#and i will appreciate it more with that context

[caughtthedarkness93]

Seriously!

I tear it apart because it gives me new ways to love it.

Returning to a beloved classic years later and finding a new way it speaks to you because you learned something new that lends it entirely novel context.

Talking to a friend of yours who examines things through a totally different lens. Someone who doesn't share your identity or has had different life experiences from you or something like that might pull something you never would have seen about a piece of art and completely change the way you see it.

Watching it and seeing how it's in conversation with other art that's trying to do something similar.

Working on something and being horribly stuck, and then some movie or book you're returning to or reading for the first time unlocks something in your own work that gets you past that roadblock.

Breaking down the details of what specific artistic decisions make it so good and applying those lessons to your own creative work.

There's something joyful in each of these practices, something that pulls more and more and more out of these pieces of art and makes you appreciate them more and more over time.

And yeah, sometimes that means finding something you don't like about it. But sometimes you find there's an artistic reason that makes it deeper than you thought and throws it into a new perspective, or you just...simply accept the fact that you can dislike things about something you otherwise love. No piece of art is perfect. But just because you find a flaw in something, even a glaring one, doesn't mean it's ruined. Edgar Wright's really bad at writing women a lot of the time. The female characters in his films often have little agency or development. Baby Driver has this problem too. Doesn't mean it's not a joyful film to experience that I found so relatable to my own experiences with autism. Just because a piece of art has flaws doesn't make it bad.

i find it so interesting how people act like "critically examining a piece of media" is the opposite of "enjoying that piece of media." rip to you but i actually find it really enjoyable and compelling to dissect and think through the art i engage with

[theminecraftbee]

... how're you feeling?

you know what this is a kind ask thank you anon. context for those who do not have it is that hermitcraft made an official statement that there has been “complaints from the community” that were found credible about iskall. he and stress have resigned. we don’t have any other context but gauging by reactions of the other hermits this seems to be quite bad.

as for how I’m feeling: not good but I appreciate you checking in. I am not going to talk about this on this blog as a rule. I do not like working through this sort of thing publicly, and my blog has never been a place I like letting “discourse” into (for lack of a better word). I also don’t want people speculating in my direction about it because frankly that’s just going to make us all spiral much worse. when we know more we’ll know more. I will tag related posts with at least iskall’s tag for blocking.

anon most of that paragraph wasn’t directed at you though asking me how I’m feeling is very kind of you <3

[marooningmirrorball]

Splattered Coffee and Spare Blouses

A/n: hello lovelies! this is my first ever fanfic so please be kind to me when you read this 🫣 any sort of feedback will be appreciated🤞also there is no physical description of reader, that picture was just the first cute white blouse that i saw on pinterest. i hope you like it!

content: coworker!rafe x coworker!reader

content warnings: complete ooc rafe, like not even a little bit canon. jealous rafe. desperate reader and rafe. idiots in love fr. coworkers/office au (?)

word count: 1.2k words

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊ ₊˚༺☆༻

Rafe is too busy drinking in the sweet melody of your voice to catch the actual content of your conversation with Matt. Or is it Mark? Mason? It doesn’t matter what his name is, the only relevant thing about the guy is that he delivers the paper to the office, and Rafe knows they’re getting a paper restock when he hears the tee-heeing of your giggle aimed at something supposedly funny that Miles joked about as he stacks the reams of paper on the tall shelves behind your desk.

You don’t actually ‘tee-hee’, it’s more of a soft chortle. Rafe likes to think he knows the difference, he tries to bypass these dreary office hours by studying each laughter.

First he takes in the sound and how much it made his heart clench, then he looks at your expression; happy, shy, nervous, anxious (he’s even found the difference between those two!), angry. Lastly he takes in the context of the laugh.

It’s definitely a titter when your boss is reprimanding your newest co-worker with the frosted tips, it’s a hodgepodge of a shy-nervous giggle when your boss is reprimanding you, and it’s absolutely a guffaw when Rafe delivers a joke he’d been meticulously planning before he presents it to you.

It usually doesn’t matter what type of laugh it is, the soundwaves from it wrap his heart up and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, until Rafe forces himself to leave the room, because it can’t be normal to feel this way about a girl you've only been working with for the last three months.

But this isn’t all those other times, it's that unusual time of the month. What could a man who delivers paper to a pool coverings company possibly say to make you let out that joyous sound? What does a pool company even need paper for? Rafe, running his pointer finger along the rim of his coffee mug, comes up blank when he starts to really think about the former rhetorical question, he’s not too sure he ever wants to interact with Mike that will allow him to find out.

Too late. The kerfuffle Rafe accidently caused due to clumsy hands and an even clumsier brain leaves his (luckily) empty mug toppled, but Rafe’s not so blessed when his fallen over mug lands on his pen, triggering it to leap from his desk and splatter into your (unluckily) full mug.

You spin around in your chair at the commotion of Rafe’s, “Shit!”.

Rafe thinks being shot in the big toe would be less painful than this. It’s a Grade A Disaster. All he can see is the deep brown liquid dispersed in sporadic splats all over your previously white blouse.

“Holy shit, are you alright?”, Marcus is pulling out his handkerchief, of course Paper guy carries a handkerchief, in record time, dabbing away at the marks that have the clear intention to find a permanent home on your work top.

Rafe isn’t given a chance to play hero, before Milo is badgering, “Man, why are you doing trick shots right now? Aren’t you a sales guy?”, Rafe; however, is too mortified to think about a snarky comeback as he instead spews out a stumbled apology.

“Y/N, I-I am so so sorry– tha-that really wasn’t on purpose! I-I can–I will replace your shirt after work, I’m so sorry!”, it all comes out jumbled and untidy. A red-faced Rafe runs a hand down his face in exasperation before he’s suddenly up and grabbing at the fallen dishware, “Let me just-let me go get you some paper tow-”

You put an end to his unnecessary apologies with a gentle touch to his right hand that possesses the culprit. Rafe thinks his heart actually stopped.

