeah?” He asked smiling. You nodded.

“Yeah go, go.” You grinned.

When he was out the door both Liam and Noel immediately relaxed.

“Damn guys…he intimidates y'all that much?” They scoffed.

“That cunt? Never.” Liam growled, making you roll your eyes.

“Mhmmm…suuure.”

____

Later in the day you were on the phone with Damon.

“So that’s why you turned me down all those times?” He asked.

“Yep… they were usually in town for a gig or something. Sorry bout that.”

“No worries. I imagine it’ll be a little hard but I’ll try not to think that these dumbasses are your brothers…” You sighed jokingly.

“Oh c'mon Damon… you can handle it…”

“Yeah yeah… But you know what? I think that now that I know your last name is Gallagher and not Y/L/N like you lied to me, the best thing to do is you to marry me so you could be called something pretty like Albarn instead.” You rolled your eyes.

“Of course Damon of course…”

[secretagentspydetectiveninja]

Queen Cobra - chapter 4

It’s ya pal back again with that snake Miraculous holder Alix fic! The memes are back with a vengeance

dedicated to @randomestfandoms - happy birthday my amazing awesome friend!!!!

Also on AO3 as usual

Late the next morning, Alix was awoken by Scoot yelling in her ear, “YOUR PHONE IS RINGING!”

She batted the stupid kwami away and turned over, not even bothering to open her eyes. “Yeah, that’s why I put it on silent, so I can be asleep and ignore it. Now go away.”

“But it’s Adrien.”

Oh, well why didn’t he say so first?! That was different! Maybe the poor kid was having a sad moment again and still refused to inconvenience Nino about it. She grabbed her phone off the table next to her and answered. “What’s up?”

“Hey armrest, glad to hear you’re awake for once!”

Pffff, that wasn’t Adrien. She finally opened her eyes and looked at the phone screen to see that the call was from Arch Nemesis #1, and that Scoot was cackling away just out of arm’s reach. She made a throat-cutting motion at him, planning to flush him down the toilet later when she had woken up enough to actually get up, and turned her attention back to the phone call. “What do you want, Kim?”

“Just checking that you haven’t forgotten about the noodle challenge later today.”

“Of course I haven’t,” she lied, quickly glancing at the clock to check how much time she had left before that. One hour? Really? There was no way she was getting out of bed before then, not when Scoot had interrupted her sleep so cruelly. “Actually I was thinking, can we postpone it until–”

“This is the third time we’ve had to reschedule! You’re not scared, are you?”

“Of course not!” she snapped. “The other two times were because of akuma attacks, that wasn’t my fault!”

“Well you can’t use that excuse anymore, so if you don’t turn up then I’ll assume I’ve won. Is that alright, armrest?”

“Ohhh, fine. And stop calling me armrest.”

“Sure. See you later, munchkin.”

He hung up before she could say anything else. The first thing she did was turn to Scoot and stick a finger up at him.

“I’ll kill you in real life, Scoot.”

Scoot just chuckled and floated a little further away. “Maybe have another check of your phone! You got a message, too.”

Stuffing her murderous rage back down, she looked at her phone again. Sure enough, there was a message, and it was indeed from Adrien this time.

Can you please come over? Something weird just happened!

Oh, so he did need something after all. It was probably best to visit him as soon as possible.

But the noodle challenge… only an hour away…

Would she have time to go visit Adrien first? Whatever the issue was, it was probably far more important than some stupid challenge, but then again she had waited so long for the opportunity to legally beat up Kim with a foam pool noodle…

Never mind. Adrien was counting on her. She would just have to be super quick, that was all. And for that, she needed the help of…

“Scoot!” She leapt out of bed and ran over, but the silly kwami flew too high for her to reach. “Get over here, I need to transform.”

“Oh really? Then what about your murderous threats earlier? Do you only keep me around because I’m useful, Alix?”

“No! I’m… I’m sorry for threatening to kill you. There, is that better?”

“Hmm, a little bit.” Scoot floated a tad lower, though still too high to reach. “But in any case I haven’t eaten in at least a week. I’d need food before I can transform.”

Oh come on, Scoot didn’t need to eat! It wasn’t like Queen Cobra ever used her special powers, unlike Ladybug and Rena. “I don’t have time to give you food right now. You eat way too slowly.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to deal with Queen Cobra being woefully underpowered, won’t you?”

“I don’t have time for this.” She sighed. “Okay, look. You can hide in my hat or pocket or something and I’ll take a dead mouse with me and you can eat it along the way. Is that fine?”

He finally came back down to eye level. “Much better.”

“Good. But before we go…” She grabbed him in her hand, causing him to let out a little squeak, and then headed off towards the bathroom with an evil grin on her face. “Revenge.”

