#and how you describe the associations with flavor

[chocodile]

Thought it would be fun to illustrate some Amaranthine cuisine from various regions (and time periods). Long writeups under the cut!

Western Kingdom Cuisine: Northern Upper Class

The cultural cuisine of the northern part of the Western Kingdom is shaped by the region's harsh, snowy climate. The cold meant that it was easier to keep food from spoiling, but hard to find it in the first place. During the warmer spring and summer months, food would be collected and then salted, dried, pickled, or otherwise preserved in order to last through the winter. Red meat is their primary dietary staple, and is served in a wide variety of ways, including raw and engastrated. Dairy is also common in all forms -- cheese, butter, milk, and as a component of common sauces and chowders (another cultural favorite, and great way to use up leftovers). Alcohol is also common, with a favorite cultural drink being a spiced, warmed fermented milk with a flavor similar to eggnog.

Northern dishes prioritize making use of all parts of the animal, especially nutrient-rich organ meats and fat. As a landlocked region with few rivers, fish is somewhat uncommon, but not unheard of, especially salted or pickled fish shipped in from the south. Also, as mentioned before, eating animals, including "one's own kind", is not taboo at all in this region. In such harsh climates, turning one's nose up at a filling meal is seen as ridiculous.

When good meat is available, though, presentation can get a little… creative. Or, as some might describe it, obscene. Feasts for nobles often involve whole roast hogs stuffed with turkeys stuffed with game birds stuffed with exotic, imported pickled fish, ground meat sculpted into strange and creative shapes, and other ostentatious displays. If a nobleman's chefs can do something artistic with the meat that his guests have never seen before, it's considered very impressive. Of course, to foreigners, a western kingdom noble's banquet can look rather nightmarish and grotesque. Such displays of excess are generally the realm of the wealthy, but most families will still celebrate with a "turducken" or similar engastrated roast once a year during winter feast.

Fresh fruits and vegetables make up only a small component of northern dishes. Berry preserves and pickled vegetables are prepared during the summer months, but the only "fresh" vegetables accessible during colder months are hardy root vegetables and tubers harvested from geothermal caves. Mushrooms, also harvested from the caves, are eaten in many forms.

Bread made in this region is typically very hard and dense. This "thickbread" is intended to be soaked in gravy, milk, or soup to soften it and make it more palatable. Attempting to eat the bread without softening it is a clear indicator that someone is a foreigner, or perhaps so poor that they can't afford a proper meal. Some "thinbread" is baked slightly softer and intended to be eaten in slices, but culturally, it's still expected that you put some sort of gravy or spread on it so that you don't look like a confused foreigner or destitute peasant.

For dessert, northerners often eat dessert breads soaked in sweetened, spiced cream and topped with berry preserves and candied mushrooms. Berry tarts are also made with preserves during colder months and fresh fruit during summer months, and are associated with spring, celebration, and hardship ending. These berry tarts are often eaten at celebratory dinners at the end of winter and given to students after finishing exams.

Many residents of other territories find traditional northerner food a little overwhelming due to how rich and dense it is. It can certainly take some getting used to. Eastern Kingdom residents tend to find northern cuisine especially nightmarishly grotesque and barbaric due to their cultural views around meat. However, with increased trade and travel over the last few decades, northerner food is beginning to look more like the food from the rest of the Western Kingdom, and some of the more offputting cultural practices like the ostentatious engastrated meatcraft and inedible-unless-softened bread are becoming somewhat less popular.

Eastern Kingdom Cuisine: Coastal Citydweller

The Eastern Kingdom's cuisine is similarly influenced by their climate. The desert that spans much of the region meant that, aside from its sparkling oasis cities and rim of fishing towns along the coast and major river, many residents traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle. Additionally, unlike the Western Kingdom, they absolutely do view "eating your own kind" as tantamount to cannibalism, which meant that most red meat was only consumed during times of desperation or occasionally during holidays/rituals, though the latter is mostly seen as a weird unsavory rural thing.

The Eastern Kingdom's meat taboo generally does not extend to fish, shellfish, and insects. Fresh fish and shellfish are routinely consumed near the coast, often seared in olive oil and spices and served over a couscous-like grain base, and a salty paste made of fermented fish is smeared on bread in interior regions. Beetles coated in chopped nuts and chili powder and dried, and honeyed crickets are also popular snacks.

Eastern Kingdom cuisine also involves a lot of nuts, beans, and seeds as major dietary staples. These foods are long-lasting, spoilage-resistant, nutrient-rich, and grew easily along the banks of the kingdom's major waterway and oases even before cities settled there. These three food groups are found in nearly all of their cooking. Nuts and seeds are baked into bread and desserts but also mixed into stir fry-type dishes to add protein. A common dessert and trail snack consists of dried dates mixed with walnuts. Dates and figs are also made into jams and eaten spread over bread or as a component in sauces.

Vegetables and fruits, as well as olives, were grown in grand, sprawling, aqueduct-fed gardens in oasis cities and on riverbanks. Cacti, once cultivated extensively by ancient nomads, are served chopped and glazed with honey, another dietary staple.

Dairy, derived from pack animals used by nomads, is also somewhat common, though difficult to transport without spoilage. It is paradoxically seen as a practical, basic food by nomads and farmers, who can milk it directly from its source, something of a luxury by city-dwellers.

Additionally, the Eastern Kingdom's sprawling coastlines mean an extensive seafaring presence. As a result, they have brought back many novel plants from far afield to be cultivated in the Eastern Sultan's personal palace garden. Among these: cocoa beans, which are refined into a spicy energizing herbal drink similar to coffee. "Chocolate houses" serving this drink can be found throughout larger cites, sometimes mixing the cocoa drink with more familiar sweetened cactus juice to stretch the expensive cocoa powder further.

Post-Fall Cuisine: Ironfrost Middle Class

The society that eventually emerged after the fall of the Old Kingdoms was quite different from what came before. Though discovery of ironworking led to the rise of industrialization--processed food and automated canning, among other innovations-- the harsh, permanent winter that eventually consumed most of the continent meant that cuisine never reached the levels of decadence it had in the Old Kingdoms. This is especially true of the working class in Ironfrost, whose rather dreary cuisine is shown here.

Limited accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables--grown in engineered greenhouses or shipped in from the far south over increasingly long distances as the cold spread southward--meant that nearly all vegetables are eaten canned. Many, especially those in rural northern towns that lacked greenhouses, may have never even seen a fresh tomato or head of lettuce before. (The City of the Sun produces fresh fruit and vegetables for the far north--including exotic apples in nigh-extinct Old Kingdom varieties--but cutting a trade deal with the reclusive city-state can be difficult due to the whims of its elusive cultish leader.)

The one exception? Mushrooms. Like the Western Kingdom northerners that lived there before them, Post-Fall societies came to rely heavily on harvesting edible mushrooms from the geothermal caves below the tundra. Mushrooms are a crucial dietary staple and can be roasted, pickled, fried, pureed, or even candied. Many of the more specialized cooking styles such as candying were passed down by survivors of the fallen Western Kingdom, thought the passage of time and changing availability of spices and other ingredients have rendered many recipes quite different from their ancestors.

Fresh meat is easier to access and easier to preserve with minimal loss of taste or texture thanks to the frigid weather providing easy "refrigeration" by way of outdoor iceboxes. However, a whole, freshly-cooked roast is still considered a rare treat for most, especially for the mine and factory workers living within the dense industrial labyrinths of Ironfrost. Canned and dried meats are popular due to being less sensitive to spoilage when kept indoors or transported across different climates.

Overall, the heavy reliance on dried and canned food means that most available ingredients are ugly, mushy, and lacking in natural taste due to the extensive preservation process. As a result, stews, loafs, and casseroles are common, as well as jellied aspic dishes. Any manner of preparation that can hide the appearance of limp, shriveled vegetables or disguise the taste of eating the same salted meat every day is useful. Creative meat presentation, such as sculpting ground meat into fun shapes, decorated meatloaf, and ornate aspic molds is another cultural holdover passed on by Western Kingdom survivors, though in the current day it's associated more with the middle or lower middle class rather than nobility. It is now more of a way to make the most out of poor circumstances than to impress fellow nobles at parties.

(Side note, not pictured: Modern day Ironfrost elite tend to favor very plain dishes made out of fresh food, garnished with sliced fruit--the mere fact that they can access such exotic fare makes their wealth self-evident! An aspiring elite with limited funds can choose to rent a bowl of Sun City apples or even an elusive pineapple to impress party guests instead.)

One of the few pieces of Eastern Kingdom food culture that survived to the present day is chocolate, though like Western Kingdom dishes, it is now quite different from its original form. These days, cocoa is blended with fat and sugar and eaten as a dessert: chocolate. This has caused its popularity to explode. Chocolate bars are incredibly popular for their delicious taste and portability, and cakes and cookies made with chocolate are coveted by the poor and wealthy alike. Of course, the cold climate means that cocoa beans can only be grown in specialized greenhouses, and the owners of these greenhouses are keen to charge a premium for access. Ironfrost and The City of the Sun are the two major cocoa producers and it's not unheard of for Ironfrost soldiers to bully smaller cocoa growers out of business to maintain their near-monopoly. Still, hidden cocoa grows scattered around the tundra ensure that a large supply of "bootleg" chocolate remains on the menu--just don't get caught with it in Ironfrost territory.

[noah-shin]

𝒴𝒶𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝓋𝒶𝓁 𝓍 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

Warning: creepy, stalking

Wc:877

Yandere rival who couldn't care less about you when you shifted to his school in the middle of the year. You were not exceptional at first and he didn't think of you as an academic rival.

Yandere rival who actually becomes shocked seeing how you topped most subjects. He contemplated that you were being fake by behaving politely with everyone but him. He didn't even talk with you properly… …

He always stares at you with a blank expression. Though he gives you a hateful stare, his thoughts are all about you. His ears become red watching you laugh or when you glance at him.

Yandere who always makes sure that you sit right beside him so that he could busk in your presence. It has become a rule between students to never sit on your seat. So that your rival could stare at you with ease.

Yandere rival who is envious of the fact that you're naturally talented. How could you be so care free and still top all exams? "You must have cheated," He would say to piss you off. You would just smile at him and go back to your own world. He holds grudges against you for having loving parents who never pressurize you for anything. (Unlike him)

He always asks the teacher to put you both together in a group project to spend more time with you. He always comes over to your place to finish the job and always asks if you made the cookies you gave him. He always finishes his work beforehand to just stare at you and listen to you talk during the meeting. He has a pleasant expression while gazing at you.Suspiciously whenever he comes over to your house, something goes missing. Doesn't matter what it is. Your chapstick, that old pencil, watch,anything associated with you. "Did you accidentally take my chapstick?" He would deny any claims saying he doesn't even know you use pink color, peach flavored chapstick… ..