The grin you bless him with manages to calm him down, “Rafe, you're okay! Don’t stress about it–really. It’s an old blouse anyway.”

And…what?

Rafe just managed to completely demolish your clothes, yet it’s you who is showing him kindness in this weak moment, “Look, if you’re really bummed out about it and want to reimburse me, I do need to go to the mall after this so…”, you drag out and let him fill in the blanks.

So did the mug actually fall onto Rafe’s head? Did he fall into a state of unconsciousness and wake up in a dream land? This can’t be real.

The scoff and retreat of Marcello’s boots snap him out of his thoughts, this is his life. This is his life and he has been staring at you in disbelief for too many silent seconds because you quickly begin to slip the offer out of his hands, “Uhh–well you don’t really have to join me to shop, I just thought since-”, now you're interrupted by Rafe’s reassurances,

“No! Wait–I mean yes! Erm I don’t actually know what I’m meaning to say”, you think the blush sporting his face has got to be the cutest thing you’ve possibly ever seen as he carries on, “I would love to come with you, please!” Jesus, he thinks, try sounding more desperate, he quickly corrects himself.

“Yeah, yeah, that would be cool if I join along. I-If you don’t mind obviously…” he trails off, unsure and not wanting to impose, despite you literally just inviting him.

The shyness is evident in your voice when you softly say, “No, it would absolutely be fun if you came with”, God, you think, why did I add absolutely in there, he’s gonna think I’m desperate.

“Okay cool.”

“Cool.”

Henry, your coworker with the frosted tips, stands at the corner of Rafe’s desk with his arms crossed, “Can I get some paper or do I need to wait another five minutes until your flirting is done?”

The both of you cower slightly in embarrassment at his teasing, but don’t let it dim the bright smiles adorning your faces. Rafe is sure that there’s nothing in this moment that could, he just scored a hang out with the female coworker that he’s been crushing on for weeks now! Not even the sight of smug Martin could kick him off this high right now.

Your too-old desk chair groans as you stand from it, and suddenly Rafe’s worried that Henry’s comment may have bothered you, “Where are you going?”, his rushed tone causes a giggle to escape you,

“My top is still soaked Rafe”, you gesture to the stained garment with a laugh, “I’m just gonna fetch the spare in my car. What? Do you want to walk with me there too?” Rafe misses the joking lilt of your voice because he’s up and walking towards the reception before you can stop him.

When the two of you return from your car, you with a clean (albeit slightly wrinkled from sitting in your ‘just in case’ bag) blouse on and Rafe with a bashful expression, Henry wiggles his eyebrows at the pair of you, implying something out of nothing. You both ignore it and get back to your work, not without the two of you sneaking glances at each other when you know the other isn’t looking.

Long forgotten are Max’s bad jokes and flirting, Henry’s annoying teasing, and this afternoon’s coffee disaster as you and Rafe walk side by side in the mall, he doesn’t think life can get better than this.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚ *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊ ₊˚༺☆༻

[pixiecaps]

i recommend watching connors video its really well done i think he went into the topic in a wonderful manner. he goes into the timeline of everything, explaining vtubers, mouseys primary immune deficiency, and all that context that i think people tend to gloss over.

connor even goes into showing examples of the hate mousey has gotten on platforms like tiktok. which sorta illustrate the overall picture of what mousey has had to consistently deal with. i think one of the moments for me when i realized how bad the hate had gotten was during the subathon where everyday people would come into mouseys chat to say something hateful. everyday. to the point where mousey would have to address these comments and specifically told her community, hey i know seeing hate sparks the reaction of wanting to comment back but dont. and if you truly feel the need to then simply reply donate plasma. saying this while facing some of the most malicious hate ive ever seen. still she would rather try to spread some positivity and awareness by saying to donate plasma rather than trying to shit on other creators communities which is a level of maturity i fucking admire. and i think in this period of the internet we dont see all too often. in the video connor actually shows examples of these chat messages from a 85 PAGE LONG DOCUMENT. fucking bizarre. and yet i still remember during that subathon era seeing people say she wasn’t getting hated on at all and that her fans were exaggerating.

what i really appreciate is connor even making this video on this cause as someone who watches ironmouse consistently and watched the entire subathon and all their streams together this is a topic that mousey is very vocal on with her chat and she talks a lot about this to connor. and he’s always been very sympathetic and there to defend her so it’s cool to see him constantly have her back and vtubers as a whole since hes so intertwined with these communities despite them not being his community per say. connor bluntly stating in the video, “yes you got me. this is a video about me defending my friend 100%. i’m not even trying to hide that. but i also just want to bring a tiny bit of attention to the level of normalized hate that is for some reason acceptable.” is awesome. and a video like this hopefully can inform others and make people realize that the level of hate thats accepted on the internet nowadays is wild. and i need this to be clear mousey has spoken about this hate train she’s been enduring a numerous amount of times and it doesnt get seen as much. but she has spoken about it and what she sees and gets told privately on a daily basis. from her own words the hate just gets more intense as time goes by. and it sucks that shes such a kind creator who has to deal with it just cause shes.. a vtuber.

in short. never send hate to anyone. be kind. watch more vtubers theyre fucking talented and great content creators. fuck what anyone else says about them.

[tanadrin]

It turns out that "nationalism is a not-even-once drug" is antisemitic because it leads a person to not support the state of Israel (but really I appreciate your firm and clear position on nationalism).

There was *maybe* a time when nationalism was conditionally a useful liberatory ideology in the 19th century, when it was a force that helped carve democratic states out of reactionary empires; but even in that context it feels like it was mostly dumb luck, and the alternative scenario where multiethnic empires could have become multiethnic democracies strikes me as more desirable in many ways—not least because it might have helped avoid the process of national calcification and brutal ethnic cleansing and population transfers that occurred after both world wars.