“What…? No, no, no! You’re not flushing me down the toilet! NO!”

“Relax, dude, I’m kidding. I’m just gonna brush my teeth.”

Scoot shook himself free. “Oh, thank goodness…”

They were at the front gates of the Agreste mansion around 25 minutes later. Alix had worn her civilian rollerskates to get there fast enough, and Scoot was currently in her pocket munching on the dead corpse of some unfortunate rodent. She rang the bell and was let in by Adrien’s glorified babysitter Nathalie – though on the condition that she took her skates off first.

By the time she actually got past all of the security and into Adrien’s room she only had 30 minutes left before the noodle challenge. Taking travel times into account, it was more like 15 minutes. Hopefully this wasn’t going to take too long.

Adrien leapt to his feet with a piece of paper in hand and ran over. “Alix! I’m so glad you’re here! Uh…” He stared very pointedly at Nathalie until she sighed and left the room, closing the door behind her. “Okay good, she’s gone. Anyway, I just received this letter today, and it’s about the ring again. Take a look.”

Alix took the letter and skimmed over it. It seemed to be a letter from that annoying rich guy again, asking the same things as yesterday, the whole “oh hey can I have my ring back if you find it? Also don’t tell anyone or put it on! This isn’t suspicious!”

“Isn’t this from that guy from yesterday?” she asked.

“No, that was M. Durand. This is Durande, with an E. Another one of the people my father did business with.”

“Really? Another one?” All these boring rich people seemed exactly the same, right down to their surnames, almost like they were just lame palette swaps of one another with no real individual character or personality.

“It’s so strange,” Adrien said. “This man says that the ring belongs to him. But so did M. Durand yesterday. One of them must be lying!”

“Or both,” Alix suggested.

“True! But then why do they want it so much?”

“Because it’s the Cat Miraculous,” Scoot muttered from inside Alix’s pocket.

“Be quiet,” she said, giving him a poke. “Just eat your food.”

“So what do we do?” Adrien asked.

“No idea. Maybe have a look for the ring and then wear it yourself.”

His face lit up. “Imagine if it really is the Cat Miraculous, though. Wouldn’t that be so paw-some?”

Alix resisted the urge to smack him over the head. “If it really is, then it’s probably best to give it back to Fu like a good, responsible child.”

“Oh yes, of course…”

There was a knock at the door, and Nathalie entered again without waiting for a reply. “Adrien, there’s another guest here to see you.”

“Who is it?”

“Someone by the name of M. Durant.”

“Not another one!” He crossed his arms. “Tell him I’m busy. I don’t want to see him.”

“He is very persistent.”

“Tell him I already know what he wants, and other people have already been asking me the same thing so he’s not getting it.”

Nathalie frowned, for a second looking as if she were about to ask what this was all about, but then resumed her usual neutral expression. “Very well.” With that, she turned and left once more.

“This is getting out of hand,” Adrien said, looking worried. “If my father’s ring really is something special, I don’t want to give it to any of these people. But then what will they do? And anyway, I don’t even know where the ring is!”

“We need a metal detector,” Alix suggested.

“Um… but there’s lots of metal things in this house. And the ring might not even be metal.”

“Then we need a wizard.”

He laughed, a very un-Adrien-like laugh that she was still unaccustomed to hearing. “You’re not very good at taking things seriously, are you?”

Of course she wasn’t. And that was why she was also very good at messing up. “Sorry, I’m just–”

“No, I don’t mind! I like it. Without Nino here, everything’s serious again in my life.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I need someone to share my bad puns with.”

Sincere heartfelt affection was also something she was unaccustomed to hearing – at least from people who weren’t Jalil. Probably best to say something equally kind in return.

“Um… cool beans,” she said, finger-gunning at him. And then wanted to punch herself in the face. Luckily she was spared from further embarrassment by the entrance of Nathalie, yet again.

“M. Durant asked me to give you this,” she said, holding out a little envelope at Adrien. “He claims that it is urgent, and extremely confidential.”

“Thank you, Nathalie,” Adrien said, taking the letter, his smile vanishing. “He’s gone now, right?”

“Yes.” Nathalie began to leave, but turned back for a second at the door. “Adrien, if I may ask… what is going on?”

“Um… they all want money. People keep turning up saying they lent some to father and that he never gave it back, and now…”

“I see. Would you like me to double check the balances to make sure that no one is owed any money, and print the receipts for proof in case this happens again?”

He nodded. “Yes please. That would be great. If it’s no trouble.”

“It isn’t.” She walked out of the room and closed the door. Adrien immediately let out a relieved breath.

