#along with just being plan horrifying to look at that was a a very important aspect I wanted to convey

[quins-makeshift-menagerie]

They’re SO MUCH BIGGER and more Two-like than I thought! I LOVE IT! Even tho he’s a bigger boi I can’t help but still love him. Lookit this goofy goopy lil creecher.

But, like, actually tho, they would be absolutely terrifying to see in motion on all 4s like this tho. Especially if it’s fast.

Something that looks frail, but isn’t, and most certainly has something WRONG, AND can move terrifyingly fast? Dead. I’m dead on the spot. Heart stopped before Goops even got to me. It’s one of my favorite flavors of horror. I missed the timing on the body-horror submission ask (and tbh I have an essay’s length of a response for my favorite elements) but he his SO MANY of my favorite body horror details. Gosh I love it when I can just look at something and can be brought to silent tears.

Like, no they don’t have much in terms of stable muscles or fangs (that I can see at least) but that thing will catch you and suffocate you with its own viscous, sloughing off, non-newtonian fluid textured tissue and painfully invade your body with its own. Gag-worthy and violating. Writhing in your viscera and crawling under your skin. Nothing you can do to stop it once it’s inside. Victims reduced to horror and helplessness.

Its more than just a creature of horror, it’s dread. The sickeningly cool, thick sludge pooling and making your stomach feel heavy and churning kind of dread (which is quite fitting considering that might be a bit what it feels like to have that goop shoved down your throat), and mixed with fear is just *mwuah* a horror delicacy.

FANTASTIC. Beautiful. 100/10 did NOT expect this from such a cutesy series but I am PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. As much as I love and could happily drown in slice-of-life family fun with the mittens, I CANNOT wait to see what you do with Spoopy Goops here! I’ll be patient but also vibrating with excitement.

Genuinely glad to hear all of this!!! I was so worried how Goopy would be received but seeing everyone love(and fear lol) him makes me so happy 💕

[allmcl]

WICKED GAME │ Castiel Veilmont.

A quiet afternoon with your boyfriend couldn't seem like a better plan. But when two people are ridiculously in love, they always find something ridiculously more romantic to do.

pairing. castiel veilmont x f!reader

genre. fluff, suggestive.

setting. established relatonship, both are aged up.

content warning. kissing maybe? and castiel loves you too much :( (that needs to be a warning)

author’s note. im kinda nervous to post this 😭, pls tell me if you liked it, enjoy!!

The day was horrible, and all I wanted was to return to the comfort of my room and never leave. But since I discovered the comfort of being with Castiel in his house, simply talking about everything, resting, or any relaxing activity, I understood that there was nothing better than that.

"Feel better?" Castiel asked in a raspy voice, as if he had just woken up.

His finger gently tracing the curve of my back under my shirt sends an electrifying spark through my body. "A lot." I snuggle a little closer to him.

"I'll beat whoever hurted you." Castiel murmured.

I laughed. "You won't."

"Well, not if you don't tell me what happened."

I grimace. "It's not that important, seriously."

"If it concerns you, it's important to me." I don't see his face but I'm sure he's already frowning.

I managed to lean on him and stretch out a little and get a better look. I moved a little closer and my fingers stayed busy untangling the strands that fell into his eyes gray eyes, shining under the sunlight. "You look very handsome." The compliment slips from my mouth before I can think.

Castiel pauses for a second. "Do not change the subject." I would have believed him right if it weren't for the way his ears reddened and his expression relaxed.

"I'm serious." With the golden light from the window illuminating his features, and giving an even brighter shine to the red of his hair, I dare to say that I have rarely seen him so angelic.

He complains. "I knew you were obsessed with me, but it's starting to get embarrassing." Finally his smile escaped.

I rolled my eyes. "Wathever you say..."

A few minutes of silence were enough for the fatigue to dissipate a little. Between talks, Castiel and I were fully up and we were talking about everything and nothing, as usual. At this point in the afternoon, the radiant glow of the sun indicated that it was about to set.

With his eyes still closed, Castiel spoke. "I think about you a lot when I listen to music."

The idea took me by surprise and I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh yeah?" I smiled.

"It's a slow song."

"I thought you only listened to rock bands."

I have shrugged. "Not since I've known you." He confessed and seemed to avoid looking at me for a couple of seconds.

I stretched a little closer to him. "Can I hear it?"

Castiel seemed to hesitate for a moment, but soon agreed. He shyly reached over to turn on a music player and the song began to play. I know it! If I remember correctly, I may have mentioned to him at some point that it was my favorite. "Wicked games" started playing, and I couldn't help but get carried away by the melody.

"Come on!" I said, and got up from the bed. "Dance with me!"

Castiel shot me a horrified look before starting to complain. I slowly started dancing, and I offered him my hand to take, but he seemed prettysure that he wasn't planning on dancing with me.

"Please.." I wishpered.

Castiel could never resist that, so I noticed how he sighed heavily and barely stood up from the bed to join me. Although at first his movements were a little reluctant, he began to play along when I took him by the hands. We intertwined our fingers and I noticed how his grip was so delicate, but still firm.

The now dimly lit room gave everything a comfortable, homely look, and I felt like the time was frozen, and, for a brief moment, it was just the two of us. Castiel didn't dare say anything, but I could tell he was enjoying it too from the way he was watching me. His eyes shine and I can't tell if it's because of the light or some other reason.

"I wouldn't do this if it weren't for you." He reproached with a red face. I smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

Although I expected the same gentleness with which he held me, Castiel caught me off guard and instead grabbed me by the waist tightly, pulling me against him. Our bodies continued to move to the music, only this time we were melted into each other. The strong smell of his cologne intoxicated me, and his body heat relaxed me. His lips kissed mine a little too roughly, but he always did it that way.

His hands caressed from the curve of my waist to my back and higher with constancy and softness, just like the gentle swaying of our bodies.

"It´s nice to have you close..." I quietly whisper, breaking the kiss for just a few seconds.

In response, I feel a warm kiss on the crown of my head. Being so tall, he always used to do that instead of kissing my cheek. My body gives up a little, and I lean against his chest. The song is still playing in the background, and I feel how his chest vibrates while he hums to the rymth of the song.

"This…is nice" He said softly. "Even if it's ridiculously romantic."

I smiled against him, and from the way he pulled me closer, I knew he had noticed. I always knew Castiel wasn't that good with words. But he made an effort for me.

And that was enough.

©allmcl !

[cat-mentality]

My favorite silly qsmp headcannons that have like zero canon evidence

The French version:

Antoine is a eldrich abomination as old as the earth itself, man was just chilling in some dark deep cave eating the eventual mobs or unfortunated explorers, scaring the living shit of people from time to time, until Etoiles strumbled on his lair and proceded to try to fight him and then befriend him as one does

Antoine is very dedicated to act as a human(tm)

Everyone knows he isn't one.

But it's a silent agreement between everyone to just play along with him, because that is very important to him and that's their friend, if he doesn't want them to know he is a ancient horror they wouldn't.

Baghera stabbed someone once because they are going to mention the fact that humans are, actually, not able to just float.

It took Antoine an unholy amount of time to realize Etoiles and Baghera are not in fact humans.

He still doesn't know Pierre is not human either.

Actually, no one in that godforsaken Island knows Pierre isn't human even if the man has mechanical parts in his body and can talk to machines.

He has absolutely no plans of telling them either because he finds it absolutely hilarious. And also, he doesn't actually know that the fuck he is either.

His machines are very vocal, he doesn't even know where they learned to swear, but boy do they do it like sailors

Pierre genuinely believes there are no actual full humans in the world. For him everyone is just a hybrid or has at least a hint of something other in their blood.

Etoiles trauma dumps in the most fucked ways. Man will just casually mention some terrible thing that happened on his past, or how he once suffered such terrible injuries he wanted to die but couldn't even manage the strenght to kill himself so he just waited to die of thirst, or something equally as fucked, and he will say it laughing, like is is telling the absolutely funniest story ever while everyone is just horrified.

