#and the search function works decently

[batbirdies]

You know I use Pinterest to browse recipes and find crochet patterns and keep track of crafty ideas and occasionally for hair styling videos or gift ideas.

But dear god it’s become almost unusable because of ads. And I don’t just mean the amount of them. I am SO TIRED of the beauty ads they’re insane. It’s no wonder women have low self esteem and much worse when I come across ads that are for (and these are just off the top of my head):

A machine that gets rid of cellulite, red light therapy for your under eye bags, makeup that matches your skin tone, hair extensions, eye lash extensions, lip plumper, electric muscle contractors for your face to make your cheek bones stand out more, teeth whiteners, volumizing hair products, Invisalign braces, similar retainer like things that make your teeth look straight, products to make your hair thicker, products to make your hair grow longer, laser hair removal, diet programs, work out programs, exercises that supposedly target the fat in one specific part of your body (do not get me started), custom vitamins to target problems like hair loss and acne, collagen threads (????), so MANY goddamn leggings that make your ass look bigger, body suits that make your waist smaller, goddamn pheromone perfume??

And this is just what I can think of off the top of my head I feel like I’m being purposely driven mad.

[medicinemane]

Mhh mhh, this is a classic in truly awful music. It's fascinating to listen to stuff like this. Terrible stuff, horrible to listen to, but it's compelling in it's dissonance

[paganinpurple]

AO3 Etiquette -UPDATED

Based on both decent and not so decent replies, I have made some changes to my original post below.

It would seem a whole new kind of AO3 reader/writer is emerging and it is becoming clear not everyone quite understands how the website community works. Here is some basic guidance on how most people expect you to go about using AO3 to keep this a fun community archive that funtions correctly:

As well as likes, kudos is for when the story was interesting enough to make you finish reading. If it sucked or was badly written, you probably left. If you finished it, you liked it - so kudos.

If you really liked it, you should try to comment. It can be long and detailed or a literal keysmash. Writers don't care, we just love comments.

No critisism unless the author has specifically asked or agreed to hear it (so use your notes to say if you want some constructive feedback). Even constructive critisism is a no-no unless an author note tells you it's okay. No, posting it online is not an open invitation for that. Many people write as a fun hobby or a way to cope with, among other things, insecurity and just want to share. Don't ruin that for them. I've seen so many authors just stop writing coz they can't handle the negative emotions the critism brings, and it's only meant to be a fun thing shared for free (pointing out tagging errors is not included in this).

Do not comment to ask the author to write/update something else. It's tacky and off-putting and will probably have the opposite effect than the one you want.

There is no algorithm, it's an archive. Use the search and filter function to add/remove the pairings/characters/tropes etc. you want to read about and it will find you the fics that fit the bill.

For this to work, writers must tag and rate stories. This avoids readers finding the wrong things and missing the stuff they want. I don't care how cringy that trope is in your eyes - it gets tagged.

The tag exception is if you don't want to tag a million things or spoil your story, you can rate it as "chose not to use warnings," and maybe tag the bare minimum.

Don't censor tags. How can someone exclude a tag if the word isn't typed out correctly? There are no content bans for terms so don't censor them.

If the tags are mostly content/trigger warnings, especially if they are things considered very fucked up or graphic, you might want to use "dead dove - do not eat" to ensure people know that you're not messing around with tags and what they get is exactly what you've warned them about.

Character A/Character B means a ROMANTIC or SEXUAL relationship of some kind. Character A&Character B is PLATONIC, like friendship or family.

Nothing is banned. This is an rule because banning one thing is a slipperly slope to banning another and another, until nothing is allowed anymore. Do not expect anyone to censor for you. Because of the tags system, you are responsible for your own reading experience.

People can create new chapters and sequels/fic series any time after they "complete" a story. So it's considered perfectly normal to subscribe, even to a finished story. You can even subscribe to the author instead just to cover your bases.

Do not repost stories or change the publishing date without an extremely good reason (like a complete top to bottom rewrite or an exchange youve written for going public). It's an archive, not social media. No one cares what's the most recent, only what fits their tag needs.

Instead of deleting a story you wrote if you hate it - consider making it anonymous or orphaning it so others can still enjoy it, without it being connected to your name anymore. If you still want to delete it, fair enough.

It's come to my attention that metaworks ARE allowed on AO3, which is something I wasn't aware of. So if you do post an essay or theory, please tag it as such so others can choose to search for it or exclude it. Art is also allowed.

The only reason this archive works is because NON ONE PROFITS. Do not link to your ko-fi or patreon or mention monetary gain in any way or you violate the terms and risk having your account removed. If anyone does link, it leaves the archive open to people claiming it's for profit and having the whole thing removed.

I KNOW there's plenty more I missed but I'm trying to cover most of the basics that people seem to be struggling with.

I invite anyone to add to this, but please explain, don't berate.

[steampunkedparm]

aw yeah sweet! i have an moderately ok paying job that gives me enough to pay for college if i have scholarships!

every electronic i know deciding to malfunction as soon as i actually have money: so about that

[lostintransist]

This Bunny Bites - Part 1

I will not apologize. I have been bothering my friend with this fic idea for so, so long..

You clocked the group of men as the entered the club. Clock in the back had shown just after ten PM when you popped back there for a bottle. They settled into seats at an empty table, the four of them giving a wide berth of elbow room between themselves and their neighbor. None of them looked at River who commanded the stage. You didn’t think much of it, lots of men came here to ‘do business’ such as it was.

You delivered the bottle to a private room, letting Strawberry handle the client service. You were functioning as the manager tonight despite being scheduled for a dancers shift. No one else had approached the now occupied table. You strode up, perking up your tits just so.

“Can I get you gentlemen anything to drink?” Your voice came out sultry but still within the customer service range.

You look at them from left to right, clean cut guy, dark hair with a well trimmed beard.

“Top shelf whiskey, neat.”

You look to the next man, stubble warm brown skin tone.

“Beer, whatever is on tap.”

Next man wore a ski mask decorated with a human skull. You don’t blink, wasn’t even the worst thing you had seen tonight.

“Black Russian.”

You turn to the last man. It had been a long time since you saw a face that looked like yours. The mohawk hadn’t been there the last time.

“Get the fuck out.”

“What!?” Your half brother Johnny jumped up from his seat. “Why me! I haven’t donne anything!”

You reel back, struck by his words. He didn’t recognize you. Of course, the fucker walked out on you years ago and couldn’t be bothered to remember you now.

“Really,” you dragged the word out, “Johnny McTavish hasn’t done anything to his baby sister?”

His jaw dropped, his eyes nearly popping out of his skull as he took in your barely covered, well, everything.

“Bunny?” your childhood nickname comes out as a broken whisper. Like he has anything to be broken up over.

“Final warning, get out or get thrown out. Your friends too for arguing.” You shift your chin their direction.

The masked man stands, pulls out his wallet and drops a couple bills on the table before pushing Johnny forward.

“Come on Soap, more places we can drink tonight.” His voice rumbled just loud enough to carry over the music in the space.

The other two stand, more money dropped on the table. Beard gives you a quiet ‘ma’am’ as he passes. Stubble nods when he catches your eye. They all follow Mask out the door. He keeps a hand on Johnny as if to remind him that he can be carried. Bastard was big enough to make it work.

You see Barry the security guard glance between you and the men who just left. You gather up the cash on the table and fold it over in your hand as you walk towards him.

“Barry I just need ten minutes okay? I just had a…“ you search for the right word to express seeing your brother who you haven’t seen in almost fifteen years at a stripper bar. You don’t find a word for it. “Weird interaction and need to clear my head. Can you make rounds on all the girls? Misty and Summer should be finishing up their dances soon.”

“Course, I’ll take care of it. Just let me know if you need anything else dove.” Barry nodded and set about to keep the girls safe.

This club was a bit unusual in the area, they had a firm drink, no touch policy. Anyone wanting to touch a girl, even to fix the strap on her heels had to have a wristband that barred them from alcohol. Not that they had many takers for those but enough recovered alcoholics had started to talk that the club had become a decent spot to hang after a meeting.

You slip into the dressing room, taking a seat on a bench as you count out the cash. You count it again, and again before you believe it. Eight hundred dollars. Three men who you kicked out for coming in with your brother left an eight hundred dollar tip. They didn’t even get their drinks!

“What the fuck just happened?” you whisper to the room.