“I don’t know if she fell for that,” he admitted. “Anyway, I guess I’ll see what’s in this new letter now…”

He tore it open and began reading it. Alix went up on tiptoes to look at it over his shoulder. It was handwritten and a little messy, almost as if the guy had written it on the spot outside the door. And it was not very friendly.

“The ring rightfully belongs to me, and if I hear you’ve given it to any other imposters that claim it, then there will be consequences…” Adrien read aloud, his face blanching. “Everyone wants this ring so much – I think this is a threat! What am I going to do?”

“Um, do you want a silly suggestion or a sensible suggestion?”

Despite his nervousness, he smiled a little. “Silly, please.”

“Alright. You should invite them all over and then lock them in the courtyard and tell them it’s a Hunger Games. Whoever’s alive at the end gets to keep the ring.”

He giggled a little. “How do you even come up with this stuff? Have you got any more silly ideas?”

“Hmm… You could make it into a treasure hunt. Let them scour the house and whoever finds the ring gets to keep it. Also hide little chocolates everywhere to make it more fun. Or it could be a tournament! With like chess and jousting and stuff. And at the end they have to fight me.”

“You just want an excuse to fight them, don’t you?”

“…Maybe.”

“She always wants an excuse to fight people,” Scoot said, still inside Alix’s pocket. “For example, she’s about 10 seconds away from ditching you to go fight her panther friend, so–”

“Shush! Be quiet!” She slammed her hand over the pocket, hoping she was smothering him. “First of all, Kim isn’t my friend. Second of all, I’m not just ditching Adrien. Well, maybe a little bit. But not because I want to!”

“It’s alright, you can ditch me,” Adrien laughed. “I wouldn’t want you to lose a challenge because of me! But um, before you go… what should I do now? Any advice?”

Alix tried to think of something sensible, but her brain was running blank. Ladybug and Rena were the ones who were good at being sensible. Not her.

“Be safe,” she said, internally cringing over how cliché that sounded. “If this ring thing is so serious that people are threatening you over it, you should probably stay inside the house. At least until I think of something better and get back to you.”

His face fell. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. It might be dangerous for you outside and I’m not having you getting kidnapped and ransomed or anything, that’s such a stereotypical rich-kid-thing to happen and it’s also really lame and probably not very fun. So stay here for now.”

“You’re keeping me inside indefinitely?!”

“Not indefinitely! Just…” She glanced at her watch. “Look, I really have to go. Maybe have a look for the ring while you’re here. See you later, okay?”

Seeing the hurt expression on his face was hitting her with a rather annoying sense of guilt, so she quickly turned away and headed out of the door. What was so bad about being stuck inside for a while, anyway? Even as an outdoorsy person, Alix got grounded all the time and she was easily used to it. It wasn’t the end of the world. Being murdered over some stupid ring? Now that would be the end of the world.

Once outside of the mansion and out onto the street, she found an empty spot and let Scoot out of her pocket. “Dude, you’ve finished eating, right?”

“I have indeed,” Scoot replied. “All that remains in your pocket is the skeleton.”

“Ew, that is disgusting, you little traitor. I know perfectly well you can eat the skeleton too. It should be skele-gone.”

Scoot glared at her. “You have been hanging out with Adrien too much lately.”

“Well someone’s gotta. Anyway, there’s no way I can make it in time unless I transform, and I’m not passing up the chance to kill Kim – uh, I mean, defeating him in a way that definitely does not involve death. Scoot, form Voltron!”

With a flash she transformed into Queen Cobra and skated away.

One satisfying victory later, Alix rollerskated into Fu’s room with sunglasses on and her winner’s prize of a can of Red Bull in hand. “Grandpa, you’re not gonna fricking believe this–”

She stopped dead when she saw that Fu was already with someone. And not just anyone.

“Adrien! What the hell are you doing here?! I told you to stay at home!”

He was sitting there opposite Fu, having a cup of tea, listening to Wayzz pattering around on the phonograph. Looking up at her sheepishly, he said, “I, um, really don’t like being kept inside.”

She lifted up her sunglasses to glare at him properly. “But this is for your safety!”

“That’s the exact thing my father told me when he kept me locked inside the house before I was allowed to come to school…”

Oh. Oh. Of course. The years of isolation that Adrien had suffered. How could she have forgotten about that?

“Alright, fair enough,” she said, though still slightly annoyed at the fact that even real threats could not make this boy care for his own safety. “But next time you leave the house alone, take that massive bodyguard of yours with you.”

“I did. He’s waiting in the car down the street.”

“Well, I guess that’s better than nothing…” She skated forwards and sat down with a thump, leaning on the table in front of her. “So, why are you here?”

“I told Master Fu what’s going on.”

Oh, good. That was exactly what Alix had come here to do too. Scoot whizzed out of her pocket and started being annoying, as usual.

“Master, please tell this imbecile what the Cat Miraculous looks like!”