He 100000% does it on purpose

Kameto went looking for milk, accidentaly found a way out of the Island and is now locked outside with no way of contacting others because he left his communicator behind

Baghera can communicate with ducks and once she actually physically fought one that was being a little bitch

She lost

Antoine and Pierre have the pictures

Sometimes when Etoiles stays in the rain for too long, flowers will blossom on his hair

Baghera used to be able to fly, or at least she thinks she did, so now she still feels the instinct to throw herself from any high place she finds with absolutely no warning

The Island having perpetual summer is fucking with Baghera's personal clock bc she does have the instinct to migrate in winter but winter just never comes

[sstar-nerd]

Ok, I have risen from the dead because these two are hilarious to me in their entire concept.

So everyone is talking about the Vox and Alastor rivalry especially with the season finale with Vox’s commentary and the torn photo. Like, those two fucking HATE each other so comically. Everyone says it’s more on Vox’s side but I disagree cause on the very first episode Alastor HATES having to deal with video and being recorded. Maybe we didn’t pick up on it before but he’s very subtly INSULTING Vox that whole time.

But, could anyone discuss how funny it would be if they were still friends THIS ENTIRE TIME. Has anyone had those two friends who throw insults and fight with each other 24/7 but they’re actually super close? Like BFF levels of close? Just me?

Think about it: Alastor’s radio broadcasting things were still there after 7 years. You can’t tell me Vox wouldn’t have brought those down at some point even if someone else used them? Or just built some as his own version to display some sort of power grab? Like c’mon even if they were there for an important reason Vox would have found a way to take them over.

It would just be so funny for both sides to hear only insults about the other- constant slander and threats almost daily. Vox will not shut up about how much of a has-been Alistor is and about how he was gone for 7 years just RAGING. And the other half Alastor refuses to allow TVs into the hotel, constantly insults videos or any V products, and keeps making sly insults about Vox ANYTIME a video or TV is even referenced near him.

So it comes a time for the two groups to team up for one reason or another and they’re both dreading it. Val doesn’t want to deal with a grouchy and pissed Vox the entire partnership and Velvette knows she won’t get a moments peace. Charlie is coming up with plans on how to get the two to get along while Vaggie is simultaneously strategizing how to keep them away from each other. Everyone else in the hotel is all tensed and worried.

Than comes the meeting. They’re staring each other down for a good couple moments as the others around them make awkward small talk and then:

Vox: NO CALL!!!

Al: I don’t use-

Vox: NO LETTER!!!

Al: I WAS BUSY!

Vox: Doing what? Being old?

Al: Regaining my sanity after our last brunch.

Vox: Oh I make ONE bland dish and you-

And then the two are arguing for HOURS. There’s not a soul in that room who has the bravado to get in between them or butt in. They’re all either terrified or seriously confused. Eventually the argument boils down to something akin to an actual conversation like two friends catching up.

Someone, I think Charlie, asks them about their rivalry and if they can work together now. Vox and Al share a confused look before they realize: they had never told anyone the status of their relationship. Vox is doubled over laughing while Alastor has his face in his hands trying not to do the same thing. Everyone is concerned.

When they’re done they have to tell the two groups how they knew each other for forever since their respective falls and had even heard about each other when they were alive. They became extremely close friends shortly after meeting and only became ‘rivals’ when they thought they were both becoming to arrogant and unchallenged.

Their friends are all horrified and confused.

Vox and Al think it’s hilarious.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

I think that the important thing to consider, when writing about Ed and violence, is to do some self-reflection to make sure you're not giving more weight to Ed's violence than that of other characters (and white characters especially).

OFMD, as a show, does not pass moral judgments on violence, other than "if you're a bigot you deserve what you get," which is very sexy and cool of them. Ed, who is horrified that he is defined by his capacity for violence, does not feel the same way, and has invented little rules for himself to get by as the best in a very violent profession. At the start of the story he NEEDED to be able to look himself in the eye and answer the question of "have I killed anyone since my dad," honestly, with "no," even though he's a smart man and he no doubt knows perfectly well that the other equally valid answer is "yes."

I do think that Ed's hang-ups around violence extend to more than just killing itself - Ed's a social chameleon and is excellent at fitting into what the situation demands of him. Prime example is him shouting "that's what you fuckin' get!" at the Swede when Jack hits him with the whip, and then seeming extremely ashamed and embarrassed when he tells Stede "this is what I am" before he leaves the ship. It gives me the impression of a guy who has been very, very good at fitting into a violent culture, even as he becomes ashamed of it when he gives his behavior more thought. I think Knife Parade is an example of the exact same situation - Fang was ""playing along,"" just like the Swede, and Ed was playing a role just as much.

There's no question that Ed is willing to use violence as a tool when needed, but for him, we always get the impression it's more of a tool than something he enjoys. Ed is genuinely very difficult to goad into anger, and his violence is always an extremely controlled reaction (think about him threatening the boat captain to tell him where the loot is - he just flipped that persona on no problem, and shut it off just as easily). But where lovable characters like Roach genuinely seem to enjoy violence, Ed's jaded to it and seems to prefer to delegate the necessary violence whenever possible.

So the important thing to keep in mind, I think, is if you pass judgment on Ed for things like going on raids (where we don't ever even see him participate), why should that get more weight than when Stede does the same (with much more enthusiasm)?

And my biggest thing, always, is that Ed's violence is a tool he uses in service of his job. Unless your modern AU has Ed formerly being in some similarly violent occupation (which I would approach with caution and care), he's not going to be a guy with three murder charges and a double-sided rap sheet. Not every AU where Ed has a violent past is racist, and there are some that are done very well, and, hell, I'm planning one myself! But I think it's worth being thoughtful about Ed's relationship to violence and how you're mapping that into your AU.

[darkwitch1999]

🦋😱Akuma Idea: Horror Themed Akuma😱🦋

Okay, here's another akumatized villain concept that I have been thinking over for a while. Now hear me out. I know that the Miraculous Ladybug franchise has already featured a few horror-themed akumatized villains......

Or three? Huh....I thought there'd be more. Anyway, that's not important. For this akumatized villain, I thought that this villain would have powers, weapons, and design elements based on characters from horror movies.

For the character design, I was thinking that the villain would have pale skin and long black hair that gets in her face like the girl from "The Ring". They will also have stitches along the corners of their mouth and wear black mascara around their eyes.

As for her outfit, she would wear a straight jacket, which I'm either thinking could have a mess of different dark colors on it or have scarlet blood splatters all over it. Or it could just be a plain yet worn-out straightjacket. Honestly, I had the villain "Terminal" from Batman Beyond in mind when I decided to give them a straight jacket as part of their costume. I am also planning on giving the black pants with holes in them and black combat boots as part of their design.

As for the villain's eye color, I'm still deciding on whether I want to give them all red eyes or do multiple colors. I do plan on giving them three eyes, with the third eye being located on the base of their forehead. Kind of like Garnet or Hiei, but this third eye is more than just for show. It actually ties into one of her powers that I will get into more detail about later.

Powers:

So the thing about this villain, is that some of their powers are connected to certain horror artifacts and/or characters. Though not every power can be used at once and a few of the powers are activated when the villain is using specific items. For example:

Jason Hockey Mask:

This akuma will have something akin to Captain America's shield, except smaller and shaped like Jason's Hockey Mask. The shield/mask is indestructible and can repel and deflect the attacks from the Miraculous superheroes with ease. It also has an additional use for allowing the akuma to breathe underwater when they are wearing the mask on their face (ironic, huh?).

Freddy Kruger Gloves:

On their own, they are just ordinary leather gloves. However once this akuma puts the gloves on their hands, they can grow metal claws like Freddy Kruger that can also retract at will like Wolverine's metal claws.

A Ring:

Okay, I know there wasn't a literal jewelry ring in the movie "The Ring", but I thought this would be a cool concept nonetheless. Basically, when the akuma is wearing this ring, they will able to possess and pass through any electronics that have a screen of their choosing (TVs, computers, iPads, phones, etc.).

Wrist Corsage

Every rose has its thorns and this beautiful bracelet is no exception. Like Carrie from the movie of the same name, wearing this corsage gives the akuma the power of telekinesis, which allows them to move objects or people or set stuff on fire with their mind.