But even the most ardent nationalist will admit not every people can have its own nation—just as German nationalism required suppressing Sorbian and Czech and Polish nationalism, or Russian nationalism required running roughshod over Ukrainian nationalism, or French over Breton, etc, etc—it is ultimately an ideology which requires some nations to be more valid than others, and minority nations to be subsumed, forcibly assimilated, or expelled. And even within the nation, the national elites, the “true” carriers of the national spirit, will necessarily be privileged over those who are considered “lesser” or more contingent members. Nationalism does not actually entail democracy—it’s an ideology that legitimates state power, regardless of who is running the state.

And it sucks! And making a carve out for special kinds of nationalism under the label “indigeneity” doesn’t seem like a great solution to me either. We can end and try to correct the historic wrongs done to oppressed people without recourse to an ideology that fundamentally validates oppression, you know? We sort of have to. And on the flip side it should surprise no one that linking territoriality and statehood to a national identity leads to projects of bloody conquest and oppression. That’s kind of what nationalism is for!

[guiltycorp]

Damn i really want to know tf happened in the writing room of arcane s2. Some of the downgrades were inevitable due to the show's corporate limitations (not being able to progress the class war story in a meaningful way, having to tie things back to league of legends in terms of making playable characters more appealing to well, play... rip Mel and Viktor in particular), sure. But i still feel like it's even worse than that? There are so many bad decisions that i couldn't even start listing them all... the characters, plot, pacing, themes, it's just such a mess? Even the dialogue writing, it feels much more mm Marvel at its worst i suppose. What i am most bothered by is probably just the straight up harmful messaging so um... Cycles of violence and abuse can be broken by individual decisions to become a better person! Got nothing to do with systemic oppression, living conditions, mental health issues, you can just conveniently ignore aaall the social context, live laugh love and then things get better automatically yep, oppressors famously stop oppressing you when you show them that you're harmless and won't put up a fight anymore. Literally three out of three suicidal characters dying to redeem themselves? Not even in a tragic/cathartic way but in a bittersweet 'they finally atoned for their mistakes' way? Groundbreaking lmao. Romantic relationship between Vi and Caitlyn including no communication about their biggest fight, just conveniently skipping to sex and getting back together - would have loved that if it was framed as the unhealthy fucked up thing that it is, skipping over Vi's hurt and her background to once again become a cop, her girlfriend's direct underling at that (!) due to her not having any other support systems... But nope that was our cute lesbian romance wrapped up, a good thing all around, not concerning at all. Jayce telling Viktor that what he 'always admired about him' was his disability and his deadly disease (??? from a character who spent the whole s1 and first act of s2 desperately trying to help Viktor find a cure? sure) and that those imperfections don't need fixing, just wtf truly. Magic bullshit was also weird, some implications of 'natural magic is ok, but achieving that power through other means corrupts you into a crazy robot bitch or just wilts your trees i guess', but tbh it was written in such a weird and inconsistent way that we can skip this one... Yeah actually a lot of things were just such a mess that I feel silly pointing to specific moments or lines I didn't like, I mean duh, it barely makes sense as a story at all... I am happy we have s1 which comparatively was a masterpiece, and i also really enjoyed s2 act1, i truly believed it would lead somewhere good at the time, my mind still kind of cuts off the story at that point when i think about it, that WAS the open ending of the show to me (is it possible that there were rewrites? targeting act 2 and 3? idk, wishful thinking perhaps). Despite my extremely negative feelings about this season's conclusion i remain glad that so many people appreciate the show regardless, it is clear that there was STILL a lot of love in the process of its creation (although i'd argue that even some of the visual aspects of the show suffered in quality, once again i have to wonder about behind the scenes mood of it all) and i get very upset when i see creatives online despairing over reception of their projects even when i'm absolutely in the disgruntled crowd hahaha... ...however yeah, this wasn't great In a world that increasingly grows more and more right-wing politically... we really needed something different i think.

[kalicocal]

First off, I understand where you’re coming from, but hear me out.

For me, what made this scene impactful has to do more with the fact that the prison cell is the physical representation of Vi's mind more than the fact that it's where they first met. (Although the latter does add merit to Fortiche's capacity for telling circular narratives.)

We know this because we see Fortiche use this same motif in S108, where we see half of Vi behind bars and the other half unobstructed, which signifies how Vi is torn between going back to help her sister and helping Caitlyn take the gemstone back.

In this context, though, Vi is shackled by the mantra, “Whatever happens, it’s on you,” and we know this because Vi admits it herself, “I choose wrong every time. And because of it, I’ve lost everyone.” 

And the implication of Caitlyn unlocking this cell and entering this space—this space filled with emotional and physical scars, this space haunted by phantom pains and memories with teeth—was just like an “I got you” moment, the perfect affirmation that finally releases Vi from the shackles of this inherited responsibility. 

Caitlyn not only predicted it, but she actively took measures that enabled Vi to free Jinx safely. By doing this, Caitlyn implicitly confirmed that Vi didn't choose wrong this time and that she wasn't alone in the decision to offer Jinx a second chance.

And as much as I appreciate the idea of open communication, romance, and making love in a bed, I understand why they saved the talking for later. After all, facing imminent doom and Armageddon can influence people to rush into things. 

All jokes aside, there is one thing about this scene that makes my heart ache with joy: that Vi finally has one memory that outshines all that was made in the prison cell. And that memory is of warmth, a gentle touch, and soft eyes—the only memory that matters.

And for me, that's enough.

the moment vi realised caitlyn's the love of her life

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I just read all (I think?) the entries of Miss Raven being held captive in Savanaclaw and 😭😭😭 I love her interactions with Leona so much... I'm gonna cry, goodbye

( also, idk when all of that was posted, but thinking about current developments on what u think about Leona... it made it even more entertaining to read 🤭 )

[Referencing these posts!]