Fu smiled, taking a long sip of his tea, before putting it down and replying. “Black with a green paw print on it.”

“But – but–”

“Of course, that is only when it is actively being used by a hero. Otherwise it takes the appearance of a perfectly ordinary silver ring.”

“AHA!” Scoot flew back and punched Alix’s arm. “I told you so! I told you so!”

“Yeah, well I told you so too,” she said, pushing him away. “I wasn’t wrong about it being black and green, was I?”

“So my father’s ring really is the Cat Miraculous?” Adrien said, his eyes lighting up.

“That seems likely,” Fu answered. “That would explain why so many people want it, and would also explain why Hawk Moth wanted Ladybug’s Miraculous so much. Those two Miraculouses combined give the wearer power like no other.”

“You mean like time travel kinda power?” Alix asked, thinking back to her birthday. If only she could go back in time and just – !

“Possibly, if that is what the wearer wanted. But its power comes with terrible consequences. Adrien, you cannot let anyone get hold of that ring. You must search for it and bring it to me.”

Adrien nodded. “I’ll… I’ll try. But then what do I tell everyone who wanted it? How did they even know about it?”

“I do not know. Perhaps your father was bribing them to keep quiet about it, and now with him in jail, they are taking their revenge. Take care, Adrien.”

He sank down, his shoulders drooping. “So I have to take my bodyguard everywhere I go now? To protect me?”

Alix gave him a poke in the arm. “Nope. You could always take your awesome superpowered friend with you instead.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you, Alix.”

“No problem. If I see Ladybug and Rena again I’ll ask them to keep a lookout for you too, if you want.”

“That would be great.”

The thought of Ladybug and Rena Rouge gave her a pang of, well, something. Was she missing them? Surely not! She hadn’t even known them that well, had she? Not well enough to miss them!

But certainly well enough to trust them. It had always been nice having them around, and now she never knew when she was next going to see them, if at all. If only she knew who they were as civilians – then maybe she could actually hang out with them more often!

Adrien put his empty cup on the table. “Thank you for the tea, Master Fu, it was much needed. I suppose I’ll go back and start searching for that ring now…”

“Good luck,” Fu replied.

“Thanks.” He stood up to leave. “Hey, um, Alix? Do you want to come along?”

“Why?” she asked. “You don’t need a superhero’s powers to help you search for some random ring.”

“No, I meant, it would just be more fun with a friend, I guess… and I’ve got loads of video games, so if we get bored, we could…”

Wait, he actually wanted to hang out with her? In his spare time? When he technically didn’t need to? But that just… that just didn’t happen. Marinette only ever invited her over to participate in her zany over-the-top schemes, same with Alya, Mylène only ever wanted homework help, Kim only challenged her to stupid stuff…

They only ever spoke to her because they needed her for something. She had assumed that was the same with Adrien too. He was only hanging out with her because she was Queen Cobra, and he needed her help.

But this…

He didn’t need her around right now. He just wanted her around. And not as Queen Cobra, but as Alix.

“Heck yeah!” she said, leaping to her feet so fast she almost slipped over in her skates. “Let’s go! Come on Scoot. See you later, ninja turtle!”

“You too, solid snake!” Fu replied, waving at them as they left the room.

[redvioletpanda-art]

Ash’s Inktober Art Supply Megalist

a Because Inktober is such a huge event and because it’s relatively new and doesn’t have a huge masterlist of art supply lists associated with it, I have decided to post and maintain a masterlist of art supplies ranging from inks, pens, and sketchbooks to use as well as art supply stores online and other useful hints based off of my own, my friends, and other helpful artists who have given me pointers on this site.

INKS

Author’s Note: Anything called India Ink is waterproof by default most of the time. Shellac based ink tends to have a sheen, though there are exceptions. Most if not all color ink aside from black and white will not be light fast.

Dr. PH Martin’s Black Star India Ink

It is water proof and lightproof and does not contain a sheen like most other illustration inks, which means it won’t have light reflections when you scan or photograph your work. I have used it in dip pens and brushes, and it works well even when diluted with water to create shading effects. It has a rich black tone.Not entirely copic proof.

Koh-I-Noor Water-resistant Inks

These inks are water-proof and ideal to use in dip pens. It isn’t lightfast, at least the color versions aren’t,  but the black and white inks are. Black and white are opaque colors while the other colors (numbering 17 in all) are transparent, similar to watercolors. Unlike a few others on this list, they come in plastic bottles rather than glass.

Yasutomo Black Sumi Ink

It’s a good brush ink, although there are some drawbacks. One would be the fact that if exposed to air long enough it will get thick, as well as the fact that it has a strong scent due to the fact that it does contain various eye and skin irritants, so don’t get any on your hands. It is very waterproof though, and works nicely if you know how to use it. It is not copic proof. It does come in a plastic container. There’s a vermillion color I haven’t used, but looks nice and bright.

