#and my favorites range from ones that are technically skilled to just cute or funny ideas

[amphibianaday]

day 1821 - half a decade!

redraw of day 1, 364, and 1000, but with a twist - now it's also my frogsona :D

for now i'll be taking a (maybe permanent) break for at least the rest of the year! see you in 2025!

previous versions for comparison below!

[drpepperwithcream]

Kwami Buster happened a while ago...

And this happened after it because I say so :)

Adrien is gushing to Plagg about how awesome Marinette was.

“It was only a matter of time before she got a miraculous! She was the perfect one for the job!”

Plagg is getting physically sick at his gushing and he’s also in physical pain that he’s gushing over Marinette and she’s also Ladybug, and that Adrien nearly figured it out, but he had to make sure his owner knows the rules.

His brain also hurt trying to figure out how the flipping heck she pulled it off.

“Marinette, Marinette, Marinette, why don’t you go tell her how awesome she is instead of me?” Plagg says sarcastically before stuffing his face full of cheese.

“Plagg that’s a great idea!”

Plagg sighs for a solid ten seconds.

Meanwhile.........

Marinette doesn’t feel the effects of using all the Miraculouses until a few hours later after she returns them.

It starts with her losing focus and forgetting what she’s doing.

Then a headache, her movement speed slows, she becomes drowsy, and a bit lightheaded.

She finally stands up from her chair to get some ibuprofen or something else.

Marinette takes a couple steps then she collapses to the floor

Tikki is freaking out.

“Tikki, I don’t feel so good...”

“I was worried that this would happen. Do you want me to get Master Fu? Or somehow get your parents?”

“No... just... stay for a bit okay...”

Tikki grabs a pillow for her. “Try to stay awake Marinette. I-I don’t know what I’d do without you...”

Tikki is feeling guilty and is starting to cry.

Marinette tiredly brings a finger to wipe her tears.

“This isn’t your fault, Tikki...” Marinette brings her kwami closer and kisses her forehead. “I’ll be fine in a bit. You’ll see...”

After about an hour of laying on the floor, Marinette gets enough strength back to go downstairs, make herself some tea, and go to her balcony.

She tells her parents she’s not feeling well, and they tell her they’ll keep her dinner in the fridge if she gets hungry.

Marinette feels a bit better in the fresh air... but that only lasts for a few minutes and her hand starts shaking as she’s trying to drink her tea.

She gets dizzy and she sets her cup down and leans back in her chair.

Tikki gets worried again, but Marinette tells her it’s okay, words slurring.

Tikki is helping her finish her tea by holding the cup for her which also keeps her awake.

Nighttime eventually comes and Marinette is just staring up at the stars and the moon. She can see her kwami in her peripheral vision.

They’re talking about constellations and how the moon is cool as a crescent shape, Marinette’s voice ranging from understandable to intangible. Her vision is also blurring.

Tikki is about ready to fly to Master Fu about Marinette, but she wanted her to stay with her.

Marinette eventually passes out. Tikki finds out she’s asleep, but she’s worried about if she’ll wake up.

Then Tikki spots a familiar feline hopping the roofs of Paris, coming straight here.

She hides behind one of the plants and the one and only Chat Noir lands on the railing.

He starts to call her name but then sees that she’s asleep. So asleep that he didn’t wake her.

Chat Noir simply smiles at the sight.

Then she starts shaking and his smile fades.

He opens the roof hatch then picks up Marinette, she was cold from the chilly night air.

Chat brings Marinette in her room and tucks her in her bed, making sure to cover her with an extra blanket.

He goes down to Mari’s desk and grabs and paper and pen and writes a note for her.

Chat puts it on her corkboard by her bed then admires Marinette who is peacefully sleeping.

And low-key wants to cuddle her again.

(According to production code, Kwami Buster comes after Startrain, do what you want with that information)

His face is full of happiness and he’s so proud of her, she’s amazing, and he wished he could tell her that now as Chat but she’s tired.

Chat Noir leaves and Tikki cuddles Marinette.

The next day, Marinette does feel a bit better, but she is still drained.

Her mom checks on her and sees she doesn’t feel well and let’s her stay home.

Marinette sees there’s a note on her cork board and grabs it.

Hey Multimouse, I wanted to tell you that I thought you did an amazing job fighting that akuma. Hopefully, you’ll tell me all about how you did it when you’re not asleep. And don’t feel too bad about the miraculous, I’ll talk to the Lady. Technically, Hawkmoth doesn’t know you’re Multimouse, so you’ll probably get the miraculous again when we need you. Hopefully, it’s soon because I would love to work with you again. Get some rest, you deserve it :) — Chat Noir

The note warms her heart. She reads it again before tucking the note in her diary box.

Tikki tells her that she fell asleep on her balcony and that he tucked her in.

Marinette’s heart warms even more. He’s getting croissants next time he stops by.

Meanwhile....

Adrien is upset that Marinette isn’t at school, he wanted to tease her somehow

Alya told their teacher that Marinette was sick when she took role.

He felt bad. He hopes the miraculous and fighting wasn’t the reason she’s sick.

He then came up with an idea.

Adrien made Marinette a get well soon card.

He went around class asking everyone to sign it.

Lila comes over and she’s like “What’s going on here?”

“We’re signing a get well soon card for Marinette.”

While Lila lies about how she used to have some sort of serious illness, Adrien yeets out of there. He has all of his other classmates’ signatures.

Adrien then looks at the card and thinks Marinette deserves more.

He goes over to Alya and asks her what kind of flowers Marinette likes so he can get her some.

“She likes any flower, but don’t get her (insert random flower here) she’s allergic to those.”

After lunch, Lila comes up to Adrien while he’s looking up flower shops on his iPad and in her arms she’s holding a bunch of (insert flowers Marinette is allergic to here)

“Adrien, I heard you were getting Marinette some flowers so the class and I pitched in and we got her these.”

Adrien’s nope alarm goes off

“That’s... very sweet of you Lila, but Marinette is-“

She also pulls out a closed envelope “I also got her a card too! I know you’re busy with photo shoots after school, so I can deliver all of this to Marinette.”

The nope alarm goes all the way to a funny umbrellas calm kangaroos no!

Lila tries to reach for the card he made.

Plagg hates Lila. So he presses a button on Adrien’s phone and it buzzes.

Adrien takes the chance to get the flip-flop out of there. Making sure to grab the card he made.

“Yeah, I definitely do not like that girl, just be sure that when you give the baker girl her flowers and card you get something for me.”

“Thanks, Plagg.”

During class, Plagg sneaks out of Adrien’s bag to the lockers and finds Lila’s locker.

As much as he wants to use his cataclysm, he doesn’t want to destroy Paris.

So instead he accidentally dumps milk from the cafeteria all over her locker.

And tried to practice his juggling skills with three eggs but he accidentally dropped them in her locker, whoops.

And the flowers that she got somehow lost all their petals, he doesn’t know how that happened.

And the card she made in the envelope is torn up and thrown away, he didn’t see a thing so don’t ask him.

Plagg’s doing it because he wants to make sure that this brat doesn’t hurt the baker girl while Adrien runs all over town trying to find the perfect flowers for his “just a friend”

But he’s mostly doing it for fun!

Before he could draw the poop emoji on her locker in permanent marker, the bell rang and Plagg groaned in annoyance.

Plagg sneaks back into Adrien’s bag, just as he bolts out of school to avoid his bodyguard so he can get flowers.

Adrien goes to a nice flower shop, and spends a half-hour picking out an assorted bouquet of pink flowers, double-checking Marinette won’t be allergic to any of them, then goes straight to Marinette’s.

Good thing he can hide behind the flowers while he sneaks by his bodyguard to go to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

Adrien greeted Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng, he tells them he brought Marinette a get well soon card signed by the class and some flowers.

Mrs. Cheng offers to go up with him to check on Marinette.

Adrien smiles at the banter Marinette’s parents have before her mother takes him upstairs. He’s glad she has a good family. Her parents are his favorite and they are his OTP as well.

Sabine calls for Marinette as she finds a vase. She tells Adrien to check on her.

Adrien goes upstairs and finds Marinette watching the Ladybug and Chat Noir movie on her computer. She’s sitting on the floor all wrapped up in blankets.

“Marinette?”

She squeaked. He thought it was cute.

“A-Adrien? What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were sick, so I wanted to bring you a card signed by the class, and I also got you some flowers.”

Marinette blushed. “You got me flowers?”

He sat down next to her as he gave her the card and bouquet.

“Adrien, you’re beautiful! I mean, they’re beautiful! Thank you!” She smiled and hugged him. “You didn’t have to do this.”

Adrien was surprised but he hugged her back. “You’re welcome, Marinette. You deserve it.”

His phone rings and it interrupts their hug.

Marinette can see the frown on his face. “Do you need to go?”

“Yeah, sorry. It’s my father, I need to get home before he freaks out.”

“Adrien,” Marinette grabs his arm as he gets up to pull him back down. Marinette is flustered for a second, then she kisses his cheek. “Thank you.”

Adrien smiles at her. “You’re welcome. Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow at school. Get better soon.”

They say bye to each other.

Marinette is a blushing mess after he leaves.

Adrien’s smile gets bigger as he walks down the steps.

Marinette’s parents offer him some pastries as a thank you.