“Wow, I loved it when she was held captive :DD”/j (<- totally not strange statement out of context)

xbbskwdvosjzk QHATEVER 2020 ME WAS oN WhILE WRItING THOSe… REAllY MYST’VE bEEN SOmETHING… I was rereading those interactions recently myself and realized that a lot of what I wrote back then translates eerily well into how I feel now 💀 Those interactions were also important for developing Miss Raven and Leona’s initially antagonistic relationship into something more… amicable?? (But the bickering still remains; I just like writing bickering~) They’re able to see one another in a more nuanced light—their interests and hobbies, their strengths and weaknesses, their similarities and differences—and came to appreciate those.

I’m pretty proud of past!me for managing to fumble through that progression, especially since I definitely did not put an equal amount of effort into each interaction. (Some of them had minimal dialogue and in-between narration 💦)

[creatingblackcharacters]

Hi! Your blog is really really cool and an awesome source of information with so much context and detail! I really love your approach of like "don't not do it; research, learn, and do it well"!

So Idk if this is a reasonable question or not but I thought it would be better to ask than not to: So I'm endeavoring to write a kids picture book and in it there's a little girl who's Black with a physical disability, probably moderately quadriplegic, and I was wondering about what kind of hairstyles might be realistic for her to potentially have?

Like I know she could technically have anything that a real person could have, but like I don't want to just pick something out for the character just based on how *I* think somethings looks without having a context I don't have yet if that makes sense?

She's about 5 or 6 and she's able to use her hands but she'll have spasticity in them and be using adaptive equipment, and she can move but she'll be in a wheelchair most of the time, so Idk how that might factor into how she/her parents might kind of style her hair?

(it won't really come up in the story since it's about her first day of school, but like more from a design standpoint)

Also idk if this matters to add but I wouldn't be personally doing the art, I'd probably try and connect with someone to illustrate, but I would like to try and have some pretty concrete descriptions for them to work with when the time comes.

Thanks so much, you're so awesome!!!!

That's a good way to summarize my mentality, and I appreciate you catching that! I do get frustrated when people approach writing people different than them as "well is it yes or no" when that's not what it is. It's "put effort into it or leave it alone". Because many things can be done! We can be in any story! It just has to be done with...wait for it... INTENT!

As for your question, she's an industrious child because I was not doing my own hair at 5 and 6 lol. That's a young age for hair. Maybe a ponytail or afro puff at best. I think it would be okay if you allowed her parents to do her hair, which does lead back to her being able to have any style that she might like. Maybe something with less barrettes and such, since they might fall out and she may struggle to put them back in.

So my suggestion would be to look up hairstyles little Black girls, and go through your options and pick one!

[divinit3a]

For the ask game 💕

💕 Time for a shout-out! What are some of your fav AUs from other creators in the fandom? ⭑ dca au ask game

^-^ ....OK! I shall set down all the cakes on the table for a full buffet! Get your forks & knives out! 🍽️🍽️🍽️

please don't hesitate to let me know if you'd prefer not to be @'d in the future, or to be removed from this post u_u <3 I totally respect folk's preferences!

✨ lets go! ⭑⭑⭑ ⭑⭑⭑ ⭑⭑⭑

@muzzlemouths Dead Mall Dare / DfTR AU(s) Dead Mall Dare was one of the first AUs I read (like, literally. 1-2 months ago!) & I went woooaaah they are fun removed from original context. Isn't that so neat ?? This isn't a rabbithole to fall in, tho. u_u No wayyy guys c'mon ... /j Likewise, DfTR is a treat to watch unfold & see people squirm ^-^

@r0b0-wannabe Botanical Garden AU (or just any of your stories, but I'm.. sticking to the law...s... ) Hi, I stayed up to 2-3am drawing ur boys bc Im normal about this AU & how endearing it is... obviously... (💚) I love your writing style & characterizations. Maybe this is silly, but, I also enjoy learning about plantcare, too :3

@sinister-sincerely 2nd Choice AU Oh, you are so evil. The username matches. (A COMPLIMENT!! Hehe.) Oh, you write drama, angst/no comfort, hurting/damaged characters making awful choices so well. It was wild doing a double-take to realize YOU! are the WRITER for 2nd choice!! Some day, I will get u. For now, run 💜🔪

@wyervan Human!Slasher AU :D Yay! Both the OG/Main storyline are wonderful. I find the community version very endearing as an AU-within-an-AU. (love that!) As someone who used to run RP groups (on god!) it fills my heart with joy to see people filling out a world with so much life. Your art style is delightfully grungy ^-^/

@pluck-heartstrings - Pluck My Heartstrings AU Ohhh. I am weak to fairytale/renfaire vibes, as well as the more classic harlequin jester aesthetic u_u<3 Plus, the Vocalist/Princess is just so dang compelling, too. Your design sense is impeccable.

@moon-buggg Haunted House & Mad Scientist AUs They are both so neat & I can't wait to learn more!! The Haunted House AU designs live in my head rent free along with the comics :3

@zenkaiankoku Broken but Better AU Lovely, torn-up designs! Yay, mechanical horror! Yay, angst!! And a delightful remix of their personalities, too <3

@authormeat Alienware AU ^-^ I am instantly delighted by the weird guy freak energy & that the yn IS an alien/monster. Thats all I want & more. I also love ur designs for other AUs

...

...

...... 🧍 I Have More to Say

And...And... Not.. AU specific, but 🏏💥BAM , BAM 💥🏏 LOVELY FOLKS!!!!!!