Windsor-Newton Inks

Basically the go to for all and any illustration inks you’ll ever worked with. This is the ink you’ll use in art class (at least the art classes I’ve been to). They come in two different sets, though you are most likely to see the first set. They also come in metallic colors, which is a good thing if you want to go fancy. They are waterproof, but not light proof, so care must be taken when displaying them. They come in glass bottles that do not tip over.

Deleter Black 4

The ink for manga artists. It’s not only a rich solid black, it’s also resistant to fading from erasers, as well as being copic/marker proof. Excellent to use with dip pen and brush. Also waterproof, like most Deleter brand inks.

Keimei Manga Pen Ink

Not only is it waterproof and copic proof, it also has a matte finish, excellent for scanner in your work. 

PENS

Staedler Pigment Liner

Lightproof, waterproof, and smear proof. Similar to microns, but from what I’ve heard better. It is erasable though on certain surfaces. Does not bleed through and won’t dry out for 18 hours if left uncapped.

Sakura Pigma Microns

Won’t feather, won’t bleed through, and a favorite of many artists. It is not Copic proof however, so try to use them after using copic. I’m not too big of a fan of these, as the think nibs do break if you use them on sharp curves and such. 

Marvy Le Pen

This is becoming a surefire favorite of mine. Not only is it quite cheap, it’s also waterproof and copic proof (the permanent pen however, is not copic proof). It has a stronger nib than the Micron and it does comes in a brush tip, unlike a few others.

Windsor-Newton PITT

One of the more famous pens used for illustration, the PITT pen comes in a variety of nib sizes as well as brush pens. They are waterproof, lightfast, and acid free. They are not copic proof however, and should be used after a copic drawing.

Pentel Technica Stylo Pen

I think these pens are servely underrated. Not only are they a cheap alternative to a lot of other pens on this list, they are also waterproof and copic proof. They come in a variety of sizes and excellent with any medium, including watercolors. However you need to watch out as the ball point can get clogged up. I own at least four and they have lasted me for at least a year.

Pentel Color Brush Pen

Waterproof and really neat for those who like using brush pens, these are nice for those who travel around and use ink. It’s technically a brush pen with a reservoir of black ink you can squeeze out. Warning, there’s a few setbacks, as it does take a while to dry if laying in thick amounts of black ink. It is not copic proof, but can be used on top of copics. A good note of caution is not to squeeze too hard as the ink will drip right out. If the ink runs out, you can refill it with your own ink.

Copic Multiliner

If you are using copics, you should definately have a number of these at your disposal. They are waterproof, smearproof, and won’t bleed through paper. The other good part is the fact that they come in a SP version which can be refilled and reused, although they’re more expensive.

Sakura Gelly Roll

The white pens are excellent for making highlights and contrast. 

Watercolors and Markers

Copic Markers

Literally the go to markers and my favorite markers to use overall. They come in a wide variety of colors and types and can be refilled. However they are pricey, but I feel like all in all they are worth the extra cash. Many come in pre-made sets in certain color combinations, though I would start in either a blue palette, a red palette or a grey palette to test them out. Like many markers, they will bleed through, and I would use either marker paper or a thick paper to use them on.

Sharpies

Not too much of a fan of these. but they are cheap and found everywhere. They come in a range of sizes and types, but like most markers, they bleed through paper. They are waterproof and fast drying.

Windsor Newton Watercolors

These come in either pans or tubes, but I use a mix of them. The ones I use are cotman, which are the cheaper version and comes in a plastic travel palette kit which can be put in a lot of places. I have added a number of tubes, due to the number of colors avaliable. They have rich and vibrant colors. The pan colors don’t mix as well in my experience, but the tube colors work lovely. The fact that they come in travel kits is the main reason why I put them on here.

M. Graham Watercolors

A professional set of watercolors, and they have super rich colors. They only seem to come in tubes, which aren’t as good for travel.

Ecoline Liquid Watercolors

I wasn’t sure to put these in inks, but given that they are called watercolors, I’m putting them here. They are dye based and bright and come in wide mouth jars. They can also be dluted with water. Unlike any of the watercolors here, you can use them in dip pens and airbrushes. 

Sketchbooks

Author Notes: The paper to get is paper that is 100 gsm and up, as anything 100 gsm and up will hold to water better. The higher you get the better the paper will hold to washes and won’t buckle.