Adrien hurries back to his bodyguard so he can get taken home.

And for the next hour or two, Adrien’s hand is touching his cheek where Marinette kissed him.

“You know,” Plagg starts as he eats a pastry. “You don’t need an excuse if you want to visit the baker girl. If you like her, you should visit her more often.”

“You’re just saying that so you can get more cheese-filled croissants.”

“That may be true, but then how come you started blushing when I mentioned her.”

Adrien blushes harder.

“You didn’t say that you didn’t like her, either.”

Bright red Agreste. “SHUT UP, PLAGG!”

Plagg continues to tease Adrien because he feels like it and will bring it up every now and then because he thinks it’s funny when Adrien gets flustered.

[jackskelowine]

hmmm who are some of your favorite ocs??

                              WARNING: LONG POST TIMEmy entire run as an artist has led me up to this momenti’ll admit not every character ive made has been up to snuff, and a lot of them need work, but i wont give up on any of emTIME FOR A 6 COUNTDOWN LIST, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDERat number #6 we have Lydia

Whats not to love about this girl?Shes a muffin loving sweetheart with a job that most people would consider her a menace for havingpopping back into relevance at seemingly random moments, she grows more and more important as i do more world building, but why I love her specifically is how freaking adorable she is about it all, she cares about everyone, living or dead and turns her curse into a gift so that nobody within her range of jurisdiction is ever forgotten, powering through her fears to guide spirits who are lost, its a light hearted take on the old generally scary folklore of the grim reaper...she may be a ginger but shes not soulless *wink*...also she took up sewing, have fun with your ragdolls XD (a creepy cute character trait she will never lose)at #5 we have Tyson

starting out as your par for course bratty rage boythis character as of recent has evolved into one of my favorite temperamental characters, also i like to save some of the best lines, insults, and rage moments specifically for him because of how funny i think it ishe loves anime and hates worms, camels, and many other things, but then again a lot of people have pet peeves, tyson just got tired of not voicing it, especially because his conscience sometimes has him apologizing for his freak outs XD, he only wants to help people Also fun fact, tyson doesn’t shoot fire from his hands, he breathes it from his mouth...(and occasionally his nose when hes REALLY ANGRY) and he can hold his own fire in his hands which is great for punching shit or just throwing a fire ball At  #4 we have Ellie

to this day i am still shocked at how MUCH ive grown to love this girl, dont get me wrong, shes a pervy asshat and honestly needs to get a suckerpunch to the gut for various reasonsbut thats part of the appeal in my opinion, its why jack is amazingits not all her fault though, her mother is also an asshat so its only natural that whatever messed up childhood she had would make her a bit messed upsometimes i wonder what kind of person she would be if she had better conditions to live underbut i do my best to keep her a funny, likable and relatively scary antagonist its a tricky blend, but im managing also theres that funny thing where her and katie become “sisters” #3 Gareth 

how do you make your over the top knight interesting?simple, you turn them into Garethnot many people know this guy yet but i LOVE THIS CHARACTER, and have been working on him for years Rivaling rachels immense strength, Gareth is part of the order of “COLD STEEL KNIGHTS” which is a knightly order who prefers the old style of medieval knightly hood and use magic to make up for their lack in technology hes honest, friendly, honorable, ect all the noble knight traits, most of his order is a bit eccentric in general, but most importantly, hes shaped like a friend and will fight for your safety if need be, he is neither the hero we need nor deserve, but he gets the job done because he cares i could go on and on about the knights and their role in this world but thats for another day and another post, moving onat #2  Rachel

cmon, how can i not make a list without best pirate girl in it?shes one of the OG characters too, and has lasted ever since, and has been one of my favorites since the beginning, its hard to describe why though.is it how her weird interests make her a bubbly character yet she shows signs of teen angst? How she can hurl a school bus across a football field against the raging wind or use a tank as a baseball bat. How her hand eye coordination is absolute trash and she couldnt hit the broad side of a barn.  Or perhaps it just her dad being a grumpy old fart and shes a bit more upbeat in comparison. its funny though their personalities used to be somewhat reversed, with ray being an incompetent over the top villain and rachel was his seen it all straitlaced daughter who didnt care for his antics now hes training her to conquer any obstacle in her path when pillagingwhile swearing in spanish, whatever reason for some unexplained reason she reminds me of lammy lamb and i love it XDAnd #1 you guessed it  Eliza and Ted i broke my own non spoken rules by using two in one

I have quite a few “polarized sibling” combinations in my stories i know, but these two are easily my personal favorite because of how they act both together and separateLiz was merely a plot device in a long since non forgotten atlantis trial *cough cough* and ted was there too as an antagonistafter many rewrites they have become an integral part in not just each others lives but a core function in some of my personal favorite plotlines that ive come up withplus they’re just fun in general, just look at those new outfit designs I LOVE EM

I love eliza because of how she can handle being a good spirited and perky person and also a well balanced leader type, but she still has much to learn if she wants to overcome her weaknesses help lead her country, also she tends to get very vocal when excited, or frustrated  Ted however is clearly more collected and no nonsense which in and of itself has its benefits and drawbacks  he is a skilled swordsman and leads the  police force to halting crimes against atlantis within its borders, but hes not all strict serious, its just his sense of humor is more dry and sarcastic than anything else??????????????????#???? Jack

Cmooooooon, you must be out of your MIND if you thought i was gonna leave this guy off this list and its fitting that i put him AFTER the list was finished and reached #1lemme just say i love wild card characters and while he is easily the hardest character to write at the time (especially the functioning of his powers), i love everything im attempting to do with this character, is he perfect, no not even close, but thats part of his charm, as well as his creativity Hes your first class “ladies man” with my favorite color as his main color and a cool pair of shades to match, but what i like most about him is how anything he does can just seep into joke territory seamlessly, whether intentional or not.his strange an uncanny way of handling certain situations is why he can pull off many feats, a “method to his madness” persay he’s actually pretty well rounded with having a mixture of failure and success under his belt, some people talk down on him, but they can never say is that success was ever handed to him he screws up yes, but that makes it all the more satisfying when he finally pulls off a winwhats even funnier is how i can technically classify him as the “main character” despite having some uncommon main character traits 

[trbl-will-find-me]

100 Questions: Sally

Sally answers 100 questions honestly. Spoilers through chapter twenty-two of Every Exit, An Entrance.

Part 1: The Basics

· What is your full name?

Sally Élise Royston-Martin. There’s a case to be made for Sally Bradford, though.

· Where and when were you born?

April 28, 2017 outside of Montréal

· Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

My biological parents were Édouard Martin and Stephanie Royston; while they never intended to become XCOM operatives, it’s how they met. Papa, who was trained as a physiotherapist, was XCOM’s first psi operative. Maman came from the intelligence community and served XCOM as a sniper. Both were kind, warm people —- I never doubted I was loved or wanted, even if I wasn’t planned. Papa disappeared shortly before I turned four. Maman was taken from me seven years later.

· Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?

There’s just me.

· Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

The Avenger. Technically, the Avengers. It’s complicated.

· What is your occupation?

Sniper/Ring master

· Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.

Long auburn hair on the redder shade.  Brown eyes. Pale, small, wiry. About 5’5”. Shrapnel scars on my right shoulder.

· To which social class do you belong?

Uh ... not the rookies?

· Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

The usual assortment of trauma related baggage, but I’d like to think I carry it well.

· Are you right- or left-handed?

Shoot right, write left.

· What does your voice sound like?

I’ve been reliably informed I still carry a French accent when upset. Otherwise, I sound like Maman.

· What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?

“Fuck,” “goddamnit,” and “are you kidding me?”

· What do you have in your pockets?

A knife from Uncle Will, a whistle, a set of lockpicks, a few hair ties, a spare ammo clip.

· Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?

I’m not great with words, so I tend to be physically affectionate with the people I care the most about. I prefer being up high to being on the ground. I hate when people slurp their soup.

Part 2: Growing Up

· How would you describe your childhood in general?

Unconventional, but happy.

· What is your earliest memory?

Napping on Papa’s chest in the barn.

· How much schooling have you had?

No conventional schooling, so to speak, but Maman made sure I could read, write, and do math. Central did his best to give me a good grounding in American history.  Uncle Will is responsible for a lot of my ... more eccentric knowledge. I read just about everything I can get my hands on, too, which helps.

· Did you enjoy school?

I suspect I would not.

· Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?

Maman, Central, Will.

· While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.

Maman, who never stopped fighting. Uncle Will, who looks concerned every time the topic comes up. And Central. But that’s complicated.

· While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family? Generally, I got along really well with my parents. It feels a little funny to say that, given that Papa disappeared when I was so young, but it doesn’t feel like a lie. I was very close to Maman and losing her was incredibly difficult. Up until he swan dove off the wagon, I also would have told you I was close with Central, but things on that front are a lot more strained. Will is Will; I think you’ve gotten the picture.

· As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Like Maman. But alive.

· As a child, what were your favorite activities?

We didn’t have a lot of time when I was a kid, but I liked to climb trees and read. As I got older, I grew to like talking to people, picking up new skills, and practicing on whatever makeshift range we had.

· As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?

