#and debating with urself if it looks good or not

[snackugaki]

a return to square 1

now that we’ve all been thoroughly blasted by the Rise movie I can take another stab at being more thoughtful in designing Venus for Rise. 

first, a refresher:

prologue | part 1 | part 2 | part 2 ½ | part 3 | part 4a | part 4b (ish?)

supplementary doodles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

just gonna go full AU divergence, let whoever Big Mama’s Assistant be whoever (after thinking it over, it does sorta seem to more likely it’s Jennika), still gonna keep her start as an initiate, acolyte-adjacent, monk-ish kid running around in the Hidden City, ward to the crow yokai who adopted her as a foundling. 

We never saw who Draxum’s bodyguard was, they were alluded to during a crew discussion only (unless I missed a design reveal somewhere). in the same vein that me and a bunch of others I’ve seen that think Assistant is Jennika based... pretty much on those claws at the end of her hands, then the bodyguard could be mostly likely be Venus. i’m basing that theory on the very very VERY scant information we have from the show, 1) Draxum is adept at the mystic arts from magical item manipulation to summoning to.... I dunno, what do you call it when he set up the memory dive into Splinter’s mind? he can draw magic circles and operate them as seen when he had to move the boys to another memory.

2) dude wears Venus’ signature cyan post-team switch, can’t scream foreshadowing louder than that

3) Draxum straight up opens a portal to another plane to let the Hamatos go in and snatch up sword!Karai, original Venus taught the boys how to dreamwalk and guided them through a dream plane, ehh? ehhhhhh? *eyebrow waggle*

4) to me, the most record scratch, eyebrow quirking part: he uses armored bees just as Venus did in the original Next Mutation show. Venus’ armored bees and Draxum’s both were used to ensnare and trap opponents. though to concede, Venus’ exploded into a sticky goo, Draxum’s apparently auto-dug into the ground and sprouted as vines

the trip up for me in designing is what exactly “Draxum’s bodyguard” means. the first time I thought about it I had imagined as Draxum taking a younger Venus under his wing, teaching her (give or take realizing she was one of his anti-humanity soldier experiments), becoming his protege of sorts, prrrobably committed to his cause, becoming adept enough in both her mystic and physical prowess and takes it upon herself to protect him.. just real wuxia tropey about it.

but like... Draxum’s cool with hiring muscle, re: Garm and Freki so why wouldn’t he also just hire a bodyguard. it would make more sense this way but it depends on some characterization I’m shaky on for Draxum. he believed in his cause enough to go to Optimus, Arcee and Megatron (I forgot what those giant head characters were called only that their VAs voiced those transformers sry kids) for support. after that, I thought that maybe he’d be a little more discerning about who he recruits to bolster his plans which would be a little more lenient to my original idea. 

...

fuck it we ball au divergence, wuxia tropey protege > disciple > adamant protector pipeline it is.

[lucystark12]

oh good god please stop

i propose an alternative...

lets look at the context of these three scenes, shall we?

scene 1: max and lucas

this is lucas referring to max's depression and her distancing herself from the party as a result. this is something very tangible and real that could be found in a real life conversation between two people in a relationship. the context of this would make sense if you put it in any other kind of movie. in scene one, lucas is displaying his care for max as an individual and for her feelings. he is there for her in her everyday emotional pursuits.

scene 2: mike and el

this happens during the monologue when mike is quite literally using his words and the fact that he is physically there for her to help her save the world. TO. HELP. HER. SAVE. THE. WORLD. mike infact wasn't there- nor does he clearly have any desire to be- for her throughout the nine months where they were on the opposite sides of the country. he literally is only able to have this conversation (if you could even call it that) with her when THE WORLD IS ENDING. hello.

scene 3: steve and nancy

once again- DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES. nancy was literally just vecna'd. she was just put into a trance by vecna, prompting steve to say this to her. listen to urself.

the fact that the two debatable couples of the trio are only saying this to each other in something so absurd as a supernatural monster attacking the girl in said scenario whereas lucas and max are having a very real and tangible conversation about every day issues- not lucas being there for her specifically because she's dying, but because he cares about her and her feelings- should say it all.

i'd also like to add the fact that steve/mike say this to nancy/el when they're practically incapacitated and can't respond. el can't because she's fighting vecna, and nancy is calming down from coming out of a vecna trance. they can't respond. they can't say there piece. max was able to do that in her conversation with lucas because they are in a healthy relationship where both sides of the equation are valued. if this phrase is to mean anything, it's not a stretch to assume that nancy and el's lack of ability to voice their thoughts is a direct metaphor for the fact that their voices aren't/weren't being heard in the relationship with the other person.

my last point: by this logic... WHERE IS JOPPER? jopper is the only couple that, as of now, is basically 100% canon. there's a chance the love triangles could go the other way and a chance max won't wake up. if this is "code for endgame couples" then where is the show's only couple that's actually going to be endgame for sure?

[huellitaa]

long list of little things to do for urself 🧸🎀🫶✨

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 1. wash ur bedding, towels, curtains, etc.

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 2. fill up ur shopping baskets on every site possible

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 3. clean out cosmetics and skincare

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 4. start a project of something you love

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 5. browse cute pets to buy one day

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 6. impulsively rearrange ur space

🩷𓂃 ࣪˖ 7. light some candles (if u arent deathly afraid of fire)

🐇𓂃 ࣪˖ 8. clean out your purse and every day bag

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 9. make a pillow fort

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 10. redo all ur playlists and clean them all out

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 11. lay on the floor and sing ur fav songs for 3 hours

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 12. make a recipe book (even if u cant cook)

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 13. clean ur mirrors and windows

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 14. write a debate about a topic you feel strongly on

🩷𓂃 ࣪˖ 15. create some art to go on ur walls

🐇𓂃 ࣪˖ 16. stick up some old photos or cute things and decorate ur walls

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 17. polish ur jewelry

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 18. write a huge essay on something you know nothing about

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 19. watch a virtual concert (youtube - tiny desk is v good!)

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 20. make urself a big fruit platter

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 21. read a parenting book and see how you can incorporate the tips mentioned into how u treat urself

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 22. mend ur old clothes or get someone to help u fix them

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 23. read a book w a flashlight and happy music under a blanket

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 24. host a tea party w ur plushies and old toys

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 25. study ur horoscope for this month and how u can use it to ur advantage

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 26. go thrifting and window shopping and take photos on ur phone of the things you want to create a visual wishlist

🩷𓂃 ࣪˖ 27. sort through ur books, cds, clothes, etc.; organise and throw out!

🐇𓂃 ࣪˖ 28. perform a concert in ur bedroom of ur fav album ever

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 29. dress up and create the most elaborate, unhinged outfits you possibly can

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 30. start a blog or site on something you care about

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 31. contemplate ur core philosophies and question what is the meaning of life and what you're living for

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 32. spend all day reading a random pdf book ur never gonna find again

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 33. plan out ur dream wedding online

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 34. fully examine ur body and make sure everything's working and looking fine

🩷𓂃 ࣪˖ 35. create outfits within a specific theme and try them on

🐇𓂃 ࣪˖ 36. go online shopping for clothes and make outfits w the things you find even if you don't like them

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 37. make a playlist of all the songs u used to love when you were younger

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 38. build a tower out of stationery or anything you can find and make it as tall as you can

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 39. take a picture of something ur grateful for wherever you go

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 40. live out ur daydreams on pinterest and make random boards of random lifestyles or dreams you have or are interested in

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 41. organise ur digital storage like apps, google drive, documents, photos, desktop, games, consoles, etc.