Moleskien Cahier Journal

I personally find the whole Moleskien brand pretty expensive, but they are recommended by the Inktober site. However, you’ll need to watch out as ink won’t dry fast and markers will bleed through the paper

Bee Creative Mix Media/Marker

I really like this paper as it’s thick and holds up to watercolors and markers well. It also doesn’t warp as badly as the watercolor version of this sketchbook. It has a thick black cover but it is wirebound so watch out for shoving it into backpacks and bags.

Bee Sketchbooks

These tend to have thicker paper, and good tooth for pen and ink, copics and illustration. 

Canson Sketchbooks

A lot of these are good for watercolors and pen and ink, especially the Mix Media Art Book, Artist Series Mix Media, and the field books. The XL series is also great for those looking to save a little for a big bang.

Derwent Sketchbooks

These are a thing, but unfortunately the only one I can find at the moment is one that has premade designs in it. 

Online Stores

Oozak

I have used this store in the past and it has some great deals on Copics

Jetpens

A new store I have discovered, it offers a large variety of pens, inks, and nibs

Blick’s

A very famous art store, they do offer gifts in your online purchases and have some good shipment deals

Poses and Reference

Senshi-Stock

Offers a lot of awesome poses, must  be on DevArt to view. They also have a Pateron if you want to support them.

Pose-Maniacs

Rather limited, but good for some poses

Photo Reference for Comic Artists

A site I just discovered which has lots of royalty free pose references ranging from action and everyday to clothing reference

Music

Dark5 Radio

Offers dark syth-techno tunes

Electronic Gems

Some really good tunes here

Artzie Music

Mainly Future Funk and Vaporwave

Walt Ribeiro

Ever wanted to hear “Take on Me” done by an orchestra? This is the place

NOTES

Have at least two erasers at your disposal, one of them should be a kneaded eraser as they lift graphite marks and do not leave a dusty mess.

It’s alright to draw with pencil first

Take breaks to drink water and stretch every 30 minutes or so

It’s good to invest in B nibs and manga art nibs if you plan on using bottled ink. Maru and school points are the best for manga and illustration style.

Round and liner brushes are the best brushes to use for inking lines

You can plan ahead your drawings, sometimes it helps.

Listen to music while drawing helps in getting some ideas.

Official Page for Inktober

Thanks to @ancaxbre , @ayasunflower ,and @ps-art for suggestions

[jackintheponeyofdiamonds]

✧ Apprentice asks ✧

 So I’ve found this a m a z i n g Arcana Apprentice Ask Meme created by @gooddoctorjules and ofc i had to fill it because i like to talk about my OCs and omg this questions were so GOOD!  Answers under cut cause some of them were pretty long

 1. What is their full name? What does it mean? Do they go by any nicknames/aliases?

His name is Morpheus Rhiannon. “Morpheus” is the Greek God of Dreams and “Rhiannon” is one of the Celtic Goddesses of the Moon (I have a thing for naming characters after mythological figures). When he was younger people used to call him “stormy” due to his spitfire personality and impulsive behavior. He didn’t change his ways, but he lost touch with the people who nicknamed him that. During some years he ran his exoteric shop under a pseudonym, “Felis” (named after the cat constellation). But nowadays everyone just call him Morpheus.

2. Do they have a familiar? What is it?

Morpheus has a small Egyptian Fruit Bat called Boo. She is tiny and scared of everything and everyone. Boo likes to hide in Morpheus scarf sometimes. Also, not a familiar but Morpheus has a lot of cactuses. All named George. All. Of. Them. Don’t question it.

3. What type/s of magic do they specialize in?

I’m not really sure how magic works in The Arcana. Besides from fortune-telling (he used to read runes before Asra taught him his tarot skills) and a very strong sixth sense, I believe Morpheus would be an Oneiromancer (a mage who interprets dreams) and have a few lightning-related attack spells.

4. Which of the major arcana best represents them?

I guess all the apprentices are meant to be The Fool card, at least in the beginning of the story, since it means, among other things, “Set forth on a new journey, one that is completely unknown and will take you to uncharted territories”, pretty fitting. But I think Morpheus can also be represented by a Reversed Moon card: It means he’s living in a moment of unhappiness and discomfort but he doesn’t know what he can do about it. Past experiences made him doubt himself, doubt if he is able to move forward. The Reversed Moon also means he is in a more intuitive phase than a reasoned one, though his intuition feels confusing which leads to possible misinterpretation.

Also, if I had to pick a future card for Morpheus, it’d be The Judgement: “With its theme of awakening to new life, the Judgement card suggests that you have reviewed and evaluated your past experiences and have learned from them. All the pieces of the puzzle of your life are finally coming together to form one, integrated picture of your life story. This integration has healed any deep wounds and you are now in a position to put the past behind you.”  

And since I’m super into runes, I’d like to add that Morpheus runes are Perthro (Secrets, mystery, occult abilities. Determining your path in the future.) and Algiz (Awakening, connection with higher powers. Follow your intuition. A desire to protect yourself or others.)  