Bad attention or good attention doesn't matter to him. If he gets attention from you, that's enough. He always nags you and tries to find your fault even though he actually gushes all over it in his house.

Yandere's rival who is jealous of the fact that you're his best friend's close friend and his friend knows more about you than him. He's aware that you're trying to snatch his friends, his position, everything! " You're so jealous yn" (he actually want you to snatch everything away along with him)

He constantly talks about you and only you in his friend circle. The only reason he keeps those losers with him is to talk shit about you. He is so bitter, observing that you look so happy minding your own business while he thinks of you every second. He thinks talking about you and constantly keeping you in his mind will motivate him to do better.

Yandere rival who uses students to know more about you. He thinks nobody is good enough to be with him except you but still acts politely with your friends. "Hey! So why didn't yn come to school today?" He doesn't even care that he makes it so obvious.

Yandere who gets mad when he sees anyone else bully you and sometimes defend you. Though he acts salty with you, he never takes it too far to emotionally drain you out. Moreover,his obsession extends out of academic life too.

He has a whole shrine of your pics and other stolen things from those group projects. He has a diary describing his feelings to you with your pictures stuck to every few pages. In some of them, you're smiling, sleeping or even eating in your not so secure house.

Yandere rival who wakes up hours early to just sneak at you while you're sleeping. His day is not fulfilled until he follows you back to your home to make sure you're safe and sound. He's pretty good at being sneaky too and knows nobody will believe any accusations against him.

He's so smitten with you that it doesn't matter if he becomes second in the exam. Because obviously you deserve the first position.

Yandere rival who just wants your attention so badly that he taunts you on a bad day just so that you will hit him. That way at least you will make physical contact with him. He doesn't hear the curses you throw at his face. You shudder watching him moaning from hitting his face."Did you fucking enjoy that, creep?!" You stepped back in disgust. Who knew your rival was a masochist?

You were so blinded by the rivalry that you didn't even notice how his pants tightened when you screamed at him.

But when you have known his intentions,you became paranoid and spill the tea to everyone. Unfortunately no one took you seriously.You feel hopeless seeing nobody believes your words.

Yandere rival who stalks all your social media accounts and sends you messages from fake accounts.

He doesn't let anyone give you gifts on valentine's day and makes sure you don't go on date with anyone. He's just way too much in love to let it happen

Reblog if you like

[archduchessgortash]

Let's talk about Gortash's anti-anxiety coat...

I think it works differently than a chunk of the fandom seems to think. It protects against status effects, not emotions.

First off, I will note that I don't believe Durge possessed the Bhaalist Armor that grants the Aura of Murder in the pre-game. Of further relevance is the fact that the Aura of Murder isn't an emotion-altering condition. It's not in the same category as Frightened. It makes enemies more vulnerable to piercing damage. That's it. It's not a fear aura, nor would the Cloth of Authority protect against its effects.

Is Durge scary? Definitely. The Haunted One background gives them intimidation proficiency, meaning they can choose to be scary when it serves their purposes, but they do not have to be scary unless they want to be.

Could Durge have possessed Orin's Unsettling Visage ability when they were Bhaal's Chosen? Sure. It requires an action to use it, however, meaning Durge would still have to choose to scare Gortash in order for it to be a factor. Also, it only lasts two turns, which is twelve seconds. It can be reactivated every turn, though.

Scary on. Scary off. Scary on. Scary off.

If Durge had that ability and used it on Gortash, the Cloth of Authority would definitely make him immune to receiving the Frightened condition from it.

I would not doubt for a second that Orin spammed Unsettling Visage at Gortash on day one after becoming the chosen, which makes her the most probable in-canon reason behind the specific enchantments that were included in the Cloth of Authority's creation.

Now more on how it works...

As a DnD player and Dungeon Master, I have spent an often excessive amount of time dissecting the rules associated with magical items and created a few legendary items for my own campaigns.

Of course, I'm not an expert on this item since Larian created it, not me.

The Cloth of Authority grants Gortash the abilty: Dauntless, which provides him with immunity to emotion-altering conditions.

Frightened is mentioned specifically, but the robe works for other conditions as well.

In the context of DnD and video games, conditions is the relevant word here, as that term is used to describe positive or negative status effects imposed upon a character via magical means, poisons, and other abilities.

Because the description of the robe highlights conditions specifically, I don't think that the robe makes him fearless or, if you wanted to take it even further... emotionless.

His own fears, such as those that would be caused by his personal history of abuse, PTSD, or any other emotional state with a personal and internal source, are not true conditions in the way that magical items in DnD and games implement them.

Even though, in the real world, we might use the word conditions when referring to anxiety and PTSD, in-game, they're backstory, not true status effects.

Or in my case... a Tuesday. 🤦‍♀️

If I were the DM here, the Cloth of Authority would not even prevent Shadowheart, for example, from being scared when she sees a wolf because it's her own personal fear and it's also important flavor in her backstory. But, then again, I wouldn't have given her a saving throw against being frightened, unless she was already at, say... moderate approval with the avatar character, and they were present when she encountered a wolf. Moral support from the proximity of a friend would grant a save under those circumstances. The status effect itself could be prevented with a successful save, but there is an argument to be made against magical items or saving throws stopping the effects of any emotion with an internal source. Shadowheart's decision-making should still be influenced in a subtle but noticeable way by the presence of the wolf. The fear is still there; it's just not controlling her at the moment. In my opinion, that specific scenario should have been a deception ability check on Shadowheart's part, intended to hide a fear that she can't prevent. If successful, no one notices, but she will admit the fear to a character with high enough approval. If unsuccessful, her fear is noticed, and an insight check becomes available in dialogue with her to ask about it.

Another reason I don't think that the Cloth of Authority stops all of Gortash's fears is that, when you whittle it down, there's an inescapable fear lurking at the core of villains who seek power at any cost.

All headcanons aside, in-game Gortash doesn't just rule with fear; he is ruled by it.

[mollysunder]

I've been combing over the RiotxArcane light novel again to prep for some longer meta and I realised something. Viktor knew Jinx robbed him and Jayce the whole time.

Nearly everytime he mentions anything about Zaun or Zaunites he has to pause, like he needs to adjust his answer.

At the start of the game he literally almost tells you it was Jinx, but he pauses and chooses to be vague.

And then when you, the player, finally connect the dots and tell him who you think it is, he tells you it's Jinx. The funny part is we can choose, not to say Jinx's name, we can call her names like "the Loose Cannon" or even "Powder " and Viktor's the one to reveal her current name.

There's also a weird dynamic between how he treats Jinx and Silco. When Viktor finally explains to us who Jinx is, he's hesitant to associate her with Silco.

Viktor treats Silco as a genuinely dangerous figure for the player to encounter, and he's even vocally critical of Silco as a kingpin/leader in Zaun.

But Viktor is also aware how dangerous the device Jinx stole is in the wrong hands. He knows it could tear apart realities, that the magic would corrupt the user to something inhuman, and... he just chooses not to lead you to Jinx.

He could tell you find Silco and Jinx would show up eventually, or ask Vi, who's already an enforcer and sick of Jinx's schtick. Maybe even ask Sevika who's thoroughly done with Jinx too.

And Viktor just doesn't tell the player. Even the way he describes what the thief, who he knows is Jinx could get up to, downplays the threat. He uses the word "mischief", which feels almost like a cute way to describe the pretty high stakes situation Jayce and Heimerdinger were just talking about.

Then Viktor spends his last lines lowkey defending Jinx, or at least asking the player to be understanding and maybe understanding.

This is all despite the fact he's fully aware Jinx not only works for a man he's deeply critical of, and is at the minimum complicit in Zaun's suffering, but she's pretty close to ripping realities apart at any moment.

I wonder what flavor codependent this kind of relationship will be next season.

[beneathsilverstars]

hello for the ask game 9: any theories on stuff unexplained by the game?

I always love theories and thoughts and worldbuilding hcs etc so anything in that vein works :3

I think my favorite little worldbuilding headcanon is that Ka Bue is super chill about aromanticism and asexuality! Not in the same way as irl activism, but it's something that is understood and respected in their ideology, like transgenderism in Vaugarde. So if we combine the powers of everyone in the crew we'll get an entire queer-friendly worldview going lmao!

Maybe... Something about an overarching philosophy of understanding the self? In Vaugard they see the self as something you refine through making, creating and destroying and rebuilding, but in Ka Bue you're supposed to be uncovering and polishing what's already there. And part of that is understanding your position in relation to others, so they have a lot of little descriptive words for flavors of relationships and dynamics, and being the sort of person who seeks those dynamics. Like "oh i'm usually the comedic straight man of the friend group and i seek out jokesters who play well off of that". And that means that nonsexual romance, nonromantic sex partners, QPRs, etc, are all understood dynamics, and various kinds of friend and family and colleague relationships are seen as distinctly important, and being alone is seen as a valid dynamic!

Now that I've typed this out I love it more and more... I was originally just thinking about the metaphor of cutting and polishing a gemstone, but having a lot of little Dynamics that various people may find more or less relevant to themselves is a similar approach to having thousands of Expressions! And it meshes with the transphobia as well - you can describe yourself as having dysphoria but you're not supposed to go and try to change that.

And there's that Odile + Isabeau conversation where she gets really specific about their relationship: "We're not friends, we're associates. Colleagues. Allies at best." And she's obviously joking, but this hc puts some extra weight behind her making that particular sort of joke! Plus she's the one who's like, "I wouldn't call you all friends, that would be weird, we're more like family," and she gets mad about being called the mom. I love the idea that she has Very specific dynamic classifications in mind for her relationship with each member of the crew, and gets pissy that Vaugardian doesn't have the same nuance/connotations!

And this philosophy being the total opposite of the Change belief is so interesting for Odile in particular! It would definitely flavor people's perception of her in Ka Bue - oh, she's one of those fickle Vaugardians who change masks every day and will never truly understand themselves. No wonder she wanted to get actual Vaugardian perspective on their belief. Oh, how lovely it will be for her to synthesize the two extremes, and both discover and create who she is!!