🍲 <{ @soupdweller THERE IS NO ESCAPE ok but fr.. I appreciate ya, homie :3 you are a joy to chat with!! beautiful art!! evil mind!! delicious soups. i cant wait for whatever u cook up ^-^ 🐤 <{ @luckyyyduckyyy I WILL READ UR AU STORIES!! RUN & HIDE!!! you are the goofiest goober in the wild west, by goodness. i love ur energy and the gorgeous designs u create!! 🐛 <{ @chickenchirps27 ACK I COULD STARE AT UR ART FOREVER! I'll have to start volleying over illustrators I think ya might enjoy... u are so sweet & funny!! 🐐 <{ @lurking-loaf YOU ARE SO KIND! Seriously, I appreciate the fun craft projects you recommended -& your words of support :') 🔮 <{ @anis-sketches :D HI! Happy to throw recs your way. Also, your art is adorable!! 🌿 <{ @craykaycee HI TO U TOO!! the tags u leave always make me smile, and i appreciate u stopping by to say hi... :3 & MANYMANY MORE BUT I NEED TO CUT MYSELF OFF OR ELSE

Per usual, I lost sight of the original goal. But! Consider:

🏏💥WHAM , BAM 💥🏏 GOTCHU >:)

[malorisaurus]

Interestingly, all of this is partly why I was a bit disappointed in his romance. So much of this was subtle and left for player interpretation, and I felt the cut scenes largely did not provide context for a romance, even with this interpretation.

I didn’t need kissing or sex. I wanted a conversation about how even the idea of intimacy with a demon constantly present was confusing; I wanted Lucanis and Rook to maybe lightly joke about having unwelcome guests in their heads while the subtext could be a genuine deepening of their bond. Give me more earnest domesticity—we went shopping together, and I would have liked to have prepared a meal for the team together. Let him be sexy and suave when he shows you how to use a knife properly and then a panicked bi disaster upon realizing the intimacy in how he is touching and speaking to you.

I fully love Lucanis because he is genuine. He gives his approval most often as a response to earnest and kind dialogue options. I love that about him. He is an empathetic assassin raised by a hard woman in a home with a cousin he loved who resented him. Despite his love for Illario, Lucanis had to know in his heart of hearts that Illario did not care for him in the same way. Caterina constantly pit them against one another, and it is a trauma to have that sort of home life. Lucanis was imprisoned and violated in unthinkable ways, and being back in the world and falling in love probably feels like such a wildly foreign and terrifying thing.

While I appreciate trusting the player to extract meaning, sometimes a story benefits from being more explicit (in detail, not in nudity in this case). I wanted the opportunity to see more of him in the context of intimate conversation, to see more of the Lucanis we were privileged to glimpse.

That said, I am still glad that he was my first romance in this game, and I appreciate this post breaking down some of the elements that I think were at the root of why he is such a compelling character. I will still love him always.

Lucanis is a violently swinging pendulum of awkward and literal rizz god. How is he so bad but the coffee date cute af, and that scene in the pantry soooo goooood!?!?!

How does his confession never involve actually saying anything or physical intimacy of any kind and just him making a dessert (before you come for me, yes, I know most of his conversations are layered with romantic subtext), then later says he loves you with his whole chest?

Why does he consistently fumble when talking about romance or giving advice when with companions, but will pull mad suave lines on Rook?

This man has no idea why you like him but will turn around and say the cutest shit and demand to snuggle.

Sir... SIR...SIIIIIRRRRR!!!!!!

Listen here, babygirl. I WILL marry you. Don't try me.

[vintagerpg]

I was eagerly awaiting the release of Vision of the Hawk: The Art of Arik Moonhawk Roper for what felt like a very long time. I’ve been aware of his work for a long while thanks to my interest in stoner and doom metal, a scene in which he is a mainstay as a cover artist. His most famous image is no doubt the 2012 cover of Sleep’s Dopesmoker, which depicts a caravan of Fremen-like Weedians processing through an alien desert. I’ve got his art on albums from Earth, Kvelertak, High on Fire and more on my record shelf. I love them all and I was keen to see his work as body. Strange Attractor’s massive art book exceeded my expectations by miles (I’m pals with the fellows at Strange Attractor, but for real, that has very little to do with my reaction here).

Taken together, I was surprised at how quickly I stopped thinking of Roper’s art in the context of metal and started engaging with it as pure fantasy, and part of that genre’s larger illustrative tradition. I don’t know quite how to say it — it’s like his work has always been in the back of my head somehow. Page after page, I feel like I’m scraping past decades to the ur-source somehow. How does it seem so 21st century while also seeming to have been around since the ’70s? Is that the psychedelics making me feel that way? He’s out of time in the very best ways and while I bet most folks talk about Frazetta and Jone in the same breath, there’s a gnarliness here that reminds me a lot Bernie Wrightson, or at least reminds me of flipping through Wrightson’s A Look Back, where lurid color butts up against incredibly ink work. Unlike that tome, though, Vision of the Hawk is a gorgeously produced book. You really need to hold it in your hand to appreciate it — the matte paper gives Roper’s art a real richness that you lose in my copyphotos. A must own book for fantasy connoisseurs, no doubt.

[gothamite-rambler]

"Not those photos!"

Context: Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon were busy discussing Barbara's pay raise in Bruce's kitchen. Why? Because Babs has earned and deserves more money!

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room, mingling with the faint scent of pastries from the bakery down the street. Barbara rested her arms on the kitchen table her expression a mix of frustration and determination as she detailed her why after working for the man for decades she needed more money. She did work a job outside of hero work, but dang a girl needs extra disposable income.

Bruce, pouring himself a cup, listened thoughtfully, occasionally nodding in acknowledgment but aware that this conversation was more about establishing boundaries than just salary figures. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but admire her resilience, knowing that her contributions were invaluable—yet the negotiation price was a bit steep even for him.

Barbara (determined): I'm telling you, I should be making 80k annually for all the work I do—both as Oracle and your second assistant. Dick should not be making more than me!

Bruce (reasoning): He's my son. I pay all my kids well—even Damian. But not Tim.