Now for her final power (yes, I know I have already given her a lot. Shadow Moth was feeling very generous this time when he made this akuma. Like I said though, she can't use all of these powers at once, well except for this power.). This last power involves the akuma's eyes, especially the third eye. Her strongest and most horrifying power that this akuma possesses is the power to make anyone who looks into her eyes hallucinate their worst fears/nightmares, causing them both severe psychological and emotional trauma that incapacitate them by paralyzing them with fear, giving them panic attacks, or causing them to have a mental breakdown as their intense screams and feelings of terror fuel the akuma's power. The third eye acts as an amplifier for the fear-induced hallucinations, meaning that the more people that the akuma terrorizes, the stronger the hallucinations and the akuma become. Now I bet you can imagine all the different types of fear-induced hallucinations each one of the Miraculous heroes could face when fighting against this akumatized villain, who's civilian identity is none other than:

Noelle Odeja!

The details regarding how she got akumatized are still in the works with the story, but let's just say that someone messed with the wrong girl! Time for her to show the world how much of a "horror freak" she truly is. I'm thinking about making the akumatized object her backpack or something, will also carry her power items in it when they are not in use (though that idea is subject to be scrapped if I think of any better ideas).

As far as the name of this akuma, I still haven't decided on one yet. I was thinking of something like "Frightmare", "Freak Show", or maybe even "Horror Show". IDK. I'm not that great with naming villains or heroes. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them.

Anyway, let me know what y'all think about this akumatized villain. Feel free to voice your opinions, thoughts, theories, or any suggestions you might have on how this villain could be improved upon (I might have made her too OP. Let me know if I need to tone the powers down a bit).

@nerd-chocolate @andromeda612 @princessbutterflysposts @artzychic27 @arny20252 @imsparky2002 @msweebyness

[sugarywishes]

Could you go a bit more into your plans and the role of Elizabeth & Even in the future of your AU? I'm curious to learn a bit more about how their respective roles change things, as well as how it will end up playing out with Micheal & William also involved on the whole...

Of course! Answers below as usual.

So I'm trying really hard to not fully expose every detail of the Security Breach portion of this rewrite, but the gist of it is Glitchtrap/William, and the Afton kids return for a grand finale! And unfortunately Gregory, Vanessa, and GlamFred have to be in the middle of it all. (Which means HW 2, Secret of the Mimic or whatever games they'll be making in the future will likely not be added to this thing, unless I really like it but it's likely I won't lmao) (RUIN-ED is in a complicated situation in this rewrite, it's technically now an AU spinoff, that's not canon to the security breach section but is still related to it, but I'm over complicating things here, I'll explain it in other post!)

And as some of you know in this section of the rewrite/AU, Glitchtrap will use Gregory as a replacement body for Evan to inhabit to come back to Earth, and boy are they BOTH upset about this! (My Security Breach portion will include Gregory's family, the Casas, and they'll get a chance to interact with Evan a lot too, since they don't know that Gregory's kind of being possessed rn)

Speaking of the Casas, EVERYONE in that family serves as a 'mirror' to the Aftons (that does not mean they share the same personalities or anything, they're just the counterparts for story telling purposes, and I mean VERY important story telling purposes!) Julian is the 'William', Rebecca is the 'Clara', Gregory is the 'Evan', and Monica is the 'Michael'. You may notice that Elizabeth wasn't included in the line up (originally, before RUIN-ED came out, there were many theories that Cassie could be Gregory's twin sister and I was ALL for it because then I could finally have Lizzie have her own Casas counterpart, and then turns out she wasn't related to him, so I had to rewrite things unfortunately 😔) So now, VANESSA is the Elizabeth counterpart.

Going back to Evan, he HATED coming back, when he did originally wake up in Gregory's body, he had a full blown panic attack and was horrified by his surroundings, cause yk he was freaked out by Glitchtrap, an 8 foot tall gay ass bear, a white woman and a teenage girl who looked too similar to his brother whom he only remembers MURDERED HIM, that can really overwhelm someone! (Btw, Mike had been fully anticipating his father's return, but he didn't think Evan and Elizabeth would come back because he thought they moved on, they definitely did not!)

After a whole rescue operation (and losing someone during it, not a death though.) Gregory/Evan will go through a lot of trials and tribulations through family matters and trauma. Again, I'm trying not to spoil a lot about this section since it's pretty crazy, but they do become friends! They will be each other's first ever friends, actually, since Cassie won't be in this rewrite. SORRY ☹️ she will be important in the RUIN-ED AU/spinoff though! (Yk the one with the stupid ass kids/ocs)

For Elizabeth, she will end up attempting to possess Vanessa (although it was not part of William's original plan, and who knows? It could work.) I really want to say more details but I must restrain myself from doing so. She will be an antagonist along with Will, she's gonna cause some evil shit, and she'll get a redemption arc because it's what she deserves! (Yk after she learns her lesson) And there is actually a reason why she and Evan even have relationships with the MCI/KCI kids, even if Liz didn't actually meet them when she was still Baby. Let's just say, the afterlife prison for her was not cool! Thank goodness she managed to escape too.

And yeah, tons of Afton family drama is relevant in this too, it intertwines with the Casas family own trauma.

I'd really like to discuss more about what exactly will happen, believe me. But I'm saving all that for when I get to it! (And also because, I'm still working on it!)

[gainesha]

BSG rewatch notes, cont'd and ended (spoilers, obviously):

it was so nice to watch the whole thing again, once again being reminded why I fell in love with these characters

the second half of Season 4 is much stronger overall as the first one, but the Tigh-Six baby plotline is awful. dumb and ludicrous. gave lots of fantastic acting moments for Hogan and Helfer, at least

Michael Nankin was the GOAT for directing Sometimes a Great Notion

I had loved the piano man story from Someone to Watch Over Me, so I was looking forward to rewatch that, but I completely forgot that the other main plot of the episode is going to be Boomer kidnapping Hera, and jfc, the locker room sequence with Helo and Boomer as Athena and Athena watching them is probably the most horrifying scene of the whole show, genuinely disturbing

I really like the finale. the flashback structure works very well for showing us how far all these characters came, and also crystallizing their story arcs, the stakes of their present-day choices. the last mission is intense and satisfying. the big showdown between Cavil and the Final Five / colonials and the Opera House reveal is a bit bumpy, but I still love the anticlimax of Cavil just saying ah fuck this shit. the ending always made emotional sense for me, and because the emotional farewell was the more important expectation for me (rather than getting a wholly satisfying mythology and precisely worked out plot machinery), and I feel good about the exodus part, too, I can more easily let go of my quibbles of explaining how the people of the fleet actually went along with throwing all their technology into the sun and going into the wild which would realistically mean quite a low life expectancy for them - like, I would not last outside modern civilization at all, but considering the rate with which we have been destroying our planet in the years since the show ended, their choice to have a clean slate is all the more wishful and heartfelt. (also a nice sentiment to forego colonizing the natives of Earth). Kara's "poof" is jarring, but I find her narrative arc complete and wonderful. I don't need to know exactly what she was after she returned from Earth-1. I even didn't mind the epilogue! like, the dancing robots would probably be AI if they remade the show today, but otherwise, the all of this has happened before... message of the show, with all its cheesy directness, still stands. except maybe it's more difficult to share HeadSix's optimistic prognosis

"You know, I know about farming" is the best line reading of the whole show

I wish we got at least one more Leoben-Kara scene after the one in Sometimes a Great Notion. that was a huge turning point in their relationship, but it should have been followed up, and I am sure it would have if not for the unavailability of Callum Keith Rennie. that is the only part of the show that feels incomplete.

I was ranking all the episodes for myself alongside the rewatch, so here's my bottom 5 and my top 10. I still need to rewatch The Plan, which in my memory is barely more than a glorified clipshow with some nice acting, so that could possibly be in the bottom five as well. and yes, that is a 7-parter in the second place, sue me.