As a little kid, I was quiet. I didn’t really have reason to talk, and the more I talked, the more likely I was to tip my hand about the Gift or XCOM. It was safer to be quiet. I got chattier as I got older, once Maman was gone and controlling my abilities was on me.

· As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?

We were on the run a lot. I was good at feigning cute and innocent, so I tended to fly under people’s radar.

· When and with whom was your first kiss?

It was fine.

· Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?

It was also fine.

· If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.

Psionic family! I was born with the Gift.

Part 3: Past Influences

· What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?

Ohhhh boy. Maman’s passing? Meeting Central? Uncle Will falling over in the field? I wouldn’t be me if any of those things hadn’t happened.

· Who has had the most influence on you?

Maman, but also Central. And Will (but, again, he looks worried when I talk about that.)

· What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Untangling French and English enough to talk again after Maman passed.

· What is your greatest regret?

I try not to have those.

· What is the most evil thing you have ever done?

I have done some questionable things when faced with starvation or Central going through withdrawal.

· Do you have a criminal record of any kind?

I’m an XCOM operative. Part of the territory with ADVENT.

· When was the time you were the most frightened?

The instant I knew Maman was gone and I was really alone in the world.

· What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?

I’ve had liquid come out my nose more times than I can really make an excuse for.

· If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?

I want my parents back. If Papa hadn’t disappeared, Maman wouldn’t have gone after ADVENT like she did.

· What is your best memory?

Hard to say. Lots of my early memories aren’t really mine per se, but I’m in there. Life wasn’t easy, but we were happy. Later on, there’s the time Central broke me into the carousel museum. The summer we spent in Portsmouth. Will in the field. There’s other things too, but those are what most immediately come to mind.

· What is your worst memory?

When I found Central drunk off his ass because he’d relapsed.

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions

· Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?

I’m an optimist. I believe that as long as we’re still here, we have a chance. The people we love are worth fighting for.

· What is your greatest fear?

Losing the people I care about. It’s already happened twice and the odds of it happening again are close to 100%.

· What are your religious views?

I don’t care. Pascal’s Wager, I guess?

· What are your political views?

Death to ADVENT.

· What are your views on sex?

Please don’t fuck the vipers.

· Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?

Yeah, I’ve killed.

· In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?

I’ve seen people do horrible things; I try not to dwell on it too much. Selling out the havens to ADVENT certainly ranks up there, though.

· Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?

Yeah, I do. I’ve seen proof.

· What do you believe makes a successful life?

If you’ve found people to share it with.

· How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?

Situationally. It depends on the audience and the topic, whether it’s something I’ve come to terms with myself or not. Central used to be the person I went to when I needed someone; it tends to be Regan or Will these days, though Wallace and Kelly have both stepped in.

· Do you have any biases or prejudices?

I don’t look kindly on brewers, distillers, or people who hurt others for no reason.

· Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?

I won’t betray the people I care about. I’d rather die than cause harm to them.

· Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?

The people I love, a chance to put an end to ADVENT.

Part 5: Relationships With Others

· In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?

When I was fifteen, I found of book of Jenny Holzer’s work. There was a quote that stuck with me: “turn soft and lovely any time you have the chance.” Everyone’s got their own shit to deal with. I’d rather not add to it ... unless there’s good reason.

· Who is the most important person in your life, and why?

Probably Maman. She may not be here anymore, but she was such a influence on the person I became. I’m fighting this war because it’s what she would have done. I can’t give up now.

· Who is the person you respect the most, and why?

It’s a toss up between Regan and Will. They’ve both overcome a lot to be where they are.

· Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.

Wallace and Kelly, close to home. I’m lucky enough to have friends among Uncle Will’s people, too.

· Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.

Uh, I have a crush or two? Does that count?

· Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.

Not enough life experience!

· What do you look for in a potential lover?

Ask me once I’ve had a few.

· How close are you to your family?

My parents are gone, but I was very close to them. Things with Central are a mess, and I’m more upset about that than I necessarily want to think about. As I’ve said, Will is Will.

· Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?

No. I’m barely an adult myself.

· Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?

Will, Central, Regan, Kelly

· Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?

Regan, Will ... and Central. Regan’s a good commander. Will and Central have already had to answer that particular challenge.

· If you died or went missing, who would miss you?

Uncle Will. And Central. I’d like to think Regan, Kelly, and Wallace, too.

· Who is the person you despise the most, and why?

He’s already dead. I made sure of it.

· Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?

Depends on the person and situation.

· Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?

I’ve got a good head in an emergency, so, sometimes. In general, I prefer not to be the center of attention.

· Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?

No; it’s too loud.

· Do you care what others think of you?

In the vast majority of cases, no — I’m the one who has to live with my choices. There are notable exceptions, however. I’d rather chew my own tongue out than disappoint Uncle Will ... or Central.

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes

· What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?

I like to read and fix things!

· What is your most treasured possession?

There’s a few very important things. I wear Maman’s wedding ring on a chain around my neck, so that’s up there. Central’s St. Christopher (on its fourth war). My bear. The knife from Uncle Will. Papa’s arc thrower.

· What is your favorite color?

Red!

· What is your favorite food?

Uh, so this is weird. I have flashes of other people’s memories —- namely my parents’, but bits of Central’s, too. I have a tremendous fondness for foods I have never eaten and that probably don’t exist anymore: grandmère’s ratatouille, Charlotte Russe, lobster macaroni and cheese. In terms of foods I have actually eaten, chocolate, strawberries, and clementines.

· What, if anything, do you like to read?

I will read anything I can get my hands on. Please, please bring me books.

· What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?

I’ve seen a fair number of movies from various sources, and I have memories of my parents’ favorites. I like old black and white comedies a lot, but there aren’t too many left. As for music, I so rarely get to hear it that it’s become a case of all music is good music.

· Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?

I don’t drink. Cigarette smoke makes me gag. Drugs would be a fucking stupid idea.

· How do you spend a typical Saturday night?

If I’m not on duty, I like to read, play cards, visit, or spend time on the range.

· What makes you laugh?

Good wordplay. Making fun of Thomas. Gallows humor.

· What, if anything, shocks or offends you?

I thought I was going to throw up the first time I saw the Reapers spitroasting a Chryssalid.

· What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?

I roam the ship or read.

· How do you deal with stress?

Shooting practice!

· Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?

I fall somewhere in between. Sometimes, I want a plan and I want it to be watertight. Other times, I’d rather just rush in and deal with the fallout as it comes. Overthinking’s a nasty trap.

· What are your pet peeves?

Drinking, people who slurp their soup, unwarranted arrogance

Part 7: Self Images And Etc.

· Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?

Get up, brush my teeth, put my hair up, work, eat at some point, play cards/read/or chat to relax, shower, bed.  If that changes, it’s because something’s gone wrong; I’m usually too busy handling it to process anything beyond surviving.

· What is your greatest strength as a person?

My belief in something better.

· What is your greatest weakness?

I don’t always see the big picture. At my worst, I leap before I look.

· If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d be taller.

· Are you generally introverted or extroverted?

Introverted.

· Are you generally organized or messy?

Organized, but only I understand the system.

· Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

Good: Shooting, cheating at poker, swearing in French

Bad: Judgment, subtlety, dealing with Thomas

· Do you like yourself?

That’s a level of self-reflection I try not to reach.

· What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)

Family, loyalty, revenge, hope.

· What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?

Seeing Earth freed from alien influence.

· Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully, celebrating a world free of ADVENT.

· If you could choose, how would you want to die?

Old age.

· If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.

I don’t know that I’d have the presence of mind to have a good plan. Probably write people notes because saying goodbye is hard. Parcel off my trinkets to the right homes. And, if death is really, really inevitable? Maybe I’d take the DJ up on his advice and go punch a peacekeeper.

· What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?

If I go out fighting, I’d better have a pretty badass death — maybe taking an Elder out with me? Otherwise, for the good I did.

· What three words best describe your personality?

Cheerful, loyal, stubborn

· What three words would others probably use to describe you?

Sweet, stubborn, determined

· What advice would you give to another?

If it smells like turpentine, don’t drink it.

[contendr-blog]

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥!!!

@miraclematildawormwood​  is  LITERALLY  one of my favorite rp blogs on tumblr and if you’re following me and not them i  REALLY  don’t know what you’re doing tbh???   like literally each reply they throw my way is so full of life and style and pureness and i always find myself smiling at their matilda??? i TOTALLY look forward to seeing them on the dash and  i  HEARTILY  recommend!!! 

@saviorstar​  no spongesquad bias but UHHHHHHHH   i would literally  DIE  for  the patrick to my spongebob??? literally SUCH a kind and funny and warm person to talk to ooc and such a talented writer and graphics maker!! she REALLY understands her muse and she just ... MAKES ME SO EXCITED AND HAPPY TO INTERACT WITH ....   IM IN LOVE 

@journcys​  no spongesquad bias pt. 2  (IT TECHNICALLY DOESN’T COUNT BC THEY’RE A MULTIMUSE)  okay okay  their blog is ALWAYS impressing me because they write   S O  many muses but they do ‘em all with such  individuality and style and its just???  ITS SO IMPRESSIVE TO SEE??? im as in love with their blog, characterizations, and style  as spongebob is in love with their sandy!!!!!!