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 42. randomly set a reminder for somewhen in the future that you can think of saying that everything will be okay

🩷𓂃 ࣪˖ 43. have a park day without ur phone and make ur own entertainment

🐇𓂃 ࣪˖ 44. find ur enneagram number, do ur myers briggs test, study ur birth chart, find out more about urself bcuz ur the most important subject you could ever study

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ 45. write down ur biggest, wildest dreams with no bounds whatsoever

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 46. attentively track ur moods for a day or a few; take note of how ur feeling every few hours, note it down and ask urself what impacts it to change and fluctuate

🫶🏻𓂃 ࣪˖ 47. educate urself in whats going on in the world right now

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ 48. learn about the history of ur home town

⭐𓂃 ࣪˖ 49. create a list of all ur favourite things and rank them like cosmetics, perfumes, bands, foods, drinks, etc.

💬𓂃 ࣪˖ 50. make a music video playlist to play on ur tv

all my love... 💬🎀🫶🏻💗

[shimkongzlove]

Ryouhei x reader

A/N - loved windbreaker but I couldn't find many fics related to it so I decided to write one on my own . It is terribly written with a bunch of spelling mistakes and a basic plot. Read at your own risk ❌️❌️

Warning- mention of blood , violence , a bit of angst , sexual themes ( ig that's it )

You were working as an intern in the xyz hospital ( choose any name u like ) for your winter break . U loved working there , the staff was sweet and u received a good pay . But there were a lot of things which dint particularly suit your liking ,first and foremost it was situated in a rather shady area , the patients who came there during ur night shift were let's just say interesting .

Night shifts were something that u did not enjoy even hated to a certain level . They were tiring, boring and deprived you off of sleep . Yet what was important had to be done

4:30 am

A cold gush of winds welcomed u as u exited the hospital . The walk home was rather quite until u heard grunting from a nearby alley . Normally u would have ignored it but today u were feeling rather curious

U peeked into the alley way only to find a man surrounded by blood , lying on the cold floor . U stood there Debating whether to help the man or not and atlast ur heart won over ur mind .

U made your way to him cursing yourself for even stopping in the first place . Kneeling down next to him u observed his features . He was handsome no he was hot as fuck , the scar running down his face Made it 100 times better maybe it wasn't that bad of a decision to stop

While u were in your little dream land the man in question had regained his consciousness, his instinct led his hand to your wrist breaking u away from your thoughts .

The panic started to set in 'fuck he's awake man I hate my self for this ' , " who are you " said the stranger in question not letting go of your wrist which was starting to hurt " you're hurting me let go , please " ur plee fell on deff ears " I'm a doctor ur bleeding profusely if we don't sto-" ur words were cut short by the man pulling u closer "I asked who the fuck are you " he asked once again ignoring ur words . His deep voice sent shivers down ur body , ur face was just inches away frm his " si-sir I'm y/n , I can help you , your wounds look deep we have to stop the bleeding "

"I'm fine " he said letting go of your wrist " don't need help frm a complete stranger " "sir pls these wounds look serious I promise I mean no harm " as much as u hated the man's attitude u were still a doctor by profession it was your duty to help those in need

"My house is just 5 minutes away from here I can help stop ur bleeding and then we can both go our separate ways forgetting this ever happened deal " before he could argue his body gave up and he fell right into your arms

'Fuck he's heavy ' u somehow managed to drag him to your apartment . U laid his body down on your bed and started collecting all the medical supplys needed for the treatment .

Ryouhei's pov - 'man does my head hurt ' regaing back his consciousness he started to realize that he was not in an alley fighting people but rather he was lying on a bed one that was not his , his vision was still quite blurry from the hit he had taken , realizing he could not do much in his state he layed there accepting his faith

"Oh, ur awake I was just collecting the medical supplies needed for your treatment " "where am i" he said once again ignoring u " ur at my house, I promised I won't harm u so rest assured" u said walking closer to him " I dint quite catch ur name " " ryouhei " he said In an uninterested tone " well ryouhei-san you'll need to take of your um... clothes for me to help you..." u said as blood creeped up to your cheeks

He adhered to your request without any further question . He had a well toned body with a few cuts and scratches here and there . U caught urself staring a little more then needed, face as red as a tomato "take a pic it'll last longer " were the words that broke ur train of thoughts u felt an ache between ur legs ' this is so unprofessional, but man he's so hot ' "so-sorry, ehh anyways I'll start your treatment it's gonna sting a little so try not to move that much k?"

Sitting next to him on your bed u started your treatment , u felt him shiver under your touch "why are u doing this " he asked " I'm a doctor, it's my duty to help those in need " ur words sounded sincere to him " I'm a bad guy ukw that right " " I'm just here for the intern ship , i dont know the dirty business that goes around here " u said eyes still on his wounds , somehow u dint feel scared by his declaration , his hands went to your waist pulling ur body even more closer to his , stopping ur movements " everyone here knows who I am , many are scared to even approach I could do anything to you and ppl won't even bat an eye "

"U could have harmed me the moment you woke up yet here we are , so ik u won't do anything to me , atleast that's what I'd like to believe " " tch, ur way too confident " u decided not to reply , the time after that passed by silently

After about 15 or 20 minutes u were done putting bandages on his chest, arms and shoulders there were still a few cuts and scratches on his back so u asked him to turn around . He was now laying on his back

The spots were hard to treat because of the position u both were In , the only best possible way for u to reach them was to sit on his back "ryouhei-san ...the wounds on your back are kind of hard to reach so I'll need to change my position to treat them " " do whatever u want"

So u did what u had to , your theigs were now on either side of his body ( u were wearing shorts) touching his bare back.

Ryouheis pov

He was going crazy , the feeling of your theigs deff caused him to get a hard on not only that ,since the moment he met u . He was doomed. U were so pretty ,ur skin shining in the moon light, ur sweet voice, ur scent everything about u was intoxicating he couldn't take it much longer

He turned around causing u to yelp and hold on to his shoulders for support u were now basically straddling him " ur driving me nuts " "what did I d-" before u could finish , u felt smth poking ur inner thigh "oh" " yea feel that , that's what u did , you gotta help me now babe "

The end

( this is sooo poorly written 👎 but I had to to justice to my man ryouhei , there are barely any fics about him 😭😭 lemme know if yall want a pt2 )

( ps- this is the first fic iv ever written so please go easy on me and I hope yall enjoyed it)

[coelacat]

I am very intrigued by adam harding and stu sullivan please share a crumb of their lore🙏

hehe hi 👋

okay okay ill finally gush abt them

also i should warn that some fucked shit!! happens to these characters. dont read my lore about them if abuse/rape/substance abuse/bigotry isnt stuff you wanna see. anything under the cut is just a brief mention, but its there

so most of my ocs (the guys with relatively normal names, anyone named like. blade or some fantasy name ignore them for now) are a set of young adults in the 80s in small town midwest USA (some town in iowa, probably) (if any of this sounds familiar to anyone keep it to urself :)). i wanna cover their struggles with highschool, struggling with transitional periods, and then growing into adulthood. im debating if i wanna add and supernatural/scifi elements of have it focus on their relationships and internal struggles mostly, but those are minor details for later on down the road

adam!! hes like. My Main Guy. the one i ended up making this whole lil universe for. bold that i created all of this for him basically and i still named him after adam from the bible, yet it gives me a complex i deeply enjoy so i do it anyway. i am a god who created the world for man, not man for the world.