Black Market (2x14)

The Woman King (3x14)

Hero (3x08)

Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down (1x09)

Deadlock (4x16)

10. The Passage (3x10) 9. Someone to Watch Over Me (4x17) 8. Downloaded (2x18) 7. Pegasus (2x10) 6. The Oath / Blood on the Scales (4x13-14) 5. 33 (1x01) 4. Scar (2x15) 3. Unfinished Business (3x09) - non-extended version 2. New Caprica arc: Lay Your Burdens Down 1-2., Occupation, Precipice, Exodus 1-2., Collaborators (2x19-3x05) 1. Maelstrom (3x17)

[sunriseverse]

(busts through the wall) DID SOMEBODY ASK FOR DMBJ PROMPTS??

i want something sunrise but i want it to be dumb/silly. i know it's a serious au but it's about three fools so it should still be possible.

okay you said something silly. and i THINK "xiaoge who literally purrs" counts, but. i couldn't help but get feelings in it </3 wu xie's pov because i realised i'd done xiaoge AND pangzi's pov for sunrise but not wu xie's yet. (also this got LONG i am so sorry..........)

-

The first thing they do after they get Xiaoge back from that fucking rift in Changbaishan is fall into a tangle of limbs and sleep for ten hours straight.

Well, no. The first thing they do is bundle Xiaoge, who has somehow in the last decade lost the thick, fur-lined coat he’d been in when he and Wu Xie had come up here that last time, into a thick, heavy, coat that smells faintly of smoke, which had been shoved into one of the saddlebags to make it take up as little space as possible. The second thing they do is herd Xiaoge, who looks less and less distant and dazed as the moments pass, in front of a fire and ply him with the best food they can offer, here, so far from any city and proper kitchen amenities. The falling into a pile and sleeping for what feels like glorious, golden days is closer to the fifth or sixth thing that they do, but Wu Xie sort of loses track somewhere along the way, because Xiaoge’s presence, an absence rent into the very core of his being, of the world, for so, so long, is intoxicating, and Wu Xie keeps losing track of his thoughts.

“Tianzhen,” Pangzi says, knee knocking against his, warmer than the crackling fire between them, and doesn’t say anything more; just tilts his head towards Xiaoge, who’s half-buried in the voluminous folds of the coat they’d foisted on him. It makes Wu Xie’s throat lock, tight and painful, the way that, even now, after so long spent keeping him at arms length, Pangzi is still the man he loves; still one of two people who understand him in a way no other does, in a way that renders spoken communication unnecessary. With a shuddering sigh, Wu Xie lets his eyes slip closed. The threads between them—ones that Wu Xie had feared, for the past few years, would snap and break; leave Xiaoge stranded to a world Wu Xie couldn’t even imagine, to die with a mind slowly bending, breaking, shattering; leave Pangzi, one day, to snap to the horrifying awareness of it, of that break, of the bond between them, carefully nurtured, built on an aching, all-pervasive trust, not only fraying, but rent apart because of Wu Xie’s carelessness, because Wu Xie hadn’t been careful enough to keep it alive—flicker at the back of his mind. Glow, nearly, with an indescribable incandescence, a pulsing sense of warmth, of home. 

He spent long enough unable to see a way past the end of things, of a life beyond the plan; now, it’s time for him to try and make things right. He opens his eyes and smiles at Pangzi; lets his hand settle on his knee, and, for a moment, squeezes, just to let him know he’s there. And then, raising his voice, he says, “Ah, Xiaoge, come here. You’re going to freeze like that.”

Xiaoge blinks, slow. As if he hadn’t even realised he’d been sitting so far away. Then, gangly figure uncurling, he crosses the too-large distance—small as it is in reality—, and Wu Xie shifts to leave space between himself and Pangzi for Xiaoge to slot into. He does—easily, as if he’d never forgotten how; as if he’s coming home. The glance Wu Xie gets out of the side of his vision shows him Pangzi’s eyes are just as misty as his. 

So, no; sleeping together isn’t the first thing they do, technically. But it’s important enough that it feels like it.

The bedrolls they’d brought along are the type that can be combined together; Wu Xie does so while Pangzi tells Xiaoge about the terrible snowstorm they’d had to brave through on the way there, replete with taking care of a snow-blind Wu Xie in the cave they’d taken shelter in. “Our Tianzhen,” he says, with a smile and a shake of his head. “Terrible luck.” It makes Xiaoge smile, small and barely-there, and the image makes Wu Xie’s lungs burn with something he hasn’t felt in years.

Actually clambering into their makeshift bed is fairly anticlimactic; all of them are too tired to be prickly about space, or limbs, or anything besides curling close to each other. Wu Xie winds up on one side, Pangzi in the middle, and Xiaoge on the other. If this were a real bed, Pangzi would lovingly and dramatically bully Xiaoge into the middle, but a real bed is also safe in a way that being up in the mountains isn’t, and they’re both well-aware of Xiaoge’s vigilance, undulled by time. Well, no—if Wu Xie’s theories about the Hiveside are right, then he might be even more vigilant than he once was. And Wu Xie—he tries not to think too much about why Pangzi let him be on the outside.

The horses, settled down on the other side of the fire, whicker at each other, the sound a subtle hum in the night. Wu Xie lets out a breath, and settles; pillows his head on Pangzi’s chest, slings his arm across to brush fingers across Xiaoge’s side. Under him, Pangzi lets out a muffled laugh, but doesn’t comment. Xiaoge doesn’t sigh, but Wu Xie can feel the tension that bleeds out of him at the combined contact, and he curls inwards, so he’s facing them.

It’s not hard to fall asleep like that; ten years of vigilance are nothing in the face of the warmth and safety trickling down the slowly-widening bond between them. Once, Wu Xie had stood in the boiler room of a great, snaking black train. At the time, he’d been too busy thinking about other things, but right now, all he can remember is the warmth—and the heat of it pales in comparison to this, tenfold.

Some time later, he slowly swims to consciousness in the dawn light, pale, the world around them tinted a dilute blue. Under his head, Pangzi’s chest rises and falls, a slight wheezing snore drifting from his open mouth. Wu Xie’s own lips are wet with the beginnings of drool, and he reaches a clumsy hand to wipe the traces of it away. There’s a low, steady rumble that permeates the air, and his eyes snap open, his body already moving as his mind hurtles, full-speed, across a plan to get them all out of here, away from the impending avalanche—and then he catches sight of Xiaoge, long limbs pulled up and curled against Pangzi’s side, only one, slitted eye visible through the fringe of his hair, and he realises the sound is coming from him.

Pangzi, disturbed by the sudden scramble, cracks his eyes open and lets out a grumbling complaint. “Aiya, Tianzhen, you’re letting the cold in. Get back here, will you? You’re going to freeze our poor Xiaoge.”

Wu Xie blinks a couple times. “Right,” he says, hasty and belated, and gets back under the covers, only for Pangzi to drag him closer so he’s practically laying on top of him. “Hey!”

“Maybe that’ll teach you to move less,” Pangzi says, softly vindictive, and then yawns, eyes scrunching up. “...Xiaoge, is that you?” He drags Xiaoge closer, and the rumbling increases, both in intensity and pitch. The sound goes a little hitching as Xiaoge’s head lands on Pangzi’s chest, a mere hairsbreadth away from Wu Xie’s own. His eyes, no longer narrow, flash in the low-light. The rumbling is loud enough Wu Xie can feel it in his bones.

“Mn,” Xiaoge says, the sound overlaid over the rumbling. 

It takes a moment for Wu Xie to sift through his still sleep-addled thoughts to process it. “Are you...purring?” he manages, eventually, and reaches out a clumsy hand to press against Xiaoge’s chest. It rises and falls beneath his touch, rattling. “Since when can you do that?”

Xiaoge blinks at him. “Always,” he says, as if it should be obvious. Pangzi, beneath them, chokes on a laugh.

“Oh.” Wu Xie processes the words, blinking a few times. “Then why did you never...”

Xiaoge shrugs. “Forgot,” he says, the words quiet, and Wu Xie’s throat tightens. Under them, Pangzi stills, a quiet sigh slipping out. His hand comes up to card through Xiaoge’s hair, and Xiaoge’s eyes slip closed.