 5. What animal best represents them?

Either a raccoon or a peacock. Raccoon because he is small (kinda, he is 5’7/171cm), has dark circles under his eyes, looks cute but will fight you and peacock because he’s super flamboyant. As for his spirit animal, I think the one that fits him best is the bat (maybe that’s why he has a pet bat). The bat represents people that are aware and sensitive of their surroundings, that can have high psychic levels, have high chances of have prophetic dreams and are not easily fooled by illusions.

6. Describe their grimoire profile.

The spitfire apprentice who’s trying to find meaning to his life. ♐

✧Favorite food: Plum Pie ✧Favorite drink: Iced Tea

✧Favorite flower: Night-blooming jasmine

 7. What is their Myers-Briggs type?

INTP – (Introversion, Intuition, Thinking, Perceiving)

8. What is their natural alignment (lawful/neutral/chaotic good/neutral/evil)?

Chaotic Neutral leaning towards Chaotic Good.

9. Which Hogwarts house would they be in?

Probably Slytherin. Morpheus personality is loosely based on mine, and I’m a slytherin, so…

10. Of the nine intelligences (logical-mathematical, existential, interpersonal, intrapersonal, kinesthetic, spatial, naturalist, musical, linguistic), which is their greatest strength? Their greatest weakness?

In order of the greatest strength to the weakness: Linguistic, Spatial, Existential, Musical, Naturalist, Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Intrapersonal.

Basically he is great at writing, loves books and sucks at understanding his own feelings.

11. What did they think of Asra leaving? Of his gift? 

Morpheus relationship with Asra is… complicated, as the baker said. Morpheus likes Asra, he really enjoys his company. But every time he feels they are getting closer, Asra leaves. In the beginning, he didn’t mind the secrecy around Asra’s travels but as the time passed, it started to bother Morpheus. A lot. He doesn’t understand why his master doesn’t trust him after all this time. So when Asra said he was leaving again, Morpheus got really pissed. About the gift, well… It’s not like Morpheus wasn’t marveled by the tarot deck but his sixth sense tells him that cards are trouble. He didn’t really want to accept the deck, he doesn’t need it, he can very well use his runes for guidance. Plus, the fact that it’s the first time Asra leaves that bloody cards behind is suspicious.

12. What do they think of Nadia’s request that they go to the palace?

First of all, Morpheus doesn’t like Countess Nadia at all. He thinks she is tyrant who doesn’t care about her people. So when she shows up in the middle of the night demanding that he goes to the palace his first thoughts are “Who does she think she is? I mean she is the Countess and all but still??”. He was planning in ignoring her request, but after the card telling him she has a plan in motion he got curious about it and decided to give it a chance. When he actually went to the palace and heard what Nadia had in mind he was like “Nope. I don’t want to be a part of it. Nonononono NO”. However, even though Morpheus made it very clear he wouldn’t cooperate with the Countess, she didn’t really care, so… yeah. Let’s just say “curiosity killed the cat” is a very fitting proverb.  

13. What do they think of the various animals they encounter at the palace?

MUST. PET. THEM. ALL. Yes, even the vampire eels. Seriously now, Morpheus really like animals, but knows how to respect them. He has plenty conscience that some creatures are only to be admired from a distance, which seems to be the case with most of the animals he encountered in the palace, unfortunately.

14. What is their day-to-day outfit? What do they wear when the dress up (such as for the masquerade)?

In his day-to-day Morpheus likes to wear comfortable clothes, usually tapered harem pants and a tunic or a gypsy shirt, with flats on his shoes. His clothes are mostly in shades of purple and black, with some sea-green accessory. In a fancier meeting, he’ll go more flamboyant. The pants would be less baggy, the shirt would be more open with the classic Arcana Tiddy Window™ and he’d probably wear a shawl around his waist. He would wear lace-up boots with a short heel. The color palette would be the same but more sparkly. In his head he’ll use a silver circlet, and some bracelets with fake coins.   As for the masquerade, I picture him with a very open dark red shirt, which pretty much just covers his shoulders and arms, matching colors with an asymmetrical sarong skirt, over the shirt and skirt he wears a purple corset with some jades decorating it. Bellow the shirt he wears a light brownish flare pants. As for shoes, he wears bright red ankle strap high heels. And last, but not least, he wears a bright red choker on his neck, to match the shoes.

15. What is their favorite type of weather/environment?

Morpheus likes cold and rainy weather. He hates when it gets too hot, it makes him grumpy and even lazier than he usually is. Also the earthy smell after the rain reminds him of home.