Barbara (raising an eyebrow, smirking): Of course you’ll help the men over—

Bruce (shutting that down): Don't do that. I pay Cass the same amount as Jason.

Barbara (incredulous): Since when?!

Bruce (nonchalantly): Last year. She earned it. Babs, while I agree you deserve a pay raise, twenty thousand a month is pushing it. What would you even need that much money for?

Barbara (enthusiastically): Fun stuff! I like to live. I mean, obviously, I’m a smart woman; not all of it will be wasted every month. But sometimes, I pass by a store and see those new heels. Dang it, wheelchair-bound or not, my feet need to be wearing cute pinchy shoes! What does Dick need ten thousand for?

Bruce (rolling his eyes): Apparently, he uses it to 'keep the lights' on at the tower, treat his friends to dinner, pay for dance classes, sonic and spongebob merch... I hate those shows so much and… trips with Kori that I don’t like to think about.

Barbara (raising her voice to get her point across): Mostly frivolous garbage. Why can't I get frivolous garbage spending money?! Women want stupid things too!

Barbara pounded her fist on the table for emphasis, while Bruce sighed and closed his eyes, clearly exhausted.

Bruce (pausing, thinking): Okay, fair enough I will agree that people like to buy dumb stuff, but I... give me a second to think of a reason. It slipped my mind for a second.

Barbara (sly smile): All right, if you don’t consider paying me ten thousand a month—this way, me and your son get the same amount— I will upload the photos of you from the Christmas photoshoot in '97.

Bruce's eyes widened, his usual stoic expression changing to one of rising panic.

Bruce (panic-stricken): Don't do that! I won’t be able to live it down.

Barbara crossed her arms with a defiant smile.

Barbara (clapping for emphasis at the start of talking): Either ten thousand, or all of Gotham will have another reason to send you dirty, thirst tweets and messages.

Bruce (desperate): You wouldn’t? There’s no way you still have those photos.

Barbara (playfully): I have them saved in a custom folder for blackmail in situations like this. It would be such a shame if Gotham citizens saw you posing like you did. Tick tock, detective.

Bruce sighed, defeated, covering his blushing face. After a moment of silent reflection, he meekly spoke.

Bruce (reluctantly): Ten thousand it is. I’ll get the paperwork ready tomorrow.

Barbara (satisfied): Glad we came to an agreement.

Bruce (sighing): Yeah, whatever. Are we done?

Barbara (nods): Mm-hm.

Bruce (playfully): Good, and don’t talk like Jason!

Barbara (mocking tone): It's a catchy phrase, Master Detective.

Bruce groaned, but after a moment, a small smile formed on his lips, appreciating the friendship he still shared with Barbara.

Bruce (genuinely): I do have to admit, I've always admired your intellect. It's close to mine—almost.

Barbara (rolling past him in her wheelchair): Just without the intense trauma. Mine is regular trauma.

Bruce (defensively): Hey, it builds character.

Barbara (light-hearted): Whatever you have to say to give yourself reassurance, buddy.

[playedcrowd5610]

Bedrest - Transformers x Danny Phantom Crossover

Summary: After the events of "Additional Medical Assistance Required," Knockout decides to put Danny on Bedrest. But Danny has other plans.

---

Notes

Set in a series where Danny finds Starscream one day and decides to start haunting the Decepticons. That's basically all the context you need but if you want more here is the rest of the series:

Haunting the Nemesis

Part 1: Chasing Stars

Part 2: Burning Rubber

Part 3: Adventures of the Decepticons' Pet Ghost Or Tumblr Master List

---

Danny’s been put on bedrest, and he was not happy about it. He couldn’t believe it. And surprisingly, it was Knockout who had been the one to try to ensure Danny took care of himself.

“According to this information,” Knockout gestured to the screen behind him that displayed diagrams of human biology and notes that he had accumulated over the last day, “and what the human medic insisted," He rolled his optics. "Humans need rest to heal properly after sustaining significant injuries such as yours. Without it, they risk worsening their condition. So, until you’re healed, you’ll need to remain under constant Decepticon surveillance.”

Danny stared, slack-jawed, perched on the edge of the medical berth. Starscream stood on the other side of the medbay with his arms crossed as he listened. “You can’t be serious. I don’t need to be babysat! I’m fine! This sort of thing happens all the time,” Danny argued.

“The human medic was very clear that rest is essential. Well, when she was not scared out of her mind anyway,” Knockout replied, optics narrowing with a touch of exasperation. “And as the Decepticons’ chief physician."

"Only physician," Starscream muttered.

Knockout continued, ignoring the commander. "It’s my job to ensure the health of those on the ship.”. Danny would have appreciated the care that Knockout seemed to be showing him if it weren't for the fact that Danny. Didn’t. Need. Babysitting!

Danny scoffed, throwing his hands up in disbelief. “Since when do you listen to humans? I know my limits—it’s not that bad.” He paused, frustration filling his field. “And I’m not a Decepticon. You can’t just order me around.”

Starscream’s optics flickered as he stepped forward, his tone sharp but with an undertone Danny could almost mistake for concern. “If your health is at risk, you will listen to Knockout.”

Danny glared over his shoulder, eyes narrowing at Starscream. “You never follow orders when you’re on bedrest. You can’t make me stay here,” he snapped.

Knockout rolled his optics dramatically. “Yes, we can. Until your injuries heal, you are to—” He glanced at the notes on his monitor. Danny didn’t know if they were from the internet or from what the human nurse explained to the mech while Danny was unconscious. “—reduce strenuous activities such as stretching, running, walking, and maintain as much rest as possible. You’re to also remain in calm, non-stressful situations.”

“Right, because living on a Decepticon warship in the middle of a war is so stress-free.” Danny couldn’t help but laugh, though the motion made him wince as pain flared across his torso. He clutched his side, and Knockout raised an optic ridge while Starscream looked Danny up and down, wings flicking with concern. 