[enviedear]

nervous neighbor ⟶ ben solo

description ⌙ you're back at home from university, living with your parents for the summer because it's cheaper than trying to pay for an apartment while on a student's salary. but after you meet the new neighbor's son, ben solo, you're not so sure it's worth it.

pairing ⌙ neighbor!ben solo x f!reader

warnings ⌙ inebriated reader & ben, they're smoking weed and being petty together, mean!ben because when do i not make him a bit mean, ben jokingly attempts to solicit reader, reader has a blatant sort of fascination with ben, ben has severe blatant yearning for reader, reader is described to need a belt to wear ben's pants (don't question me it comes up), some high kisses (they're so fun oops), somewhat getting caught, tiny little bitty cliffhanger, ben's personality is totally based off this brent faiyaz song lmao

word count ⌙ 3.5k

— request (frl especially for ben/kylo) | masterlist

i love the idea of neighbor!ben so ofc i had to put my thoughts into a little fic! if anyone is interested... i wouldn't be mad at making this a series. i love neighbor!ben!

the sun is low in the sky, casting a warm and appreciated golden glow on the world around you. you revel in the sanctity of the suburban environment as you step outside your front door. the rays burn into your exposed shoulders, spaghetti straps lightly digging into the skin.

the fragrant scent of freshly cut grass hangs heavy in the air, leaving an earthy flavor in your mouth. you pull at the hem of your shorts, feeling the soft fabric brush against your exposed thighs as you make your way to the black mailbox straight ahead.

you flip through bills and junk mail, all in your parent's name for a minute before you hear the unmistakable rev of a car engine approaching. the engine seems to purr the closer it gets, and you're all too familiar with the sound. you feel glued to your spot as it approaches.

soon enough, ben solo's sleek aston martin swerves into his driveway, coming to a stop just a few feet away from his closed garage door. you watch as he gets out of the car, his dark hair falling messily over his forehead, and meets your gaze with his severe brown eyes.

there’s something about the way he looks at you that causes your heart to race. the sensation is unwanted or, at least, you tell yourself it is.

he looks like he always does; clad in dress pants and a pristine button-up, face etched with subtle haughtiness, and pink lips curved into a deliciously heretical grin. the previous sanctity you felt dissipates as his stare beats down on you, hotter and more all-consuming than the sun above.

"neighbor." he anoints, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "how much allowance are mommy and daddy giving you for checking their mail?"

"very funny," you retort, eyes rolling, "maybe they're drawing from the same funds your parents did when they bought you that ridiculous car."

you liked playing this game with ben. where he attempts to seem as if he's got something over you, some unspoken win. as if you're not both twenty-somethings still living with your parents.

he does have an actual retirement plan type job though, so, perhaps, he has you beat in some areas.

he works full-time, a fact you learned after dinner with your parents and his. brought up by your parents so they could dote on him— effectively buttering up han and leia further. the ass-kissing earned the family privileges to their in-ground pool though.

he's pretty prestigious, unfortunately. ben organa-solo, the youngest associate at his legal firm. he apparently had over forty offers of employment before he ever even looked at the bar exam.

he's doing well, sure— but the sheer fact that he still lives with his parents is enough to quell your nuanced jealousy. somewhat.

"my db-nine can never be called ridiculous. do you know the specs on this car?" he taunts, opting to lean against his aforementioned car.

you begin to turn away from him, not willing to go into a conversation regarding his stupidly expensive automobile. you can feel your ears warming as you try to ignore him, but ben is relentless, as usual, "you know, you really should relax a little, i'm only joking, kid.."

"excuse me?" you snap, fronting him again and crossing your arms defensively, "i am plenty relaxed, solo. thank you very much."

in truth, you haven't been relaxed or even casual since the organa-solo's moved in eight months ago. wealthy and recently retired, leia and han are amusing, charming, and almost constantly travelling.

the pair managed to befriend your parents the second they moved in. bringing over a plate of brownies, the duo easily meshed with your parents, making for countless dinners, conversations, and visits between the two homes.

the opposite can be said for ben and you. when you finally met him, a few weeks after his parents moved in, it was because he was yelling at your dog for 'purposely' pissing on one of his tires. since then, you haven't exactly seen eye to eye.

"mhm, of course," he drawls sarcastically, "that's why you're always so wound up,” he’s smirking now, "you ever thought about smoking a joint or something? might help you chill out."

"really?" you scoff, raising an eyebrow, "that's your solution? drugs?" you choose to ignore his quip about you being tightly wound. as if he's not— you've seen him after work, he always looks tense, shoulders tight. at the recollection of his job title makes you almost comment on his choice of illegal activity, but you stop yourself.

maybe this was his vice after hours of listening to legal jargon?

"i'm just offering a suggestion. i've got pot and an empty house." his voice is biting, holding his hands up defensively, "take it or leave it, kid."

your mind is wrought with confusion over his words. in the few months you’ve known him, you would have never thought he’d be suggesting what he is.

ben solo, who drives an aston martin, only wears button-ups or suits, and is always willing to make you look or feel idiotic, is trying to convince you to smoke pot with him.

you worry for a brief second if you’re deluded.

you would have never suspected the famed judiciary to unwind in such a way.

no, your first guess would have been whiskey, or maybe something a bit more scandalized and indecent. you try to shake that idea out of your head.

"fine," you blurt it out before you can stop yourself, surprising both you and the arrogant figure in front of you.

"seriously?" ben questions, his eyes widening in apprehension. "you're actually going to do it?"

"yeah, solo," you shrug, drawing out the first word, trying to sound more resolved than you feel, "nothing i haven’t done before."

"okay, cheech," he mutters, grinning wickedly, "let me smoke you out."

you follow him into his house, heart pounding in your chest. you're familiar with the layout— almost identical to your own home, only nicer. everything is nicer.

the air inside is cool and smells faintly of lavender, mixed with something decadent you can’t quite place. glancing around the space, you take it all in. it feels different now that you're alone with ben. less homey and more belly of the beast.

there are windows everywhere, letting in an abundance of natural light despite the evident tint. the furniture is modern and obviously hand-picked though comfortable and no doubt, expensive.

you try to make yourself cozy on the couch, tucking your legs underneath you. ben disappears for a moment and returns with a tray, a red grinder, a lighter, and a baggie of green herbs.

your hands go clammy as you watch him grind it down. you try to wipe them on your pants, hoping he doesn’t notice.

he doesn’t seem to, instead beginning to roll a joint, packing the herb down with his thumb. his movements, precise and hypnotic. he's defiling all previous conclusions you had of him. he’s sure, magnetic, and undeniably confusing.

“ready?” he asks, holding the rolled paper out to you. you nod, and he lights up the twisted end, inhaling deeply before passing it over to you.

you place the joint to your lips, feeling the warmth of the light spark grazing your fingers. the earthy plant kindles with a soft crackle, and you inhale deeply. smoke fills your lungs, coiling inside you.

the cloudy smoke immediately hits your entire sinus system, choking you on its descent down.

you cough and ben laughs, “shit, take it slow, kid.” he huffs, before handing you a tepid water bottle, no question he figured you'd wind up coughing a lung.

you drink gratefully, feeling the water cleanse your burning throat. you look at ben, who’s watching you intently.

your eyes are watery and slightly hazy, but ben has never look better. eyes red and low, posture easy with one arm behind his head, and faint pink flush.

“what?” you ask, self-conscious. the room seems to swirl around as ben sits beside you, close enough that you can feel the heat of his body.

"nothing, neighbor," his stare is mocking, "do you feel relaxed yet?" he asks with a smirk.

you give him a meager thumbs-up, suddenly lightheaded and giggly. your thoughts are wondering to ben's pretty lips, but your mouth remains whetted and silent. adorning thoughts remaining within your capricious mind.

the tension in your body melts away, and you lean back against the couch cushions, letting out a deep sigh. ben's hand brushes against yours to steal the joint away, and you feel the heat of his touch all the way to your toes. it's as if the world has narrowed down to just the two of you, and nothing else exists.

“are you cold?” he asks, taking a drag, dress shirt sleeves rolled up, leaving his arms on full display.

you look at him, bewildered for a second, and he continues with an eye roll, “you’re shivering.”

looking down at your body, you note that you indeed are. either from the weed or the proximity you have to your novel neighbor.

with a gentle breath, you reply, “i guess.”

he holds the joint with his lips as he stands to look down at you, “c’mon i’ve got blankets in my room.”

you look up at him, unsure of what to say, but find yourself bobbing in agreement. you follow him upstairs, the both of you languid in reaching the destination. when you do finally get to his room, you note the array of muted jewel tones and dim light, different than the rest of the house.

ben keeps his blinds partially closed and curtains that mostly fall in front of them. his bed is huge, pristine white sheets and an inviting navy bedspread.

you watch as he pulls out a thick woolen blanket from his closet and spreads it over your shoulders. you feel the weight of it settle over you, cocooning you in warmth.

"better?" he asks, voice low.

you nod again, feeling the hazy ardor of the drug swimming through your body. everything feels fuzzy, and for the first time you don't feel so out of place with ben.

he takes a seat beside you on his all too comfortable bed, the aroma of his pomelo-scented cologne filling your senses. you discern it's probably dangerous in some way to be alone with ben like this, but you can't seem to bring yourself to care or reason why.

you let yourself peer into his large and expansive open closet. clothes, mostly suits and dress shirts, hang neatly on identical black hangars. he's tidy. the fact feels unmistakable, and you think you should already know just by the way he carries himself.

ben's voice interrupts your absent mind, "anything you like?"

you look back at him, leaning up against the headboard of his bed, joint billowing smoke from its rested position in his fingers. he looks less severe like this, less perfect, more mortal.

you're certain the drug has taken effect now because when you move to get closer to him, it feels as if you're floating.

you take the joint from him, stealing another hit before replying, "you just have a lot of suits. i wonder if you own anything besides them. i've never seen you in anything but."

"is this one of your long-winded jokes?" he briefly closes his eyes, but you can see them roll through his lids, "because if so, i'll kick you out. i won't hesitate to send you back to your house, neighbor."

snorting, you take yet another hit of the joint, "i did see something i liked, actually." you confess, your drugged mind deciding to be just a bit genuine.

he hums, "really? i've never seen you in a suit, or anything formal."

the sentence sounds stupid coming out of ben's mouth, but you chalk it up to his tipsy state, "maybe you will. one day."

your reply sounds equally as dumb, but you feel good, and you're actually having a conversation with ben. one that doesn't involve him undermining you or snickering at what you're saying.

"really? wanna try mine on? for practice." ben is smirking, eyes narrow, searing, and bloodshot.

you give him a ditzy look, joint still dangling from your fingers, "whatever, solo."

ben lets out a genuine giggle at that, and in your inebriated state, you smile at the sound. his dimples are on full display as he leans further into his cushioned headboard, eyes glazed and focused purely at you, "i'll pay, if you do."

his face is gentle, almost winsome, but the words that tumble out of his mouth sound murky— riddled with a slight hint of hunger. for what exactly? you're not sure.

your lips contort into a frown before you reply, "you'll pay me to put on your clothes? god, ben how much did you smoke?"

you mean for your words to come off as a joke, easy and light. instead, it comes out as timid and shy. you'd normally feel a tinge of embarrassment but either the drug or ben's starved stare makes the would-be feeling detach from your mind.