16. Do they have any prized possessions?

Even though Morpheus is not the type to get attached to things, he has two very prized possessions. One is a small and rusty green dream-catcher with a single agate stone stuck in the middle. When Morpheus was younger he had terrible nightmares every night, he’d wake up screaming and crying and had a really hard time going back to sleep. So his mother made that dream-catcher to help him out. He never find out if it was actually enchanted at that time or it just helped ease Morpheus mind. The second thing is his set of runes. His older brother made it to him out of red wood once they started noticing Morpheus had a gift for fortune telling. Morpheus used those runes to read the fortune to some people in his home-town, earning a few extra coins for his family. Nowadays he uses another set, made of tourmaline stones, but every time he needs guidance to himself, he runs back to his old redwood runes. 17. Do they collect anything?

Yes, he collects cactuses, heartbreaks, and untrustworthy friendships.

18. What sort of first impression do they make?

Looks wise most people mistake him for a woman. Not that he minds, he’s fine with it. Morpheus has a very androgynous face, wears quite feminine clothes and a lot of make-up, so it’s easy to get confused. Now, about his personality, people often think he is cocky, they think Morpheus thinks he is better than anyone else. This is totally not the case. Morpheus is quite shy, so sometimes his answers may sound a bit cocky due to being short. I mean, he can be sassy sometimes and talk without thinking but he usually tries to be nice with strangers and costumers.

19. How do they deal with conflict?

He throws bottles at them. Morpheus is extremely impulsive, he acts before he thinks, and it applies to conflict as well. When it’s a physical conflict, he’ll attack even if the odds of him winning the fight are very unlikely. I mean, he did throw a bottle at Julian even though the doctor is like 17cm/3inches taller than him. In verbal conflict, he says everything that comes to his mind without paying much attention to what he’s actually saying, which may ended up being more harmful than he intended or, sometimes, he may accidentally let information slip. 20. What are their principal goals?

Morpheus believes that everyone comes to the world for a reason; everyone has one meaning in life. He just doesn’t know what his reason and meaning are. He wants to figure out what is his role in the world.  

[loveeveryflower]

Hi everyone!

Soooo… I’ve been MIA lately. I took a little blogging break because I had a lot of fun stuff planned, like a five day trip to lovely London! A haul coming very soon :).

For today I wanted to show you the Charlotte Tilbury The Easy Smokey Eye Palette. I purchased it during 2019 Nordstrom 2019 Anniversay Sale. It’s a Nordstrom Exclusive palette and it looked so gorgeous, I just had to try it! Also, I was curious to see if this palette has it all to become my new favorite daily palette.

The palette has the usual stylish Charlotte Tilbury packaging going on. The brown packaging with gold/rose gold details. Special about this palette is that Charlotte Tilbury usually only makes quads (like the Pillow Talk Luxury Palette and once a year for Christmas a large palette with 12 shades. This Nordstrom Exclusive palette is kind of like halve a Christmas palette.

It’s the perfect size for traveling and it has the shades for an easy, nude look, a soft pink look and a glam look.

The palette is made with two different looks. A Day Eye and a Date Eye. Honestly though, you can make way more looks with it!

The catch with this palette though is that you really have to dig these kind of shades, otherwise you will not get much use out of this palette. I on the other hand, adore these kind of shades because a soft pink or brown/golden look is what I go for the most.

Look at those swatches! I was pleasantly surprised because the usual Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow is very soft and not that pigmented. I love the Pillow Talk Luxury Palette because of the soft shades, they are very fool proof. These shades however, are so pigmented and creamy and the shimmer is real! I can’t wait to try them out!

This is the look I go for on a work day (if I even feel like putting on some eyeshadow, haha). I just take the Enhance shade from the Day Eye or the Prime shade from the Date Eye and put it all over the eye lid. Then I blend out the edges with the tiniest bit of either Smoke from the Day Eye or Enhance from the Date Eye.

When I want a glam eyelook I first apply some Smoke from the Day Eye and apply it in the crease. I add some Enhance from the Day Eye on the eye lid, put some Smoke from the Date Eye in the outer corner and I finish it off with some Prime from the Day Eye in the inner corner.

The eyeshadows are easy to apply, I love how the shimmery shades stay shimmery throughout the day. The only thing I could think of for a con is that some of the shades are very similar and the difference can be hard to see when applied on the eyes.

Other then that: I think this Charlotte Tilbury The Easy Smokey Eye Palette is a winner!

Unfortunately it’s not available anymore, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it in next year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale again or maybe around Christmas time?

Did you get anything from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale?

Charlotte Tilbury The Easy Smokey Eye Palette (Nordstrom Exclusive) Hi everyone! Soooo... I've been MIA lately. I took a little blogging break because I had a lot of fun stuff planned, like a five day trip to lovely London!