most of these characters play off 80s media stereotypes and expand on them, and i think adam is like. the most blatant example of this. you know that movie from the 80s-90s you last watched that had a misogynistic metalhead who pulled chicks because he viewed them as objects to win, loved his car, and was angry and violent most of the time, while people who were scared of him vaguely assumed he was satanic in some way? thats adam harding. bleached blonde hair done in a perm mullet, a shitty stache hes convinced makes him look mature, sad brown eyes, leather jackets, and steel toed boots, with tattoos to really top it all off.

semi repressed devout christian faggot who struggles with his own sexuality and identity. hes got daddy issues AND mommy issues (though his mommy issues are much more prominent) and an abusive and neglectful home life, he has to adapt to having a sister after being an only child his whole life, and he has to adjust to a move half way across the country, from southern california to the middle of nowhere hick iowa. as a result, hes quick to anger, never lets his guard down unless around other queers, but ultimately he wants to be good. he was told to be good by his mother, its been ingrained in him from a young age to be nice and do good things. its just unfortunate that his environment allows for that as little as possible. when he has the patience and energy, hes often a lot gentler, but its rare for him to not be running on fumes and a bit of nicotine.

his hobbies include chasing milfs and cougars, working on his car, working out, surfing, blaring Dio as loud as humanly possible, chainsmoking, basketball and wrestling. keep those last two in mind.

on the other hand, stewie "stu" sullivan is the star example of what a highschool student should be. athletically, hes the top of the school, hes got pretty hair and a handsome face, a kind of preppy style, and girls go wild over him. soft brunet hair, sweet freckles occasionally dotting his skin, and lovesick hazel eyes. hes even a total sweetheart who usually treats his girlfriends really well. his only downsides are his mild stupidity, petty mean streak, his shitty guard dog entourage, and his twin brother, kurtis.

stu comes from an upper middle class home, and hes got high expectations set on him. hes consistently been great on whatever local sports team hes been a part of, and the success of his whole future rests on his shoulders to continue doing well. he'll have a free ticket to college, if only he can stay the top of his school, athletically. in terms of popularity, hes pretty slow to give up that as well.

you can probably guess that having the constant pressure to be perfect from his parents creates a lot of friction, however, hes always been seen as the "good" of the two twins. he cant really rebel in any meaningful way, as the expectations placed on him keep him locked in place of being well mannered with adults. towards other students, however, stu will happily pick some fights to blow off steam. its usually with the teens that dont fight back, of course, and its usually only a couple petty insults and a half hearted shove. one affected girl thought that she mightve seen remorse in his expression when he walked away. she was written off as being down bad for him.

oh, right. remember those hobbies of adams i asked you to keep in mind? basketball and wrestling?

yeag .... that might be because stu is the top of the team for wrestling and basketball, and is constantly regarded as the schools mvp.

you can imagine how easily theyd hate each other. theyre both hormonal teenagers who are angry all the time and feel insanely guilty about being angry so they only get angrier and now theyre both challenging each others masculinity. adam very quickly comes for the top spot in the sports stu is good at, so they end up beefing with each other fast and hard. its a constant cock measuring contest with them, and they frequently bloody each others noses.

this sorta fued carries on, and they make no real progress with each other for like 6 months, until adam meets eve, a mysterious newcomer to the town who refuses to say much about herself. shes very obviously queer, and he latches onto her almost immediately as a result of that, and verious other reasons. eventually, eve will coax out adams queerness and he'll be a little more comfortable with himself and end up realizing "fuckkkkkj dude ive got a crush on that prettyboy whos blood ive tasted!!". stu will eventually be coaxed into realizing himself and fixing some of his issues as well as they get older, though all that stuff is a lot more vague in my mind at the moment.

the post i rbed from you tagging as them, id imagine is after adam meets eve, and starts spreading his faggot agenda to stu, but before either of them are fully comfortable with the fact that theyre into men.

stu will eventually have some gender fuckery going on too, but like. thats complicated and i wanna wait and explore that once i have a more comfortable grasp on his character.

if you want a voice claim for adam, i particularly like Randy from Idle Hands (1999) for him? i still gotta nail down voice claims for most other characters though. sorry that adams my favorite

[awkwardlyfangirly]

waa i am back w a fic! first time in forever!

guess what character it's about!! yes that's right it's hekiru im obsessed with him. thank you.

warnings: this has go! go! loser ranger! manga spoilers and also threatening a little girl with physical harm. also a little bit of nervous habits that hurt urself.

this was fun to write! i love hekiru. he is a terrible person. i doubt anyone will be looking for this fic or have much reason to read it but if u do i hope u like. ^-^

/////////////////////////////

it was a hot, muggy night.

hekiru was patrolling, by himself. they trusted him to do things like this. just him, and his artifact, and the thick sweltering air. it was late. no one was really out and about at this hour. he kicked at the gravel as he walked.

his path took him by a playground. it was quiet, abandoned, empty. the equipment shone in the moonlight. he shivered and started to hurry past.

“hey,” someone called.

he froze.

the voice cycled through his brain. child, female, distant. not really a threat. he turned, slowly.

there she was. sitting on the swingset, barely moving. he saw her hair fall over her shoulder as she tilted her head.

“come here,” she called.

hekiru did not want to come here. he wanted to run away.

but she could definitely see the uniform. the weapon. she knew who he was. what he stood for. if he ran away, she could tell his higher-ups, and that would go on his record. a mark of cowardice.

well… maybe he could lie? tell them that he hadn’t ended up walking through the playground? that she was making things up for attention?

he was still debating the topic when she sighed heavily and shouted his name.

“aran hekiru! come here! shouldn’t a ranger help a civilian in need?”

his name? how did she know his name?

his heart pounded through his ears. he walked towards her. his boots crunched on the sand underneath.

“good,” the girl said, and kicked her feet. the swingset creaked.

“no one likes you,” she said.

hekiru stopped in front of her and blinked. “excuse me?”

she stared up at him. her eyes were unflinching. “no one likes you.”

hekiru scoffed. “okay? what do i care what you say? you’re just some random kid.”

she narrowed her eyes. “excuse me?”

“you heard me. goodbye.” hekiru turned and started walking away.

(his heart was racing, his chest constricting. no one? no one liked him? no one?)

(don’t listen to her, he reassured himself. of course everyone likes you! you defeated hwalipon! you saved the world!)

(and of course people are going to be jealous. you defeated hwalipon. you saved the world.)

(and of course people are going to hate you. they are going to find out, and they are going to hate you. it’s all just a big lie, isn’t it? you’re shaky, pedaling on a tightrope ten stories above a flaming vat of oil. you liar. you fraud.)

“i’ll tell them!” she yelled after him. “i’ll call the rangers and i’ll tell them you left me here, by myself, in an abandoned playground in the middle of the night! i’ll cry!”

he gritted his teeth. this kid - !

“little brat,” he growled as he stomped back over to her. “c’mon. let’s go to the police station. they can take care of you.”

“i’m not lost. i’m not going there.”

“not lost? really? so, you snuck out. and i need to get you back home.”

she stuck her tongue out at him. “i’m not going anywhere with you.”

he took a deep breath and clenched his fists at his sides.