Part 2

Bunny Masterlist | Masterlist

[kitasgloves]

In My Room

tracklist

— ♬ "I hate that you leave when the lights come on. And if I had it my way, the fuckin' sun would be gone"

— ♬ Nikolai Gogol x ghost! Reader, SFW, female reader, graphic depictions of animal death, violence, and murder, the reader is dead (but this doesn't count as necrophilia), and major character death, 3.7k words, no beta

— ♬ NOTE: I DO NOT CONDONE NOR ROMANTISIZE WHAT IS DEPICTED IN THIS STORY. EVERYTHING IS A WORK OF FICTION. READER'S DESCRETION IS ADVISED.

One may get used to having loneliness as one's companion. The comfort and familiarity of isolation could drive the individual away from society and cause difficulty searching for human connections. It is the natural instinct of humans to linger amongst its kind and form a connection. A human has the freedom to create and destroy bonds with each other.

However, Nikolai Gogol was a different case. For a long time, he believed he was trapped in his own mind, a slave to his emotions. He felt like his mind was stuck in a cage. He wondered if anyone shared that same experience. It was challenging to find someone to relate to. Nikolai has already accepted that he is different, but he wants to think that he isn't the only one. There must be a unique soul out there who shares the same sentiment as he.

Nikolai never bothered fitting in society knowing that it was no use, so he focuses on finding a way to free himself from his own emotions. Nikolai strives to find true liberty. There are instances where he has met a few people who came close to understanding his philosophy, the experience was refreshing but temporary. Even if someone did truly understand him and his ideas, it wouldn't be enough for them to stay.

For a short period, he was content with that. He learned to find contentment in his loneliness. Nikolai has accepted that he shall be alone. He has grown to be envious of people who are oblivious and ignorant to the choking feeling of emotions, he wanted to know what it feels like to be free from the cage of his mind. Nikolai wore his grin as a mask to conceal his increasing desolation. To keep everything he felt within him as a secret was torturous. 

A life of crime seems the most fitting for Nikolai. He doesn't find the appeal of being an outstanding and decent citizen who participates in society. It's so dull! Nikolai finds fragments of freedom through the acts of crime. He believes that he is proving to everyone he will never be a slave to the standards of society. Nikolai thinks that someday he will be as free as a bird, flying carelessly in the sky. 

But the conquest for liberty has taken a mental toll on him. Nikolai feels unable to function with how much the loneliness is weighing him down. Loneliness is misery, some have said. But Nikolai thought through isolation he would seek the freedom he had thirsted for. But was he wrong all along? Was everything senseless? And will he be forever trapped in this cage?

Tap, tap, tap

That sound was unique. It was unexpected. Nikolai by chance glanced to his bedroom window at night to see a dark female silhouette with glowing orbs. No fear, shock, or surprise rose within him that night. Nikolai stared at the finger tapping on his window. Curiosity has led him to creep towards the window for a proper look.

There you were: a ghastly woman with dry and pale skin, dressed bloodily in black, and smiling crookedly at him from the other side of the glass. For the first time in a long while, Nikolai's heart stirred. You were so beautiful that he couldn't help but open his window to invite you in.

Nikolai's breath hitched and watched with anticipation as you crawled towards him. He realized how rotten your skin looked and how your joints were out of proportion. Your bones peeked through your rotten skin and yet Nikolai finds himself enamored. You stiffly faced him as your bones cracked with the tilt of your head. He stares at you with glistening eyes as he takes in your dreadful features.

"Hello there"

He greets you breathlessly, and you send him a puzzled look. You have cornered Nikolai to his bed as you crept on above him. Nikolai doesn't get annoyed by your lack of speech but instead reaches carefully toward your cold cheek. His heart leaped when you leaned into his touch.

"You're pretty for a dead thing"

He remarks with a laugh. You gaze at him unblinkingly with dried eyeballs that nearly rolled out of their sockets.

"You...you think I'm pretty?"

You spoke with a quiet and raspy tone. Nikolai nods and this causes you to smile at him for the first time. He could never forget that moment. To have witnessed your demonic smile has aroused an emotion within him that he thought never existed. That evening, in his room, you stayed and talked until the sun rose. You left before any light could grace the sky. He couldn't understand where you came from, but Nikolai finds himself torn to see you leave. But you shook your head with a bloody grin and his face lights up for he knows you will return again tonight.

Tap, tap, tap

"Are you going to let me in? Hello? Hello?"

You called for Nikolai on the other side of the window the following night. He excitedly leaped from his bed and hurriedly went to unlock his window. You came crawling into his arms as he carried you to his bed. You looked so fucking gorgeous sprawled on the mattress that it evokes a strong emotion in him.

2:45 and the bell went off, thank God. Many people he's odd. But he talks with no one, and he walks alone. And he avoids sunlight with a chalky tone. Nikolai gets home and he doesn't say hi, it ain't nobody there. He doesn't care, he walks in and go right up the stairs, to his room, get in bed, and just for dark. Because that's when the real show starts.

Tap, tap on the glass go the piece of ass. So young and pretty, it's too bad you passed. But you come to his room and you and him would talk at night. You're demonic and bloody but you hold him tight. In his bedroom, with you, he's never alone. And he'd kiss your cold lips until the morning comes. Then you're gone, he can still hear your voice loom. But you only exist in the dark of his room.

Nikolai can't ignore you, when you'd tap on his window and gaze at him with your glowing dead eyes, begging to be let in in his room. He'd do anything for you. The only thing that soothes his aching loneliness is the sound of your tapping. Nikolai does adore you. He finds it impossible not to. The way you crookedly smile at him, the way your cold fingers caressed his cheek, and the way your chilling kisses set his heart ablaze. Nikolai believed he had encountered the gates of heaven in his room, with you and him.

Nikolai can't ignore you, now that you've carved your place in his life by crawling into his room. He'd do anything for you. He'd give anything for you to look at him with adoration through your dry eyes, to hold him in your bony and cold arms. Nikolai does adore you. He is unfazed by your disturbing beauty, the charm you exhibit in a macabre fashion, and how death could never defeat your grace. This is how Nikolai spent the rest of his days, in his room, with you and him.

Nikolai tries to smile a lot but he's always fronting. But he does love a ghost and at least that's something. You don't talk much and when you do, it gets cold. Usually, you and he just lay there, where you two hold each other. Nikolai and you were lovers, you and he don't need others. One of the stray cats jumped up on the covers, and it scared you because you don't like pets. So, Nikolai twisted its fucking head off its neck.

"Look baby, it's bloody, it's gone, it's doomed"

Nikolai tries to comfort you, but you've leaped off of the bedsheets in fright. He felt his chest grow tight with ache at the sight of your quivering figure retreating towards the window. He rushes after you.

"Please! Come back to the room"

He pleads and merely panics when you begin to slowly slide open the window. Nikolai nearly sinks down to his knees, unable to bear to see you leave.

"I'll do anything for thee, don't ignore me"

This is more than a sick love story, Nikolai is convinced. His head spins as he thinks of ways to make you stay in his room. He feels as though he will have a fit if you decide to leave him. Nikolai will reach unreachable lengths for you. He will do the unthinkable. He will go far just to have you near. Without you, he'd bring a shotgun to a school. And he will if you want to, for any reason.

You were motionless by the windowsill facing away from him, it seemed as though you were contemplating. Nikolai rushes to take your hand, he places his cheek against your freezing palm as he gazes longingly at you. Your head turns stiffly to face him, relief floods him when he can't find any trace of fright from earlier. Unfortunately, he spots the sun rising on the horizon. Nikolai hides his irritation with a grit of his teeth. But you spared him an apologetic look with your unblinking eyes.

"I hate that you leave when the lights come on. And if I had it my way, the fuckin' sun would be gone"

Nikolai says as he feels you freeze after. His heart raced at your blank reaction. He couldn't tell what you were thinking. Were you disturbed? Disgusted? However, you didn't pull your hand away from his cheek as you gave him a twisted smile that eased his fears. As you vanished within the start of dawn, he felt gladness flood his heart as you waited for your return later.

Nikolai can't ignore you, and it wasn't just the tapping on his window. He couldn't ignore the thoughts of you occupying his head no matter what he did. He would do anything for you. Just simply ask him and he shall obey. Nikolai does adore you. His heart beats for you for he has managed to find someone for himself that wasn't part of society. He truly thought how fitting it was to adore a dead woman like you, free from life's grasp of expectations. In his room, with you and him, Nikolai has discovered something better than freedom.