"enough." he shrugs, answering your rhetorical question, "i've got five hundred in my wallet right now," he pauses, leaning over to you and grabbing the joint, fingers brushing against yours, "and i want a show."

your mind seems to blank for a second, leaving you to blink your dry, red eyes in front of him. when the small wave of shock subdues, you reply, "i don't know how to give you a show."

ben shakes his head slightly, his eyes still set on yours, “yeah you do. swear it's not hard, kid.”

“says you,” you giggle, “but i’ll try on your clothes. for the money.”

he breathes in, contented, “for the money.”

without much more thought, you rise from his plush bed and make way for the closet. it's big enough to be another room, a stark contrast from your own closet, and it smells of his citrusy cologne merged with the lavender scent throughout the home. you find it comforting.

you look back over your shoulder, ben's watching you intently from his seated position, "what should i start with, solo?"

he hums before replying, "your pick, neighbor. what's mine is yours."

you can't help the dorky smile that graces your lips at his sentiment, even though you know he's being flippant. you hastily turn away from him, hiding your weak-willed reaction.

taking a deep breath, you begin to rummage through his wardrobe. your fingers brush against the luxurious fabric of his suits before settling on a satin black button-up that looks silky smooth to the touch.

you grab it and turn around to face ben, who's now standing and walking towards you, his eyes fixed on the shirt in your hand.

"that's a good choice," he says, his voice low and husky, "you'll look better in it than i do."

you roll your eyes at his comment but can't help the warmth that shoots through your body at his words. you quickly slip it over your cropped tank, eager to see it on.

as you're buttoning it up, you feel his swarthy eyes on you, watching your every move. you can't help but feel giddy with his ardent gaze and your own euphoric state of mind.

as you finish up the last button, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the ornate mirror hung upon one of the closet walls. you look decadent in his pompous shirt.

the feeling of contentment that washes over you is startling.

it's a beautiful cut of fabric, but it's the way it represents the achieved man behind you that has you stalling. you notice ben's breath hitch as he takes in the sight of you.

"i was right. it looks much better on you." he says, his voice rough.

you grin at him, feeling a newfound confidence wash over you, "is that right, solo?" you question, your demeanor one of leisure.

without warning, ben steps forward, right hand coming to rest on your shoulder as he leans down to you, "here," he says, his breath hot against your ear, "you missed the first button."

his fingers dance at your chest, fastening the skipped button. you fight a smile at the act, keening at his rash action. high ben is certainly less sardonic than sober ben, finding a nice middle ground at graceful teasing.

"you pick the pants, and grab a belt so that they'll fit." you smile.

he hums, pulling away and trifling through his clothes. his nimble fingers card through various pairs of slacks, settling on a matching black pair.

he turns on his heels, facing you. he raises his brows, a silent request for you to take the pants. when you do, his hands begin to fumble with his belt.

your eyebrows scrunch in confusion, "what are you doing?"

"i want you to wear this one. just let me play dress up with you, doll." his black locks are falling into his eyes.

you huff out a weak chuckle, focused on his action and new endearment. when the belts slides away from him, you notice the way his slacks droop slightly.

with a curt and nervous smile, you slide up the dark pants, fitting his belt around your hips afterward.

you study yourself in the mirror, opting to tuck the shirt into the pants messily— an attempt to somewhat display your waist.

ben comes up behind you, hands resting on your shoulders, humming into the top of your head, "i quite like you this way. ever thought about getting an office job for me?"

you give him a sarcastic pout, "for you?"

he smiles, canines showing, "yeah, doll, just for me."

you're dizzy at his words, "yeah, then who'd watch my parent's house all day? it's a full-time job being a stay-at-home daughter, you know."

ben groans a bit at your words, "that makes you sound like a little brat, you know." he drawls out the last two words, mocking.

you smirk, facing him now, lips becoming level with his when he leans down to stare into your eyes, "my mom calls me a brat sometimes. she says i'm never going to find someone acting like one," you pause for a beat, "d'you agree, ben?"

at the emphasis of his first name he sighs and lets his hands fall to your waist, "i agree that you're a fuckin' brat," he cranes his head closer, breath brushing against your lips, "but i don't think i mind very much."

your eyes flutter against your better judgment, and ben takes an evident note of the fact. his hands tighten at your waist, fingers digging in possessively. you feel a beat of caution before it flies away from your resolution. you press forward just as he does the same, lips meeting in a slow, heady, absolutely exalting kiss.

ben's fingers dig into you, timidly pulling you further into him. you crumble at his touch, hands fisting into his hair as he deepens the kiss further. he tastes of sweet honey and sunlight that fills you with warmth and affection.

you're both weakly fighting for more— an incessant craving for each other that quickly overtakes your common sense. the looming man continues to cast an unbreakable spell with each aching kiss as his gentle hands caress every inch of exposed skin on your body.

you let his hands fumble with the buttons of the borrowed shirt, slowly slipping it away from you. it brushes past your shoulders, and ben breaks the hungry kisses to trail sloppy ones on your exposed neck.

you're lost in the feeling of him— all-consuming. neither one of you willing to be pulled back to reality— but eventually you both have to break away from one another with heavy breaths and flushed cheeks. ben looks down at you with an amused grin on his face before planting a chaste kiss on the top of your head.

you hum and he mutters against you, "you like that? hm?"

"duh," you steal a glance up, "feels s'nice." there's a stupid grin stuck to your face.

"you taste so good, doll," he places a teasing kiss at the dip at the bottom of your neck, "and your lips are so fucking soft."

you give him a questioning look, lips upturned, "really? sounds wild coming from the same man that just called me a brat."

he hums darkly, "you being a brat," he places another kiss to your exposed neck, "just makes this little game of ours more interesting," one of his hands lifts your chin, pulling you closer, "c'mere, kid."

his lips are back on yours, less languid and with much more fervor. you feel so full in his arms. divinely entangled in the coveted luxury of ben organa-solo.

suddenly, you hear commotion from downstairs, drugged mind abruptly anxious.

"what's that?" your voice is barely above a whisper.

ben growls, "fuck— i'm sorry doll, i think my parents are home." you catch the faint flush on his cheeks.

you bite your lip, concerned, "but... i'm high. and wearing your clothes."

ben is about to say something else when the deep baritone of han solo's voice booms from behind his closed bedroom door, "come on out, son. the neighbor's are over for dinner. their daughter should be here soon," han's voice drops a bit, "and try to ease up on the flirting this time, okay?"

you stifle an uninhibited giggle, earning a glare from ben.

"yeah, sure. just let me get out of my work clothes," he peers down at you, eyes wicked, "don't want them to think it's all i own."

your eyes widen at his subtle dig, and he seems to revel in your amusement.

han grumbles something back before leaving. your breathing is erratic for a good few seconds. ben's hands remain on you, gentle grin on his lips.

"you heard the man. dinner." his voice is low, and you fight the urge to pull him into another kiss. the thought of more than kissing weighing heavily on your stoned mind.

your reply knocks the smile off of his face, "how are you going to explain the fact i'm already with you and high off my ass?"

he groans, head falling into the crook of your neck, "shit."

[miss-hyoko]

Um, can i have a gado-gado of Malleus, Vil, and Floyd with an S/O who is suffering from Alexithymia?

I would love to see these three's ways of handling this S/O! GN reader please!

"My sincerest apologies for the delay, valued customer. Here is your much-awaited order—a delightful serving of [Embracing Emotions] gado-gado. We hope its flavors tantalize your taste buds and bring you utmost satisfaction. Bon appétit!"

Embracing Emotions

Character(s): Floyd, Vil, and Malleus

Summary: His S/O had Alexithymia

Tag(s) and warning(s): GN!Reader, fluff, romantic, established relationship, doting boyfriend

Note: This request took quite a while to finish because I need to do some research about Alexithymia first. Hopefully, I did them justice in this. If there's anything wrong, please feel free to point them out 🙌

1. Floyd Leech

Floyd's interest in you started in a rather peculiar way. It was one of those days when he was feeling particularly grumpy, and in his foul mood, you accidentally bumped into him. Irritated, Floyd decided to give you a little scare by squeezing you. To his surprise, instead of screaming in fear or struggling to free yourself, you simply stared at him, dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. Your unexpected response intrigued Floyd, so he started relentlessly pestering you. Looking back now, maybe it was 'Love at First Squeeze'.

As Floyd's relationship with you progressed further, he started noticing something in your way of communication that he hadn't paid much attention to before. Whenever someone asked for your opinion, you seemed to falter, struggling to find the right words to express yourself. Even when you did respond, your responses often came across as general or vague, leaving Floyd with a sense that you had difficulty expressing your feelings.

True to his straightforward nature, Floyd wasted no time addressing the communication struggles he observed in your relationship. When he learned about your Alexithymia, everything finally clicked into place. While it did initially surprise him, Floyd wasn't bothered by your condition in the slightest since he can understand you quite well. However, if you wish to improve your condition, perhaps you can consider seeking Azul's help? ... Just kidding! Floyd wouldn't mind wracking his brain to figure out a way for you.

When Floyd's with you, he becomes more talkative and loves asking about your feelings whenever you're doing something together. In case you're uncertain about how to respond, Floyd will give you a variety of word options to help you describe how you feel, helping you navigate the complexities of expressing your feelings.

Floyd: *squeezing you* "Guppy~ What do you feel when I do this to you?"

His S/O: "I... I don't know."

Floyd: "Wrongg~ Try again, Guppy. What do you feel if I'm squeezing you like this?" *squeezing you tighter* "Do you feel unhappy, scared, surprised, or maybe happy?"

His S/O: "I..."

Whenever you expressed a specific feeling, he would eagerly ask you to recall and describe the physical and mental sensations associated with it. Floyd thinks that by remembering and articulating the feelings you experienced, it can be used as references to help you better identify and communicate your emotions in the future.

2. Vil Schoenheit

Vil was initially drawn to you because you had this kind of aloof aura surrounding you, creating an air of mystery and making you seem unapproachable. But, as he got to know you better, Vil realized that your aloofness wasn't intentional but rather a result of your struggle to express your emotions verbally. This led Vil to speculate that you might have Alexithymia.

At the beginning, Vil found your emotional detachment and difficulty in expressing emotions frustrating. He struggled to comprehend why you couldn't verbalize your feelings like others could. However, upon entering a relationship with you, Vil realized the need to shift his perspective. He took the initiative to research and learn more about Alexithymia by seeking articles, books, and personal accounts to deepen his understanding of your condition. Through this newfound knowledge, Vil gradually adapted his mindset and approach, becoming more patient, empathetic, and supportive

Known for his sharp tongue and sarcastic remark, Vil's way of speaking leaves an impression on those who encounter him. Yet, when he engages in conversation with you, Vil speaks with unparalleled patience that surprises those who witness it. It's as if he channels all of his patience and understanding exclusively for you. Vil understands the importance of clear and honest communication between the two of you, so he chooses to speak bluntly and directly, without any codes or sarcasm that could potentially misinterpret the meaning of his words.