“listen, kid, how am i supposed to help you if -”

“don’t you want to know how i know?” she cut in, dragging her sneakers on the dirt. “aren’t you curious?”

“huh? know what?”

“how i know your name. or how i know that no one likes you.”

“shut up. you don’t know that.” he gnawed on his lower lip.

“yes, i do,” she said, firmly.

“whatever. i’m not going to ask. i’m going to get you down to the police station, and -”

“my dad’s a ranger,” she said. “in blue. just like you! and he told me. he pointed at you on the tv and said, that’s aran hekiru. we all hate him. he’s a jerk. an arrogant, selfish, cowardly jerk.”

hekiru huffed. “h-he sounds jealous.” he scratched at his forearm. gloved hand on sleeved arm. he scratched harder.

“my dad’s the best ranger in all the ranger force,” she said. “you should be jealous of him.”

“oh, wow. is he junior first rank?” hekiru scratched at the back of his neck. his uniform was starting to feel too tight.

“he should be.”

his lip split. he tasted blood.

“what’s your goal in telling me this, anyways?” he crossed his arms, tucking his shaking hands against his chest. “just saw me patrolling and decided to harass me?”

“basically.” she crossed her arms back at him. “it’s my duty to stand up for what’s right.”

“h-harassing me is what’s right?”

she nodded, somber in silhouette. “my dad told me that you’ll never be brought to justice. he said there’s no proof.”

“y-your dad s-says a lot of things.”

“you’re sweating,” she said, leaning forwards. the swingset squealed. “sweating a lot. i didn’t even say what i’m talking about. but you know, don’t you? you know. he’s right.”

hekiru shook his head. “s-shut up.”

“he said he saw it all.”

“shut up! shut up!!”

“you’re a liar! and a killer!”

“SHUT UP!” hekiru shrieked, his voice shrill, tight, clipping right through the dense night air. he moved before she could even notice it.

a click, a hum, and a rush of air against her cheek. his artifact lit up a brilliant bright blue. it flashed right in her eyes. it pressed, hot, against her neck.

she sat very still.

“shut up,” he said, quiet. the artifact hummed. it threatened.

hekiru’s hands shook.

she stared at him. her eyes were dark, wet, trembling. her lips started to quiver.

“e-everyone likes me,” he whispered. “everyone loves me. i saved everyone. okay?”

her breathing shuddered.

“okay?” he insisted, shoving the artifact a little closer against her neck. she swallowed and nodded.

“good,” he huffed.

his heart pounded. he gasped for breath in the muggy night air. his ears were ringing.

he tightened his grip on the scythe.

“who’s your dad?” he said, quiet.

her eyes widened.

“n-no,” she stammered. “n-no, i’m not going to -”

“tell me.” hekiru glared. his hands shook hard. “i-i just need to know his name.”

she started to cry, harsh and choking. “i’m sorry. i’m sorry. i’m sorry. i’m sorry.”

he couldn’t hurt her. he couldn’t leave any tangible proof. and he couldn’t kill her. someone might put two and two together.

but he needed to know. he needed to know. he needed to know. he needed to know. why wouldn’t she just tell him?! why couldn’t anyone make anything easy for him?!

loose threads. loose threads. the world was getting filled with loose threads. someone in the ranger force knew. they’d seen him?? how??

he choked on his own spit. his throat tightened to a pinpoint. his hands shook so hard. so hard.

“fine,” he mumbled, lowering the artifact. “whatever. go.”

the girl’s eyes widened. finally free. she scrambled backwards off of the swing and ran, fast, her feet scrabbling against the dirt as she fled. she was crying, still. hekiru could hear her sobbing.

all of her bravado melted away the moment she saw my true power. he smirked and traced a little star in the sand with the end of his scythe.

he’d give her a head start. enough time that she wouldn’t realize he was following her. no doubt she’d run straight home after something like this.

ugh, these loose threads. he shook his head and clicked his artifact onto his back again.

aran hekiru had saved the world. that was the truth. the truth.

he couldn’t let anyone say otherwise.

[tsaritsa]

tagged by @dairogo @megthemighty and @fullmetalscullyy to post some work from a wip. i was actually tagged yonks ago, but y'all made me open my scrivener doc which means i have to write another 1k words for it bc i want my stats to look good (lmao.... for who? for MY anxious mess of a brain) anywAY

“It’s good to have goals,” she tells him eventually. His responding laugh is devoid of any warmth.

“Why? So my hopes can be dashed anyway?” Malfoy shoots back, that familiar cruel tone curling around his words. “Like I’d listen to a fucking m—”

“No.” Hermione interrupts firmly. At least she knows how to behave when his cruelness is directed at her. This is familiar in an bittersweet way. Some things would never change. “Your lot lost the right to use that word when you lost the war.”

“I was going to say muggleborn,” he sneers, but Hermione is not convinced. “Who despite being hailed as a genius and the smartest witch of our age, much to the continued dismay of our dearest dead Dark Lord, still doesn’t grasp pureblood society because she assumes that there is justice and fairness inherent in it. There is not. My survival will hinge entirely on whether the Wizengamot thinks that there is still something of value to extricate from the Malfoy name: whether that be money, resources, or influence. What happened, what choices were made don’t matter. They never did.”

“You’re wrong Malfoy. You saved Harry at the Manor. You saved all of us.” It feels like all the air leaves her lungs as she says it.

“You’re confusing me with the elf,” he corrects her tersely.

Why is she even debating this with him at all? Clearly he wasn’t going to listen to her. “Sure,” she answers with forced lightness, picking up the map and moving off the bench. “I’m sure your Aunt would’ve been much kinder with me if you had simply told her who I was.” Her arm prickles, but Hermione’s determined to make her point known before she acknowledges the physical response she’s having — she will not have a panic attack in front of Malfoy for Christ’s sake. “I’m sure it would’ve become a whole family affair while you waited for Voldemort to arrive—”

“Don’t say his name—” he snarls.

“I’ll say his name if I fucking please you coward—”

Malfoy stands so abruptly he knocks over both their mugs: they shatter noisily onto the stone floor. He’s moved past her towards the entrance in three quick steps, the slam of the painting echoing in the room. Miffy and another elf appear in front of her, exclaiming at the noise and setting about vanishing the broken crockery. Hermione can feel the tears coming, like she’s on the shore and waiting for the tsunami to arrive, rooted in spot.

this thing is at 50k and i'm still nowhere near done lmfao. hoping to get to 100k before the end of the year and maybe start publishing? idk. we'll see how it goes. these two just don't wanna kiss!!! i'm serious:

tag urself i'm the chapter where i write sex (but get distracted, and don't write sex)

tagging @royai @megthemighty @fullmetalscullyy @hedonysms @dairogo @firewoodfigs and @nightofnyx8 for excerpts of whatever y'all are writing!!!! fma poetry ur shopping list whatEVER

[pathologising]

pls debating making a portfolio but all of my stuff is just making my own ocs with actors and (my personal crowning achievement I think) what I call a good old “facial reconstruction”

like if I can make this man look less like half his face is rotting and more just slightly scarred? hire me losers I did this for free

you really could make a writing and photoshop portfolio! the most annoying part abt like...getting a job in anything is you gotta market urself and its so much effort but its worth it ig lol