Nikolai can't ignore you; it would be a sin to do so. He would do anything for you, there is nothing he wouldn't do for you. Nikolai does adore you. He adored you the way a devotee worships their god. He loved you as much as tragedy loved death. In his room, with you and him, Nikolai has begun to spiral out of control.

Sometimes when he kisses you, he starts shaking. You slip him the tongue and it tastes like bacon. Uh-oh, something is wrong, you were upset. Nikolai was alarmed since you rarely behaved this way. He immediately starts to soothe you and ask what is wrong. You told him you were spotted by the neighbor's kid. You can't come back now because they know your and his secret. Unless he can make them keep it. If he does, you might come back to life.

Nikolai nearly bursts into a frenzy at your admission. All his thoughts come to a screeching halt as he looks at you with a dangerous glint in his eye. He will be forever miserable if you were to leave permanently because that stupid neighbor's kid has found your secret with him. Nikolai was undeniably thrilled that he was unable to contain it when he heard the possibility of you coming back to life. As much as he adored you in death, to be the one to grant life back to you means you will be staying with him for eternity. With this prospect in mind, Nikolai has instantaneously orchestrated a plan.

Nikolai finds himself in the backyard of his neighbors with a shotgun and a knife. Cut the screen, he went in and found the kid. He blew a bowl of spaghetti on the side of his head. Then the daddy was next, running down the hall, he shredded his throat, and he was quick to fall. Nikolai tossed the Mossberg and grabbed the knife and started stabbing the shit out of his wife. He went home a bloody mess with a job well done. Nikolai washed up and waited for his baby to come.

Nikolai can't ignore you. All he could think about was you. He would do anything for you, what he had done to his neighbors was a testament to it. Nikolai adores you, in death and in life, he shall love you eternally. In his room, with you and him, Nikolai loses touch with his remaining sanity.

Nikolai can't ignore you, no matter what he did, you infested his head like a persistent parasite. He would do anything for you, he would do anything to keep his secret with you, so you'll return back to life and remain with him. Nikolai does adore you, his beloved in death, his missing half, his dearest lover. In his room, with you and him, Nikolai has lost touch with reality.

He waited two or three days, four days. Waiting for the tap, tap like always. He waited and hated this. He created a bloody mess. Nikolai waited two or three months, four months. Waiting for the tap, tap just for once. He waited and hated this. He created a bloody mess.

Nikolai feels his stomach drop, he barely got a sign from you that it's stressing him out. He waited two or three days, four days. Waiting for the tap, tap like always.

"Where is she?"

He wondered. Nikolai can feel dread engulf him, is his cruelest fear coming true? No, it can't be. But you haven't shown yourself yet to comfort him. He waited and hated this.

"Why isn't she coming back?"

Nikolai pulled on the roots of his hair, he couldn't make sense of your disappearance. Hadn't he done what he was supposed to? He created a bloody mess. Nikolai waited two or three months, four months.

"I fucking killed those people!"

He yelled within his room. He curled his hands into fists as rage consumed him. He did what you asked but why aren't you returning? His head felt heavy with unanswered questions, but he was unwavering. Waiting for the tap, tap just for once.

"Where the fuck is she?!"

Nikolai gritted his teeth. He could no longer tell how many months have gone by since you stopped tapping on his window. He lost his ability to function properly as he remained in his room, holding on to the remnants of hope of your return. He waited and hated this. He created a bloody mess.

"Why isn't she coming back?"

He had sunk to his knees by the windowsill with anguish evident in his features. Nikolai didn't count the days that went by without food or rest. His eyes were glued to the window with each passing moment with his health and sanity further crumbling. He waited two or three days, four days. Waiting for the tap, tap like always.

"I can't believe I did it!"

Nikolai laughed hysterically to himself. He ticked and twitched by the windowsill, clinging to those moments he shared with you. He was beginning to question if everything he experienced was real at all. Were you not real or have you left him for good? He couldn't locate the answer. He waited and hated this. He created a bloody mess.

"I killed them!"

He screamed in complete hysterics. His hair had grown all over his face as dust and grime settled on his clothes, and yet he stayed by the windowsill. Nikolai has found himself a slave again to his emotions, a bird stuck in his cage. His laughter echoed in his room. He waited two or three days, four days. Waiting for the tap, tap like always.

"Where is she?!"

Nikolai roared with rage. However, tears have finally trailed down his face. He collapses on his side as he still remains by the windowsill. Everything felt surreal, his suffering felt surreal. His torment in the hands of his emotions has brought him to the brink of insanity. But his devoted mind kept thinking about you. He waited and hated this. He created a bloody mess.

Tragedy has befallen Nikolai Gogol as he exhaled his last breath by the windowsill. He has perished from hunger and malnourishment and suffered from his own madness. In his room, his last thought was you and him.

©kitasgloves (do not steal or copy)

[sultrysparkles]

ᡣ𐭩 THAT A WOMAN LIKE THAT WAS REALLY INTO ME ᡣ𐭩

[•~LONER!MEGUMI X POPULARGIRL!READER FLUFF~•]ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

[•~synopsis: turns out working with the pretty loner boy isn't that bad~•]ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

"sorry y/n, we can only work in groups of 2. and me and nobara kinda already decided we were gonna work together..." yuji explains, nervously fiddling with his jacket zipper. you sigh loudly, obviously disappointed your two best friends were paired up together. "it's fine... I'll work with someone else..." you say, looking around the room.

it wasn't like you didn't have any friends, quite the opposite actually. you maintained decent friendships with mostly everybody in the classroom, casually saying hi to them occasionally or making small talk. but the one thing you realized was that everybody already had their own partners. everyone had their own groups and cliches. and for first time since forever, you felt like loner kid.

you were very well known at the school, everybody knew who you were. positively and negatively everyone knew you. and most of the students loved you. you were really kind and sweet and didn't mind standing up for some. but that didn't mean you knew everybody.

as you search the classroom for a partner you notice one person who wasn't in a group, -megumi fushiguro. you felt a rush of adrenaline through your veins. for starters, it was hard to talk to megumi, heck you didn't even know he could talk. he never really spoke to anybody at the school, and he usually kept to himself. so it was hard for you to introduce yourself to him, since you couldn't tell how he'd respond.

you nervously walk over to him, which was odd for you. usually you were a social expert. you never had anxiety talking to anyone, but something about megumi made you so nervous and scared. you sit right next to him, he looks over at you,somewhat confused. you clear your throat before speaking, "hey I'm Y/N, and I don't have a partner so I was wondering if you wanted to be partners with me?" you ask nervously. you probably stuttered about 12 times in that whole sentence.

the strong scent of his cologne traps your nose as he turns to face you fully, he responds with a "sure.." his voice was deep and quiet, this was probably the first time you've ever heard him speak to you before. you smile warmly at him and pull your phone out "great! so can I get your number so we can talk about it?" you ask, voice smooth and sweet.

you and megumi both agreed to meet up at a local coffee shop to start the project, you were so excited. you weren't too sure why either, but you wanted to make sure you looked your best for him. so you made sure to put on the best outfit you had, and perfect your makeup. you walk into the coffee shop, and you notice megumi in a booth in a corner.

you join him, humming a warm "hey!!" he responds with a small quiet 'hi' and you two begin to work. you noticed megumi wasn't wearing his usual black hoodie, no instead he had on a black shirt with some grey sweats. you wouldn't deny that he looked really good in them. but you had to focus right now.

as you two began to work, researching topics and facts you guys began to talk. usually you would start the conversations but you didn't mind. you found out so much about him. he seemed to be a basic guy, but he was far from it. megumi was actually really smart and funny. making you laugh a couple times. he loved anime and sports.

megumi wasn't so quick to open up to strangers though. usually he would shut them down quickly, responding to any of their questions with limited words. but you, it was different. ever since you sat next to him yesterday, you were the only one in his mind. he couldn't eat sleep or do anything without thinking about you. you were the only person he really wanted to talk to.

but megumi wasn't the only who was heads over heel, you simply couldn't function without thinking about him. ever since that project, megumi was all that you could think about. and everybody could notice.