Vil consistently encourages you to work on enhancing your ability to identify and express your emotions. When he's not busy, he'll invite you to watch movies together to aid your emotional understanding. During these movie sessions, Vil attentively guides you through the film by highlighting every emotion portrayed by the actors. He will tell you the emotion's name, the reasons behind its occurrence, how it is expressed, the accompanying experiences, and much more.

Vil: "The girl is disappointed because she got a poor grade on the test and has to take extra classes during the vacation."

His S/O: "Disappointed?"

Vil: "That's right, potato. Disappointed. It's the feeling you experience when something doesn't go according to what you wanted. You know, like when you had plans to go out but suddenly there's a storm. You would feel lost, wouldn't you? That's called disappointment."

When it comes to grappling with your emotions, Vil is a reliable source of guidance since he's an experienced actor well-versed in a wide array of emotions. He can suggest you various strategies you can try to help you navigate through your feelings, such as engaging in open discussions with trusted individuals, writing down what you feel on paper, or perhaps immersing yourself in music that resonates with your emotions.

3. Malleus Draconia

From the very beginning, Malleus already sensed that there was something unusual about you. Your seemingly apathetic demeanor and rare displays of emotions piqued his curiosity. Malleus assumed you were simply incredibly calm and collected, so he kept his observations to himself, choosing not to prod further. It wasn't until you both became a couple that you opened up to Malleus about your Alexithymia, leading him to finally understand the reasons behind your actions all this time.

Understanding the impact that Alexithymia can have on your interactions and personal life, Malleus becomes deeply concerned about how society might treat you for being different. With firsthand knowledge of the pain of being treated differently, he empathizes with your potential struggles and is determined to shield you from similar treatment. To ensure your well-being and happiness, Malleus spares no effort to help you understand your emotions, going as far as seeking guidance from Lilia.

Malleus is an incredibly supportive boyfriend. He actively encourages you to share as much as you can about your Alexithymia, attentively listening to every detail so he can help you cope with your condition. If you ever expressed a desire to explore methods that could improve your communication skill or expand your emotional range, Malleus would be more than willing to assist you in exploring the complexities of emotions. However, he also respects your boundaries and never pushes you beyond what you're comfortable with, allowing you to progress at your own pace.

Following Lilia's advice, Malleus begins closely observing your facial expressions and body language to determine the emotions you might be feeling. If you find yourself overwhelmed by intense emotions that you struggle to comprehend, he won't immediately validate your feelings. Instead, he gently shares his perception of the emotion he believes you might be experiencing to help you clarify your emotions and work through them.

Malleus: "The final exams are just a week away. Have you prepared yourself well, beloved?"

His S/O: "In the past few days, I've been preparing by reviewing the previous lessons."

Malleus: "That is good. But why do you still look anxious?"

His S/O: "No, I don't feel anxious. That word is a bit too much for..." *pauses to think for a moment* "Rather than anxious, I think I'm just nervous..."

Malleus: *smiling softly* "Is that so?"

This fae prince CAN and WON'T hesitate to go the extra mile to create a special notebook specifically for you. Inside this personalized notebook, he compiles an extensive list of various emotions, complete with the characteristics people feel when experiencing them and numerous example situations that might evoke these emotions. Additionally, Malleus even goes as far as filling the notebook with simple illustrations that he drew himself just to make sure the process of identifying emotions is easier for you.

[dragon-ascent]

greetings to the fair lady who writes Rex Lapis immaculately 🙇‍♀️, have you been well? I hope you are, for thy existense is one's sunshine.

👉☀️👈

.

If I may ask, do you ever think Zhongli associates his lover with a specific kind of tea? as a "tea" lover, is there a blend that reminds him of us/reader?

(p.s I bought Osmanthus Tea Bags for him and it smells like a (bad?) sickly sweet honey that came from outer space- 😭 can't describe it well but bcuz of the smell i haven't drank it yet lol.)

Awww!! You're too sweet!

Oh, this one is interesting, because I haven't actually given it much thought before this!

I would have to say Zhongli likens his darling to hibiscus tea - it's one of the more romantic teas, and also has a unique, tangy taste; I think this could be reminiscent of your subtle playfulness or cheekiness when you're with him. The appearance of the tea is quite vivid and vibrant as well, the kind of eye-catching hue paralleling your own aura when you enter a room, making his head turn.

Not to mention, hibiscus itself is a symbol of passion, protection, and devotion, all three of which are feelings Zhongli immediately associates with you!

Ooh, let me know how the osmanthus tea turned out if you did end up drinking it! I've wanted to try it but I mostly find lavender and white rose teas (which are my go-to ones). I love sweet flavors!

[grandeoatmilklatte]

Pumpkin Spiced Kisses 🎃 (Ominis x F!MC)

Happy Friday! The theme in the Ominis discord server this week was Autumn, so here's some Autumn themed and pumpkin spiced flavored fluff!

Pumpkin Spiced Kisses - Ominis Gaunt x F!MC || Ominis accompanies his crush on an outing to Hogsmeade for all the Autumn themed goodies. || 1.4k words.

Warnings: None! This is pure fluff!

“Are you sure my hair looks alright? I’m trying to look as presentable as possible!” Ominis shouted at his best friend, who was sitting on his bed a few feet away from him.

“Ominis! You look fine!” Sebastian shouted back, shaking his head, well aware that Ominis wouldn’t see the reaction but doing it regardless. “Besides, what are you so worried about? I thought you said this wasn’t a date?”

Ominis huffed. “It’s not a date! But, this is still serious. You know how I feel about her. The more time we spend together, the closer I am to making her my girlfriend. I can’t mess this up!”

Sebastian saw the worry in his friend’s face and sighed. He did know how Ominis felt about her. Sebastian had been watching his two best friends fall in love with each other over the course of the past two years. And considering how clever they both were, they were somehow too stupid to notice one another’s feelings. He had already tried to tell them both, but neither one of them believed it, always assuming that Sebastian was playing tricks on them. “You’re going to do fine, mate. She was the one who asked you to accompany her to Hogsmeade, she clearly wants to spend time with you.”

Ominis let out a sigh, desperately trying to calm his nerves before his “date”.

Ominis stood by the north exit awaiting her. He was set to meet her at 4 o'clock, but was a few minutes early. He tried to focus on breathing, not wanting her to hear him gasping for air when she arrived. As he waited, he began to hear very slight footsteps behind him, as if someone was sneaking up on him. The identity of the someone became clear when the smell of a beautiful perfume filled his nose - her perfume. He smiled to himself, waiting for what he knew was coming.

“Boo!” He heard from his left side. The exclamation was followed by the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard in his life; a laugh he had committed to memory the first time he heard it - her laugh. A laugh that, if given his way, he’d want to hear everyday for the rest of his life. Her beautiful laugh was then followed by her equally beautiful and equally memorized voice. “Did I scare you?!”

“Oh yes! I had no idea you were behind me!” Ominis said back in a teasing tone. “Are you ready to go, dear?” She linked her arm in his as they exited the castle.

It was early October outside, which was evident by the coolness of the air that hit Ominis’s face as they stepped outside. He could hear the leaves crunching under his feet as they walked, still arm and arm. She began to describe the sights as best she could. She mentioned the fallen leaves, and that the scenery looked cozy, making you feel like you wanted to curl up in front of the fire, wrapped in a blanket with a book in hand. Ominis felt a warm feeling within him, associating the autumn scenery with this warmth. He loved when she described things to him, and she did it often, knowing how much joy it brought him. Sometimes she’d mess up, mentioning a color, or something else Ominis couldn’t perceive because of his lack of sight. But she always tried; she always tried so hard to make him happy, and that was one of the many things he loved about her.

Once they had arrived in Hogsmeade, she took him by the hand, leading him to Honeydukes as their first stop. His heart fluttered at the feeling of their fingers interlocking, and he began to fantasize about more places her fingers could touch him. He was so caught up in his daydream, he hadn’t registered that she was speaking to him.

“Omi! Try this!”

She fed him what seemed to be a piece of chocolate, but there was something different about it. It took a moment before he realized it was chocolate and pumpkin spiced flavored. Of course it was. She had brought him here for all the new Autumn treats, a large selection of “pumpkin spiced” flavored things. Ominis didn’t quite understand the appeal. After all, “pumpkin spice” was just a blend of spices, ones which Ominis had become good at identifying - cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, to name a few. Although he was indifferent to the flavor, he knew she loved it, so he always indulged her.

After she had purchased enough pumpkin spiced sweets to feed their entire common room, they walked hand in hand over to Steepley’s, the tea shop. The shop also had some Autumn flavors of the pumpkin spiced variety, so of course she had to have it. She grabbed them a table outside, where they could enjoy the crisp Autumn air with their tea and sweets. Ominis drank his tea and ate his pastries, taking in the scents and sounds around him, and listening to her talk about her day. This was his favorite activity, just being with her. Ominis only wished that he could lean in and kiss her, that was the only thing that would have made this moment better. He once again found himself in a daydream, fantasizing about kissing her, once again unaware that she was trying to get his attention.

“Ominis.” She said as she took his hand in hers. “I wanted to tell you something…”

Ominis snapped back to reality, squeezing her hand. “Forgive me, dear! I must have been daydreaming. What did you want to tell me?”

“Well, I…uh…the thing is I…” Her usual confidence was met with nervousness, and it worried Ominis, until she continued. “I fancy you, Ominis. I have for a while now. You’re so kind and so gentle, even after everything you’ve been through, not to mention you’re gorgeous.” She giggled. “You’ve been an amazing friend to me these past two years, and I’d love to be more than friends…only if you feel the same of course.”

Ominis felt like he had been hit by the Hogwarts Express itself. He had to shake his head to make sure he wasn’t still daydreaming. Did she really just confess her feelings? He must have been silent for too long, and he figured he must have been sporting the most confused expression because he started to hear the sounds of her shuffling to get up, letting go of his hand before speaking.

“I…I’m so sorry. I must have misread the signals. I..”

He reached out for her, grabbing her hand before she could get up. “No, wait! I’m sorry, dear, I just needed a moment to process that. I…feel the same. Hearing your voice, your laugh, smelling your perfume, feeling your presence beside me; I love all of it, more than anything. I was so nervous for our little outing tonight, I’m always nervous when I’m alone with you because I just want to impress you and I want you to want me as much as I want you. I love you.” The last part came out before Ominis could stop himself. His stomach dropped. Although she had confessed her feelings, he worried he may have said too much.