[naturenaruto]

that reminds me like if ur still younger or living with ur parents/family i think a good but of advice that i wouldve wanted to have when i was a kid and teen is that ur parents....already know everything

and by that i mean they know if ur actually sick they know if u snuck out they know if ur on drugs they know if ur lying. its scary and invasive and wrong....but they Know

my point is that if ur parents are the kind where u dont get in trouble or they dont bring it up its bc theyre letting u get away with it or they just dont care

and then for other parents who are constantly trying to catch you at something alot of times they did something Wrong like going thru ur stuff ur diary ur room ur bags ur online ur private business, which they should not be doing it doesnt matter that theyre The Parents The Authority they should n o t be invading ur privacy

im 31 and as a full grown adult™️ im telling you they still dont have that right even when ur a kid living under their roof........its privacy invasion and its a violation and its wrong and they shouldnt be doing that

but if ur parents are creeps then usually theyll try to catch u in a lie and trip u up......the key is to talk as little as possible dont yell dont get emotional distance urself treat it like its an interrogation even if u love ur parents like.......say very little answer in yes or no dont try to explain bc they WILL use ur desire to explain and try to weave a story against you! they will!

you will be standin there thinkin uve got some rlly good story and it sound legit™️ and the entire time they see right through you

i am just saying this for anyone bc i wish i knew when i was younger, just spend as little time with ur parents as possible dont argue dont talk back dont yell, catch urself as you start to feel overwhelmed, and begin to realize ur limits like what sets u off, try to leave the room as quickly as possible dont stay just to argue they dont wanna have a debate or hear ur explaination (which might not even be a lie lol) they just want u to fuck urseld over and alot if times even if ur not lying they will wear you down and work you over to such an extent that eventually you w i l l say something you shouldnt like cuss or somehing bad or mean or the truth if u were trying to lie or youll say soemthing that sounds different than you said before so evne if u werent lying theyll take that and act like u did...

just talk to ur parents as little as possible be around them as little as possible dont argue dont debate dont overexplain just use yes and no and okay

parents are constanly trying to trip u up and get u worked up JUST to have an excuse to punish you

leave as quickly as possible and dont try to prove them wrong or prove ur point i am telling u right now they dont care and they dont think ur right anyways even if u do make a good point they dont.......care

they know everything so dont try to lie just evade and ask to leave or just walk away, be really quiet and meek and eyes looking anywhere except them, dont be combatative just leave bc one of the biggest mistakes in my life was thinking i could change my parents opinions and beliefs and it. was not going to happen

theyre already set in stone u wont be able to talk them into having a conscience or empathy or morals or mercy or forgiveness or compassion or a heart........

i wish that instead of wasting so much of my time and energy as a child and adult talking to them and trying to explain myself and things i wish i had just gone back to my room and lived my life

spend that time hanging out with ur friends and reading in ur room playing games etc whatever else go outside just g e t a w a y from them.....

the best advice i have for anyone still under 18 is to spend as little time with ur parents as possible and as much time out of the house with friends or by urself even or just in ur bedroom watching tv reading learning stuff urself instead of wasting time trying to teach ur parents bc they either already know or they dont care

as little interaction with them as possible dont argue dont talk back just ackowledge them and say okay and then leave

otherwise youll end up just wasting your time and breath on people who dont deserve it and wont change anyways

obviously if you have decent parents this doesnt apply

[little-miss-dilf-lover]

WHEN I TWLL U LIT CHOKED WITH THE ENDING OF THE VEIN THING WITH TAN 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 IM LITERALLY CRYINGIWNDJFJFFN i love how ur mind works sm u never disappoint ✋🏻😔 tytyy for taking the request and it’s so good to have u back <33333333 (don’t stress urself too much and keep looking at atj pics to revise anatomy ok)

- 🍪

😭😭😭😭😭😭!!! I was debating whether to add it or not, then thought nah fuck it reader and tan def have lots of jokes together. ARGH THANK YOU!! I like how she works too (sometimes)

you are literally the cutest!!😩 tysm <3333!!!!

I will continue to look at pictures of that hunk to study, don’t you worry about that 🫡

[pinkseas]

GOOD EVENING NIGHTY TO U ALYYY I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A NICE SLEEP SOON or now as i type this immediately after. ur answer because i am in the Mood like YEEHAW anyway FIRST OF ALL SIRMA'AMMX SHANNON i hope u have the bestest day too like that is both Embarrassing and an honest surprise theres someone else reading our convos at all and i did,... stumble on this one comment someone wants to read more of my xiao deadge brainrot weve been throwing back and forth that u replied (more like me crying u crying back i wipe ur tears still crying cus its all from me my fault i did this to myself) and im like SHYYY but its all out in the open on tumblr anyway so we just. yeah. YeaghHFHEHDKDJFHDHHFHDJDJFH dies in a corner cutely PATCHES THE ONLY EVER that we can trust in the most honest answers regarding blake rwby and xiao genshimpact her words only that we hold like the bible amen 🙏

"i have sm respect for it esp as like a genuine coping mechanism and i cant really speak on fics for it but the thought of xiao specifically as a character regressing is so ??? i get it in Theory but in Practice." NO BUT I GET YOU i think the interpretation can still. maybe. be put into a good way though I Cant Really See It but if whoever does esp the fics then u cant rlly debate their reason its like any other screwed up hc ppl do so yknow!! "sometimes u just gotta write fics where you baby the fave and i look away from those in general out of personal preference but i am especially looking away from ones where its xiao" with all u wrote after like i can see the point of Babying Xiao but not him going actual baby and das not good at all,... cus all i do think abt esp if zhongli treats him is those two fics i told u that gets me so hard of the old man's willingness to care for him and how hes so gentle and patient and akfkfjshhxhshdh like THAT is the type of babying but not babying i can get by like YKWIM

"there's a difference between treating someone gently knowing their strength and capability and choosing to be soft regardless in a good, respectful way, VS flat out ignoring that persons capability and strength and treating them like glass and truly believing that they could shatter at any moment if thought of any differently." im gonna be fr i did use the second option but OFC ZHONGLI DOESNT IGNORE its the fact he Knows xiao can still be,... so fragile. like (skids back like im wearing socks sliding on marble floor) ur fic where lumine holds him like shes holding the world and he cries and cries and she holds him regardless,... that type of fragility. i dont know if you rmb me talking this but i mentioned abt some other brainrot abt xiao trying to move on after the events of the chasm and how the crew And lumine And zhongli play a part of it but i didnt say that while everyone has at least a piece of their worldview given to him abt grief and loss its ultimately abt xiao and zhongli going through their conflict of each other way back since rex lapis' death,... and in the end when they resolve it, xiao had been so. so fragile. like everything reaches his breaking point and he breaks. he misses the past he misses devoting his only purpose to rex lapis whos not rex lapis anymore he misses bosacius he misses his siblings he misses the adepti he couldnt even mourn properly. and zhongli lets him mourn. and its that moment where he cries it rlly shows how small he is to the world yknow. THAT kind of guilt of acting like a child but for a person like xiao that he genuinely doesnt realize nor have the power to stop it. (and all ur comments after it jsut hits so HARDDD SO REALL)