"y/n? hellooo...?" nobara calls out, waving a hand in front of your face, you quickly snap out of your daydream. "huh?? oh sorry what was going on??" you reply frantically. yuji laughs and Nobara sighs loudly. "gosh, y/n what's gotten into you lately??" she asks "you're always so spaced out it's kinda weird " yuji adds. your cheeks turn rosy pink and you look away shyly. "w-what do ya mean? I've been normal!' you exclaim, although your lie was far from convincing.

yuji giggles and whispers loudly into nobara's ear, loud enough where you could hear though. "bet it's that fushiguro kid!" he snickers. nobara laughs at his comment. you scoff "it's not him!!" you defend, your face now tomato red. "ohh sure... like you two weren't flirting with your eyes yesterday in science..." nobara replies sarcastically. "oh megumi! you're so handsome!! my honey bunny bear!!!" yuji mocks, pretending to be you. nobara adds on to the gag by replying in an obviously fake deep voice "I love you to sugar plum cupcake princess, mwah mwah mwah!!" she chuckles

yuji and nobara burst out laughing after a moment of staring at each other. you cover your face with your hands, completely done with their bullshit. it wasnt like you and megumi were a thing!? you guys were just friends and that's it. but a part of you wishes you were so much more. so much more than simple friends. wishing that instead of daydreaming about going on cute dates with him, holding his rough yet soft hands, and kissing those pink lips they could all just come to life...

and just as you thought this day could not get any worse, megumi approaches your table. you completely forgot you also had the same lunch period with him. you nervously look back up at him, he himself was a cherry red too. he definitely heard nobara and yuji's dumb comments. "hey y/n... can we talk in private?" he mumbles, hands fiddling with each other.

yuji and nobara share shocked looks with each other, jaws completely dropped. "um.. sure" you say warmly, your eyes twinkling at the sight of him, a rush of adrenaline overtaking you. you begin to get up from your seat to go follow megumi, so he could privately chat with you, but as you start to follow megumi nobara calls out loudly, "use protection guys!!!"

you take a deep breath, you were so going to slap the shit out of both of them when you were done. you and megumi stand out in the hallway, both extremely nervously. megumi loudly clears his throat before beginning his sentence, " y/n..." he mumbles

"yes megumi?..." you mutter. then suddenly megumi holds both of your hands together , his soft yet rough palms holding onto both of your dainty fingers. he looks right into your eyes, you could tell what he was about to say took him so much courage to say. both of your hearts raced, frantically beating. "y/n... I love you. I can't hide it anymore. ever since we've met, you've always been so special to me. something was so attractive about you I couldn't get enough of it. you're the prettiest kindest and the most caring girl I've ever met before... so please may I be yours?" megumi says, now really close to you, breath hitting the side of your neck.

the sight in front of you was so precious and appalling. and it all hit you so quickly. no way the quiet megumi fushiguro, the same guy who couldn't even mumble a single word in class just confessed his love for you. you were so taken back, your heart melting at his words. you grin warmly "of course-" you squeal, leaning in to giving him a kiss, only for him to do the same. his arms snaking around your waist swiftly, your arms racings around his neck. the whole scene seemed to play out just like a romance anime. it was like the world paused right there for the two of you.

"TOLD YA!!!" yuji squeals "give me my money now bitch" yuji demands, a cunning grin washing all over his face. nobara sighs "fine!" she scoffs handing the money over to yuji.

[transmutationisms]

is there actual proof there's a genetic component to alcoholism? I've been searching and most articles I've read seem to agree it accounts for about half of your predisposition. I'm both skeptical and worried I might be going too far in my questioning to the point of denying science

genetic variants play a role in alcoholism. this is a decently readable overview on the topic from 2013. there are a few main points that should be clarified when discussing this.

often when people ask about this, they're thinking of genetic variants that affect a person's psychology, something like an inherited and inescapable 'addictive personality'. this is not really borne out by the research. as the paper above points out, the strongest genetic effects wrt the development of alcoholism are due to genes that change how we metabolise alcohol. having genes that make your alcohol metabolism more physically unpleasant in various ways (for example, you may have heard of so-called 'asian flushing syndrome') generally lowers the chances you will drink lots of alcohol, and thus lowers the chances you will qualify for a dx of alcohol use disorder. it's not a perfect protection; the paper also notes that, for example, businessmen exposed to cultural and economic pressures to drink heavily were more likely to do so even if they carried the normally protective genes. so, these aren't genes that control our behaviour directly or change our personalities; what we're seeing is largely the result of the fact that people like to do things that feel good, and if drinking makes you feel like hell, you are in general less likely to do it a lot.

this paper, and many papers on this topic, also mentions twin studies and adoptee studies to back up the claim that alcoholism is partially genetically determined. keep in mind that these studies are very hard to control for economic confounding factors, because even with adoptees, genetic siblings are also disproportionately likely to be adopted into families of a similar economic class. this is a general sticking point in a lot of genetics research.

many of the genetic variations believed to contribute to alcoholism are identified by studying families with multiple diagnosed alcoholics. this is tricky because it again has a lot of confounding factors; it identifies broad regions of the genome that then have to be broken down into more detailed analyses; and there are causation-correlation questions in this approach. some of the genes identified by these types of studies have replicated; many have not.

genomes and epigenetic variation are just extremely complicated. that doesn't mean the research isn't worthwhile, but understand that these types of questions turn up hundreds or thousands of potentially relevant genes, whose functions are often completely unknown, and which may be up- or down-regulated in ways no one understands. there are a lot of points of uncertainty between asking "do genes influence alcoholism" and generating an actual working list of such genes. i wrote a little about some of the uncertainties associated with epigenetic research here.

alcoholism itself is, like any psychiatric dx, heterogeneous (there are many different ways to qualify for the dx and the judgments inherently include a degree of clinician subjectivity). so, and this is a problem with studying the genetics of any psychiatric dx and many physical ailments as well, we're not really talking about a single clinical or psychological entity, and thus to even say which genetic variations may contribute to developing it is already pretty dubious in its discursive formulation alone.

[remidiy]

We Don't Gatekeep Art Resources | A Comprehensive List

Here's a list of some of the tools/sites I currently use or have used previously for works/studies. I'll separate it into Software/Utility, Reference, and 'Other' which will be just general things that could help you map out things for your experience with art. **[Free highlighted in pink, paid highlighted in green. Blue is variable/both. Prices Listed in USD]**

Software/Utility:

2D

Krita Painting app (PC) (my main digital art software on PC for 5+ yrs)

Clip Studio Paint [PC] [CSP 2.0+ allows for 3d modelling within the painting app and a lot of other cool features] [apparently allows up to 6 months free trial]

Procreate (12.99) [iPad/iPad Pro] (the GOAT)

Artstudio Pro [iPad/iPad Pro] (An alternative to Procreate if you enjoy the more traditional art app layout) -- I find this app handy when Procreate is lacking a feature I need, or vice versa. (you can easily transfer files between the two, but keep in mind Procreate's layer limit)

2D "Collaborative Painting/Drawing apps"

Magma Studio

Drawpile

Discord Whiteboard

Gartic Phone (Pretty decent for 2d animation practice, but has a hard limit on frames)

3D

Blender [3D Modelling, Sculpting + Layout] (PC)

Sculptris [PC] (it's an old unsupported version of Zbrush, but can help to get ideas out, and functions better than browser sculpting apps

Nomad Sculpt [iPad/iPad Pro] ($20) Works pretty well if you prefer a mobile setup, but it is a bit intense on the battery life and takes some getting used to

References + Study

Magic Poser [ PC and Mobile ] Has both free and paid versions, I've made do with just the lite version before

Artpose ($9.99) [Iphone + Steam]

Head Model Studio [IPhone] A 3D head, with both a basic blockout version for angles, and a paid version with more detail

Cubebrush [simply search "[keyword] pose reference pack"], they usually have good results + they frequently have sales!

Line of Action [Good for Gesture practice + daily sketching], also has other resources built in.

Quickposes Similar to Line of action, more geared toward anatomy

Drawabox | Perspective Fundamentals Improvement modules (Suggested by @taffingspy )

Sketchfab, this skull in particular is useful, but there is other models that can help you study anatomy as well.

Pinterest can be good, you just have to be careful, usually you're better off just finding reference pack if you have the money, sometimes certain creators have freebies as well

Artstation Marketplace can be decent [make sure to turn on the Aye-Eye filter so it doesn't feed you trash], a colleague of mine recommended this head model for practicing facial blocking, there is also this free version without lighting.