Knockout let out an exaggerated sigh. “Doctor’s orders. Starscream, take him,” he said, waving a servo dismissively behind him. “I need to clean up my lab after the organic mess you left behind.” Knockout shuddered. 

Danny opened his mouth to protest, but Starscream scooped him up with both servos before he could get a word out. The Seeker moved carefully, making sure he didn't move Danny too quickly and accidentally strain his injuries.

Danny sighed as Starscream carried him out of the medbay. He was now stuck with a crew of twenty-somthing-foot-tall, metal, battle-hardened babysitters who wouldn’t even let him walk on his own. It was going to be a long week.

-

Danny was already bored, and it had only been two hours. Usually, he would be perfectly fine sitting around in Starscream’s quarters while the Con went over datapads, but the fact that he had to stay there because the Cons said so made him want to explore more than ever.

Danny waited another few painstaking minutes, glancing around at his personal shelf. More and more personal items seemed to be added each month. Sometimes, he would find extra things placed in with his belongings that he hadn’t had before — things he was sure Starscream must have picked up on his little missions. He’d noticed that Starscream was a hoarder, but the Seeker kept everything meticulously organized and enjoyed collecting little gifts or souvenirs. Danny was confident that if he ever asked Starscream where the items came from, the Con would either ignore him or deny everything. The thought made Danny smile to himself.

But he was still bored. And salty about being put on bedrest. He was sitting on the old beanbag, already having tossed one of the miniature datapads haphazardly to the floor. Soundwave had a few extras in storage, and Danny had no idea why the Cons had miniature datapads, but he wasn’t complaining. He rolled his head back and stared at the ceiling.

He needed to stretch his legs. He glanced up to ensure Starscream was still hard at work—and he was. Danny stood up slowly, taking care not to tear his stitches, and walked to the edge. His steps were silent as he kept his eyes on Starscream and jumped off the shelf, floating safely to the ground.

Once on the ground, Danny headed for the door. He felt the pull at his stitches with every step, making him wince, but freedom was worth the pain. He only had about twenty more steps to go until—

Suddenly, Starscream’s large, heeled pede slammed down in front of him. Danny stumbled back and looked up, meeting Starscream’s scowl. Danny returned the expression, crossing his arms. “I was just stretching my legs,” he tried.

Starscream stooped down and snatched Danny up without a second thought. “I believe 'stretching' and 'walking' were both on Knockout’s ‘not for the human’ list,” the Con said briskly, striding back to his desk. Instead of placing Danny back on his shelf, Starscream set him next to the datapads on the desk and sat down to continue his work.

Danny frowned. “Right, and now I have nowhere comfortable to rest,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

Starscream barely looked up. “You should have thought of that before trying to escape,” he said, swiping on his datapad. Danny rolled his eyes and sat down on the cold, hard desk.

He noticed Starscream glancing at him a few times, each look more annoyed than the last. Danny wasn’t even doing anything! Abruptly, the Seeker stood up and walked to the other side of the room, where Danny’s shelf was.

Danny stood up to see better and walked to the edge of the desk. Starscream turned on his heel and brought back Danny’s beanbag, blanket, and one of the datapads.

Starscream glanced down at Danny near the edge and used his servo to push him back to the middle of the desk, likely assuming Danny was trying to escape again. The Con promptly dropped the items next to Danny and sat down to resume his work.

Danny bundled the items together to create a comfortable sitting spot and smiled up at the Con, who kept periodically glancing over as if to make sure Danny was still there. “Thanks,” Danny said.

Starscream ignored him, but Danny could see his wings twitch in acknowledgment.

-

It was the next day, and it was time for another escape attempt. Danny was sitting on the counter with Breakdown and Knockout in the room. He had been told to “stay put,” but there was no way he was going to listen. His wounds had healed more, and the pain was bearable. He was perfectly fine to start walking around now.

He glanced up as Breakdown and Knockout were thoroughly distracted by each other — Knockout fussing over a new ding or scratch in his paint and Breakdown trying to calm him down and help buff it out — an exhausting experience, from the looks of it.

Even though it was entertaining to watch the two scramble like that, Danny had some escaping to do, and this distraction was perfect. He quickly jumped off the counter, landed softly on the ground, and headed for the door. Instead of almost getting stepped on this time, he made it, and the door opened easily for him.

Luckily, the hiss of the door hydraulics was quiet enough not to alert the two mechs. Danny made it down two hallways before a large tentacle wrapped around his torso and lifted him into the air. Danny let out a surprised yelp as he looked around to see who or what had grabbed him, only to meet Soundwave’s visor.

“Oh, hey,” Danny laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “What are you doing out here, Soundwave? I thought you’d be in the control room.”

Soundwave tilted his helm, and the security footage of the medbay flickered onto his screen, showing Danny’s escape. Danny sighed and slumped. Soundwave raised both servos, placed Danny into them, and retracted his tentacle.

Danny sat down in the servos with his legs to the side. Soundwave spoke up. “Statement: Danny is injured. Statement: Knockout has placed Danny on bedrest until further notice. Observation: Danny is not abiding by the rules.” If Danny could see the Con’s optics, he was sure he’d be getting a disapproving glare.

“I’m fine!” Danny threw his hands up in exasperation. “Really, you guys are worrying over nothing.”

“Incorrect.” Danny stared up at the Con. “Soundwave and Decepticons: concerned for your wellbeing. Danny: almost died without intervention.” Danny felt a pang of guilt. He really had almost died. The Cons were just trying to help, in their own way.

Danny sighed. “Fine. I’ll rest,” he relented. Soundwave flashed a smiley emoticon on his visor and started walking back toward the control room. Danny looked up at him, confused. “Am I not going back to the medbay?”