"I JUYST WROTE LIKE A WHOLE PARAGRAPH but it was super fucking rambly in a way that made NO sense whatsoever so it is gone now goodbye </3" NO WAY…. NAUR WAY U CANT JUSR DO THAT I WANNA SEE UR WORD VOMIT TO MY WORD VOMIT TOO u said it urself sumtimes u cant get entirely what im saying I GOTTA BE CONFUSED TOO SUMTIMES EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE shakes u like a piggy bank (and like yknow every single i wrote here is unfiltered. like. i just leave in all my nonsensical rambles cus fuck it its not like i can come back to it and it perfectly encapsulates how Not Sane i am in my thoghts and i must Let you Know)

i do not have the words or thoght to respond on the xiaolumi xiao and lumine one bc everythings there already ITS ALL THERE SO BASED SO REAL so. i cant say theyre perfect for each other for the exact reason i see flaw that theyre not. i think. pettiness flowing through me that i personally see their development slow that i dont vibe with others' praises abt how glorious they are as a couple but not in how i see it KFHSHFHEHFJJEJFJ "made for each other" "their souls are fated to be together" can be so Eck to me its funny that it sounds like i hate xlmi too when i can go 30k words on it WAHAHKDJHSH am thinkinf abt ur latest post instead when the two are brought up bc my brain goes fast melts fast like putty i cannot Bother going back sumtimes but i Will Try

"idk how they put up with me fr" NO BUT. NO i also cant believe how you put up with me especially with that many paragraphs and over explaining and extremely specific views of xiao and lumine and zhongli and everyone else i drag in bc i do doubt if i am being so nitpicky abt it when i mention the gnsn commu's common views on it KFHSHFHHSHFH like, being around the community in twt or at least trying to be at the sidelines can be so. draining. that u see sm stuff that contradicts how u think and it makes u a little irritated if not scared u feel like ur the only one with this thought u feel left out. so like. its kinda ironic i found who can get me outside of twt HAJFKSJFJ

"it takes xiao and lumine a long time to develop a very close friendship" has been important to me for a long time since i knew their potential, and ive been doing this even before them like 😭😭😭😭 exploring love in a way that it isnt romantic love. that it doesnt have to be them kissing to make them official, that their close friendship is that fruitful result they grew which makes it personally hard to me that them being a couple and doing sims woohoo feels like its lost entirely for that "new stage in life". and i do take them realistically i do try my hardest to make them make even a little sense bc i want them to be as human as they are, although they were never human in the first place. not just exploring abt live but exploring abt how humanity works in teyvat,... about how to live,... and that matters sm to me ughghhdh post-teyvat where they do kinda maybe be 'official', but thats after all the hardship all the misunderstandings they went during teyvat. during conflict. and once everythings peaceful do they try to let go and make their bond simply work and THATS SO IMPORTANT TO MEEEE

though dont take my pov too heavily bc i did have my moot who knows abt my xlmi views and how i speak them so delicately and aggressively (gentle) passionate that theyre even cautious abt speaking their ideas to me i felt legit bad 💔💔 like SURE THEYRE SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME i would fight anyone who wants to rebuke my ideals but not those who just wants to be around and share the sillies with me like AUGH I HOPE THAT THIS IS EVEN A LITTLE BIT COHERENT TO U SKSKHFJSHFHD 

"me sitting here like a small child drawing them as stick figures holding hands and smiling “and then they were BEST friends <3” I MEAN WITH ALL THE SHT I SAID I DO THIS TOO FR sumtiems u get super analytic like a scientist lookijg thru their science thingamajigs to cure cancer sumtimes you go goofy ahh my blorbos i think theyre very neat tgt and we're so real for that <33333

GOOD MORNING BESTIEEEEEEEE <3333333

"(more like me crying u crying back i wipe ur tears still crying cus its all from me my fault i did this to myself)" NO BC THIS IS SO REAL LITERALLY

"PATCHES THE ONLY EVER that we can trust in the most honest answers regarding blake rwby and xiao genshimpact her words only that we hold like the bible amen 🙏" patches says xiao genshin impact is the only man ever and honestly i agree

"like THAT is the type of babying but not babying i can get by like YKWIM" I KNOW WHAT U MEAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"im gonna be fr i did use the second option but" NO BC LIKE i didnt word that right i know what u mean and like. idk. u dont do it in a bed or weird or disrespectful way yknow ???? you do it Right you do it so fawking well it makes me so insane and for what

"and in the end when they resolve it, xiao had been so. so fragile. like everything reaches his breaking point and he breaks. he misses the past he misses devoting his only purpose to rex lapis whos not rex lapis anymore he misses bosacius he misses his siblings he misses the adepti he couldnt even mourn properly. and zhongli lets him mourn. and its that moment where he cries it rlly shows how small he is to the world yknow" o(-( crying shaking bawling sobbing GODDDDDDD i see it. i see the vision i get it i Understand dear fucking LORD im so. explodes. learning to live for yourself missing the simplicity of the past missing those youve lost it is all So Fucking Hard and for what !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"shakes u like a piggy bank" DORRYYYYYYYYYY next time that happens i wll just keep the paragraph i pinkie prommy <333333 just for u bestie anything for u bestie

""made for each other" "their souls are fated to be together" can be so Eck to me" BIGGEST HANDSHAKE EMOJI EVER its so weird like sometimes in writing specifically i really love it but its one of those like. i appreciate it when its Not Real but if it were ever real or if ppl ever truly believed that other ppl or any charactesr were 'made for each other' or 'fated' i would expldoea nd die /neg ITS SO WEIRD i cant Properly describe how i love it a lot in specific ways but then hate it so bad in other ways its soooo. man

"i also cant believe how you put up with me especially with that many paragraphs and over explaining and extremely specific views of xiao and lumine and zhongli and everyone else i drag in" are u kidding me ur paragraphsg and explaining are the Best Things Ever In The Whole Entire Universe i adore and cherish it every single time without fail. something something not "putting up with" or "dealing with" just love just care <- doesnt know how words work or how to describe things

everything abt the way u talk abt xiaolumi is so. pleading face emoji x1000000000 im just. smdnfmsdngnfdkg GOD

"like SURE THEYRE SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME i would fight anyone who wants to rebuke my ideals but not those who just wants to be around and share the sillies with me like AUGH I HOPE THAT THIS IS EVEN A LITTLE BIT COHERENT TO U" no i know exactly what you mean dw !!!!!!! and its weird for me specifically/personally bc like. on one hand im still working on The Thing where if Someone I Care About has an opinion thats different from mine my instinct is "oh, my opinion is Wrong and theirs is Right" and that used to be SAURRRRR bad and there's a little bit of influence still BUT!!!! character growth character development i am so much better at keeping my own thoughts and hcs now and not twisting and changing them the split second someone says otherwise...... like the past few months especially ive gotten SO good at it its unreal i feel like an actual person now. and like i fully understand the fear of "oh no what if i make them feel like they cant talk about THEIR thoughts" but w/ us specifically too its like. i love hearing about your thoughts So Fucking Much whther theyre super similar or super different from my own, and partially bc of that i am 100% ok with sharing my own thoughts even if i feel like they're silly or know they'll be different from yours. idk if you were like a Stranger stranger (which is so funny to say all things considered) id probably be all polite but in the bad way where i listened and then agreed and didnt give my own thoughts but its YOU so i give all of my own thoughts i give every thought ive ever had and i feel totally comfortable doing so <- word vomit paragraph bc im delirious but im also too delirious to reword it into somethign more coherent dorry </333

"sumtiems u get super analytic like a scientist lookijg thru their science thingamajigs to cure cancer sumtimes you go goofy ahh my blorbos i think theyre very neat tgt and we're so real for that <33333" REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL we literally are so real for that. man. i love that for us sm <333

ANYWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS i hope u have been doing well i hope ur day today goes amazingly i hope u get some good rest tonight or maybe during the day idk i hope school stuff is going well and finally if anything goes wrong or bad i am beating it up with my tiny baby fists peace and love goodnight <3

[hannie-dul-set]

said "you speak so much but none of your words have substance" to my dad today i feel great.