“Like a cat,” Pangzi says, fond and amused, after a long moment. Xiaoge doesn’t open his eyes, apparently content with the designation. Wu Xie’s lips twitch. “Who knew our Xiaoge’r was so cute.”

Xiaoge, clearly unbothered by the comment, keeps purring. Wu Xie’s mind is far too sleeplogged to figure out how the fuck that even works—is it a mechanical process that just sounds like purring? Is he tapping into the tech that lines his body? Is it instinctual? On purpose? 

“Your thoughts are too loud,” comes Xiaoge’s quiet voice. “Go to sleep.”

Wu Xie, for once obedient, surrenders. Surrounded by the warmth of the men he loves, he slips back into sleep.

[exoticalmonde]

Arknights - Zwillingstürme im Herbst Event (Day 1)

HEY, Zwillingstürme im Herbst is here and I CANNOT pronounce a single of the German words they are using, I think I might just end myself here. For some reason, the update was loading extremely slowly, but it was long enough to get us through those pesky 10 minutes we had to wait until the server was open.

On the flip side, we have a bunch of cool new things to look at and a reason to rewatch the trailers and cinematics + review the music that comes with the event.

Warning: The following content goes over obvious stuff about the event and the characters that I plan on working on + my personal ideas for who is useful in what way.

At the END of the post is a guide for the music tunes you need for the interrogation event. As far as I have gotten at least.

Since it's Arknights' sixth celebration event we expect a LOT of content, a long story, probably a daily check-in for missions inside the event itself and much more. The banner for Viviana and Virtuosa Arturia (being the Limited operator) lasts a whole three weeks, with every day carrying a single free pull.

Oh the joys of saving for Zuo Le and Logos knowing that I really do want Viviana is a bittersweet sensation. I'm going to get Lessing today at least, so we can be content the husband team stays strong.

Not to forget the free 10-pull we get along, which got me a single Baseline.

---

When it comes to the videos and PVs we got, they're actually an insane amount in comparison to other events. Of course, the anniversary has something to do with that, but it's also because the characters we are getting and the story that is meant to unfold is very important to the Arknights world.

This is the official trailer that introduces us to:

all the new characters,

flashing us with the gorgeous medal set,

the skins that are coming out WITH the anniversary event,

the new characters in the red ticket shop

operator archives for: Czerny, Rosa, Diamante, Santalla, Shalem

modules for Mudrock, Penance and Vulcan

+ Lessing, Baseline, Nearl Alter, Bagpipe,

new furniture sets

Naturally, there is no event without the PV. This is from the POV of Viviana.

The event teaser is subsequently the introduction video as you enter the event.

I watched this just now for the first time and it's equally horrifying to see the Aegir, charming to see her get along with kids, saddening since I know this is her at her mother's funeral and also it makes me absolutely insane to think that I feel anything but resentment for her and everything she's done to Ebenholz and Kreide.

I know she is going to make a huge mess in Leithanien again, I know it.

I feel a little smitten for the reason we are getting an ENTIRE introduction to the University. I can't even imagine how it's going to come to play inside the story itself. But I am glad that there's more embracing of the regional tongues now.

Fondly, I was reminded the other day how I started playing when there was only the Chinese and the Japanese (and Korean?) voiceover. Now there is German, Italian, Russian along with the English.

How... Unfortunate, we might never be able to hear French.

As far as I'm familiar, I think Ripples is meant to be the music for both the Candleknight and Arturia.

UPDATE: OF COURSE ARTURIA WOULD HAVE HER MUSIC VIDEO COME OUT TODAY WHEN I MADE THE POST ABOUT IT YESTERDAY BUT WHAT ELSE DO I EXPECT, HERE YOU GO

---

There is this video that isn't on YT but it's on the Arknights Twitter page, so I'm going to link it anyways for anybody who wants to see enamel pin-like designs of Bassline, Arturia and the others. It's basically character showcase but in some different form.

---

I love the character intros but more than anything I enjoy reading Travel Guides because this means these places are going to be super important to the lore itself and I am EXCITED!!!

---

Most of the enemies are very easy to deal with as long as you know the base mechanic and don't get too taken away by the music. The ones with a purple sphere on their heads need EXCITED music to neutralize their special skill and those with a yellow star need MELANCHOLIC music to calm down.

Long story short, the Tuning Nodes need to be all active at the same time and the place where you see that jellyfish shield is the place you need to avoid placing operators because they just won't do anything for the Node itself.

Attack Speed gained from the Exciting music is stackable for your operators. I don't know to what point, but Dr. Pinkie was having a blast learning this last night.

---

Speaking of the characters and Baseline specifically, he's a Lupo from Leithanien, appointed in the year 1100 (the year the story is set in as well) as a sort of mediator between RI and the Leithanien Imperial court. He's uninfected and his role is Defender, specifically Guardian aka Medic Defender. Real name Michael Wolfgang, tiniest Schatz because he's only 160cm tall and pretty much the same size as Greyy-alter me thinks. Birthday is on the 16th of July.

From what I imagine, I can use him instead of Nearl/Gummy or Spot since his Skill 1 heals operators only if they are under 50% and his Skill 2 stops attacking and concentrates on healing + gives the ally a shield.

I haven't done the speed/strength comparisons to Nearl but VS Gummy, his skill 1 charge is 6 seconds and the difference is only 20% additional healing at M3 for a cost of an additional 1DP at all E stages.

To me, that's good enough to exchange honestly if you're looking for more tankiness due to his Talent.

If we overlook the cost of maxing out a 5-star in comparison to a 4-star.

AND NOT TO MENTION HIS TOKEN IS--- I mean, if you insist I have it, sure, but I feel like the mouthpiece of any instrument is important to the player in their own way... right?

---

Lessing is the free 6-star operator you get in the event by competing the missions in Herzenfolgen. It's unlockable after you finish stage ZT-2 and it comes with 3 (technically 4) characters you can get event materials from including Lessing's Potential.

He's a Guard, specifically a Dreadnought (or as it's also popular - a Duelist Guard) whom I immediately am looking at as FINALLY there is something I can use instead of Melantha when I get asked for someone of that type. You'd think that out of all the guards I do have already there's going to be someone who does as much damage as Melantha and equal in health, but no.

Since Mel is a 3-star character and only reaches level 55 E1, I'm going to compare them like this: Lessing does more damage, has more health and defence than Melantha. His Redeployment time is 10 seconds more than her though.

Skill-wise Lessing's Skill 1 is an Offensive Recovery (charges itself when hitting enemies) like Hoederer's that does additional damage on the charged strike sans health regen.

Skill 2 is like a buff on his first talent: Pain Focus (this is at E1) - When blocking, take 20% less Physical and Arts damage from enemies not blocked by this unit. So that means that at lvl 7 of his skill you apply the maths that I am NOT going to math myself. At least not while Dr. Pinkie is sleeping to check them for me. When deployed, 1st Talent effect increased to 2x, ATK +35%, and attacks become 2-hit combos. His Skill 3 is what people get him for: Become immune to Negative Statuses, HP +80%, and attacks deal 180% ATK as Physical damage when attacking a blocked target Skill can be used when Operator is affected by a Negative Status, removing the status, but dealing 600 Arts damage to self.

So far as I can read while my Lessing is cooking in the training room - yes, you might be able to kill him if you use his skill and he's under 600HP.

My little Hoederer, big sword - big damage wielder. The only saving grace for Melnatha is that she's 13 DP at max potential while Lessing is 21. That's a lot to consider.

And of course, he is a cutie patootie in his letter, I'm crying.

---

Here is the guide offered by the Twitter page for the Herzenfolgen because otherwise, I could not grasp a single word of the explanations inside the event itself.

To explain it in simple terms:

Every day you get 3 people who will tell you a story and according to the information they give you, usually the important part is in red, you have to figure out what sort of emotion they have felt and then you have to align them to the 'desire' they have.

Making a mistake 2-3 times gives you the emotion and the 'desire' so it's not impossible to figure out, but it's a lot of experimenting as well until you get both right. And the notes you get are exhaustable, so you need to farm for them to know.