“I love you too!” She whispered. Within an instant, he felt her shift closer, so close that he felt her breath on her face. The next thing he felt was her lips against his.

Every worry in his life felt like it had been lifted off his shoulders when she kissed him, and his hands involuntarily shot up to her waist to hold her in place as he kissed her back. He felt her lips part slightly, and he took that as an invitation for his tongue, one he accepted willingly. He was lost in the taste of her mouth, smiling against her lips as his taste buds were hit with nothing but pumpkin spiced flavors from all the treats she had consumed.

When they finally pulled away from each other, they both let out shy giggles. She was the one to speak first. “We should probably head back soon. It’s starting to get a bit chilly.” When they had finished their teas and packed up the remaining treats, they set off back to Hogwarts. They took a slow walk, taking the same route back that they did to get to Hogsmeade, walking hand in hand as they talked.

As they made their way back, Ominis could help but reflect on the indifference he had towards pumpkin spiced flavored things when he arrived at Hogsmeade earlier. But after tasting it on her lips, it was now his favorite Autumn treat.

[endlessthxxghts]

I’m absolutely sobbing right now!!😭😭 There are not enough words in any language to describe how grateful I am, to describe how much love I’m feeling right now for all of you. With my entire heart— my entire being: thank you. I never would’ve thought I’d be here today with the most amazing lil community of people I could’ve asked for. I love you all so much.

So in honor of such a beautiful milestone for us all, I’ve compiled a few things we could do!🥰

Requests are now closed! Will be answering all requests that were sent in by April 18!🩶

💭 - ask a question

Either about me, about my fics, a would you rather, general or philosophical LMAO — literally anything! If it ends in a question mark, send it. This one is a free for all!! So, come at me with ‘em!! I’m ready.

I’d like to also note! I’m transparent with being a disabled content creator on here. If you’d like to know more about my disability (I cannot speak for other disabled individuals), you can ask me! If you aren’t sure how to ask, just establish that you aren’t sure how to word yourself, so I know any potential rudeness is not intentional <3

🌙 - fun facts about L!

Contrary to the ask a question, this one will be a free for all for me! I’ll give you whatever fact about myself that comes to mind in that specific moment of answering these!

☕️ - request a coffee

One of my biggest hyperfixations is coffee! Ever since I could remember. (Fun fact, I started drinking coffee in elementary school lol. This is what happens when your parents are born in the 60’s and 70’s LMAO. Anyway.)

So, for this one, give me a little description about yourself, what type of flavors you enjoy — tell me anything and everything, the more detail the better — and I’ll give you a drink that you remind me of / that I would recommend you! (Also tell me if you’re allergic to anything, I would not like to be responsible for you wanting to try anything you can’t have LOL)

If you are not a coffee person, I am also a big tea person!!! So do with that what you will! 🫶

📝 - fake fic title

Give me a fake fic title, and I’ll give a sentence or two on what that fic would be about!

🖼️ - request a moodboard

Can either be for a prompt you give or send me a fic (can be something you wrote!), and I’ll make a board based on that. Mutuals only: you can request a moodboard based on the vibes I get from you!

🎧 - request a song

Request a song based on one of my fics, or you can send me a fic (can be something you wrote!), and I’ll provide a song that I associate with it. Mutuals only: you can request a song based on the vibes I get from you!

🔌 - shoutout a fic/blog

Shoutout a specific fic you love or a specific blog you love! Let’s pass on the beautiful and welcoming vibes that we’ve created here🩶 (recommending your own fic/blog is encouraged!!!!!) And because I would like us to focus on the blog/fic being recommended, please do this one anonymously!!🩶🩶

use the "-> ..." tags below to see my responses to each :)

For the millionth (and definitely not the last) time, thank you all so so much. Stay amazing and stay true to yourself, you beautiful humans. I love you.🩶

all dividers/graphics by me <3

[2024-grimoire-challenge]

August Week 3: Using Your Senses

This week we’re going to be talking about our senses and how they can help us relate to our craft, our practice, magic, and well, life in general. Sometimes we take for granted the simple magic that is our senses. It is these senses that help us connect to the world around us, literally, while also spiritually, emotionally and even magically connecting us to it. We’re going to focus on our regular senses this week and delve into those extra sensory topics next week. For now, let’s focus on taste, touch, sight, sound, and hearing.

Monday - Touch

Introspection/ Research - Think about your sense of touch. What does it have to do with your craft, literally and metaphorically? When you touch the tools you use, the ingredients you use, the space you work in, what does that sense tell you about those things and about your craft in general? How does touch help you connect to your practice?

Practical/ Journal - in order to do the above prompt, pick a few items in your witchy collection and just… touch them. If you have a ritual blade, touch the metal (carefully) and write in your journal what the sense of touch tells you about it. Same with a crystal, a plant, a candle and so on. Make a list of the items and describe their physical feeling in your journal and what it tells you about that item in both a practical sense and magical sense.

Research/ New Page - herbal research - pick an herb from your list and look into everything about it! History and myth, associations and culinary uses, magical uses and mundane! How does it grow? Where does it grow? Everything!

Tuesday - Taste

*Disclaimer* I don’t recommend and will not recommend tasting anything that you don’t know the chemical makeup of. Do not ingest plants or crystals or anything without knowing how it will affect you and if you are allergic.

Introspection/ Research - With the above disclaimer in mind, think about how taste can aid you in your magical practice. If you brew tea or do kitchen witchery especially, what is it about the flavors that influence those aspects of your craft? Do you preferences in taste influence the herbs and spices and ingredients you use when brewing or cooking for magical or ritual purposes? Does the flavor itself have associations for you? How else can taste help to determine what you do and use in your craft?

Practical/ Journal - Make a cup of herbal tea, or bake bread or make a meal that has magical connections or connotations. Why did you choose the ingredients you chose? Again, how does the taste of it influence your magic and craft? How does it serve you magically?

Wednesday - Sight

Introspection/ Research - Think about how your practice looks. To you. Recently with the upsurge of popularity of witchcraft in online spaces, there is a debate of the validity of what our craft looks like in private versus what we publicly share. That’s not to say that what everyone shows publicly isn’t true to their practice, but sometimes it isn’t. Is your craft as clean and neat as what you share (if you share pictures or videos)? What sights are important to you in your craft? Does it have to be a certain look? Do your tools and materials have to have a certain aesthetic? Or is it more about the practicality of things?

Practical/ Journal - if you have an altar or workspace, take a long look at it and describe what it looks like. How important is the style to you? What things look most important? Is there anything central to it? Is it a hodgepodge? What things draw your eye most? What things compete for the attention of your sight? If you can, and have the means, go out and find something for your workspace that catches your eye.

Research/ New Page - gem research - pick a crystal from your list, or whatever else you may be researching and learn as much as you can about it! Chemical makeup, where it’s found, what it’s used for? History and myths, everything!

Thursday - Sound

Introspection/ Research - close your eyes and listen. It’s perhaps the hardest and the easiest thing to do. But truly hearing, allowing yourself to hear the world around you, can take time. What sounds do you associate with your craft and practice? What sounds make magic real for you? Do you listen to certain music? Is it a certain animal sound? A sound from nature? Maybe just a specific note or instrument like a bell. How can you utilize sound for your practice? Listening to music during your spells and rituals, connecting with the power of the wind through its sound in the leaves. What and how does sound perform magic?

Practical/ Journal - if you have a bell or flute or other instrument at your altar or workspace, find out what note(s) it plays! Is that not specifically something you chose or did you choose the instrument itself? Do you hum or sing for your practice? Figure out what sounds help you feel magical and journal about them. What emotions do they stir, what thoughts?

Friday - Smell

Introspection/ Research - Think about the candles and incense and herbs you use and what they smell like. Are there certain smells that make you feel magical or think of your craft? How does smell influence your craft? When you perform magic, spells or rituals, generally things smell good, yeah? What connotations would bad smells have in your practice and craft? Think hard about ways that smell is influenced by your craft and how smell influences your craft!

Practical/ Journal - if you’re able, take some herbs whose smells your like, figure out their associations, and dress a candle with them! Why did you choose those scents? Were they sharp? Sweet? Savory? Sour? And what about the candle, what scent did it have, if any?

This week had a strange few prompts, but connecting even the basics of life to our craft can help us better understand it, as well as ourselves. The basics and fundamentals are important to remember and review. Use all of your senses to connect to your craft.

-Mod Hazel

[dailycharacteroption]

Oozemorph (Pathfinder Second Edition Archetype)

(art by SothGrim on DeviantArt)

When you think of slimes, of oozes, of puddings or flans or any other food-related word that has been used to describe formless goo monsters in rpgs and beyond, you probably already know that, inspired by the movie The Blob and it’s remake, D&D was the first to turn such formless giant amoeba and other goo critters into staples, with plenty of jRPGs and beyond further helping to cement them as an icon of the genre.

It may shock you then to learn that the concept of humanoid slimes, of slimes that not only have intelligence but choose to adopt humanoid forms is not as recent as you think, evolving out of things like parodies of Dragon Quest and other jRPGs coming out in the 80’s… you know, the same decade that D&D itself became a thing, and that is *wild* to me.

Of course, one can’t mention humanoid slimes without pointing out the elephant in the room which is that slimegirls are featured in a lot of eroge works, and with that acknowledgement let me be very clear that we love and support folks that enjoy all sorts of age ratings and subjects here. There is no kinkshaming here.

In any case, today’s archetype is all about characters that, through accident or design, are a little more oozelike than most. Canny fans will remember that there is an archetype in First Edition by the same name, though while the shifter version is all about those shifters whose power of polymorphing is derived from emulating those giant protoplasms, the Second Edition version is more available to every class and is more flavored around magical curses, accidents, and the like. Things that you were quietly encouraged to reflavor the 1E version into if it suited you anyway.

Now, you may ask, “Ooh, does this archetype give you the ability to shift fully into a protoplasm for all the benefits and hinderances associated with it, or shapeshift your limbs into weapons, or the whole polymorphing into animal forms plus your pseudopods for extra offense?” To which I must sadly be the one to disappoint you, since the archetype does fall prey to the limitations that 2e sometimes puts on their character options, but I won’t say it’s impossible to play such a character, more on that later.

In any case, your character is or perhaps later became a partially goo-ified person. Maybe your character was a human that was afflicted by the ooze plague from The Slithering stand-along adventure that this archetype comes from, or some other ancestry that was experimented on, or someone of any ancestry that otherwise developed such a connection/affliction? Either way, we’ll see exactly what they have to offer.