[pissmoon]

I dont 'debate' ppl cause that shit is for nerds i just make fun of them

[twistedwonderlandimaginesblog]

Hii! For the flower meme prompt could you write for Leona + (30.) Rainflower? Thank you!!

PS: hope u can motivate urself back!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧ (and...UGH these prompts are so cuteeee!! It was so hard to choose one lol)

Leona Kingscholar: 

Rainflower - realizing that you/they love them/you back.

You could tell from the irritated twitch of his ears that Leona has had enough.

You’re surprised he even showed up to the meeting his brother called but there was a part of you that knew it was because you weren’t going to deny the invitation. As a couple you were expected to appear together, so while you might not raise a complaint to Leona not appearing he knew the rest of his family would eat him alive. But there’s an internal debate going on in his head currently, one that was telling him he would have dealt with the same level of annoyance if he’d just stayed in bed and let them come complain to him.

Leona was difficult to comfort, he rarely showed weakness (in fact, you couldn’t think of any time you’d seen him vulnerable unless his overblotting counted). It left you at a loss for how to comfort him, knowing that despite his rough exterior it never hurt to let him know you were in his corner. You hesitated to do something that might sour his mood even more, especially because you would be the one having to deal with him for the few grumpy hours after this, but standing here just watching his unhappiness grow just didn’t sit right with you.

It was a simple thing, just a gentle touch where you approached him from behind and placed a hand on the back of his arm. He gave you a sideways glance and a brief raised eyebrow but since he wasn’t pulling away, you considered it a win. You took another step closer so you were mostly hidden behind his back, hand moving to his back; you started to rub soothing circles, keeping your movement slight so it wouldn’t attract the attention of others.

His tail is flicking but he has yet to raise a complaint, nor has he moved away and looked at you like you were crazy, which is as good a sign as any that he doesn’t mind what you’re doing. His ears have even stopped incessantly twitching each time his brother spoke and rested peacefully on top of his head. When the meeting is called to an end they lower briefly in a ‘thank goodness’ moment of relief, and your boyfriend turned to you with an undecipherable look on his face.

“Were you comforting me in my time of need?” Leona always seemed so smug when he brought up the little things you did for him, even if you were pleased with the fact he noticed at all. He noticed everything; the lesson just hadn’t fully sunk in yet. “How thoughtful of you.”

“Well, you only came because of me so I… felt bad…” You moved to lean the side of your head against his arm now that the room was empty but you’re startled when you nearly fall over, Leona dodging your affectionate move; it left your heart heavy in your chest, wondering if you had perhaps overstepped and not realized.

You’re quickly set at ease as his arms find themselves around you, his hand on the back of your head bringing you closer to his chest. You react accordingly, arms wrapping around his middle as you moved yourself even closer. It might come as a surprise to most, it certainly had to you, but Leona was a very physically affectionate person. While PDA had never been his thing when it was just the two of you, he purred like a kitten whenever your body was pressed against his. He sought out the skin-to-skin contact often, no matter how simple it was.

To even be allowed this close to him…

Maybe he showed you his vulnerable side more often than you thought.

[owlmylove]

Just had the very distressing thought that if I ever want to have a girlfriend I'm gonna have to TALK to a girl?!?!??!?!?!?

I'd have to talk to a girl that I LIKE and HAVE A CRUSH ON?!?!? Impossible! Please help a distressed lesbian if you have any advice

okay so: in my personal experience 90% of all lesbian flirting is eyeing up fellow women to discreetly try to determine if they, too, are wlw. then you compliment each others button downs and never speak to each other again

BUT if you would like to painstakingly attempt to challenge the starfish fallacy then read on for my comprehensive guide on flirting w/ women! (credentials: i have accidentally flirted with So Many Women oh my god)

first up: start with the art of compliments! if you're too shy to tell a girl they're gorg out of nowhere, then focus on their clothing, their haircuts, their cool shoes, the patches on their denim jackets, etc. opening a convo with a compliment is one of the easiest shortcuts, as it neatly prevents you from having to come up w/ a witty rejoinder right off the bat (save those for later)

physical proximity makes it easy to do this to someone standing or sitting next to you. if, however, they're on the other side of the room/otherwise engaged, it gets trickier. if ur confident enough to walk up to a girl in a coffeeshop + compliment her, GO FOR IT. but if you're too anxious to just coldcall her, approach with a question.

you can warp the compliment to fit the question, i.e. "Hey! Sorry to interrupt [your reading], but your book looks super interesting/I've seen it around & am debating whether to buy it. Would you recommend it?" or, re: outfits/haircuts "Hey! Your ____ is super cute, can I ask where you got it [done]?" if they're a classmate/coworker, you can make it even less direct: "Hey! Do you know when we're scheduled to do ____?" (<- this one comes w/ the perk of, pending her response, immediately asking for her # to swap shifts or trade notes, which can quickly allow for inviting her to a study group/after work drinks with coworkers. speedrun!!)

once Conversation is Initiated, maintain eye contact, listen attentively to their replies, and keep smiling/smizing. if they're reticent, follow up with more questions unless you're getting fuck off vibes ("I'm trying to get more into reading lately, would you have any other reccs?" or, "I haven't found a hairstylist yet since I moved here from _____, are there any other local spots you'd recommend?")

BUT if they're returning eye contact, smiling, and keeping open body language towards you, make it a full-on convo! offer some personal details in return, don't be afraid to make (non-risky!!!!) jokes, and (if you can control when & where you're moving, i.e. not during a job or class) have a built-in exit.

even if convos are going good, it's polite (+ leaves them wanting more via scarcity principle, etc. etc.) to end a brief first-time convo after a few minutes, ideally before the energy winds down & you're left feeling awkward. "it's been so lovely meeting you! [insert name here], right? I've got to get going, but thanks for the ___!" if you wanna play the long game/are in a coffeeshop/aren't confident enough yet (no shame!) ask if she comes here regularly and say you hope to see her around sometime soon.

if you've managed to get a good enough energy going: ask if she has an insta/social media you could get for _____ purpose, i.e. letting her know if you like the book/music/media she recc'd or asking for more local spots. IF, however, you don't wanna put yourself at the whim of her generosity: give yourself a cheat code during the initial conversation.

namely; reference something you'd recommend, think she'd find funny, or can't believe she hasn't seen yet, etc. etc. then, at the end of the convo, you can naturally offer "Oh! Lemme send you that X I mentioned--do you have an insta/social?" et voila. asking for social is always less awk/direct than asking for phone numbers, AND it lets the flirtee decide whether she wants to offer that level of trust just yet

if you're not coldcall flirting a girl in public, but rather have an object of your affections at work or school: this formula works p. much the same, but on a slower scale (if you don't use my speedrun ofc) start building a rapport via compliments/questions, progress to chatting briefly whenever you see each other, and third step: say "I saw something yesterday that totally reminded me of you/I just have to send to you!! Here-do I have your insta yet?"