Dr. Pinkie also told me yesterday that the cards you DO manage to use also disappear.

Whenever you complete the day you get an Authorization Warrant to unlock the case-related characters and then you get a pot for Lessing every time you finish those.

You get 2 a day actually I think. Since I already managed to squeeze 4.

Here's all the emotions since some of the guides I found kind of misnamed the emotions and I had to spend a long while staring to get it to actually work.

TO GET THE FINAL ONE: DIE REISE (Tomorrow's Opus) you just have to complete all of the main interrogation nodes.

With that, I wish you good luck, enjoy the music of Zwillingstürme and I hope that you enjoy the music as much as I do. My favourite theme so far is 'Under the Spires' and 'Anger's Opus'.

WHICH, I almost forgot, YOU CAN FIND ON SPOTIFY AS WELL, IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!

[charmixpower]

I have a question: what would be Roxy's dynamics with the others (not the Winx) like Trix, Diaspro, Mirta, Lucy, Daphne when resurrected, Krystal, Galatea, Miele, Selina for @parola-di-winx 's sake. I just don't remember if I asked this question before

Okiii

Here's a free Roxy doodle!! She's scared of the Wizards XD

The Trix:

Roxy has never and will never meet them. My timeline stops at the movie after s3, so the Trix and ansestal witches are fuckin gone. Icy is probably straight up dead, and Darcy and Stormy are likely starting a gang in the Omega dimension. So Roxy never directly interacts with them, even if I keep Orgon's stupid ass plan to run to Omega, Roxy isn't powerful enough to not immediately freeze to death there. So she's never directly met them but she does know of them.

She knows of Icy from the scars littering Bloom's body, though how Tecna teaches her to respond to surprise attacks, from the way Bloom responds to any little amount of aggression with bared teeth, from the way the winx categories the best way to defend any building they're in, the way they all stop if there is a sudden cold breeze. Roxy knows Darcy from Riven's insistence that she learns how to recognize illusion and emotion magic, she knows Darcy from the way the Winx freezes when they see purple magic, she knows Darcy from the way Stella lights up dark corners instinctually. She knows Stormy from the lichtenberg scars along Flora, from the way that Musa stresses the importance of speed in a battle, from how Aisha practices weather spells. She knows the Trix from the look in the Winx's eyes when it's night with a snow storm, and how they all flinch when lightning strikes.

She's never met the Trix, but she feels their shadow every day.

Diaspro:

Diaspro as a favor to the Winx, who saved her from her existence being stuck under the thumb of Samara and Erendor until they die, is helping Earth get accumulated and caught up with the rest of the magical dimension. Basically Dymond (Diaspro's planet) is Earth's first ally. She's mostly around Nebula trying to help her as (elected) Queen figure out how to put in proper magical infrastructure and learn about everything in the magical dimension.

Roxy as the (elected against her will) princess of Earth she often sits in with Diaspro and Nebula discussing how the fuck to bring Earth into the magical dimension and up to date. Since plants are expected to act as one governmental body, a world government is going to HAVE to be established, people with magic are going to need to be gathered and trained properly, the fact that magic on earth is a thing now needs to be delt with, and Roxy has to be the representative of earth to the magical dimension so she needs to be caught up on EVERYTHING.

Roxy and Diaspro's dynamic is mentor and student. Diaspro is stupid good at politics, mostly because it was either gain allies or die in the Eraklyon palace, so she caught on pretty quickly or else. Diaspro's political training is VERY informed by the cut throat nature of Eraklyon politics on the brink of civil war. So it's very urgent and a little too scary and pressuring for Roxy but she tries her best to keep up. Diaspro doesn't realize she's freaking Roxy out, she probably catches on eventually.

(If you're wondering why the Winx aren't teaching her politics, that's because none of them know any. Stella and Aisha are children of politicians, but neither of them were ever interested in politics and have always concentrated on being magic combatants and have always had the goal of being guardian fairies. The rest of them have no experience with politics. Sky avoided politics like the plague because they were often horrifying, Brandon who had been pretending to be Sky since they were in highschool (if there collage students in s1, if it's like canon it would be since middle school) knows politics like the back of his hand but he's busy dealing with the whole "holy fuck there's a new company of light" and "Valtor destroyed so much shit" things for the Winx to help Roxy. Saladin knows some politics and tries to pass them to Helia and the only part that Helia internalized is lying.)

Mirta:

Mirta and Helia are the only witches apart of Winx, or auxiliary Winx members, so they're the ones basically handing Roxy's early magic education before Roxy goes to CT. Roxy and Mirta are alt babies, so I think Roxy would take to Mirta quickly (esp compared to Helia who Roxy finds a little intimidating, not his fault exactly but Roxy always feels like he's staring though her soul when in reality he's just zoning out).

I think they are friends!! Mirta is trying her best to teach Roxy witch magic while avoiding being murdered by the wizards of the Black circle . Mentor, mentee, but in a friendly way! They like hanging out and vibing together. They definitely go shopping together and stuff!! They are friends!!

Lucy:

Mirta and Lucy aren't as close as they used to be. After Mirta got wrecked by the Trix for Lucy and Lucy getting mad at her for it, and yeah. They decided they needed a break from their friendship to deal with....all of that, but since Mirta is training this new witch she might ask her old bestie for help, and that's how Lucy and Roxy met. I don't think they'd be close because of how much Roxy looks up to Mirta and the awkward vibes, but Roxy would love Lucy's fashion sense and think she's super cool whenever she comes over. They like each other's fashion and vibe.

Daphne:

Daphne is Roxy's weird older cousin who just came out of a coma. Roxy has no clue how to interact with her and absolutely doesn't like how Daphne seems to know so much about her and tends to avoid her when possible

Krystal:

Because Krystal appeared in s5 when Roxy begins school she's one of her classmates that Helia specifically asked to watch over Roxy. Roxy thinks this is a bit annoying but loves her dumbass uncle's anyways so she guesses it's fine. Krystal is a ditzy bubbly girl who has a natural inclination towards witch magic and is really good at the math part so constantly helps Roxy study and catch up. They become best friends and are roommates (bc Helia said nepotism) who hang out a lot. They're very different but Roxy really appreciates having a straight forward and uncomplicated person around to talk too without having to worry about anything else

Galatea:

After s3 it becomes really unpopular to be a monarch (with reasons beginning with Erendor and ending with Samara) so I like to imagine Melody quietly became a constitutional monarchy and Galatea not so subtly starting publicly talking about how Melody has a big poverty problem, and it all looks very bad on them so they're doing better on account of being slightly scared of being as on fire as Eraklyon is right now. Galatea is politically advisor #2, less informed version because Galatea was sheltered her whole life. But unlike Diaspro Galatea knows how to blend in with the politician crowd and get people to like her quickly, very useful skills. They don't talk often but occasionally Diaspro will point Roxy her way for help

Miele:

OH DEAR GOD WHY IS FLORA'S LITTLE SISTER SO UNHINGED.

Miele is Flora's eco-crimes but worse. She's the witch of bugs and this is officially everyone else's problem. As the witch of bugs Flora thought it was a good idea to have her help the Witch of animals before remembering that her little sister is certifiably insane and more likely to go to jail for terrorism than she is. Which is honestly a feat. Anyways Roxy is ever so majorly afraid of Miele and her bugs and wants to go home now

Selina:

The contract I signed with Nove says I have to say their girlfriends.

Jk CT dorm rooms come in odd numbers, bc witch magic works best in odd numbers, so Selina is Roxy and Krystal's third roommate and the Witch of Imagination. I imagine she and Roxy don't get along at first because Selina hates all authority and Roxy is technically one now, and that pisses Roxy off so bad because she doesn't even want to be. But they eventually become besties because they think all of this shit is stupid

[coulsons-fullmetal-cellist]

Halloween Couple Costumes

Words: 783

Summary: you and Dieter must decide on your Halloween costume for this year

Warnings: Dieter being an adorable mess, mentions of pregnancy

Check out masterlist here

You needed to find Dieter; you had something very important to discuss with him. You found him lounging on the couch covered in paint, which was normal for him.