Local Art Museums [Unironically good for studying old "master work" if you're into that, or even just getting some inspiration]

Brushes + Other Useful software:

I personally have used both of these brush packs before making my own

(I actually don't know how to share my daily brush set because I frequently switch between Krita, Procreate, and ASP, but once I figure that out I'll be sure to do that lol)

Marc Brunet's Starter brush pack [Technically free but supporting him for this if you like it is ideal, there's some good brushes]

Dave Greco Brush Pack [$3]

Gumroad in general is a good place to find brushes and art resources. *Note; for Krita specifically, brush packs are a bit weird, so it may require you to find different packs, or import them in a particular way

PureRef [PC] - Reference Compiler/Moodboarding

VizRef ($3.99) [iPad] - Moodboarding/Reference Compiler

Artist Youtubers/Creators that helped me improve/guide me along as a self-taught artist from when I first started digital art to where I am today:

Proko

Marco Bucci

Sinix Design

Sycra

Hardy Fowler

Lighting Mentor

Winged Canvas

Moderndayjames

Swatches

Chommang_drawing

Marc Brunet (YTartschool)

+ Observing a lot of speedpaint art by people whose work I enjoy on social media/youtube, trying to dissect their processes

If you've gotten this far, first of all, congrats, you can read a lot, and second of all, thank you for reading and I hope this helps! I'll continue to come back and update this if I find any new resources in the future, or if my processes change :)

Much Love,

-Remidiy

[violetrainbow412-blog]

Day 25: love letters

Masterlist flufftober 🎀

A small disclaimer: I tried my best to proofread the letters but I hope you can forgive any mistakes, if there are. I had a lot of fun planning this one, I hope you like it!

“Why do we have so much trash, Mom?” your teenage daughter asked, watching you close the third jumbo-sized black bag filled with things you clearly no longer needed.

You two were putting away the necessary things for the move the following week and, taking advantage of the occasion, you were getting rid of things you no longer needed and putting some others in boxes to donate to some institution. Michelle wasn't too excited about the idea of cleaning, like any teenager, but at that point she wasn't even helping you anymore and was just sitting near you, playing with anything interesting she found and keeping you entertained with her chatter.

“Over the years you accumulate things because you think they will be useful for later, but in reality they aren’t and they just become a pile of useless things” you laughed “And when they can be you forget that you have them saved and you buy a new one”

“Do you think Dad will buy me that closet I want for my birthday?”

“It will depend on your grades and how well you behave,” you murmured, as you always responded whenever she asked both of you for something. She knew it was easier to bend her father to her whims, but you made sure to remind Spencer that discipline was necessary too.

“What does that box have inside?” she asked and you had to lift your head from where she was standing to look at which box she was referring to.

A smile escaped you when you noticed that she had found your old, unpainted metal box that had once stored sweets but now fulfilled other functions, the one that you kept in a dresser drawer but that with so much movement had ended up on one of your husband's stacks of books.

“Open it and find out”

Your daughter did as you asked, removing the lid with some trepidation as if a poisonous animal was going to jump out.

“Letters?”

“These are all the letters your father has written to me,” you responded proudly. The package was quite sizeable and had everything from envelopes to poorly cut pieces of paper that Spencer would slip into your pocket from time to time.

“Letters?” she repeated, sounding quite confused. “That's like the Middle Ages. Did you guys not have cell phones or what?”

“Letters are still used today, miss Tech,” you scolded her, pointing an accusing finger at her. “But your dad has never been a fan of text messages, and when we met I was working as a clerk in a library that your dad frequented. We would talk from time to time and he would leave me pieces of paper among the books he handed out so that I could read them. Almost all of them were his opinion of the books, but at some point it was his way of flirting with me. This one, for example, was for our first date… see?”

You gave your daughter a folded brown sheet of paper, from which she read the following:

“How cheesy!” she complained, after reading the words of the man who would later become your husband, although you knew she probably didn't mean it. “And what did you say to him?”

“Well, I told him yes, it's obvious. "It seemed very sweet to me, at our age no one did that kind of thing anymore."

“But there are many letters here.”

“Oh, yes, your dad traveled a lot when he still worked at the BAU and although we talked on the phone he made sure to write me a letter every time he missed me, which was almost every time” you laughed, remembering with nostalgia your courtship “He says that writing helps him think about things better. There are several good ones, to tell the truth”

You searched through the box for a letter that was decent enough for the teenager to read, feeling her gaze at all times. Finally you extended it to her, one made of beige paper and the same crooked handwriting that the two of you knew perfectly well.

“And it didn't scare you?” she asked, frowning slightly “You know, that it was so… that he sounded so in love.”

“Oh, I was too, daughter,” you answered honestly. “Although not all of them were equally romantic, there are some that are sillier. Like that one here, look at this”

“Was my dad always as nerdy as he is now? With that curious data and statistics”

“He was much more so,” you laughed. Your daughter opened her eyes wide, as if she didn't believe it.

“And you still married him?”

“Are you guys talking about me?” a voice spoke from the door, making both of you jump. Spencer had just finished his class hours and you didn't know why you hadn't even heard him open the door, but there he was now.

“I was showing Mich the letters you gave me,” you explained and he nodded softly, realizing this from the box resting on your daughter's lap.

“Do you still have them?” he asked, an almost imperceptible blush on his cheeks, as he sat on the bed next to you.

“Of course, why would I get rid of them?”

With care and love you reached up to the back of your husband's neck and then pulled him to you in a soft kiss that took him by surprise, but which he didn’t refuse.

“Ugh! You are disgusting!” Michelle squealed from the other side, forcing you to break away from the laughter that had overcome you.

“You won't say that when you have a boyfriend.”

"What are you talking about? She'll never have a boyfriend," Spencer added, as he always responded at the mention of it. "We're going to put her in a nunnery, don't you remember?"

"Daddy!" she complained, pretending to be upset, but with a smile giving away that she wasn't.

The man left his place to walk over to your daughter and lean towards her, trying to place a kiss on her forehead while he struggled with all her complaints and kicks. But in the end she always gave in, just like he did with her. They were each other's weakness.

“Go and take a shower and if you have homework, finish it. We’re going to order a pizza."

Your daughter gave a celebratory expression and left the room in a hurry, to fulfill what he had told her and also to get rid of the possibility of you asking her to do the cleaning that she hadn’t done during the afternoon.

"How was your day?"

“Everything normal,” he smiled, reaching out to take one of the old envelopes you had in the box, and with that you two seemed to be remembering the same time: the passionate and youthful love you had. “I hope she hasn't read the more inappropriate”

“No, I keep those just for myself,” you replied, winking at him playfully.

The next morning Spencer had classes early, so he left almost after breakfast. You didn't realize that he had left a note on the table until much later and when you found it you couldn't help but smile like a fool.

taglist: @navs-bhat@reidwritings@tricia-shifting14@spencerslove@vivian-555 @r-3dlips @rhiannonhippiegirl @taygrls @simp4f1@sdddoobydoobydoo@taintedstranger @missabsey

[namgyunation]

Me talking abt random "hcs" / general long ass ramblings and infodump about Nam-gyu under the cut. I talk a lottt. Can you tell I'm obsessed with him? LMAO. Last edited [1/21]

My general headcanons and ramblings about how I imagine pre-game Nam-gyu's life to be like:

I love quotes. Sooo, to quote Roh Jaweon, "[Nam-gyu] seems like he's carrying a lot of pent-up resentment."

I think it's pretty safe to say that Nam-gyu probably didn't grow up with a warm, supportive family or a similar environment. I like to imagine he's the youngest of a decent amount of siblings. I think this would tie in nicely to his endless desire for approval, his need to feed his ego, and his many angry outbursts. I like to hc that he's the youngest of 4 boys, his older brothers being fairly successful. he was the 'runt' of his family, always being pushed around by his brothers as they grew up. he is fairly timid around them, knowing that they would rock his shit if he attempted to speak out against them / stand up for himself, leading to his behavior towards others outside of his family. he takes out his anger and desire to be seen as an equal to his brothers on people weaker than him. I hc his parents to be run-of-the-mill but very strict, pushing their children to succeed. They wouldn't dole out praises often unless they felt it was truly deserved. Probably not the most affectionate or communicative, either. Nam-gyu's constant search for validation and acceptance, his tendency to assert himself over others to feel superior, and his overall timid, awkward, and cold demeanor would stem from this treatment. He'd definitely carry a lot of resentment for his family for looking down on him his whole life, essentially 'othering' him. (Also, now that I have this thought, I think of that scene in the bathroom where Thanos is confronting Myung-gi before the fight, and Nam-gyu acts like a little kid tattling on someone, whispering to Thanos about Jun-hee (Myung-gi's girlfriend), nodding and smiling all goofy when Thanos remembers, and it just makes me laugh thinking that maybe he exhibited similar childish behavior with his older brothers in order to gain their approval. Idk it's just funny to me thinking about it).