@spongenextdoor​  MY SPONGE TWIN !!!  okay gosh you guys i literally  DIE  over this sponge blog because they’ve got him down to a tee and i  STRONGLY  recommend following them !!!  their writing is always so cute and enjoyable and fun to read!!!   gosh their blog makes me so HAPPY  i’m so glad that there’s another person out there who loves that sponge boy as much as i do !!!!

@losernot​   NO SPONGESQUAD BIAS PT. 3  but uHHhHhhH  can we please talk about how spooky was literally in this fandom w me from the very beginnING LIKE???  i’m so happy that she’s there to be the squidward to my spongebob okay !!!   she writes squid with  SUCH SKILL  and like,  her love for him is evident in every single word !!!  i adore her passion and i adore listening to her headcanons and just !!! EVERYTHING! UGH! PERFECT 

@waswithholding​ / @funtocry​    OKAY LISTEN ....   i am literally ALWAYS  in awe  of their passion and love for trina and falsettos??  i feel as though as a musical theatre fan,  i have a lot i can learn from them?? gosh their blogs are just  SO PERFECT  and wonderful and lovely !!    also,  it was really fun that one time we watched spongebob toGETHER IT JUST .... IT MADE ME REALLY HAPPY AND I’M REALLY INSPIRED BY THEM 10/10 SHOULD GO FOLLOW!!! 

@insanelycooljk​   the jared kleinman?  seriously like ... One of the first people to follow my blog and i have DEFINITELY !!!  fallen in love with their portrayal and dedication to that  Trash Boy? this is another rp blog i have a ton of admiration for just because like !!!  WOW !!!  their love for their muse is really really evident and it jsut .... it makes me really happy to be following them okay !!! They also seem really nice ooc!!! 

@guttersniper​  10/10  WOULD DIE FOR THIS PRECIOUS MUSE AND REALLY AWESOME AND GREAT WRITING???   i love their friendliness and kindness toward me and i’m just really blessed to be able to interact with them???   sponge and mutt’s friendship means the whole world to me and i think everyone should be following their blog okay !!! 

@fadetcwhite​ this is another oc i find to be quite enjoyable !!! although our interactions haven’t gone very deep yet i’m very endeared to them???   seriously !! i really recommend them just bcause their muse is so cute and charming and just ...   wow 10/10 !!!!

@soulreached​  ANOTHER MULTIMUSE I WOULD DIE FOR ??? AAA my threads wiTH THEM MAKE ME ... SO HAPPY  and  i love the whole range of muses that they play (and with such skill and style too!!!)  just all around such a fun and wonderful blog to be following!! i love seeing their presence on the dash and reading theIR THREADS AND JUST !! EVERYTHING !!!! YES 

[cerealmonster15]

3, 6, and 8 for the artist ask!!!

3 answered here!

6. tag your favorite artists/inspirations!

hell yes i love an excuse to gush over friends and mutuals and people i admire that i’ve never spoken to outside of leaving tags in their posts, he l l o :

@gdipalomo first of all, loving wonderful friend and extremely talented individual!! her art fascinates me with how much detail goes into every piece, and especially the backgrounds- those are GOALS. i love how everything she makes has depth and looks like it’s had a great amount of time and care put into it all. shes also incredibly supportive towards me about my life and my art and i adore her c’:

im counting writing as art and my pal @kidzbopmallcop is excellent at writing The Fanfics and does a good job with staying close to characterization and making sure each aspect of the story is well thought out and considered when putting it together. VERY COOL and shes a GREAT BUD

@mercuryblacksleg is so talented and lovely and has the best design ideas for characters!!!! he draws the cutest tiny old man sarge and merle,,, his red team art is a+ and also hes a great friend and i love him

@fandomescapades keeps making me  CRY every damned time they post things, omfg. such a beautiful art style- i looove how they draw facial expressions and faces in general. their use of color is also just absolutely gorgeous and i want to stare at each art post for like 50 years….

@artsyorangeykay has really cool au ideas and draws them out beautifully!!!! they have a cool art style that reminds me of a cartoony kind of comic book, and they have lovely and well thought out looking character designs for their facecanons of rvb characters, and i love seeing the little comics they make  to fit aus or people’s prompts!! their passion for their aus and how excited they get when people are talkin about the mermaid au with them is so refreshing and it’s always nice seeing new art from them. 

@happyfunballxd has the CUTEST style of chibis. sometimes i remember their rvb baby au and i just. cry. the only thing cuter than chibis is baby chibis. then i remember their taz babies and i cry even more because THIER DRAWINGS OF BABY ANGO IS THE CUTEST THING YOU’LL EVER LAY EYES ON. i aspire to be that good at drawing cuties one day

@peteor is another bro who’s art style reminds me of cartoony comics and i love it! he draws great facial expressions, especially on babies. have you ever seen his grumpy baby drawings??? if not, youre missin out, bud. theyre seriously the best pudgey pouts and it’s absolutely beautiful

@cyborg-sabi has SUCH a cute art style with like, such soft wonderful features on everyone they draw. they have one of those art styles that feels safe and comforting to look at and makes me feel at home to see?? i cant really explain why, but i really like it

surprise another fic one but @mistevieous has such good writing and explores less popular characters and pairings in their works sometimes, and always inspires me to write more and work harder on what i’m doing when i read their stuff

and speaking of fics, @comefeedtherainn has the power to giveth and also taketh away, holy shit. they write characterization SO WELL it practically feels canon. there’s funny parts, sweet fluffy parts, and absolutely heart wrenching feelings-destruction angst. i still like to go back and reread certain doc/donut and church/donut stuff they’ve done, and every time i’m filled with so many good feelings. the angst hits right where it hurts, tho, so don��t let the fluffier ones fool you: they are powerful with writing fics and you have been Warned.

@amvial is such a wonderful delight of a human and always has such a gorgeous unique art style. i feel like every piece they draw is better than the last and i cri seeing their fun ideas put to picture. they also have a really unique way of working with color that works SO WELL and i want to learn the Secrets bc everything they make is absolutely mesmerizing and fills me with those Good Feelings

@washingtonsthrussy i still want to duel them for changing their url to that, bUT theyre still an excellent artist with a crisp beautiful art style. i love how they draw faces  [especially them noses?? i love the noses. so cute] and i always wanna ruffle the hair of whoever they draw bc it looks so soft and Good

 @epsilon-washington has SUCH  a cute and wonderful art style that is always getting better and that ever increasing skill still AMAZES me !! it’s unique and so pleasing to look at- they have a good strong use of color and draw faces and heads overall really well, like i’m always re looking back at their art bc i cant stop staring at how skilled they are at drawing people’s faces and make everyone look so GOOD!!! i wanna learn that kind of skill ;0

@docdufresne scares me with how fuckin incredible they are at painting that goddamed halo armor and making it look so flawless, and even prettier than it does in the show?? beautiful use of colors and lighting, makin things look shiny and lively. and i LOVE how they draw faces too?? everyone is so cute in the little cartoon-esque doodles, and then the more realistic looking paintings just blow my mind.

@captainkonot HBHGBHBGHBH every time i read their blog title i wanna jam out to rocky horror lmfao. but omg anyway the art!! THE COMICS!!!! THE COMICS MAKE ME SCREAM theyre so fucking funny and good and creative and FUN TO READ i die. especially their rvb art omfg, i love love absolutely everything, the characters are so dynamic and expressive and full of life and personality and love and i ADORE IT!!!!!! looking through their drawings always makes me wanna go draw something and work on my techniques more bc im just so amazed at what they can do and how happy they make other people / me feel with their art. i wanna get to that level where i’m also inspiring people and making people happy like how their stuff makes me feel!! it’s an amazing feeling and i feel like there’s really some thing special with that kind of art! every so often i remember their drawings of caboose trying to hug sarge and felix and i DIE theyre the best things ever. also they make really cool original art here and there that’s always interesting to see!! it’s all very good and fun. go to their blog. experience the magic. 

jfjjbjgjb a lot of people that inspire me are mutuals and/or friends lolol but there are also a ton i admire from afar

@papanorth also has like, phenomenal really interesting au snippets!! i’ve been super into that gym teacher wash au bc, as i’ve said, i LOVE au with kiddos bein kiddos. i love their art style, ranging from cute cartoony doodles to like, absolutely gorgeous paintings (do u call it painting if it’s digital? it looks like a painting.. imma call it a painting lol) with like, stunning use of colors and lighting that fills me with all kinds of emotions. im super inspired by their technical skill with how well they can draw people at an extensive range of emotions and have such like,,, Great Detail with facial features and anatomy and all that fun stuff. theyre very creative and filled with so many cool ideas, it’s awesome.