"Dieter, we need to figure out what we’re going as for Halloween this year.”

“Honey cakes, it’s the middle of July.”

“Exactly, we have less than three months to get our costume ready!”

Dieter could only smile at your enthusiasm; Halloween was your holiday, and you took it as seriously as Heidi Klum.

You were both excited dressing up for Halloween together as a couple. Dieter dressed up for a living, but he enjoyed dressing up for Halloween nearly as much as you did.

That first year, as you had only just become a couple, there wasn’t much time to organise anything proper, so you gave him a bear costume you bought in a store. He thought he was going as Baloo from The Jungle Book, so he had his rendition of The Bare Necessities ready to perform. But then you showed up in a white dress and floral crown; you were ready to go as Dani and Christian from Midsommar. You’d think it being set during the day, it would be a less scary film was Dieter’s thought and it still scared him. He still sang his song which you found adorable.

The next year, Dieter wanted the theme to be a sexy one. So, you went as Rick and Evie O’Connell from The Mummy. You reassured him he was very sexy in his costume as you could barely keep your hands off him.

The year after, Dieter requested that you go as Belle and Prince Adam from Beauty and the Beast which delighted you. This Halloween was a very special one as it was the one in which he proposed to you. You were wearing gloves at the time so he couldn’t put the ring on straightaway, but it was still the most romantic thing ever.

The following year, you went as Victor and The Corpse Bride as you were both still in the honeymoon phase.

And now to this year’s costume:

“You wrote a list; didn’t you honey cakes?”

“Of course I did!”

You pulled out your Halloween costume planning notebook. Yes, you had one of those; one of the many things your husband loved about you.

“We haven’t done The Addams Family yet, or Nightmare Before Christmas, or…”

“Shouldn’t we do something involving cupcake?”

“Cupcake?”

You looked down at your baby bump which was along the six-month mark.

“Oh, I guess we should, but I haven’t come up with any ideas yet…” a thought then came to you, “Oh, I could do a chest burster!”

The thought horrified Dieter. Your cravings seemed to get more and more gory the further along your pregnancy you got. So long as you didn’t feel the need to eat raw meat, you were fine, watching so many slasher films. He would just happily wait in the bedroom until you got your other craving which he was happy to help out with. Last night was three hours of pure bliss and then another hour this morning.

“No…” he gave a sigh of relief, “I can’t think of how to include you. Trying to fit a costume around a baby bump is hard. I should just give up and be a pumpkin.”

Your sigh in frustration was a sign for Dieter to offer kisses and cuddles. He found any excuse to touch your bump and connect with his unborn child. Not once did he ever think he’d deserve a life like this. It was worth more than an Oscar or any award.

“You’d be an adorably sexy pumpkin.”

“Maybe…”

“I may have an idea…”

You looked up at him in question.

“It could be that I have Winnie the Pooh on the brain, but you could go as that, and I could be Tigger?”

You hadn’t answered him yet, so he continued.

“I mean we could always disguise cupcake as a honey pot if you feel self-conscious about…”

You pulled him into a kiss. “I love it! And I love you!”

“You do?”

“Of course I love you.”

“No, I mean the…”

“I love the costume idea. It’s perfect.”

Dieter had only recently gotten used to being given some genuine praise, so it was still a little new and weird to him. But as it was mainly from you, he welcomed it.

“Dieter”

“Yes honey cakes?”

“Why do you have Winnie the Pooh on the brain?”

“Well, I have to show you the nursery.”

The mystery of Dieter being covered in paint was explained. The freshly painted mural on one wall of the nursery was beautiful.

Films referenced: The Jungle Book (1967), Midsommar (2019), The Mummy (1999), Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Corpse Bride (2005), The Addams Family (1991), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Alien (1986)

[gyubby99]

@disneyanddisneyships This is a Jelsa oneshot I'm calling, "I was bored." Because I was and I had this goofy idea.

Blood. That was the first thing he knew after that incident. It was blood. The knife pierced through the gut and the person getting down with a thud, starting from their knees. Whatever Jack Frost had done to the detective, he'd done it.

Then his foot, made its way onto the back of the person's head. Such innocent soul with pure intentions, who have unfortunately come to this fate. Nonetheless, Jack feigned pity. He had more important things to care about than this poor, unfortunate soul.

Like how to clean this shit up.

See, Jack had quite the reputation, with him being a successful psychometrician married to one of the best lawyers in the city, he certainly caught everyone's eye. His dazzling looks were just the icing on the cake. It would be a shame if they would know he turned out to be the invisible trickster, Nightlight. One of the most feared assasins? That's definetely him.

He was unknown, as people never saw him coming. Code name; Nightlight, was earned due to the fact that he works wonders for himself when the sun goes down. Many people have tried, and to no avail never succeeded, except for this one.

Who almost succeeded.

No one will remember you. Nightlight thought to himself.

It took him minutes to comprehend that he was now stepping foot on a dead man's head.

What he never did, though. was that someone was at the door.

"Jack?" A horrified, voice weakly cried. Jack slowly, with the same horrified expression looked up at the person the familiar voice belonged to.

He was met with eyes that was so terrified tears could come out. Those eyes with the shade of cerulean, diving deep into his cobalt ones. Asking questions.

She was a lawyer. She knew how criminals' minds worked.

Jack spoke, hoarse. "Elsa.."

"What have you done?" Her voice was shaking, her expression expressed shock, and disgust. Who wouldn't? If you walked into your house, expecting a warm welcome from your spoise but instead you're met with the sight of them, taking someone's life with no remorse..

All his life, Nightlight had never felt more terrified.

"Elsa, I'm sorr-"

"You know I just bought that carpet!" Her angry voice boomed, interrupting him. She stared at the living room carpet, horrified as ever.

"Els.." before he could speak, he was interrupted with high heels clacking towards him, and a very furious wife.

And off to her grip the collar of his suit went. Their faces were close that they almost kissed.

"It was fifty. Percent. Off." Elsa said through gritted teeth. "It hasn't been a week since I bought it and what did I see the moment I get home? Blood. On it."

Elsa pulled away, and crossed her arms.

"Honey-" Jack tried to reason, but was then again interrupted.

"Don't you 'honey' me! 'Cause when you're out there doing God-knows-what, who's going to clean this up?" She gestured to the carpet, her attention and comcern completely ditching the dead man. Then, she pointed to herself. "Me."

"Okay, you're more concerned about the dirty carpet than the fact that some jackass tresspassed into our house and nearly  killed me!" Jack argued back to his wife.

"And  that's another thing! How many times have you gotten in trouble just because your buisness with a certain hitman didn't go as planned?! It's wednesday, for crying out loud, Jackson!" Elsa fought back, burying her head onto her hands in frustration.

Jack was grateful, though. No matter how angry she is, she'd dare not say something along the lines of assasination, instead she'd often say he had a buisness to attend to.

But that's not the subject for right now. Because she's fucking pissed.

"Every week starts at sunday!" He retorted, putting his hands up in defense.

"Exactly! It's been multiple times that you've been haunted, followed, and almost killed!" Elsa whisper-yelled. She stepped in closer to her husband. "Come here. Let me see."

"See what?" Jack asked, confused.

"Wounds, cuts, bruises? Anything?" She asked, holding her husband's face into her hands, scorching through every part of his head.

"No. Nothing. Not this time." He responded.

"Good." Elsa sighed.

Silence.

"So how are you planning to throw this one out?" Elsa asked, frantically looking at her husband.

"Probably somewhere the no form of light can reach." Jack responded casually.

"Need a helping hand?"

"Sure."

"Only on the condition that you're cleaning my  carpet that you  messed up." Elsa responded sternly.

Jack sighed. "You win, love."