He never finished university, or if he did, he never got far with his degree. Or, maybe he did get a job with it, got sick of it, and decided to fuck off and just be a club promoter that sleeps around and takes any kind of drugs he can get his hands on. I could see him at a 'normal' job trying to play nice with his coworkers at first to appease his parents and then immediately being put off by the suck-up culture that was required in order to get ahead, his complete disinterest in the people there, the power dynamics that put him on the bottom yet again, just like his life at home, ultimately leading to him quitting, much to his parents' dissapointment. Alternatively, maybe he lies to his parents about still working a normal, acceptable job worthy of their approval that upholds their ability to brag about their 4 successful sons, meanwhile he's shooting up random shit into his bloodstream and getting fucked up at Club Pentagon, LOL. Although they mistreat him, he still longs for their approval, opting to keep up the facade of a normal, successful son that is socially adjusted and a functioning member of society.

Around the time leading up to him being recruited for the Squid Games, he wouldn't be talking with his family much, if at all. (Continuing on with the alternative hc where he hides his true job from his parents and family). He lives alone in a dingy apartment, which acts more as a place for him to do drugs, waste away his life, and host people that he's trying to gain the attention and approval of that would in turn boost his own status and ego. Despite resenting his parents for looking down on him and his brothers for putting him down and pushing him around his whole life, without any constants in his life, he wanders around like a lost puppy looking for something / someone to latch on to.

I don't think he was always into drugs or really had a desire to do them until he got a job at the nightclub. I imagine he got pressured into it by people he wanted to impress and maybe had flashbacks to his brothers pushing him around, calling him a wuss, dork, etc. that pushed him into doing the drugs, which naturally segwayed him to continue taking drugs that got more and more serious as time went on (Also tying into how he was so fidgety and nervy during the games and clearly held a grudge and a deep-set resentment against Se-mi for making fun of him during the pentathlon and calling him 'shaky hands.' The casual insult seemed to really touch a nerve for him, as it directly went against the tough, commanding nature he clearly wanted to exude and reminded him of the past treatment he faced from his brothers).

He acted out a lot in school, always attention-seeking even if said attention was negative. Got into a lot of fights and would win/get his ass beat on a pretty good 50/50. Rolled with a lot of the 'tough' kids and tried to assimilate into their group to feel bigger and cooler than he really was. Probably didn't get the best grades and slacked off a lot.

Definitely has a lot of friends and those that were generally close to him die due to drug usage. I like to think that he's no stranger to death, although that doesn't make it any less traumatizing. This has led to attachment issues, clinginess, codependency, and a constant fear of abandonment and being fully on his own, coupled with the way his family made him feel his whole life. He takes drugs as a distraction from his actual life and as a way to pretend that he's not actually alone a lot of the time. His job pushes constant social interaction and makes him feel more grounded and tethered to the world around him, but it also fucks him up mentally since people around him are always coming in and out of his life, whether it's by choice or force (eg. using him for drugs and then leaving, using him for sex and then leaving, using him to get special treatment at the club then leaving, maybe genuinely caring abt him and form an actual bond with him only to die from a drug overdose later on OR actually progress in life and ultimately leave him behind in his addiction).

(Okay, self-indulgent one here because I'm obsessed with the idea of Nam-gyu having a long-term partner before the games that ended up leaving him after he got into severe debt). He is toxic as fuck in any relationship he is, especially when it comes to romantic ones. He's possessive, clingy, obsessive, controlling, a gaslighter, etc. etc. you know. He's with his partner for a long time, them being the one constant in his life that he learns to depend on (also another hc, extremely dependent. He struggles to do anything by himself/without support). His partner stays with him through it all, although they grow more and more frustrated and agitated with his actions and continued drug addiction that drives their savings into the ground. Naturally, they also fear for his mental and physical well-being, pleading with him to go to rehab before he ends up overdosing like a lot of his friends. It's at this time that he invests a majority of his money into crypto while high (and losing it, of course), and I think the final nail in the coffin would be him stealing his partner's money for drugs since he barely has any left. Then, when everything culminates: his partner finding out he stole their money and blew it all on drugs, him losing all his money from the bad investment, and his addiction being in full swing combined with a complete lack of support/genuine bonds outside his partner, they end up having a big, messy argument that leads to their partner storming out and leaving him for good. This sends Nam-gyu spiralling, leaving him in a sickeningly vulnerable state that makes him the perfect candidate for Squid Games. (I'm gonna try to write a fic about this eventually!) Also, I view him as generally bisexual / unlabelled / not really giving a fuck as long as he gets to have sex. "If there's a hole there's a goal," as they say

Okay, on to the shorter, more concise headcanons LOL.

Promiscuous. I think he spent a lot of time sleeping around during university in an attempt to affirm his masculinity and ego that his brothers constantly damage(d). Getting lots of partners, getting complimented, and feeling wanted makes him feel good about himself. I think he would further sleep around while working at the nightclub, as well as constantly being flirty and hitting on guests that he tries to get to come to the club (I remember it being stated that he was a 'club promoter' for Club Pentagon, which is where I'm getting that from). Probably gets really offended when his advances get rejected, leading to him calling people 'bitches' / 'cunts', as seen by his behavior in Squid Game. Besides drugs, I feel like sex would be his vice/addiction.

He wears glasses but usually opts for contact lenses. However, his vision is decent enough that he can function without glasses. He prefers not to wear them because he feels that he looks 'dorky.'

He doesn't eat much healthy foods. His diet and self care isn't the best, and he often has to set reminders for simple tasks so that he doesn't forget to eat, do his laundry, etc. since he's always so focused on drugs, taking drugs, where to get drugs from, and how much money he has left to spend on drugs.

He wears his hair in a ponytail sometimes, especially when he goes to work. It helps him keep his hair out of the way if he's snorting something ^__^

He grows his hair out, not necessarily for the style, but so he doesn't have to constantly get a haircut or have to worry about maintenence. Sometimes he even cuts his own hair.

Not the best fighting skills. Maybe this is canon. Did you see him fall down when he kicked Myung-gi who was literally on the ground already?? He is still decently strong and experienced with at least being in fights, which is consistent with guys his age and height, but he tends to randomly throw his arms / legs around in uncoordinated ways when put under pressure.

A surprisingly good cook, which was a part of him that slowly withered away once he got addicted to drugs.

Wears a lot of baggy clothing and name brands.

The chain that he always wears in the games is from his mom as a graduation gift.

Very possessive, jealous, and clingy (the clingy part is basically canon, though) over people he deems close friends / his partner

Random, but he prob owns a couple of fidget toys that he randomly plays with to keep his hands busy and prevent him from going through his drug stash too quickly.

Likes wearing anything with zippers / pockets because it allows him to fidget with them. His jewelry also acts as a good constant fidget that he can keep on his person (specifically his rings, he doesn't mess around with his necklace).

Gets cold easily

Chronic nail biter, addicted to caffeine, and often plays with his hair

Insomniac

I also wanted to ramble about this one post I saw on Tiktok. I'm sure many Nam-gyu fans have also seen it. It was the post where someone was analyzing his character and saying they believed he didn't really gaf about Thanos and was just using him as a "mouthpiece", Nam-gyu being a puppet master etc. I can definitely see where they're coming from, and although I do enjoy that concept, I just don't think that's really what Nam-gyu's character was meant to be.

Simply, I don't think Nam-gyu was just "using" Thanos. He clearly cared about him. Nam-gyu is a selfish, opportunistic, egotistical coward (I still love him though). He is not at all within the capacity to lead/command a room in the confident way that Thanos seems to be naturally able to. I also don't think Nam-gyu would've done half the things he did in Squid Game if Thanos wasn't there to initiate it, either. He just seems like he'd be so TIMID without someone / a group to back him up. I feel that he would not have taken initiative against MG coin without someone by his side or bullied him as hard as he did, especially with In-ho there. As said by Roh Jaewon (Nam-gyu's actor), "He's one of those guys who's only strong around people weaker than him, but falls apart around anyone stronger." And to quote this article I found about him because I liked how they worded it, "[Nam-gyu] shifts his demeanor to fit the changes in power dynamics." I imagine without Thanos, he would've fallen apart due to his own nerves and just overall off-putting and aggressive personality that would've repelled people from him. He was just as scared as everyone else in that room, and Thanos seemed to be the one familiar face in the games (minus Myunggi / MG coin), along with the fact that they share similar interests / hobbies (namely: drugs, clubbing, being sleazy assholes, etc.), and of course, the fact that they've met before and Nam-gyu is clearly a huge Thanos fanboy. He latched on to Thanos for a variety of reasons: familiarity, clout from the fact he's a famous rapper, and an alliance in the games. Then the drugs, of course.