once you have someone's insta: continue chatting when you see them irl/replying to their stories over social, and see if you can pay close enough attention to what she likes to do. judging by the number of accidental lesbian dates i've been on, it's probably

art museum

botanical gardens, or

burlesque shows

however, hikes, used bookstores, underground shows, and grocery shopping together for a subsequent picnic also feature prominently. invite her to do whatever activity you think you'd both enjoy most (over social or irl, whichever you're comfortable with [tho irl gives you a better judge of facial expressions/body language]) and boom. if she says yes, shoot back "it's a date!" after setting the day/time, bc if she's anywhere near as clueless as i am (i'm so sorry wlw) they may honestly think you're still just friends.

if, over the course of your irl convos or DMs, you have the chance to casually mention your sexuality (patches, pride is coming up, mention "my teenage crush/my ex-girlfriend") and ask for hers, go for it. if you can be direct: ask directly. it will save you time, trouble, and mild heartbreak. but if you suffer from the conflict avoidance that plagues lo so many of us: just lean into the subtext.

offer your celebrity crushes and ask what hers are. mention an ex (BRIEFLY, in connection to another topic entirely [she recc'd this cool band to me!] and always in a positive context). wear birkenstocks or docs and say Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the best film of all time, say you listen to girl in red or w/e those charming youths do. just lay the foundation in barely-subtext and keep an eye on her responses, while accepting the risk of wooing what may or may not be a fellow wlw

once you are, in point of fact, ON the date: standard rules and rates apply. relax! be urself!! enjoy spending time with a cool person, regardless of what may or may not come of it!!!! if she seems into it lean into physical proximity, do the whole Tarzan hand-comparison wlw are addicted to, offer to feed her bites of food or swap sips of each other's drinks, and casually set intentions for future plans ("I've never heard of X cafe--we'll have to do that next time!" or, the infamous buy-her-smth-secretly and then offer "You can get mine next time c:")

again, the most important thing is to be sincere. it's good not to place too many expectations on the other person, but don't force yourself to be overly "chill" if you are not, in point of fact, a chill person. dating is always a process of getting to know one another, and it's important to be polite but pls don't feel like you have to follow a script or be someone you're not. just be you babe: you're already plenty lovable. godspeed + good luck!!<33

[comfortbucky]

𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 ⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚

gif credit: @buckysbarnes

i’m not a writer but this idea just popped into my head bc of a thunderstorm going on rn

pairing: bucky x gender neutral!reader

my masterlist!

right so imagine:

thunderstorms scare u

and so all u want to do is curl up in a ball in a blanket

and u think about calling ur good friend bucky bc ur scared of being alone

but u don’t wanna bother him, u HATE being a burden for anyone

u guys have become good friends since meeting each other through sam

u met sam at one of his group therapy sessions he ran at the VA in d.c.

and ended up befriending him and his cyborg buddy

u ended up moving to brooklyn, new york where a certain super soldier also happens to live

anyways ur terrified right

and bucky knows about this fear u have

and that sweet precious baby boy is just naturally protective of his friends as he was with steve

there might be other motivating factors with him being overprotective of u.,... *cough* like his crush on u *cough*

and bucky is in his own apartment reading the hobbit AGAIN when he hears the first clap of thunder and he already knows

he knows u must be terrified rn but ur too stubborn to reach out and ask for help or comfort

and without a second thought he’s grabbing his jacket and heading out the door to ur apartment

u live a couple blocks away, so bucky decides to make the journey by foot

also so he can buy ur favorite snacks on the way

when u hear a knock at ur door u jump bc ur already on edge with the thunderstorm going on

and at first u think it was just thunder so u ignore it

until u hear bucky’s calm voice

“y/n?” “it’s me bucky”

u freeze for a second bc u were DEFINITELY not expecting ur crush bucky to show up

u open the door to see bucky soaking wet from the rain

“ur soaking wet”

“yeah, so are u gonna invite me in or not?”

as u let him into ur apartment he reveals from under his jacket some of ur favorite snacks

he was shielding them from the rain !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so they wouldn’t get wet !!!!!!!!!!!!

“brought some of ur favorites”

u are in love with bucky

ur honestly still recovering from the shock that he’s here,,,, in ur apartment !!

so u scramble to find some dry clothes he can change into (clothes ur ex left behind)

ur able to collect urself while bucky goes to change and take a seat on ur couch, blanket wrapped around ur shoulders to protect u from the storm outside

bucky walks into ur living room while drying his hair with a towel

and u realize u could get used to this view

once u guys have settled and found ur spots on opposite ends of ur couch, ur about to break the silence when

BOOM

a huge clap of thunder goes off and u pull ur blanket over ur head

bucky hears ur quick breathing

and suddenly u feel his weight shift closer to u

then the weight of his arm around ur shoulders

bucky is still readjusting to civilian life but something like muscle memory kicks in from the times he would care for steve

“it’s okay y/n, i’m here” “ur not alone”

u pull the blanket back and bucky sees ur watery eyes and tear stains on ur checks

and this old man baby is so god damn in love with u

bc his heart breaks seeing u sad and scared like this

“i’m sorry bucky, i’m fine really!”

“u don’t look fine”

“i can take care of myself”

bucky says the same words he once said to steve

“thing is, u don’t have to”

ur about to defend urself again when another boom of thunder goes off and ur body, almost instinctively, shoves itself into buckys chest

bucky moves his arm around ur shoulder to ur back, rubbing small circles

and he places his other hand on ur head pulling u closer to him, smoothing ur hair back over and over to help calm u

u guys have never been this close before and yet it doesn’t feel close enough for either of u

u can hear his soft hums and him telling u over and over that ur okay bc he’s here for u

eventually the storm settles down but u guys remain cuddled up on the couch

u pull ur head back from bucky’s chest and look up at him

bucky literally almost has the wind knocked out of him bc of how beautiful he thinks u are

“u wanna watch a movie?”

bucky smiles and nods before pulling u close to him again and leaving a gentle kiss on ur forehead, almost like he’s done it a million times before

neither of u expected that to happen and both of ur faces are bright red but luckily neither one of u can tell bc of the dim lighting in ur apartment

“i’m gonna go grab the snacks u brought”

u needed an excuse to leave before he could notice ur blushing

u guys settle in for a movie night, which u’ve had plenty before but never snuggled up like this

ur legs are on bucky’s lap and his left arm is wrapped around ur shoulder while his right arm rests on ur legs

neither of u are paying attention to the movie bc ur both too focused on how the other person’s body feels so close to urs

after debating urself in ur head for 20 minutes u muster up enough courage to grab his hand and hold it in urs

bucky freezes and then turns to look at u

u smile with rosy cheeks back as u look into his steel blue eyes

“thank u for today”

bucky is now beet red (shy baby boy!!!) with a soft smile on his face

“i’ll always be here for u, anything at all”

u give him a soft kiss on the cheek and u pull back only to feel bucky’s metal hand pull u back in

this time for a kith on the lips!!!!!!

it’s a soft, light kiss

when he pulls back he instantly feels like he misread some signal or something (shy bucky🥺) and immediately starts to profusely apologize

“i’m- i’m so sorry was that okay?? i should have asked u first—“

“bucky, BUCKY!”

u take both of ur hands and cup his face

“that was more than okay”

u smile at him and bucky could feel his head spinning bc ur just the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen

and he kisses u again

and suddenly ur not so scared of the storm outside bc u have bucky here with u