[bat-luun]

tell me about ur comic character right neow!!!!!!

you will fucking regret this hell yea

okay- literally no one talks to me about anything ever but imma try my best to explain it all even with the uber instincts of my uber autism- sorry about the crazy rambling your about to hear

tw: old art and my old @

this is a wip comic i started thinking about back in like 2018? when i first drew the (then) mc on paper! my beloved Bonnie!!

the concept for her then was: a film/photography student goes looking for her missing gf and lovecraftian horrors ensue!! the main inspiration was the three friends diner and the horrifying hijinks were mostly inspired by the 2017 horror game among the sleep!!! the MOST IMPORTANT gimmick of the whole thing was the photos i planned that Bonnie would take! inspired by this legendary creepypasta.

(old 2021 and 2022 art)↴

speaking of among the sleep - inspired by the bear character i did plan to maybe add a sidekick that would basically be a tour guide of some sort so bonnie doesnt get frame one killed. this was scrapped cuz its cringe and i didnt like it. now i just use them as a dnd npc.

(old 2022 art)↴

now mind you- i was working on this whole project whenever i really felt like it and this is around the time where i went from my dsmp hyperfixation to jrwi and didnt make much oc art so the work was very slow and minimal..

but when bitb dropped? oh my lord did i eat that shit up for this comic. obviously i dont wanna just rip off bitb (if i wanted to do that i would just write fanfiction) so i did a reboot of the whole series!

now i have four main characters: Kat (she/her) Bonnie (she/they) Dough (they/them) Vinny (he/him)

with Kat being the main main character as most of the story is told through her pov. the story is now set in the 70s/80s in a town literally called Small Town somewhere in florida (yes the shitty and simple names are intentional shut up). i wanted to explore more of the human nature of horror - that its not always the evil shadow monster hiding in the woods thats gonna hurt you, but that it can be the people you are closest to or even society at large.

but i also dont wanna go the ooOoOooOOOO it was a [insert mental illness here] metaphor all along!!! route since i feel like its really overdone and can heavily demonize mental illness. instead its more found family focused as a team of four homosexuals try to solve the towns seemingly simple mystery that drives them down the path of experiencing unspeakable horrors!

so basically gayer scooby-doo but theres heavy gore and autism

i can definitely rant about this way more but i feel like ive been talking for too long so hope you enjoyed that very brief history lol - let me know if you wanna hear about the remake characters!!!! :D

heres a kat piece im working on rn as a treat :]

[theaceofskulls]

Downtime at work means more quick reviews. So time to talk about Alpharius: Head of the Hydra by Mike Brooks.

I’m not going to go into the Horus Heresy here. The prequel for 40k choked bookshelves for awhile there whenever I went to the scifi section of bookstores. It’s over 50 books long, continues to jump between authors and apparently half of it is just anthology collections. If you want someone’s opinions on it, please go check out Arbitor Ian’s thoughts. (Side note, I recommend his channel and if you’re interested in Warhammer but are iffy on the prospect of content creators turning out to be like that, I can handily recommend his stuff)

Anyways, what you need to know is that once upon a time there was the Emperor of Mankind, world’s worst dad, who made 20 super babies to make 20 different flavors of Space Marines to conquer the galaxy. Then he lost them all. So he decided he needed to go and conquer the galaxy anyways for reasons with what he still had. Anyways, along the way, he finds all 20 of the superbabies, now adults, puts them in command of their Space Marine Legions and then we make way for the galaxy’s biggest round of family therapy via extreme violence.

This book focuses on the Primarch of the last legion to find their superbaby and properly join the war, helpfully called the Alpha Legion since they were also numbered 20 of 20 even before this.

Except all of that might be a lie, according to this book which opens by immediately lying to you.

Alpha Legion is like that.

So there’s a hard disclaimer here that this story is being told by 40k’s biggest liar (well, second best. He learned from his dad’s best friend after all, father of the year and all that). It’s also the only Primarch book that’s written in the first person). And in it, we witness most of the prequel to the prequel of 40k from Alpharius’s perspective and it’s just...

The book is the tea. You wanted the tea, here it is. Is it true? Probably? But it is juicy and it is fun and you can immediately tell from the narration that our central character is absolutely not well adjusted at all but also that he’s seeing through a lot of the bullshit going on (like pointing out how the universe absolute operates on Invader Zim logic regarding height).

Moreover, this is one of my favorite kinds of Alpha Legion stories as I’ve discovered, ones where you see what the crazy plans of the galaxy’s most paranoid Rube Goldberg enthusiasts are actually trying to accomplish rather than the “oooooo, but that was actually what I wanted you to do” approach that they sometimes get written as.

The book eventually finds a plot revolving around Alpharius looking for the Primarch that he knows is his true brother. Sadly by this point, if you know who the Alpha Legion are, or even just searched them up to find out more, the mystique of that is already gone, so thankfully we instead see the intersection of this story with one of the few mystery portions of 40k’s lore revolving around an alien race so horrifying that no records exist of them that also involved two missing Legions and their Primarchs.

And the book does a remarkable job keeping that mysterious and unknowable while still working with what is there to provide a great final act.

This is one of those 40k books that I like to recommend to people in the hobby, as Mike Brooks has quickly started to join Aaron Dembski-Bowden and Dan Abnett as part of my favorite authors in the setting (more on that in a future review), as the book has a humor to it as it continues to deliver intriguing reveals and interesting plans.

I said “people in the hobby” though as it’s very much a book meant for those who know what’s going on. It’s not impenetrable if you’re not but you might want to glance over at a quick video or two to look up some names, even if it onboards you with the ones important to the plot.

[disanthropi-art]

Semester Long Project Production

My Part of getting a degree in art is learning self management (and depending on your degree, group management) on major projects. These major projects can span semesters or years, and the management of these endeavors will be one of your most marketable skills when searching for any employment (out of the arts or not).

This exploration is what gets very exciting as you gain more experience and get further along in your degree. Unfortunately much of university is focused on individual exploration and projects (not the very best for a medium like animation!- my focus). Knowing what a nightmare (for me) doing an developed animation on my own is, I decided to focus purely on asset production for my major work this semester. This is great because I would love to work in asset production of the animation pipeline.

My plan: Design, Build, Texture 2 animate-able characters, an Environment Space, and props/creatures

HOLY SHIT - it was actually a lot orz

ART development (just some of it)

Asset Production

Pipeline I went through ->>>

-> Character Turnarounds

I make these turnarounds to ensure the stylized proportions remain consistent when transferring them into the 3rd dimension. It;s difficult translating a flat style to something very much not while still maintaining the original feel.

-> Box Modeling

It is very important for models to have animate-able topology if you want your models to be of any use. There needs to be more information (geometry) around bending points. I also model in this manner because I learned to model on a tablet so I am very used to modeling low-poly (which is great for render times!).

This is an example showing how I use turnarounds as reference. You can see poly modeling in a making of video!

-> UV Unwrapping

I got good at this from doing this project. Yay! UV unwrapping is basically cutting apart your model so you can put flat images onto a 3D object. Think sewing patterns! The process is much the same where you “mark seams” and “cut” and “sew” them together.

This was something I used to dread but I’ve done It so much I’m like “WOW, this is the easiest part of the process!” As long as the program is working well and the model being unwrapped is a character or object (not a weird interior), It only takes like 30 minutes.

This is actually a boot

-> Rigging

God, what a nightmare! I spent like 6 weeks rigging. I rig and do production in Maya, which means that there are not auto-rigging features that I can use. The rigs Maya give you are not complex enough for what I would like to make. I am much better at this skill now, but, God, at what cost?

Pipeline of rigging from scratch ---> Building the Skeleton -> Building a Control Rig -> Constraining the Skeleton to the Control Rig -> Weight Painting (an artsy interface to tell the bones of the rig how much they are allowed to affect each point of data on the model)

-> Texturing

For this I mostly painted the UV patterns I got from the unwrapping stage. It was a nice break from the highly mathy and technical process of rigging.

An example of the horrifying stretching you must do to flat images to make them look normal on a sculpture.

-> Posing&Lighting

Once I had colors I was able to start lighting everything to make it look pretty, so yay! I discovered very late that Blender’s lighting system management is poopoo garbage. I had to scramble (AKA spend 30 hours) converting things so they will work and render well in Maya.

Posing is definitely easier than lighting, where I just move the “dolls” that I made. I am still in this stage, EEP! I am working my ass off haha

Process Video