The base dedication of this archetype represents the start of the transformation and how the starting shifts of the hero’s biology gives them insight into how oozes function, particularly with how to avoid their engulfing attacks, but also in the study they do into oozes and the occult as they come to understand what is happening to them. However, it comes at the cost of their changing anatomy being disturbing to many other creatures, hampering social interaction.

The more they transform, the more their anatomy fails to resemble their original ancestry. Thankfully, this makes it harder for foes to target their vitals, and they can seal off blood loss much faster and easier.

Some learn to distort their throats to create a resonating chamber, allowing their vocalizations to be heard from much farther away, though even the most musical of such vocalizations are likely a little unnerving.

Sometimes having no eyes is an advantage, especially given the number of monsters with deadly gaze attacks and spells that afflict those that view them. As such, some oozemorphs learn to just get rid of their eyes reflexively for a bit, becoming blinded for a few seconds in order to turn failure into success against such visual effects.

As their transformation progresses, oozemorphs become receptive to, and are able to replicate the primitive pheromonal communication of many oozes. While they can hardly tell oozes what to do, they can at least attempt to befriend them and convince them that they are not food or threats.

Eventually, many of them develop thicker skin akin to the thick membranes of many oozes, and their bones further break down, making them not only resistant to bludgeoning attacks, but also to the effects of especially grievous blows.

Many oozes can suction to walls and ceilings to move along them, and some oozemorphs can emulate that, their limbs spreading out to get as much grip on the surface as possible.

Finally, their internal fluids become more like cytoplasm than blood, making them resistant to disease and poison, as well as making them even more resilient overall.

This archetype offers a lot of durability options as well as some utility, but it is a far cry from going full sentient slime, even if the art for the archetype is very nice and seems to lean in that direction. However, by looking into the actual classes we can use as the base, we can find some options and answers that are suitable. Both kineticist and monk have ways to make your strikes deal many different types of damage, which could be flavored as reshaping gooey limbs or channeling power through them, while alchemist has some concoctions that can also help out with that. Furthermore, arcane and occult casters of any class gain the potential to learn the Ooze Form spell, which is much nicer than the 1e equivalent since it actually lets you take traits of specific types of oozes (from an admittedly limited list but that’s just 2e polymorph for you) rather than just a generic battle form.

However, even if you don’t go that route, the oozemorph can offer some fun abilities to make being a goo person a part of your character, especially if they plan to be up front absorbing a lot of hits.

Now, as sexy and cute as we tend to think of slime people in a lot of modern fiction, within a lot of more serious fantasy games, I can see a lot of oozemorphs struggling with how others view their altered nature. Even without considering how uncanny and disturbing their powers would appear, oozes are typically seen as mindless monsters, a danger to be avoided and repelled, so there’s a lot to explore there, though it need not be the case in your own setting if that isn’t something you want to explore.

Those that survive in the Blighted Lands are renowned for their toughness, but that doesn’t mean they are unscathed or unchanged by it. Such is the case with Sekani the Burning Rain, who suffers from an affliction that makes her body soft, translucent, and pliable in places. However, the young strix has learned to channel this ooze transformation, and earned her epitaph by channeling her magic through it to pelt foes from above with acidic spells.

Most who were afflicted by the Darkeye Plague rose again as zombies, hungry for flesh and instinctively spreading the necromantic virulence. However, those who survived it sometimes gained a strange symbiosis with the black fluid that had spread throughout their bodies. That did not, however, prevent them from becoming something more than mortal, though not necessarily monsters.

Most who become oozmorphs become soft and malleable, but Beras of Millentown was an exception, their body taking on the qualities of carnivorous crystal. This transformation has lent itself to them developing geokineticism, channeling their transformation into deadly blades of jagged crystal.

[anamoon63]

--- OC Deep Dive Questionnaire Tag ---

Thank you dear @wannabecatwriter for the tag! 🤗💗 Also a huge apology for taking so long to reply.

For this I chose Roderick Kingston, a very old sim of mine. (The Sims 3 of course). Roderick is, like Patrick Orbison, one of my oldest sims, the first one I made when the Night Life expansion came out.

Roderick was as important to me as many other sims in my generational games, and, even when I created him before the Generations EP, he had a very large family of four generations.

Why did I choose him, having so many relatively new and more popular sims? Well, because during the time I was caring for my family in their illness I only had a little window of time at night to play The Sims, if I wasn't too tired. So I wanted it to be a free gameplay, mostly to distract myself, some where I didn't have to write, or pose, or take pictures. So I picked this old 2011 save (named The Kingstons), and well, I did take pictures while I played, lol, but nothing to use in any particular story. I played it exclusively for fun.

Currently, Roderick is an elder, and a grandpa, though he refuses to admit that he's old because, like almost every famous musician, he's vain and does not accept that time has gone by. So, takes exaggerated care of his physique, especially his face, and, though he clearly isn't young anymore, he always looks quite good for his age. (This is in part because I create my own elders using the sim adult stage and a lot of costume makeup, since I've always thought that EA elders don't look exactly like real life elders, especially not like elder celebrities like Roderick).

Anyway, without further ado, here is my most ancient sim, and one of my very favorites. (I know I say this about almost every sim of mine I post, hahaha).

RODERICK KINGSTON

What uncommon/common fear do they have?

A fear that is common among vain people like Roderick: fear of the passage of time, that is, of getting old.

Do they have any pet peeves?

Photographers and paparazzi, because he is afraid of having his picture taken from a bad angle. He likes to control which photos of him are published and which are not. (Like the ones in this post, lol).

What are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

Cologne, newspapers and his double bass.

What do they notice first in a person?

Their manners and their clothes, if they are women, he checks to see if they are pretty.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

Quite high, maybe 7 or 8, but he has his limits.

Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

Definitely flight mode. He doesn't like arguments, and he doesn't like to look bad in public.

Do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

Roderick was an only child but is the patriarch of an extended dynasty of celebrities.

What animal represents them best?

A fox (because the fox is associated with creativity, passion, wisdom, and charm, (among other things) and these are some of Roderick's characteristics.

What is a smell that they dislike?

Hates the smell of cheap cologne or perfume.

Have they broken any bones?

Never, fortunately. And I don't think he'd like how he'd look with casts on his limbs.

How would a stranger likely describe them?

Attractive, charismatic, somewhat conceited but friendly in general.

Are they a night owl or a morning bird?

Night owl, of course.

What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love?

He hates the taste of cheap fridge in his food. Loves the taste of well-prepared grilled salmon.

Do they have any hobbies?

Writing and blogging.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises?

Roderick loved surprise parties when he was young, nowadays they are no longer his favorite, mainly because birthdays make him feel older, but he appreciates a good party.

Do they like to wear jewelry?

Not really, just his watch, (not an ostentatious one) and his wedding ring. Even though he has remarried, he still wears the one he wore when he was wed to his late wife Tiara Angelista.

Do they have neat or messy handwriting?

His handwriting is super neat, just like him.

What are two emotions they feel the most?

Love (for music, and his family); and embarrasment. He hates to make a fool of himself, he also suffers when his reputation is threatened.

Do they have a favorite fabric?

Anything that is comfortable and not cheap.

What kind of accent do they have?

He's from Bridgeport, so, Bridgeport accent, kind of like a New Yorker, I guess.

BONUS PICS:

Roderick back in 2011 vs. Roderick in 2024.

You can tell I didn't have much CC then, nor a proper skin, but I had a blast playing with him back when. Today Roderick isn't young anymore, but he still walks around dressed in a tuxedo and he absolutely hates discovering new wrinkles in the mirror. He's kind of obsessed with looking young. He was once married to Tiara Angelista, long and happy marriage, they had three children, but then she died of old age. Later their son resurrected her (long story), though a bit late cause Roderick was already married to Suzy Strummer, who is much younger than him. They continue to be married to this day, but they haven't had any children (yet).

*Note: The Bridgeport save where Roderick lives is different from Patrick Orbison's save, which is more modern, although Pat also dates from quite some time ago, as he was also one of the first sims I made. Also, I know Late Night was released in 2010 but this save is from 2011.

Okay, that's all, we'll probably see more of Roderick and his family in the near future. (If I have the time). Thanks for reading this far. ❤️

I'm tagging: @matchalovertrait @camisulsul @kimmiessimmies @nocturnalazure @sparkilina @edyavtostopom @mysimsloveaffair @akitasimblr @expirisims @plaidisrad @silwermoon-sims @jennisimsand @happy-lemon and everybody else who wants to do this questionnaire. 😊

[arcandoria]

OC Deep Dive

tagged by @baldursghaik!

I considered doing a DA OC but reading Thyneron's made me think of trouble worm daughter so we going with Nathrae instead.

-> Phobias and other fears: Prior to the events of BG3 Nat was considerably chill on the phobia and fear area, but the tadpole and the looming threat of mind control installs a profound dread on her and loss of control and shots to fear number one. She's an orphan, an outlaw and a runaway, the only thing she fully possesses is herself, and to finally have that threatened is... yeah.

-> Pet peeves: Nathrae abhors complainers. People who constantly find a reason to lament and moan (about anything and everything) or are overly nitpicky just REALLY annoy her. Also really hates being interrupted or spoken over, she will walk away from a conversation if she keeps getting interrupted.

-> 3 things you can always find in their bedroom: Nat doesn't have a bedroom or anything akin to a house until like... farther post-BG3. So I'm going with things you can always find in her possession - her adamantine lockpick kit, a sketchbook and hygiene items (mainly for haircare, she can find body soap anywhere but she is strict with her hair upkeep).

-> First thing they notice in a person: How they fit the people around, and their general body language. Nat is on the "guarded" end of the spectrum so before she even notices any physical qualities, she's trying to have an idea if they fit in with the place, and if they seem tense, nervous or comfortable.

-> On a scale of 1-10, how high is their pain tolerance? Six to seven. That threshold is definitely passed during BG3 but as a drow and ex-Lolth sworn she's grown quite accustomed to pain.

-> Do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure? Really situational, but Nat is generally on flight mode because she'd rather go for self-preservation than going on offensive right away. She will fight back if she's backed into a corner though.

-> Do they come from a big family/are they a family person? Nathrae is an orphan, and was "raised" in the community on the Braeryn in Menzoberranzan, which still didn't provide her any adoptive family. She doesn't really consider herself a family person after being on her own for so long.

-> What animal represents them best? Foxes. They're opportunistic predators rather than fully dedicated hunters, but they're also extremely adaptable and can do well in whatever environment they're in. Symbolic-wise, foxes are associated with cunning, playfulness and resilience, and that also matches Nat perfectly.