Soundwave glanced down. “Negative. Breakdown and Knockout: proved insufficient at guarding you. Soundwave and Laserbeak: much better.”

Danny laughed and leaned back in Soundwave’s servos.

-

Needless to say, the next time Danny was put under Knockout and Breakdown’s care, he found himself placed in a large glass observation tank to minimize any escape risks. It was something that would easily contain an average human—not Danny, of course, But Knockout didn't know that. And at least it was comfortable. 

Knockout had looked so proud of himself when he set Danny in there, too. If Danny hadn’t been so tired, he would have tried to escape the moment the Con turned around, just to prove a point. But for now, he leaned back on the blankets that had been placed inside the tank with him. This wasn’t so bad.

-

Danny managed to escape from Knockout two more times, and now Soundwave had transferred Danny’s care to some of the Vehicons whenever Soundwave and Starscream weren’t available to watch him. Danny didn’t mind; he loved the Vehicons. 

Danny glanced up at Roddie, who had him clutched in his servos as he and C-27 patrolled the ship’s hallways. C-27 was always a stickler for the rules, while Roddie tended to be a troublemaker. The two were often put on shifts together to make sure that they kept each other balanced. Or, at least, so C-27 could keep Roddie in line.

Roddie was always excited to see Danny, jumping at every opportunity to pick up the "human" and ask him questions. C-27 always seemed snippety around Danny and would tell Roddie off for harassing him. C-27 cared about Danny and Roddie in his own way; he didn't want either of them hurt, but he masked this behind his professionalism and strict rule-following. 

As they walked, Danny shifted in Roddie’s hold a little too quickly, sending a sharp pain shooting through his side. He hissed and grabbed at the injury reflexively. Both Vehicons stopped immediately, alarm sparking in their fields.

“Are you okay?” Roddie’s tone, usually light and playful, was now serious and tinged with worry. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Just moved too quickly,” Danny waved them off.

C-27 levelled his visor at Danny. “If you are experiencing any excess pain, we are instructed to take you to Knockout for an examination,” the Con informed him.

Danny sighed. “Really, guys, I’m fine, see?” Danny smiled brightly and stood up on Roddie’s servos, who promptly used his other servo to cup around him to make sure he didn’t fall. He was met with more flat looks and concerned fields. “Okay, if it happens again, you can take me to the medbay, okay?”

The two Cons glanced at each other and decided that was a good enough compromise. “Fine.” C-27 reluctantly agreed.

“But if you feel any more pain… just tell us, okay?” Roddie said. 

Danny smiled up at them. “Promise.”

They continued their patrol, light commentary passing between them—mainly between Danny and Roddie—as C-27 tried to remain professional. But Danny could tell he enjoyed the conversation, not to mention the company.

-

Needless to say, after all of that, Danny never ended up able to escape. Now, his injuries were finally healed enough to be taken off bed rest, no longer a need for constant supervision. He was still told to keep an eye on his injuries, but he was free to do what he wanted. But now that Danny had the choice, he still wanted to hang with the Cons all day anyway.

---

Find more here: Tumblr Master List

[pipwasreal]

@gameo-archive another one for the collection!

About playing characters with dual ages.

Transcript under the read more...

Transcript:

Jayden: Hello, Pip!

Jayden: Thank you so, so much for requesting a cameo from me and George, we really appreciate all your support of the show, and we are eternally grateful for being able to do this for you. So, you have said, "I adore how you portray Charles and Edwin and their friendship, thank you both. I watch Dead Boy Detectives for the PLOT: Pretty Lads Overcoming Trauma."

George: That's exactly what the acronym's for.

Jayden: That is the plot.

George: Well, I'm not sure about the pretty part.

Jayden: Well... well...

George: But lots of trauma.

Jayden: "How was it, playing characters with dual ages, who are simultaneously teenagers but also decades/a century older?"

Jayden: Well, what were our ages in the show? We worked it out. If we were alive in the show you would've been...

George: A hundred and twenty-three.

Jayden: And I would've been...

Both: Forty-eight!

[Both laugh]

Jayden: I mean... I mean, for me, it was super easy because obviously my parents kind of grew up around that era so I just kind of slipped into their shoes while I playing the character and, I mean, playing sixteen was just... I dunno, shave as much as you can.

George: Every. Day.

Jayden: And keep drinking water so your skin doesn't dry up.

George: True.

Jayden: What about you, playing a hundred and twenty-three?

George: Well, I've felt old for years.

Both, in a hoarse voice: It's been eighty-four years...

George: I... I would say, like to kind of make a long story short, a lot of the outer of Edwin I could play as the sort of 1916, well he died then, but his sort of inner is like a sixteen year old, so that was kind of the main distinction. But it was really fun to play and sort of figure out which scenes, or which beats, I'd want to honour kind of the 1900s really, the Edwardian era one versus the 2023 one.

Jayden: We got to really play about with that, didn't we?

George: Yeah.

Jayden: There was definitely scenes where I think the eras that our characters were from like really showed.

George: Yes.

Jayden: And then there were other times where you can clearly see that these are just two sixteen year old boys.

George: Yeah, I think that was such a unique thing about the show, cause it's set in the modern day context, seeing them kind of react to modern day things, like how Charles reacts to someone like Crystal, or like...

Jayden: Or how Edwin reacts to someone like Crystal!

[Both laugh]

George: True! Or like how they react, like episode 5 was so fun because we got to see what a modern day high school was like.

Jayden: We got to see what an Edwardian boy wandering around a modern school was like.

George: True. And so did our disguises.

Jayden: Yeah.

George: Shout out to Vince and Lauren... the fish are washing away the runes!

[Both laugh]

[starbuck]

to the people commenting on my “classics” post referencing books and films i love: i am kissing you directly on the mouth. we shall have a spring wedding

to the people referencing books and films that are actively on my list but i haven’t gotten to yet: come back in one to twelve months and then we’ll talk