He cared about Thanos before he even found out about the drugs, yes. Him having drugs just so happened to be a huge plus for Nam-gyu, him being an addict.

Then at the scene where he's on Thanos's bed after the bathroom fight, he held the cross and was clearly emotional, trying not to cry. He spoke angrily, saying that Thanos "treated him like an idiot." He was angry, yeah, but gave a fuckkk about what Thanos thought of him. He wanted his approval SO bad. He thought of Thanos as a friend and clearly had intentions of staying friends with him past the games. He wanted Thanos to get his damn name right!!! He wasn't an evil scheming puppet master collecting people for his own benefit (with Min-su? Ok sure. But idk if I would say the same for Thanos).

In short: I don't think Nam-gyu was an evil puppet master with these brilliant schemes up his sleeve. He was/is just as scared as everyone else in that room, although he pretended not to be. He formed natural alliances to dampen his fear and hopefully survive. He latched onto Thanos out of familiarity and recognition of a 'stronger' person and someone who is a 'fighter', and it helped him get through the games with a pretty solid alliance. It made him feel invincible, like he could escape death.

He said he tells himself that he doesn't care if he dies, and that's what gets him through everything, but he clearly does. He fuelled his huge ego by putting Min-su down to make himself feel strong, but he clearly felt safer with Thanos around him as an ally. After Thanos's death, it's clear that this comfort / illusion of being above death and not caring if he were to die crumbles apart. He's alone now, really, really alone. Now he has to face his own thoughts and the gravity of the situation that he's in without a drugged up, energetic, loudmouth friend by his side to distract him from the grim possibility of death.

Nam-gyu is a coward starved for approval of those that he deems 'above' him, egotistical / suffering some sort of superiority complex, and filled with nerves.

Uhhh yeah.

A bit of a long blurb about nothing really, but I just wanted to touch on that Tiktok because I couldn't fully agree with it. This isn't necessarily/at all about Th//an/gyu either, I just feel like Nam-gyu genuinely cared about Thanos and isn't some sort of evil scheming villain mastermind, is all. He is simply a scared dude with an ego, a desire to be seen as anything but, and a wholeee bunch of personal issues.

[opbackgrounds]

Hello! I like the way you write analyses so I thought I'll ask you a few things.

If you could change one piece in a way that makes the story better for specifically you, what would you change?

What is a cover story/light novel/any other not strictly manga content would you like to see animated?

I found an ancient post where you talk about how you like koala. Can you give me all of your thought on her please? Cause I never see anyone talk about her in a way different than sabo's nami and that's kinda sad even though it is pretty true in terms of how the story's written.

And finally: why do you not tag your posts with the names of characters? It would be way easier to find them, not only for people to discover your blog in general but also for trying to find something on you blog (you know how it is with tumbles search function lol) and it also just seems very intuitive to me i guess, is there any reason?

I'd tone down Sanji's gross pervy behavior quite a bit and edit down most of the post time skip arcs

I think all the cover stories should be animated since they involve people who come back into the story, but the anime would have benefited from Ace's in particular, since it established a few of his important character traits

I am hopelessly endeared to the FI flashback in general, and since Koala is one of the few decent characters who came out of it not dead I can't help but love her. The story of this tiny little girl going from slave to Revolutionary is great, and the foil work between her and Nami hits me hard. What can I say, it's just good writing, and in a just world she would be Dragon's right hand woman instead of Sabo

I tag characters when the post is about them, but I'm not going to tag evey single person who shows up in a panel every time. It's tedious for me and I imagine obnoxious for the people actually looking through the character tags wanting to find analysis on their favorite characters. For example, yesterday's post about the foreshadowing of Sabaody had nothing to do with Luffy even though he was the one talking, so I'm not going to tag him. For the people actually searching through my blog, I tag chapter number

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

wibta if i asked someone to adjust how they’re writing a blind character?

this is also rp related 👋 i’m 24. you can use any pronouns for me. i’m legally blind and use screen readers to navigate the internet. i work from home which gives me a lot of freedom, so i fill my time in multi fandom rp servers. they’re a lot of fun, usually

in one server i’m in, there’s someone (28nb) writing a blind character. it’s not an oc of theirs, and the source the character is from is sort of… bad at handling the character’s disability. not offensively bad, it’s just obvious the writers didn’t put much thought into it

i know the person writing the character is not blind. here is my problem: the way they write this character concerning their disability is just… it’s really uncomfortable. the first thing i noted was that they went out of their way to mention the character is blind at basically every opportunity. most conventions the character is in they end up bringing it up, like it’s the default topic they turn to when roleplaying the character. and obviously, as a blind person, i understand it’s a big part of our lives, but to bring it up every single conversation? they had the character make an offhand comment about how they would probably struggle to learn the names of the stores in the area (??? i assume because they wouldn’t be able to read the signs, but there are plenty of other ways to learn store names?) and in another instance the character asked another character to do a google search for them, claiming they couldn’t do it themself. there are just a lot of instances of them obviously over exaggerating how difficult some mundane tasks would be for a person who is blind, in a way that comes off as belittling

the thing that really got to me though is the fact that - despite writing a character who uses a screen reader - this person clearly as no idea how screen readers function or what they do. ic, their character (character a) fussed at another character (character b) for having a slightly erratic typing style. character b does make a lot of typos, but their messages are by no means unreadable. screen readers can be pretty smart and often know how to sound things out. but character a was making a stink about character b saying things like “oki” claiming it was unreadable. any actual, decent screen reader wouldn’t have a problem with that. my screen reader doesn’t have a problem with it, i can interact with character b fine and i always have. i was literally sitting there listening to them complain about messages being unreadable by a screen reader and using a screen reader to understand those “unreadable” messages

it’s so, so obvious that this person has but no work or effort at all into understanding the disability they are trying to write here. it’s extremely uncomfortable. i don’t think it’s done out of malice, but it is lazy and, i’ll say it, reeks of ableism. on one hand i feel bad for trying to dictate how people write their characters, but on the other i feel justified in pointing it out, as someone who is blind. but also this is a casual rp server for fun so it’s… maybe not a big deal? wibta if i asked them to maybe do some research and fix their writing accordingly?

What are these acronyms?

[olderthannetfic]

Does anyone know if there is a place to publish original work that has a similar vibe to the communities that form in AO3 comments? Easy to flip through lots of stuff, decent filter/tag culture and search functions, low-key and low-stakes, nice ratio of there-to-read to there-to-write, preferably anonymous? AO3 feels like set of forums from the aughts, and it's a great place to find five people you vibe with. Everywhere else feels like modern social media: busy and attention grabby.

--

AO3 allows original work, and if you're trying to be not-for-profit with an AO3 vibe, that's related enough to count.

Other places I pay attention to tend to have more focus on selling work.

[galaxyedging]

@sp00kymulderr I made a thing for your Dick Pronoun Fic Challenge.

Max Phillips x f!reader.

WC:1.3k

Warnings: some brief smut. Mainly rude words.

Summary: Max tried to tempt you into making a very specific appointment with him.

Coffee Cup Coupling

After Halloween, Thanksgiving and with the lead up to Christmas, the call centre was quiet. It was too early for last minute panic buying of the useless, overpriced tat that you were pushing. 

The peace in the office gave you time to work on some other contracts that you had been pursuing for the company in the hopes of getting the permanent manager job currently being temporarily filled by corporate’s hot shot, Max Phillips.

Max had won most of the team over, but you remain sceptical. Sure, he was charming and capable in his role. You could see how people may find him attractive. Maybe, if you were honest with yourself, you could find him attractive, too. Maybe the latent attraction was what prompted your late night confession to your best friend.

“I'm not interested in a setup.” You sigh, letting your tired body sag into your office chair. “I don't want a boyfriend. I could do with a casual fling, though.” You mused aloud. 