@toastyhat , ,, oh my god how could i almost forget toastyhat???? one of my absolute Favorite artsts like, EVER. p sure i followed them back in the homestuck days and was SO EXCITED when i’d gotten into rvb ~2 years ago to see that they were into that too. they draw for a lot of things i’m not familiar with but i always love seeing it anyway bc holy shit that SKILL is UNREAL. this is another one of the cases of “i love everything about how they draw faces and heads in general and i want to absorb this artwork through my face i cant stop staring at it” kind of scenarios. it’s beautiful and like, top level aspiration art goals, hoo boy. they also have really helpful advice tags and posts that i’ve gone creepin thru a few times and just, i love their blog, you guys.

i’ve been taken with @randomdraggon ‘s art since i got into rvb and found their wonderful donut/lopez art. SO GOOD to see such STELLAR ART for my FAVE RED BOYS and such a rare pair ;w; they have incredibly unique and GORGEOUS facecanons for donut and lopez and many others, and it’s cool seeing their overwatch art too. i’ve seen people using their 3D models for rvb animations, and as someone who’s finally started 3D modeling/animation classes in college, i’ve found that really cool and inspiring to see such neato burrito creations like that. i’m so mesmerized with their cool and creative art style and i dream of being half that creative and skilled one day.

i think @powerfulpomegranate drew a picture of like, a super strechy simmons and squash grif and it was like, the best thing i’d ever seen i laughed so much. they’re yet another person that absolutely astounds me with what a wide range of amazing skill they have with like, cartoony yet beautifully done doodles, to like, incredibley detailed digital paintings. i LOVE the wild facial expressions they can draw sometimes, and there’s also like, this soft sweet gif of animation they did once of tucker in the car with i think wash, caboose, and maybe junior was there? like, drivin late at night with a light flashing by and it was just. it was so gorgeous, yall.  every time i stumble upon it i stare at it so long thinking about how every aspect of that was put together and how much time it must’ve taken, even for just a few seconds. it’s so soft and calming and comforting to watch, so Peaceful and beautiful. i love it and i love their art…also im pretty sure theyre the person who’s FC of smith made me think of gordon from thomas the tank engine and i’ve literally never been able to forget that LOL (it’s really good tho) (i love it)

okokok i think i should stop here bc im sure there are like 5000 people i could think of, but i went with the ones i see most often and think about a lot, but i assure yall i know of SO MANY MORE talented people and these are just the first billion of wonderful beautiful super skilled individuals that come to mind.

…anyway. other question.

8. show us at least 2-3 drawings from 1-2 years ago.

…CRIES. CRIIIEEESSSSS oh my god lol. i’m glad my older sketchbooks are at home bc there are some MESSY MESSES in there but heyooo, i can show you the firstish digital drawing i did of donut (like, when i first tried drawing with a tablet) from 2 years ago next month, and then the redraw i did a year later 

oct 23, 2015, about a month into me finding rvb

and the alt version, hnk-

[fuckin weeps oh my god] [im so sorry]

then the next year, sept 14 2016 [the one year anniversary of me starting rvb]

hes not great but hes a hell of a lot better lmfao. part of it was finding a sharp pen tool in medibang/firealpaca, but also i just needed to Learn lmfao

and yknow. i was gonna wait a little more before redrawing this but since the hurricane may come and wreck our shit i might as well REDRAW HIM RIGHT NOOWWWW [sept 5, 2017]

i still have ages to go but im GETTING THEEERREE [im gonna make a separate post bc IMPROVEMENT]

lol sorry for such a long reply omfg, but thank u for asking!!

[x]

[fume-knight-of-shovelry]

Tank Hero Achievements

Considering their role as frontline fighters, it’s fitting that achievements for Tanks are simple and more-or-less easy to acquire. That’s not to say that playing a Tank is easy (I main Reinhardt, and I can assure you it’s not), but the simple-but-essential nature of their role translates to their easy-to-acquire achievements. Some are quite finicky, however.

Reinhardt

Reinhardt is absolutely critical to almost any team composition, with his Barrier Field providing incredible utility in the form of absorbed damage. For a guy who’s almost a must-pick for every team, his achievements are incredibly easy...although the first half of this is no longer true, given the “Dive Meta” that’s emerged.

I Am Your Shield:

Block 8000 damage with Reinhardt's Barrier Field without dying in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Pixel” Reinhardt spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?:

Hanamura, Point A on Attack, blocking Bastion fire.

How to Get it: If you’re any good at Reinhardt, this will come naturally, but even if he’s not your favorite it’s still pretty accessible. It’s easiest on Attack, especially Attack for capture maps (Temple of Anubis, Volskaya, and Hanamura), since you can easily poke your shield out, absorb all its possible damage, back off, and repeat two more times.

If they have a Bastion or Roadhog, it’s even easier. Just be wary and don’t go in until you have the achievement, since Reinhardt usually doesn’t survive initiating a fight without a team that’s focused on keeping him alive (which you won’t find in Quick Play if you solo queue).

Just take your time and don’t go in. Your enemies will make this all that much easier, since it’s in their best interests to shatter your shield.

Storm, Earth and Fire:

Land Reinhardt's Fire Strike and Charge after an Earthshatter stun in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Cute” Reinhardt spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Dorado on Attack, in the small left pathway near the small Health Pack at the first checkpoint.

How to Get it: 

Since this order of abilities is basically how you’re supposed to play Reinhardt, it’s almost impossible to miss this achievement as you get more skilled at him. However, it’s still fairly simple even if you only sporadically play him.

First off, try to wait until an enemy is alone so none of their allies can interrupt your attempts to pull off this combo. Secondly, ensure that the enemy is not one that will die from the first or second part of the combo; this means that Tracer is right out, and any enemies affected by a friendly Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord (or if you’re given a buff by Ana or Mercy) are also disqualified.

Once these conditions are met, simply stun the lone target, hit them with your Fire Strike, and Charge them. You don’t need to Charge them into a wall to get the achievement; it should pop up as soon as you connect with them during your Charge.

Winston

Winston’s one of my favorite characters in the game, which is funny considering how much I hate his achievements. Be prepared to shriek in irritation more than a few times when a single character swap ruins your chances of getting either of these.

Mine Sweeper:

Destroy 10 turrets or traps using Winston's Tesla Cannon without dying in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Pixel” Winston spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Watchpoint: Gibraltar on Attack, near the final checkpoint.

How to Get it:

The most difficult part about this achievement is the fact that the only person you can reasonably expect to use to get this, Symmetra, is usually only picked on Defense. If you’re in a game against an enemy Symmetra, however, your troubles are far from over.

To begin with, you’ll have to deliberately avoid playing Winston the way he’s meant to be played, as a flanking tank that draws attention while eliminating the back lines and quickly retreating or collapsing back onto the enemy for an extended fight. This method, while powerful for winning, puts you at a dangerously high risk of dying if your team isn’t right with you, and you can’t rely on them here. Instead, avoid the main engagement and hunt for Symmetra’s turrets; if she’s placing them in large groups to form a “kill room”, you’re in luck. If not, get ready to hunt.

Another thing to balance is to ensure that the Symmetra does not ragequit or switch characters. This means that you probably shouldn’t be going for her and killing her, merely targeting her turrets. If you do see any Junkrat traps or mines, or any Torbjorn turrets (though the latter can be quite dangerous), however, feel free to use them to get the last one or two needed for the achievement; any earlier, and you risk dying from the turret or a Junkrat that was camping the area near his traps.

An important thing to note is that turrets destroyed with his gun are the only ones that count; melee strikes from his ultimate or from the splash damage from landing after a jump do not count towards this achievement.

If you die but are Resurrected by a Mercy, like all other achievements tied to staying alive, your progress will not be lost.

[Note: Post Rework, this is still difficult to get, because Symmetra will still usually switch or kill you before you can destroy 10 turrets.]

Anger Management:

Damage 6 enemies during a single use of Winston's Primal Rage in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Cute” Winston spray (He looks like a baby!)

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Lijang Tower, Night Market (same game as acquisition of Cold Snap). Ulted and hit four people on point, jumped towards enemy spawn and hit the other two near the large Health Pack by the food cart.

How to Get it:

This is a really frustrating one. Hitting six enemies, in theory, isn’t so bad, but when you’re the biggest target in the game and everyone’s trying to kill or crowd-control you, your massive healthy pool and incredibly speed aren’t much of a benefit.

Give up trying to get this achievement if the enemy team has a Pharah. She’ll just fly out of range and, even worse, actively try to knock you away from allies. An enemy Mei is also a nightmare to deal with, thanks to her slow and wall.

For the best chance of getting this achievement, go in with your team so you’re not instantly shot down or crowd controlled. However, instead of harrying a single target or widely sweeping chunks of the enemy team (like you should), you need to jump rapidly from one target to the next regardless of what’s useful. It’s highly like you’ll be in an inescapable position when your ultimate is finished, so you’re probably not helping your team a great deal, either.

That being said, going in with your team carries the risk of not having all six enemies alive when you go for the achievement, since some might die before you get to them (turrets do not count, and they must be six different enemies, so an enemy that gets resurrected does not count twice). A good plan is to initiate from the back with the ultimate as your team collapses on the front; this ensures that you can catch anyone who wasn’t alive when you started by the respawn near the end of your ultimate, and are not instantly killed since the enemy’s attention is split.

Roadhog

Roadhog’s achievements are as straightforward as Roadhog’s hooking-and-killing playstyle. Neither requires much planning, although the one tied to his ultimate is very dependant on the enemy team and impossible on certain maps.

Giving You the Hook:

Interrupt an enemy Ultimate Ability with Roadhog's Hook in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Pixel” Roadhog spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Don’t remember, but it’s so easy to acquire that it hardly matters.

How to Get it:

This is so easy to acquire that it hardly merits explanation. For any enemy with a channeled ultimate, pull them midway through the ultimate to cancel it and get the achievement (ultimates that have a persistent but not channeled effect, such as Winston’s, Soldier’s, Genji’s, or Zenyatta’s do not count as they cannot be interrupted. Also, don’t pull D.Va’s exploding mech; it won’t work, and you’ll get your team killed).

McCree, Pharah, and Reaper are the most obvious candidates, with abilities that slow or stop movement as they channel. You can technically get this achievement by interrupting instant-cast abilities such as Hanzo’s or Reinhardt’s, but the timing needs to be pitch-perfect and isn’t worth the risk.

Hog Wild:

Knock 2 enemies to their deaths with one use of Roadhog's Whole Hog in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Cute” Roadhog spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Ilios Ruins, off of the cliff next to the health pack beside the point. I knocked a McCree off, plus the Mercy who was healing him.

How to Get it:

This is easier than it seems, given that I hadn’t the faintest idea how to acquire it for the longest time. Knock two enemies off of a ledge so that they die; obviously, then, this can only be acquired on maps with bottomless pits (technically, this is every map except for Hollywood and Temple of Anubis, but many maps have these pits so far out of the way to the extent that knocking two enemies off is unlikely).

There are several really good maps, and spots on these maps, that you should keep an eye out for when going for this achievement. On Lijang Tower, the bridges from spawn on Garden or the side entrances on Night Market are very good choices, as teams tend to congregate on these spots as they approach the objective. The bridge on Eichenwalde can work as well, and knocking enemies from the backside of the battering ram to the gap past the hunting lodge on the first point can also provide a good opportunity. The empty air behind the bell on Hanamura’s first point is also a sneaky spot to go for if the enemies are bunched up near that gap. Ilios’s Well might seem like the best spot, given its reputation for environmental kills, but in practice enemies usually go flying directly over the pit if you try to knock them off. There’s a balcony from each spawn that can work, but the above mentioned cliff on Ruins and the drop on three sides of the Lighthouse capture point tend to be more consistent. The latter, especially, is a good spot considering how people bunch up on that side as fights drag on.

If you aren’t getting the entire team in one shot, however, you must be careful to pick targets that will actually fall to their deaths. Thus, don’t bother aiming for a D.Va, Winston, Pharah, Lucio (unless there’s no ledge for him to ride onto), or a Mercy (unless there are no teammates nearby for her to fly to). Avoid using your ultimate if the enemy has any active or potential barriers (D.Va, once again, proves to be your bane here) or any hard crowd-control (Mei and McCree are the biggest offenders). Try not to be obvious about your intentions, or else they won’t approach the side they can be knocked off from.

Zarya

Zarya’s an offtank, meant to support a primary tank or teammates while boosting her own capacity to kill. Fittingly, her achievements are best earned with the support of a dedicated healer and persistence in pushing a single objective.

Power Overwhelming:

Keep Zarya's Particle Cannon above 70 power for 60 seconds in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Pixel” Zarya spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: King’s Row on Attack, overextending slightly with a pocket Mercy healing me. Got it near second checkpoint.

How to Get it:

This can be a rough one; I sort of got it on a fluke, but there’s still strategy to this. Your primary worries are that you run out of enemies when you still have a lot of time left to kill, or mismanaging your cooldowns in such a fashion that you lose more charge than you can afford, waste charge by firing unnecessarily, or die due to reduced survivability.

Get used to your shield cooldowns and learn what times are the best to absorb the highest amount of damage. This is different for each character, but this achievement will generally be easier against burst damage heroes because of the speed with which they charge up your shield; in other words, you will absorb more charge from a single shield use from a Reaper (who will usually break it) than a Winston or Torbjorn.

Stay aggressive and stay consistent. If the enemy team has a Junkrat or Pharah, this is much easier since you can pop in, break your shield, and then rotate with a teammate and do the same thing for them.

Note that dying will instantly cause you to lose your charge, regardless of whether or not you get resurrected, so this is the only “complete without dying” achievement that is invalidated by Mercy’s ultimate.

However, unlike other achievements that require you to stay alive, you cannot simply hang back and avoid teamfights, since charge must be maintained. Sticking with a payload while a (bad) enemy team trickles in can also be a good way to get charged, as you’ll be fed a steady flow of enemies to feed your shield as long as they don’t instantly die.

The best time to go for this achievement in are the long teamfights that tend to breakout during Overtime, especially as an attacker on maps like Hanamura.

During this situation and other scenarios where this achievement is gettable, a pocket healer (especially Mercy or Ana) is an excellent partner because they can keep you alive and offer a target for your ally shield to keep your charge up when your self-shield is down. Mercy especially is a great help because she’ll be a more attractive target than Ana, and thus more likely to absorb the full brunt of an attack during a shield, skyrocketing your charge. In addition, she needs to be fairly close to heal a target and is thus easier to cover. 

The Power of Attraction:

Capture 5 enemies in a single use of Zarya's Graviton Surge in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Cute” Zarya spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Temple of Anubis on Defense Point B, pulling enemies in between the two pillars as they enter the point.

How to Get it: As with many of the other tank achievements, this is how you’re supposed to play Zarya, so this shouldn’t be all that hard. A friendly Mei or Reinhardt will help tremendously by preventing enemies from fleeing the attack, but it’s still acquirable on your own if you use chokepoints well.

It’s much easier on Defense, since the enemies will usually need to cluster to advance on a point; make sure that D.Va is out of her mech, if the enemy team has one, in order to avoid getting your ult eaten. Once that’s taken care of, fire the ability at the chokepoint while your team mops up. On Attack, though, it’s still possible if the enemies are clustered on the point, or contesting on King of the Hill.

Five enemies don’t need to be caught at the same time, merely in the same use; two enemies can be pulled in, exterminated, and then three more can be pulled and you’ll still get the achievement. Don’t worry about keeping the enemies alive, like you have to for some of the other achievements.

Orisa

Orisa is a simple tank, and that’s true of one of her achievements. The second, on the other hand, is a memetically confusing mess of prerequisites and specificity that it’s become one of my new least favorites.

Halt State:

Pull enemies into 1000 damage with a single use of Orisa's Halt! in Quick or Competitive Play.

Reward: Orisa “Pixel” Spray.

Do I Have it?: No.

Where Did I Get it?: Will update when available.

How to Get it: This is one of the most difficult Tank achievements, thanks to the confusion surrounding what it actually requires and the extremely specific circumstances involved.

Simply put, as best as I can find, the damage must be deal during the period of time between when the enemies have begun to be pulled in and when the slowing effect that triggers afterwards ends. Thus, if you’re a hair too early with the pull, even if they get killed by the effect, it won’t count, and if they haven’t begun the “pull” yet, then you’re also out of luck.

The damage must total 1000. Thus, you won’t get the achievement if, for instance, you pull two 200-health targets into a D.Va ultimate at fatal range, because only 400 damage is actually being dealt. Thus, hitting two tanks (or, even better, an entire team) is usually the way to go.

There are a few abilities that stand out as good choices. Any ultimate that does a large amount of damage in one burst (Junkrat’s, D.Va’s, and Tracer’s) is a good choice due to the ability for it to go off before the window ends. Tracer especially is a good choice because if her ultimate hits, for instance, two tanks, it generally deals enough combined damage to net you the achievement. Plus, Tracer gets her ultimate really quickly.

I’ve heard that Hanzo’s ultimate counts, though I’m not sure how given that it does damage over time. If it works, then the pulled enemies must take 1000 damage of the ultimate during the pull, so start the pull early and position it well.

I have zero idea if Deadeye works with it. I imagine it does, but the mechanics have yet to be tested, to my knowledge.

Overclocked:

Amplify 900 damage with a single use of Orisa's Supercharger in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: Orisa “Cute” Spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?:

Numbani, the final portion on Attack. I put my ultimate down just as the payload rounded the final corner, and shot down a Reinhardt shield.

How to Get it:

Easier than it seems, since it does not need to be damage dealt to Heroes. Put down the ultimate at the start of a teamfight, but far back enough that only dedicated flankers will get to it; the Supercharger has very little health. If the enemy team has a Reinhardt or enemy Orisa this achievement is much easier thanks to the ability of their shielders to take damage.

However, be cautious that you don’t deploy it too early, or else they will back off and let the time run out. Otherwise, this should be fairly easy to get; even damage to Mei’s Ice Wall counts!

D.Va

Full Disclosure: I barely play D.Va. I got “Shot Down” in my first match as her, “Game Over” less than a week later, and have barely touched her since. That being said, her achievements aren’t that difficult, although they require a level of idiocy from your enemies that you generally can’t rely on.

Shot Down:

Prevent 1500 damage with a single use of D.Va's Defense Matrix in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Pixel” D.Va spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Numbani on Attack, near the first bus at the very start, blocking Bastion fire.

How to Get it:

This can be quite tricky, but not as frustrating as it seems. An enemy Bastion or Soldier: 76 is almost a must; in the former case, they have to be dumb enough to keep firing into your matrix, which you won’t encounter a lot as you rise in level.

In the latter case, however, placing yourself between a Soldier: 76 using Tactical Visor and a desirable target, such as Mercy or Zenyatta, almost guarantees you the achievement as you swallow his ultimate. Pharah or Roadhog also work for this purpose, and blocking multiple fully-charged Deadeye bullets from McCree will also count towards this achievement.

Game Over:

Kill 4 enemies with a single use of D.Va's Self-Destruct in Quick or Competitive play.

Reward: “Cute” D.Va spray.

Do I Have it?: Yes.

Where Did I Get it?: Eichenwalde on Attack, launching mech from the far side of the bridge at an upward angle towards the door.

How to Get it:

This is much more difficult now that the game’s been out for a long time, given that people actually know how to dodge D.Va’s ultimate. However, all hope is not lost.

For starters, save your ultimate for when any of their barriers are on cooldown or the associated heroes are dead. Reinhardt especially can block your ultimate with little effort, and on certain maps the number of crevices to hide can be a blessing or a bane, enabling you to dive from unexpected spots while giving your enemies more avenues to escape.

Launching your ultimate from an unexpected angle when the barriers are down is the best way, as the enemy will waste precious time determining where it is before moving. Remember that the mech retains its momentum and thrust after D.Va ejects, so you can land it on people from high above them, or fly to unexpected locations before ulting them from their back lines.

Crowd control ultimates, such as Zarya’s Graviton Surge and Mei’s Blizzard, are helpful for preventing or slowing enemies from escaping. However, if their barrier users are not down, drawing all the enemies into one spot just makes it that much easier for the tank to protect them all.

[chimepunk]

What novels or book series would you recommend?

oh fuckin boy dude so many. 90% of what i read is either gay or scifi/fantasy or both, and some are technically for a younger audience but still great, so thats what most of this is which hopefully you’re cool with here goes

this got super long so i’m putting it under a cut. bolded titles are the ones that i’m super recommending, though i love them all

novels

the coldest girl in coldtown by holly black - vampires! a trans character! a bi character! one of the most novel approaches to vampires in fiction that i’ve seen! 10/10 would recommend

the darkest part of the forest by holly black - again, holly black is one of my favorite authors. this one’s got faeries (the proper vaguely unsettling kind that i’m all about) magical music, girls embracing their sexuality, girls being knights, interesting sibling dynamics, and a super cute m/m pairing

les miserables by victor hugo - ok yeah, it’s like 1400 pages long and historical fiction, but i love les mis a lot ok. it’s gotta be on this list just because it owns my ass. it’s like a old drunk french man trying to tell you about the june rebellion but he keeps getting distracted by things like people’s personal lives, the intricacies of the parisian underworld, and how much he wants to fuck the sewers. it’s wonderful

the night circus by erin morgenstern - magical circus that mysteriously appears for days at a time and then vanishes? a competition between young magicians drawn out for years? a wide variety of fascinating side characters? (i will say that the synopsis available for the book is somewhat misleading, as it’s actually less about our two protags and more about the circus itself. but that’s what makes it so enchanting)

the song of achilles by madeleine miller - retelling of patroclus and achilles story to be explicitly romantic. will make you feel like you’re floating on clouds and then rapidly crush your soul. sort of a happy ending? but it’s still a tragedy. their ending is the same as it was in the illiad so if you’re not prepared for that then maybe don’t read

good omens by neil gaiman and terry pratchett - a demon who’s not very good at being a demon and an angel who just wants to collect his books in peace thank you very much try to sabotage the end of times. absolutely hilarious

fairy and folktales of the irish peasantry by w.b. yeats - the best collection of irish faerie stories by one of my favorite poets. if you like creepy and tricky faeries i would def recommend checking these out

rootabaga stories by carl sandburg - another collection of folktales, this time inspired by the american midwest. kinda weird, kinda zany, very neat

the poison eaters by holly black - a short story collection of faery stories that are sometimes creepy, sometimes touching, sometimes gay. my personal favorite is about a library science student who finds a book collection where the characters come out at night and interact, but they’re all really great

series:

alex rider adventures by anthony horowitz - teenager gets recruited by MI6 as a spy, has incredibly high success rate, gets pretty fucked up along the way but damn those one liners tho, maybe have some self preservation alex? just a thought

all for the game by nora sakavic - about a fake sport called exy that’s kind of like indoor lacrosse but more violent. contains: crime families, found families, an aspec protag, girls kicking ass, unhealthy levels of sass, wonderful slowburn m/m that you can’t even see coming for a long while, and a happy ending for everyone!! i came for the gays and ended up reading all three books in two days. also you can get the whole series for less than five bucks on kindle! (note: tw for rape, physical abuse, torture, ptsd, child abuse, drug use, alcoholism, some use of slurs, mentions of past self harm, mental illness)

artemis fowl by eoin colfer - more faeries, but this time they live underground and are way more technologically advanced than humans. the first book focuses on our anti-hero trying to catch one and steal their gold, and they quickly become allies and solve faerie related cases together!! one of my favorite series growing up, and i cried in the middle of the hallway at school when i finished the last book

camp half-blood series by rick riordan - does rick riordan write a lot of mythology books? yes. do i love them all? yes. neurodivergent kids! kids from a huge range of racial and ethnic backgrounds! queer kids! collect them all! ft. greco-roman mythology and a lot of stupid jokes

emelan series by tamora pierce - ok this is easily one of my favorite series of all time. non-western high fantasy setting (picture greece/turkey, china, tibet, mongolia, scandinavia, etc type settings), following four young mages who have unique kinds of magic as they train and grow their skills and become powerful in their own right. only one of the kids is definitely white (jury’s still out on sandry), one is a lesbian, one is ace, one is pan, all four are raised by a loving f/f couple, body diversity, one of the best found families i’ve ever read, feminism, discussion of racism, classism, cultural identity, war, and so much more. it’s so so good and so under-appreciated please read all of the emelan books 

the dark is rising sequence by susan cooper - full disclosure i have not finished this series yet but i’ve re-read the first book a million times. it’s a neat take on arthurian mythology, with dark forces trying to take over and kids getting shit done

diviners by libba bray - psychic teenagers in 1920s new york! i’m a slut for prohibition, but these are also super fun and have likable and real characters, and doesn’t only focus on wealthy white people having parties which is nice. the occult! government conspiracies! historical references! genuinely scary situations! it’s rad!

the enchanted forest chronicles by patricia c. wrede - i adore this series so so much. it’s about a princess who’s father keeps telling her that she can’t have hobbies like fencing or cooking or conjugating latin verbs because they’re unladylike and insists that she marry this doofus prince that she couldn’t care less about. so she runs away and volunteers to work for a dragon and proceeds to send away all the princes that try to rescue her. it’s genuinely funny, has a really neat magic system in the later books, great female friendships, cats, dragons who have no time for your gender roles, and wizards who are the most ridiculous group of antagonists you will ever see

the infernal devices by cassandra clare - i really really do not like the author of this series but it also broke me so it must go on the list. if you’re familiar with the mortal instruments or shadowhunters on freeform, it’s set in that universe in the 1870s in london and it’s very steampunk and very angsty and it made me cry a lot

the kane chronicles by rick riordan - see: camp half-blood series but egyptian

fablehaven by brandon mull - oooooh fuck me up i love this series. this is another one meant for slightly younger readers but all of brandon mull’s series are so wildly imaginative and i’m a slut for world building so. the premise is basically that there are secret preserves all over the world that house magical creatures, and five of these preserves have vaults with artifacts that when brought together make a key to this massive demon prison. an evil society called the society of the evening star is trying to get the artifacts to open the prison, and a different group who is allied with the preserves called the knights of the dawn is trying to get to them first to prevent this from happening. there are dragons, light and dark powers, crazy convoluted vaults to get through, and some really cool creatures and characters

beyonders by brandon mull - this guy again! this one’s about a parallel world called lyrian that people on earth can only get to through small liminal windows, and usually can’t get back through. the story follows two kids, jason and rachel, who get stuck in lyrian and end up becoming major members of the resistance against the evil emperor maldor. just like fablehaven, the world building is insane and you’ll fall in love with all the characters. this is yet another series that made me cry in the middle of class when i finished it

the kingkiller chronicle by patrick rothfuss - this is series is long as all fuck and the last book isn’t out yet but it’s my #1 favorite series of all time. i found out about it bc a cashier at a local grocery store held up the line to write it down for me and i never went back. parts of it are achingly, hauntingly beautiful, other parts are hilarious enough to leave you in stitches, others make you want to pull your hair out. there’s sass, recklessness, beautiful and deadly girls, an overwhelming love and emphasis on the importance of music and storytelling, magic that’s more like science, ethnic adversity, student loans, a thing that might be a cow or might be a dragon depending on who you ask, and more quotable lines than you could dream of. the audiobook by nick podehl is also fabulous, and lin manuel miranda is producing and adapting it for the screen and maybe stage at some point in the future!

a modern faerie tale by holly black - guys. i love holly black. almost everything she’s ever written is on this list. this one is fairly self explanatory by the title, but it’s gritty and dark and has those lovely creepy faeries that she’s so great at writing. also a surprising m/m couple in the last book, both of whom are characters in the other two installments. (tw for drug use/addiction, brief sexual assault, and probably other things that i can’t remember right now)

the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater - also in my top 3 favorite series of all time, i cannot begin to describe this series. i first read it while up in the nc mountains which improved the experience to a surprising degree, but it’s stuck with me for the last several years. basically 5 teenagers go in search of a dead welsh king, but along the way there is magic, psychics, ghosts, a sentient forest, dreams becoming reality, curses, teenage shenanigans, classic cars, swearing, church, kisses and not kisses, illict hand holding, a baby crow, bisexuality, a death list, hitmen, and nicknames and it will consume your heart before you know what’s happening to you (tw child abuse, implied sexual assault, substance abuse, dissociation, mentions of past suicide attempts, body horror, gore, and disturbing scenes esp. in the last book)

six of crows by leigh bardugo - a team of criminals band together to break into an impossible fortress, fall in love, con an entire city, and get rich. set in the same universe as the grisha trilogy (which is also good but not as good as soc), this is basically a heist followed by a con, but pulled off by ruthless teenagers and with the help of magic

curseworker trilogy by holly black - crime families, magic that can only done through touch so everyone wears gloves, moral ambiguity, and a twisted romance. one of holly black’s best and most underrated series

baccano! by ryohgo narita - this is a japanese light novel series which has been adapted into an anime, but is much more extensive in print. the plot is extremely convoluted, but an absolute ride spanning several centuries, although the bulk of it is in the 1930s in nyc and chicago. there’s an elixir of immortality, crime families, trains, a solipsistic assassin and his mute assassin gf, serial killers, a demon with a catch phrase, murder, explosions, adorable couples, gambling, a gang leader named jacuzzi who is always terrified, killer corporations, and much much more

no.6 by asuka asano - another japanse series, this time focusing on two boys, one who grew up in a utopian city, the other who grew up outside the walls after the city destroyed his life. they meet when they’re 12 years old, and several years later, they’re reunited when the outsider rescues the city boy from arrest. they, along with a pimp and a nonbinary dog hotel owner, try to expose and overthrow the government. also ft. drag performances, mice who like shakespeare, killer bees, and boys falling in love.

the merlin saga by t.a. barron - my favorite take on arthurian mythology, chronicling merlin as he comes into his power. there’s a vividly magical island, giants, amulets, talking trees, stones that will try to swallow you, a swamp witch, celtic deities, huge wicker hats, poetry, new kinds of fruit, people that are also deer, and human’s long lost wings.

[ouraidengray4]

The Things You Do and Don’t Miss Out on by Marrying Your First Love

My husband and I are pretty stereotypical Brooklyn creatives. We live in a Bushwick apartment filled with comic books and art supplies; he and his two partners run the ad agency GrandArmy, and I started the geeky clothing brand Jordandené. We spend our time working, creating, and partying, and at first glance, seem like roll-your-eyes cliches.

So when I was in my early 20s, the fact that I had married young was pretty shocking to practically everyone I met. Responses ranged wildly, from "OMG that’s adorable," to "Really? Why?"

When someone thinks my relationship status is unexpected, my favorite thing is to let them in on all the other details that are even more surprising. I got married when I was 21 to my first boyfriend, whom I met in high school… which we attended with fewer than 80 other people only one day a week.

We were semi-homeschooled in the age just before online classes were a norm. Our parents weren’t thrilled with the public school options available, so we attended a co-op high school in Delaware. Our friend groups overlapped, mostly because he had an unrequited crush on one of my best friends, which conveniently let us slowly get to know one another.

When we got engaged!

He was adorably genuine and sweet, in that Chris Evans Captain America sort of way. We spent many long nights chatting away online and officially started dating the week after my 16th birthday, because my parents wouldn’t let me have a boyfriend when I was 15. We stayed together through high school, our separate college experiences, and into our adult lives.

We never broke up, but we did create our own lives apart from each other. His college was an hour away from mine, which was far enough to create a bit of a long-distance relationship, especially since I didn’t drive. He had an internship in Oregon and spent a summer in London; I studied for a semester in Spain. He spent the last of his college kid savings to come visit me in Sevilla. Between meeting all of my new friends and touring around the city that had become my temporary home, he asked if we could take a trip to the neighboring beach town. While taking a midnight stroll down the sandy shore, he asked me to marry him. I was 20, and we’d been together for five years. It wasn’t even a question.

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I think one of the biggest concerns about marrying someone you meet so young is that you might miss out on more experiences and opportunities to find someone who’s an even better fit. You don’t want to just meet one person, decide they’re it, and stop looking for anything else. What if there’s something better out there? What if you let yourself blithely slide through the steps of dating, engagement, marriage, starting a family, without stopping to consider what you really want?

I decided early on that I wasn’t going to do that. Every day that we were dating, I asked myself if I still wanted to be with him, and promised myself if that answer ever changed, I would do something about it.

This is funny to admit, but a moment from Jane Austen’s novel Emma stuck with me. In an effort to convince her friend not to accept a proposal from a man she deems unworthy, Emma asks, "If you prefer [Mr. Martin] to every other person; if you think him the most agreeable man you have ever been in company with, why should you hesitate?" This question was meant to dissuade a friend from pursuing a relationship, but for me, it became a way to confirm that I was intentionally choosing what I really wanted.

At New York Comic Con.

Despite my firm commitment to actively make a daily choice that would make me truly happy, it can be strange to have missed out on an experience that so many of my peers have had. I technically understand how online dating and apps work, but I don’t really get how to make a connection with someone through a profile. I have absolutely no game; my flirting skills cap out at about a 15-year-old level. I got pretty good at crafting a cute response to an AIM away message, but that doesn’t exactly transfer to the adult version of sending a sexy reply on Tinder or to a late-night text. The only romantic experience I’ve ever had started as a teenage friendship, developed into love, and ended in our staying together forever… which isn’t exactly helpful when a friend is trying to figure out what a guy means when he texts her nothing but the strawberry emoji.

Someone joked at my college graduation that I was an old married lady, but by 'settling down' so young, I’ve actually learned the importance of not settling down at all.

In our early 20s, almost all of my close friends were single. I never wanted to stop being in my relationship, but the young, single life did look like a lot of fun. Going out, meeting someone new and interesting, and hooking up with them is just one of those exciting things I never got to do; I haven’t had a first date since I was 16. So when a group of friends is chatting about hook-up stories, I’m not exactly able to participate.

Of course, I also don’t find myself nostalgically comparing the relationship I’m in or the sex I’m having with other—perhaps fonder—memories, simply because there aren’t any. I don’t have to miss the fun aspects of adult single life because I never experienced them. Someone joked at my college graduation that I was an old married lady, but by "settling down" so young, I’ve actually learned the importance of not settling down at all.

So young!

It’s easy to fall into a routine when you’ve been with someone for years, which is a very unattractive position to be in at the ripe old age of 23. Staying with the same person for over a decade can make your world seem very small, but I don’t want to let myself stop being interesting or interested in what’s happening outside of the two-person world I live in; I want to keep meeting new people, having new experiences, and learning. For every trip we take together, we take five with other people. Instead of coupling off in social settings, we make sure to catch up with everyone around us. We’re active participants in separate circles: he in the New York design world, me in the growing community of nerdy women. Our honeymoon phase should have ended years ago, but I’m not interested in letting that happen.

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The most important thing I’ve learned by being in one relationship for my entire adult life is that adapting to change is vital. We both went through so many changes in the decade between ages 18 and 28, and we got to go through them together. Some of those changes have been easy and great, and some have been a nightmare. On a day-to-day level, we traded in washing machines and driving for the headaches of laundromats and public transportation. Ideologically, we’ve both shifted politically from being pretty conservative to very liberal, although not at the same time—and there was some serious awkwardness and frustration in-between. We’ve had part-time jobs, freelanced, worked 80 hours per week, and started two businesses, each taking different tolls on our finances, free time, and happiness. And we don’t even have kids yet.

Hiking!

In a dating relationship, you can decide which issues are worth fighting for. In a marriage, there’s no option; seemingly unsolvable problems need to be solved, which can teach you a lot about being creative while working through issues. I’ve learned to compromise and adapt every day. Not only has this increased flexibility been very healthy for all of my relationships, it also allows me to enjoy things in life I otherwise never would have. I never wanted to live in a city, and I spent my first few years here planning my escape. I made myself miserable until I realized that this situation wasn’t changing, we weren’t moving, and I could resent that fact forever, or start looking for things to love about New York. I found them.

We’ve been there for each other through nearly all of life’s ups and downs. We’ve celebrated high-school and college graduations, new jobs, personal victories, and every exciting thing that’s happened to our friends and families. We’ve suffered through national tragedies, deaths, failures, and the struggles of making really hard choices. We’ve changed political parties and religious beliefs. We know how the other person makes decisions and how to work through problems together. We’ve learned which issues we simply don’t agree on and which we may never change our minds about.

Love.

I absolutely understand why what we have is rare. For all the beautiful moments we enjoyed, there were so many hard ones. We’ve made a lot of huge changes that the other person had to be OK with, and we didn’t have the freedom that comes with being single. And if you asked me 10 years ago to describe the life I pictured for my future self, what I have definitely isn't that. It’s not four kids and a house in the suburbs, baking cookies at home while my partner works a normal 9-to-5. It’s not being able to plan out exactly what my future looks like. For me, what I have is so much better.

Jordan Ellis founded Jordandené, a geek chic clothing brand for kids and kids at heart. She’s a proud Hufflepuff who loves dressing up and throwing extravagant theme parties. Follow her on Instagram at @jordandenenyc and Twitter at @jordandene.

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