-> What is a smell they dislike? Heavily sweet or sugary scents, safe for the smell of sussur blooms (she tolerates it because she likes the flower). She also doesn't like the smell of surface leather after being used to drowcraft armor for so long, but again, she endures it because oh well.

-> Have they broken any bones? As a thief she's had her share of broken bones, though nothing major that would rend a full limb useless. Nat relies a lot on her ability to be as functionally mobile as possible, so she's careful.

-> How would a stranger likely describe them? Overall, Nat intentionally aims to be as ordinary as possible. Being a drow definitely gets in the way specially on the surface, and if she doesn't have her head covered people are likely to refer her hair color (as it stands out compared to the typically light-haired drow). The scarring on the left side of her face is also a potential physical descriptor. But other than that, a stranger won't have much behavior-wise to describe her. She blends in quite nicely.

-> Are they a night owl or morning bird? Night owl. As a drow, pre-tadpole she couldn't even reliably stay in the sun, and as a thief it's not like the light would do her any favors. BG3 is the most active she's been during daylight in her life.

-> What is a flavor they hate and a flavor they love? There's nothing she hates to the point of not eating because food is food and she doesn't have room to be fussy, but Nat doesn't really favor bland/delicate food and isn't too fond of sweets. She has a thing for wine though, and good wine at that. But generally speaking she loves trying alcohol of all sorts and recipes.

-> Do they have any hobbies? Drawing! Nat likes to pick up charcoal or any other medium that can stain paper and just do observation drawing. Her sketchbooks are mostly filled with botanical illustrations though, normally accompanied of alchemical notes of said plant.

-> Boom, surprise birthday party! How do they react to surprises? Any person who truly knows her would not throw a surprise birthday party, so it'd definitely be coming from someone that would just have her walk right back out and fucking disappear. Don't surprise Nat at best she will walk out on you at worst you'll get stabbed.

-> Do they like to wear jewelry? Yes! Though she limits how much she wears at a time and avoids wearing rings (they get in the way of having quiet and quick lil' paws), she does like earrings, necklaces and other accessories she can add to her clothing, notably silver.

-> Do they have messy handwriting? Nat has decent handwriting, simple and legible to anyone who can speak the language she's writing in. The Lolth priestess were really stern on being able to read reports and she was strongly forced conditioned to write neatly.

-> What are the two emotions they feel the most? Before BG3, uneasiness and loneliness, though she'd never admit the latter. Nat's always lived with suspicion of other people (possibly wanting to take advantage of her), but deep down craving connection to someone she can trust and let her guard down a bit.

-> Do they have a fabric? You'd think leather, but it's actually linen, specially expertly crafted. Her "guilty" fabrics though are satin (chiffon more specifically) and wool, but she only really indulges in owning/wearing clothing with these when she sort of settles down.

-> What kind of accent do they have? More eloquent and well-spoken than you'd expect for someone with her background, but still not quite hitting the super well read mark. She's learned how to talk to nobles in her line of work, but hasn't invested too much time honing it. When speaking drow, she has very little of the lyrical undertone often associated with how the noble houses talk, and lands firmly on the Drowic heard out in the Stenchstreet with borrowed words from other races.

I have a feeling this does very little to show her as anything to what I've often said: a feral street cat who deep down enjoys scritches fmsdlkkgm But- there she is!

Tagging, no pressure: @camelliagwerm @pinkyjulien @nokstella @lordcaptains @bardic-inspo

and @togepies!

[pippin-katz]

Reverse Character Bleed

Okay I wrote about this already, but it was on a reblog of a GIF set, so I decided to make its own post. I've decided to use a phrase to attempt to describe why Taylor and Nicholas' performances feel so different to watch.

I'm referring to it as reverse character bleed.

Character bleed is a term used to for when an actor subconsciously starts adopting behaviors and personality traits of the character they are playing. They don't do it intentionally. Sometimes when you spend so much time in the mindset of a character, it's a little difficult to turn it off completely. There are moments where you might find yourself thinking how the character would respond rather than how you would respond.

This is, again, subconscious. I'm not referring to a situation like an actor being asked what their favorite flavor of ice cream is, and in their head they think, "What would [x]'s favorite flavor be?" An easy example of what I am referring to would be their favorite color, because that changes over time for a lot of people anyway.

Say that your favorite color is yellow, but you're in a scenario where you are seeing the color blue a lot. You don't feel any sort of way about blue; you don't dislike it, but you don't like it either.

So, you are seeing blue everywhere. Maybe it's the color of your team's jersey, or the fabric you're working with, or paint you're using.

If you are enjoying the experience, you will likely develop a positive opinion of that color blue. This is because of the association of blue with the fun or happiness or excitement you felt during that experience. Obviously! Everyone knows about color association! But this can happen without realizing it until later, when someone asks you, "What's your favorite color?"

The thing about a lot opinions of this nature is that you don't typically spend a lot of time actually thinking about them on your own. You don't typically sit down for twenty minutes, pondering what your favorite color is in your head. Likes and dislikes, at least common ones, are typically better suited for conversations, not your internal dialogue (if you have that).

So, you probably were never randomly sitting around and had the thought, "I think my favorite color is blue instead of yellow."

But when someone asks you, instead of immediately responding with yellow, you pause to consider it. Because now you have another color that you associate strong, positive feelings with, that you did not even realize were there.

It's that subconsciousness that I'm referring to with character bleeding. Actors wouldn't notice until someone points it out. Think about how we can see similarities between Taylor and Alex, but Taylor seems to think they're nothing alike.

The interesting thing here is that this is not a case of character bleed. Character bleed would be Taylor and Nicholas adopting traits of Alex and Henry. But this is the reverse. It feels like Alex and Henry subconsciously adopted traits and behaviors from Taylor and Nicholas.

Now, what the hell do I mean by this? Let me talk you through it!

The best example of this reverse character bleed in my opinion is the scene of Henry holding Alex's hand when Alex asks for him to take a walk with him.

Time for the GIFs:

Taylor and Nicholas are close friends in real life.

When you are friends with someone, you care about them and their wellbeing. If they are upset, you want to comfort them. If they get hurt, you want to help them and do what you can to protect them from getting hurt whenever you're with them.

Take the adorable moment from their first GQ article where the journalist describes Taylor as "sinking into protective mode" when discussing Nicholas' injury.

As silly as this is to read, it's probably accurate!

It's in the past, but again, when someone you care about gets hurt, you want to protect them. It's natural to feel protective after the fact, especially if you weren't there to help.

Back in high school, my best friend and I were in theatre. There was a show that she did, that I didn't, and there was a small stunt that involved her character and dry ice. She had to crouch down in a box to look like she fell down a chute with the dry ice effect helping sell it.

Someone spilled the dry ice into the box, and my friend ended up touching it with her bare hands and her legs. She got burned, obviously, but no one did anything about it. The show kept going, and even though her character was practically done for the show, no one took her to the hospital or emergency room for the ice burns.

I was furious when I heard about it. If I had been there, I would have cussed out our director/teacher and fucking demanded that someone take her to the doctor. Fuck the show, ice burn from dry ice is no-joke. I still get angry whenever I think about it.

This is to say that Taylor having a noticeable reaction to the discussion of Nicholas' injury is completely realistic. He doesn't have a reason to get angry like I did for my friend, but he experiences the same worry/concern after the fact.

Caring for your friend's wellbeing includes their mental health, obviously. So, consider: Taylor and Nicholas are at an event together. For some reason, Taylor starts feeling anxious or nauseous. Nicholas is going to be worried about him. That's just a fact of friendship.

Somehow that real life connection makes Henry’s concern for Alex feel more genuine and sincere.

It's as though Alex and Henry subconsciously adopted traits and behaviors from Taylor and Nicholas, rather than the other way around. Reverse character bleed is the only way I can think to describe it.

Anyway, that's all! I'm really excited to see them together again in the sequel! 🩵

Thanks for reading!! If you enjoyed this essay & would like to support me, you can give me a tip on my Ko-Fi! ☺️

[sweethoneyrose83]

Candycore Ask Game:

What’s your favorite type of candy?

If you were a candy flavor, what would you be?

Do you prefer sweet, sour, or salty treats?

What's the most colorful outfit you own?

What’s your dream candy land like?

Gummy bears or lollipops? Why?

What’s the sweetest compliment you’ve ever received?

If your room could be decorated in a candycore style, how would it look?

What color do you associate with happiness?

What candy from your childhood do you miss the most?

Would you rather visit a candy factory or a chocolate waterfall?

What’s a sweet smell that makes you feel nostalgic?

If you could create a new candy flavor, what would it be?

Do you prefer bright, neon colors or pastel candy colors?

What candy best represents your personality?

If you had to decorate a cake, what theme would you choose?

Do you like candy-themed fashion or accessories?

What’s your ideal sweet snack for a movie night?

Chocolate or fruit-flavored candy: which do you prefer?

If you could live in a world made of candy, would you? Why or why not?

What’s your favorite sugary drink?

If you were a character in a candy-themed video game, what would your power be?

What’s a sweet memory from your childhood?

Do you like cotton candy? What flavor is your favorite?

If you had a pet made entirely of candy, what would it look like?

What’s your favorite ice cream topping?

Do you enjoy baking sweet treats? If so, what's your specialty?

What’s a dessert that always makes you happy?

If you could live inside a candy wrapper, which one would you choose?

What's your favorite candy-themed holiday (Halloween, Easter, etc.)?

If you were a candy, which one would you be and why?

What candy color palette best represents your personality?

Describe your dream Candyland world!

Would you rather swim in a pool of chocolate or cotton candy?

What’s the sweetest memory you have?

Pick a flavor: Strawberry, bubblegum, or peppermint?

What kind of candy would you create if you could invent one?

Do you prefer sour, sweet, or a mix of both in candies?

Which candy wrapper design do you love the most?

Would you live in a house made of gingerbread or gumdrops?

If your wardrobe could be based on a candy theme, what would you choose?

Do you enjoy candy more during a specific holiday? If so, which one?

What pastel color is your go-to for anything sweet-themed?

If you could have an unlimited supply of one candy, what would it be?

Would you rather be made of jelly beans or marshmallows?

What’s your least favorite candy flavor?

Pick a treat: Cotton candy or candy floss?

What’s your go-to candy for a movie night?

What candy would best represent your current mood?

What dessert looks too beautiful to eat?

Would you like to live in a world where everything is candy-themed?

What candy-themed accessory would you wear every day?

Do you prefer candy that’s crunchy or chewy?

What candy would make a great gift for you?

What’s your favorite type of chocolate? Milk, dark, or white?

Do you like rainbow-colored candies or single-colored ones?

What’s the most unique candy you’ve ever tried?

If you could turn your room into a candy paradise, what would it look like?

Would you trade all savory snacks for a lifetime supply of candy?