Your bestie’s response is lost to your attention as you hear something in the darkness outside your office door.

“I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye.” The phone in your hand is forgotten before you hear a response. “Hello?” You call into the darkness.

Anxiety and years of watching horror movies kick in as you approach your open office door. You mentally scold your active imagination as your throat tightens with each step. Just as you approach the threshold, someone steps forward and scares the shit out of you.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.” Max laughs, standing in front of you with two mugs of crappy office coffee. “I just thought I'd check if you needed anything. Coffee?”

Once you swallow your heart back to its original position, you decline the coffee. “The coffee here sucks.”

Max smiles widely, showing all his teeth. “Yeah. I can think of better things to drink.” He set the mugs down on your file cabinet. “If I can't help you with that, maybe I can help with your other issue?”

“Other issue?” You search your memory for any issues around the office, coming up blank. You ask Max to elaborate.

“Your need for casual sex. I'm more than happy to schedule a dick appointment. After all, a happy workforce is a productive workforce.”

He says it as if he's offering to get you a new toner for your copier.

After a moment of being dumbfounded, you answer him. “No. I don't need a Dick Appointment with you, Max. If anything, you can get me a decent coffee in the morning.” You give him a tired quirk of your lips as you leave for home.

The next morning, a hot cup of black coffee is sitting on your desk with Max’s elegant scroll across it.

‘If you don't fancy a Dick Appointment, how about a Member Meeting?’. Catching his eye from his office on the other side of the hallway, you sigh and shake your head. 

Taking a sip, you fire off a quick email to him. ‘I take it with milk and sugar.’

He quirks an eyebrow before replying. ‘I figured you'd like to take it hot and strong this morning’.

The next morning, the smell of sugary sweet tinge bitterness hits you. The cup has ‘How about a Phallus Function?' scrawled on it this time.

‘No. Way too much sugar. I only take two’ is the emailed response.

On Thursday the perfect coffee is waiting with the less than perfect words ‘How about a Cock Cookout?’ on the side.

Friday’s coffee reads ‘How about a Weenie Weekend?’.

Saturday’s coffee says ‘How about a Pecker Party?’

Monday and Tuesday's morning coffees are message free and taken in your own home as you come down with a cold.

Wednesday’s cup is emblazoned with ‘How about a Peter Powwow?’. It is filled with hot, sweet tea with lemon.

‘No, coffee?’ you email.

‘Lemon helps with colds’ comes the reply that you think about for way too long that day.

Thursday cup is an immune system boosting blend with ‘How about a Shaft Social?’ on the side. 

‘Vitamin infused tea?’ you query.

‘You need to be in good shape to handle my massive cock.’ you see him shrug as he sends it.

On Friday, you doubt you'll see a cup waiting for you as the snow shuts down some of the local area. You are presently surprised to find a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and cream. Less surprising and pleasant is the note ‘How about a Prick Parade?’

Saturday rolls around again meaning you are only in the office for a few hours yet there sits a cup. ‘How about a Shaft Social?’

Monday follows a night of drinking for a coworkers birthday. The coffee is a welcome sight. In your delicate condition even the message makes you smile. ‘How about a Tool Tea?’

The first sip burns in more ways than one. As you raise your head with a questioning look, your computer chimes. 

‘Hair of the dog. I told you, I need you in good condition. It really is a fucking huge cock.

The cup hides your second smile.

Tuesday's offering is a fancy caramel coffee. ‘How about a Johnson Jolly?’

‘Caramel?’ you type with one hand as you drink in the flavour.

‘You ate them from the chocolates in the staff room.’ comes the reply.

Wednesday brings ‘How about a Manhood Match Up?’ Along with another fancy concoction.

‘This isn't an Americano.’ You lick the foam from your lips.

‘I'm running out of euphemisms. I have to up my game somehow.’ His own tongue mirrors the movement of yours.

Thursday is another foam topped extravaganza. ‘How about a Schlong Shindig?’

Friday is the same with ‘How about a Willy Weekend?’

Saturday brings the office party and not one but two coffees. One when you arrive ‘How about a Wood Wooing?’ and another when you retreat to your office to freshen up for drinks. ‘How about a Length Luau?’

Max closes his door and removes his jacket. It gets tossed on his office sofa followed by his tie. His shirt is half undone when the knock comes at his door. He instantly regrets not putting the mistletoe up on the door frame as you stand there.

“Hey.” He greets trying his best to sound casual as his cock thickens at the thought that he has finally worn you down. He stops at half mast when he sees you have just brought him a cup of crappy punch.

“Here I was hoping you were here for you Massive Cock….er…” he struggles for a word he hasn't used before.

“No more Dick Appointment alternatives, please! Here.” you hand his punch in a red cup.

“Fine.” he lets out a defeated sigh before taking a sip of his drink. “Urgh. This might even be more disappointing than not getting laid.’ 

“Aw, maybe this will cheer you up.” you reach for his cup, turning it in his hand to reveal the note on the side. ‘How about a Vagina Visit?’

Cheap rum punch soaks into the carpet as Max tossed both cups so you can get your hands on each other. Your hands grab his ass and his thick bicep while he grips your thigh and tit through your dress. His full lips work their way up to that sweet spot behind your ear until he pauses. “Out of interest, which phrase did it for you?” 

“It was the beverage choices and how sweet they were. Maybe you're not a complete ass. Although pausing to ask that….” Max seeks to correct his misstep by kissing you deeply. Moments later, when you gasp finally taking his cock, and almost choking it in the process, Max is glad he didn't have to resort to Dang Dalliance or Erection Engagement.

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

Not sure if you've done it before because blog searches just don't work but how would umbreon work as a pet?

[You may have seen it already, but I’ll take any chance I can to link to the post containing my index doc, which works much better than blog searches here! I’ll put it at the bottom of this post.]

An umbreon might make a good pet for some owners, but they are definitely one of the weaker options when it comes to eevee evolutions. It really depends on the owner and what they can reasonably handle.

To begin with, however, like most pokémon of the aforementioned category, umbreons are a decent size to be a house pet. At three feet tall they’re certainly on the bigger size when compared to many real-world dogs and cats, but that’s pretty reasonable when compared to a lot of the pokémon we cover here on the blog. Now, when taking into account the pokédex data on this species, it’s difficult to tell if they tend to be friendly. There’s no mention of them living with humans or other umbreons, and by all means they seem to be stealthy, solitary predators who prefer to hide and use ambush tactics when hunting prey in the dead of night (Ruby/Sapphire, Emerald). It’s said that when these pokémon move around in the dark, the curious yellow rings on their fur glow, “striking fear into the hearts of anyone nearby” (Silver). This could be an involuntary response on the observers part, in which case an umbreon would make a terrible pet, but I’d be willing to wager that this glow is not intended as sort sort of psychological attack since it also occurs when they are simply excited (Crystal).

Umbreon care seems like it would be fairly straightforward… so long as they are in a good mood. Umbreons, like other species in the eevee evolution line, are natural predators. This could make them pretty dangerous, given their size, so I would suggest an abundance of caution and a keen awareness of their body language and mood at all times. Given their highly active lifestyle in the wild, umbreons need a lot of play time and enrichment: a sedentary pet they are not. Be prepared to offer them lots of opportunities to get their wiggles out! Keep in mind that this species is nocturnal (Ruby/Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond/Pearl), and will thus need the most attention at night; they’d be best fit for a night owl’s household.

There’s one strange quirk about umbreon biology that really hurts their pet ranking score, and it’s not something that can be easily gleamed just by looking at them. When agitated or angered, umbreons can actually spray poisonous sweat from their pores (Gold). This is, obviously, a huge problem. Not even the best pet owner can keep their pet from *ever* getting agitated, especially during stressful events like visits to the vet. This could pose a huge problem, though we don’t know exactly the potency of this poison. While an umbreon may be able to control the spraying of their sweat, it doesn’t seem like they can control the sweating itself, which could leave furniture, pet carriers, etc. covered with poisonous material. This is a factor that would make this pokémon an ill-fit for many owners.

Umbreons are, like I said earlier, pretty dangerous even without this sweat. These are large, agile hunters, who can use physical moves like Bite and Assurance to take down prey as easily as they can use special moves like Dark Pulse.

Overall, while an umbreon could make a pretty good pet for some owners, they are generally-speaking not a great choice, especially when other options, like an eevee, are available in most regions. I’d suggest potential umbreon adopters consider the risks before jumping into an adoption.

The Index: