#and the smith too but there's only one panel of them for now

[sunfishsiestalah]

new hottie alert

[onegirlatelier]

April, 2024 | Shetland lace shawl

Hi there! It’s been a while. I’ve been kept busy by all my university work…and this shawl.

The shawl is knitted to celebrate the wedding of my friend (now friends, I should say). A wedding is really the perfect excuse for all the heritage crafts and heirloom projects that might seem too serious to gift in other occasions. I did ask the recipient beforehand if she would like it, though, and I was so, so honoured that I got an enthusiastic ‘yes’. I’m sure this sentiment is shared by many makers, whatever gift they are making.

Shetland fine openwork, a knitted lace, seems to have emerged with the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria, who championed and popularised the craft. It was probably spread from the Isle of Unst to other parts of Shetland. What surprised me the most when I first read about it was that Shetland shawls and other lace pieces were largely exported as luxury items and rarely worn by islanders themselves. Women bought yarn from spinners and knitted mostly in their homes. They then took them to local merchants and exchange the finished objects for goods or (commonly after the 1880s) money to supplement the household income. The ‘supplement’ nature of this work probably means it was not compensated as much as a job outside the home would be for the same hours and skills. Besides, it was not always easy to spin an even 1-ply yarn at 1600 metres per 100 grams. For a piece of knitting with a large ‘plain’ area (i.e. only knit stitches), the unevenness was impossible to hide but could only be discovered after the area was worked. Then the maker had to either frog (unravel) the area or continue with the risk of the whole piece not being able to sell.

Whilst it is very reasonable to point out that Shetland ladies did not usually wear this type of lace (I’ve been to the Scottish Highlands once, in summer, and it was not fine lace weather), I imagine that at least for some, it wasn’t just about making money. Some sort of fulfilment must have been from the satisfaction of having a piece ‘properly done’ by continuing and adapting a traditional pattern, technique or material. I think this sort of satisfaction is also why many modern knitters are willing to spend hundreds of hours on lacework.

Intricate handknitted lace items can still be bought today (a quick search on Etsy would show many are form eastern European countries with a long and prominent craft tradition), but many are knitted for friends or family members. It always makes me so happy to see people share the gifts they have made, whether big or small, simple or complex. I joke with my online craft friends that no handmade fibre project can claim to be so unless they have a hair or two woven into it. It is the proof of existence for the maker, who tries to go against the irregular nature of handicrafts and, at the same time, accepts it. It is about wrapping up hours, weeks or months in one’s life, along with the songs they have listened to and the perfume they have worn and the memories they have made, and putting it squarely in someone else’s hands and saying: ‘All this, for you.’

A Wedding Shawl

I have not read anything about there being a standard form of ‘wedding shawl’ in the Shetland tradition. However, there is definitely a category of square shawls with similar sizes and a few construction methods. The samples I’ve seen mostly measure 1.5-2m on one side and have three parts: a central panel, four borders and a strip of edging. It is worked flat in garter lace from centre out.

Neither is there a standardised yarn weight. A widely available yarn is the Shetland Supreme Lace Weight 1-ply by Jamieson and Smith, which weighs at 400m/25g. The Queen Ring Shawl examined by Sharon Miller used a yarn at 700m/25g. From my experience, if you want the shawl to be a true ring shawl (i.e. you want to be able to pull the shawl through a ring) at the size of the Queen Ring Shawl (210cm on the side), go for 700m/25g or finer.

I chose a rectangular shawl because I had very limited time, but I did enlarge it because for me, an abundance of fabric does mean an abundance of cozy happiness.

Pattern

Shell Grid and Spider Webs Puzzle, pattern No.19 in the book Shetland Knitting Lace by Toshiyuki Shimada.

The names of the motifs are confusing. One motif (or two highly similar motifs) might just have two different names if they are produced in two different regions. Names do not mean everything, but I’ve had fun trying to match the motifs with names according to this article by Carol Christiansen at the Shetland Museum.

The double yarnovers (YO's) in the diamonds were called Cat's Eye, but perhaps the 'Spider Web' in the pattern name is referring to the three rows of double YO's in the centre panel. It has a really simple but effective edging.

Yarn

Mermaid Lace, in colourway #naturel, sold by Great British Wool in the Netherlands. This yarn is 75% merino and 25% sea algae silk. ‘Sea algae silk’ seems to be a semi-synthetic plant fibre like viscose, with algae involved as part of the raw material. (At this price point I don’t think it has anything to do with sea silk, which is fibre produced by actual shells.) The brand name for the most popular product of its type is probably Seacell.

I bought the yarn, because I had never worked with this fibre before and was curious. What I like: it was a little cheaper than a wool/silk blend and has blocked very well. The whole skein was continuous so I didn’t have to deal with a single yarn joint. What I do not like: it lacks the sheen and smoothness of real silk and doesn’t feel as strong, although it doesn’t shed. In conclusion, I’d rather use a traditional Shetland 1-ply or another natural fibre yarn.

It's also worth mentioning that whilst I prefer to support small businesses, it was disappointing to have received a 93-gram skein when I had ordered 100 grams. It was one of those days between Christmas and the New Year and I somehow did not contact the customer service, but I really should have.

Needle

2.5mm 80cm circular needles. See modification below.

Modification

This Japanese knitting book follows Japanese sizing for knitting needles. The suggested size was no. 1=2.4mm. I figured that I could use a 2.5mm since I knitted on the tighter side, and in any case it was probably okay to make the lacework a little more open by going up a needle size.

I am not going to give out the pattern, but it is probably necessary to explain the structure of this shawl. The centre is knitted first, and then an edging is knitted onto it by picking up either live stitches or the vertical edge of the centre as you go (see schematic below). The four ‘corners’ of the edging have short-row shaping to help it lay flat. I know that traditionally people can achieve this by other methods, but I haven’t tried any of those yet.

I enlarged the pattern by increasing both the width and the length. I casted on 133 stitches instead of 101 for the centre panel and knitted Part B 8.5 times instead of 5.5. The spider web pattern in Part B requires the stitch count to be (something dividable by four) plus two, so I made one central increase before the spider web to get 134 and a central decrease after it to get it back to 133. Due to the openness of the lace, the change of one stitch is not visible.

The enlargement meant I had to recalculate the edging as well, because the number of stitches available for pick-up changed. Originally, at each corner you do two repeats with four short-row shaping each. I did 1.5 repeats following the original placement of short-row shaping in order to make the total number of repeats fit the number of edge stitches on the centre panel.

The pattern says to Kitchener-stitch the last row of the edging to the provisional cast-on. It just didn’t make sense because that would be two rows too much (the Kitchener stitch row plus the provisional cast-on row). To make the number perfectly fit, I knitted only ten rows of the last repeat (there were usually twelve in each repeat). Then I Kitchener-stitched the end to the provisional cast-on, following the lace pattern. I am quite proud of this solution because it is completely invisible.

Somewhere in the pattern it said to purl (looking from the right side). It seemed strange because the rest of the lace was entirely garter. I knitted those stitches and so far I haven’t sensed a ‘mistake’.

The pattern originally calls for 45 grams of yarn. I estimated (based on the increase of stitches in the centre panel) to need about 80 grams. I ended up using 86 grams. Besides the inaccuracies in my estimation, it was probably also because I knitted much more loosely than expected as it was difficult to tension the yarn tightly at such a weight. Like I've point out in the Yarn section above, I was lucky not to have needed more than 93 grams.

The original finished size is 53*118cm. I ended up with approximately 70*170cm.

Conclusion

This shawl took about three months of my craft time i.e. one full day every week for three months and many mornings before I had to leave for university. Knitting outside my room just didn’t work because I was a) engaged in some other activities that made it difficult to steady my hands, and b) worried about putting a white shawl on any public surface.

The pattern itself is relatively straightforward. The first difficulty was, of course, to understand the instruction written in Japanese. Google translate was horrible so I had to rely on my knitting experience. Fortunately, much of the text description was also found in graphs and charts. Then I had to get my hands used to the tiny yarn. After that, it was only fiddly when I did the edging, because I had to turn about every twelve stitches, and by that time I was handling a giant cloud of stitches on my lap. It did give me a lot of time to go over my favourite documentaries and films, and the last bit of edging was surprisingly quick!

Traditionally, Shetland shawls could be sent back to the maker for maintenance. I think it only fair for me to offer that too because I don’t want a gift to become a trouble (same as how you do not use non-machine-washable yarn for baby knits).

In general, I am very pleased with this shawl. It does pass the ring test, despite not being a traditional wedding shawl size or thickness. I do have a whole lot of actual Shetland 1-ply in my stash, so I am really looking forward to taking my Queen Ring Shawl project out of hibernation in the near future.

Reference list for Introduction

Christiansen, Carol. Shetland fine lace knitting: Recreating patterns from the past. Marlborough: Crowood, 2024.

Mann, Joanna. 'Knitting the Archive: Shetland Lace and Ecologies of Skilled Practice'. Cultural Geographies 25, no. 1 (January 28, 2017): 91–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474474016688911.

[crienselt]

So a few days ago I saw someone (elsewhere) questioning Zutara fans’ excitement about the scarf scene. It wasn't a mean comment, more general curiosity. And well, I didn't have time to get my thoughts out then. But they haven't gone away, so I'm getting them out here:

Here’s what everyone need to understand about Zutara shippers. We were baited baaaad during the initial run of the show–from the magazines to the shorts to the trailers and how they were cut. And Zuko and Katara’s relationship on the show certainly underwent a lot of development and featured objectively emotional–if not overtly romantic–moments between the two. We were well fed, and we had reason to hope. Right up to the end, we had reason to hope.

The shipping wars were the shipping wars, of course, with all the usual tensions; there are always going to be overzealous fans of each (and any) pairing willing to get toxic. Generally, I think Kataang fans were always jealous of Zutara’s popularity and Zutara fans, post finale, were jealous of Kataang’s, well, canon status. But really it operated much the same as any other large fandom’s shipping wars.

And then came Bryke and the panel where they showed and mocked Zutara fan art, some of which had been created by teens if not straight up children. Then came their, “Come on, kids! It was never going to work. Zutara is just dark and intriguing.”* And the pièce de résistance, their telling Zutara shippers (specifically girls/women) that they were doomed to have failed romantic relationships. Like, what? The thing with the art was arguably cruel, and the rest of it was oh, so condescending. Just all around not well done. 

The after effect was that Zutara went from being simply a fanon pairing to a wrong pairing. The ATLA fandom at large became a far more hostile place for Zutara fans, who were now more commonly deemed delusional and viewed as lesser fans. The vitriol only got worse when the show came to Netfilx and the next wave of antis rolled up with their co-opting of legitimate socio-political terms to paint Zutara not just as wrong but morally corrupt if not evil. It’s all very puritanical.**

So Zutara fans need to be reminded that we weren’t delusional, and we aren’t alone. It’s why it means so much to know that Dante Basco and Mae Whitman shipped their characters. And that so many other VAs came out as Zutara supporters too: Jack De Sena, Michaela Jill Murphy, Grey DeLisle, Janet Varney--even the cabbage man. For it to be revealed that it was discussed in the writers room; that the writers fought over it; that it WAS a canon possibility. (And that writers Joshua Hamilton and John O’Bryan are perfectly comfortable admitting their preference for Zutara.) To know that the Elizabeth Welch Ehasz described Zuko and Katara as an “Avatar-style Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” in the script for The Southern Raiders, and used the phrase “Zutara-feuling synchronicity and cooperation” to describe their action sequences. To see Giancarlo Volpe, a Kataanger, admit Zutara might been the better pairing in retrospect and choose a quiet scene between them (to see their “chemistry”) as what he’d most look forward to in the live action adaptation. It’s why we cling to the artwork done by Korean animation director. We aren’t delusional. We aren’t alone.

But try telling that to the general fandom, right? Most are ignorant of a lot of this, particularly Hamilton and O’Bryan’s revelations re: the writers room. A lot of Zutara fans don't even seem to know. But being baited by Netflix on their official accounts? Oh, people see that. And we are reminded in a big way that we aren't delusional and we aren't alone. And everyone else has to remember it too.

So, of course, we're having fun clowning over the scarf scene. And I think most Zutara fans know we are clowning. I don't think most expect to get canon Zutara in live action because of one little scene or the fact that their Netflix icons are facing each other. (I headcanon that that was totally the doing of Zutara shipper on staff, though, lol. Because there are a lot of us, and we are everywhere.)

And this is okay. Zutara has been doing just fine as a fanon ship. Meanwhile, NATLA might actually do Kataang justice. It always worked better as a future ship. (Really all the pairings do. But I especially don't ever need to see another 12 year old kissing let alone making out, in animation or live action, ever again.) There's a reason Padme and Anakin don't get together in Phantom Menace, after all. Also, there's always the chance they could give us Dante's or Mae's headcanon of them basically suppressing their feelings and choosing duty over love/right person-wrong time. And the odds of getting some more moments to clown over are high enough. 

Anyway, TLDR: Zutara has been made to feel like an out-of-nowhere crack ship and the live action crumbs remind us that it is not. And this is at least partially why we are enjoying it. (Because, also, it's just fun!)

*Side tangent: I’ve never gotten this dark and intriguing comment. Even during Season 1, the height of the capture fic era, Zutara was always a ship fundamentally about hope, predicated on Zuko's redemption. (Back in the day, there were also plenty of antis arguing that there was no way Zuko would ever be one of the gaang.) And they say “intriguing” like it’s a bad thing? Are we not supposed to be interested in the relationships of their characters???

**There have been some very good think pieces written lately on late stage capitalism and consumption as morality. Worth googling.

[lookismaddict]

Lookism Chapter 437 Memes/Thoughts I Have:

(SPOILERS !!! I don’t own any of the Lookism panels and the translations. Only the memes that I made.)

Sorry guys, late once again because I had a test today. But damn… Jihan ambitious? 👀

DAAAAAAAAAMN, THAT’S RIGHT. GET BITCH SLAPPED!!!

TELL ME WHY THAT PANEL REMINDED ME OF THIS??? HAHAHAHAHAHA THEY HAD A WILL SMITH AND CHRIS ROCK MOMENT. 💀💀💀💀💀 I BET PTJ USED THIS SCENE AS A MODEL. BUT IF HE REALLY DID, THEN IMMA BE CRYING TEARS.

Damn. So, my question is... are they all brothers or something? And how are they even family related? Is he their uncle? Am I missing something here? 😭😭 Can one of y'all let me know who this Jichang mf is to them? *am confusion* (Update: I forgot "Hyungnim" is a term for older brother. My dumbass... ignore me. I haven't been watching k-dramas anymore so I forgot. My bad.)

OK MAN, LISTEN. LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN... I DO ADMIT. YOU ARE ATTRACTIVE. BUT IF YOU DO THAT TO JAY ONE MORE TIME, I SWEAR. IMMA-

This dude is thriving now, but when Jay pummels him... WHEEEEWWWWWWWWWW I CAN'T WAIT TO SIP OUTTA MY FANCY ASS WINE GLASS JUST TO SEE HIM ON THE GROUND.

YEEEESSSSSS JAYYYYY!!! ATTACK HIMMMM!!! BEAT HIM WITH SYSTEMA!!! 😤👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Omg, I can't wait to see him use Kali Arnis. represent 🇵🇭

Oh, sorry. Those were my boobs, my bad. It caught you off guard tho, right? 👁👁

Um... B O I. Your picture would appear under the word "ignorant" because you have no idea who you're messing with. 💀💀💀 YOU'RE LITERALLY, FIGHTING WITH H GROUP CHAIRMAN'S SON. WDYM? You have no idea how much power this kid has, let alone his own PROWESS. 🤡 Also, if this boy Jihan doesn't stop wrecking Jay...

Get it? Since, Jay is already HARMED... then Jihan is about to catch these MF HANDS EITHER WAYYYYY!!!! 👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽👊🏽

BRUH, I'LL END YOU! TF???

Oh great, it's the smartass twink again...

Has anyone noticed how big Mandeok's hair is? That it's even protruding out of the panel? PTJ you comedic genius...

Oh, wouldn't you like to know? Eugene...

Damon Goh's rubber duck must know some secrets. I bet it even knows the secret to the two bodies AND stuff about Charles Choi. You never know where it might have gone off to. Ooooouuu, it said, "I'm a detective." 😎 And I love how goofy Mandeok can be, even when he's unintentionally funny. Like, man's got the humor and all without him even knowing. (For instance, there's a panel in Ep. 373, which was the chapter when Daniel moves into the Workers' Casino and both Eugene & Mandeok welcome him. Then all of a sudden, Mandeok just grabs onto Daniel then physically shakes him upside-down because Eugene said it's for security purposes. 😂)

SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS DILF IS ACTUALLY A FRIEND OF ALEXANDER SOPHIA'S???? OMGGGGG BRUH. YOU HAD NO IDEA HOW I SCREAMED WHEN EUGENE MENTIONED PARK JINCHEOL. HONESTLY, I LOVE THE PTJ UNIVERSE SM. CONNECTING ALL WORLDS INTO ONE LIKE THEY IN SOME MARVEL UNIVERSE. 😭😭😭

DON'T MIND ME SKIPPING THE PARTS WHEN JAY WAS GETTING BEATEN, BUT YEEEEEEEEEEEE BOIIIIIIIII. TIME TO GET WACKED!!!!! 😆😆😆

"To think you'd look for a woman late at night, Jay Hong." ... hmmm. That line really stuck with me. I've been rereading that over and over again to the point that I lost count. So... does Alexander Sophia know or had a feeling that Jay is...? 😳

AWWWWWW HELL YEAH, THERE'S AN UPGRADED VERSION OF ALEXANDER'S KALI ARNIS!!! THAT'S SO COOOOOOL!!! 🤩🤩🤩

YEEEEEEESSSSSSSS JAYYYYYYY!!! YOU DID ITTTT!!!! I love how Jay has such a big heart. Even though Jihan is an enemy, he still considers his health. He even knows his own POWER TOO AND WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF. ALSO, HE ISN'T AS WEAK AS HE WAS BACK THEN. LIKE DAAAAAAAAMN JAY, YOU GOT SO STRONG!!! AM PROUD. 😩😩💖💖💖💖💖

GOD PTJ, DON'T MAKE ME CRY HERE. YK I AIN'T READY FOR A SOB FEST. 😭😭😭😭

I TOLD Y'ALL, IMMA BE SIPPIN ON MY WINE GLASS. GOT THAT ROSÉ IN HAND, EXTRA FRUITYYYY. 🤪

Yeah bro, it's some sexy pervy illiterate demonic Enemy of the State Japanese Yakuza mf named Jong Gun Park.

OH LOOK, THERE HE IS! HI BAE, I MISS YOUR PSYCHOTIC ASS!!! 😩😩🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 DON'T MIND YOUR SON GETTING YEETED BY A 1ST GEN KING. HE'LL BE FIIIIINE... hopefully.

AHHHHHHH SHIIIIII. NOW IT'S DANIEL'S TURN FOR THE SPOTLIGHT. What if Hudson and Jay come to the rescue when Daniel is at his lowest while fighting Jichang? Well, that's one of my guesses on what'll happen in the future. But, I have faith in Daniel. I hope he'll knock Jichang down a peg, next chapter. Well, until next week! 👋🏽

God, I hate how I'm busy on Thursdays now. Almost every week, I be posting my reviews super late now. Smh me. Sorry guys. 😓

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Jojolands: A Charming New Addition

Well that was quick. We start off with some backstory, you know shit gets real when Araki opens with a geography lesson. We did end up recruiting the new guy! As people have pointed out, early villain turned ally with a lost little sibling fueling his backstory is immedately reminiscent of Polnareff which is neat. But here he is, the one and only Charmingman! Which of course its a musical reference...to The Smiths. Eh, I thought they were pretty pretentious even before Morrissey went all racist so not my favorite nod in this part. That's Dragona and you'll have a hard time topping my love for Smooth Operator. Coast to coast, LA to Chicago...

Where was I? Oh yeah. My lack of fondness for The Smiths aside, and I can at least respect that's a solid reference with some lyrics that play nicely into his backstory, Charmingman is a welcome addition to round out the five-man band. I loved the aesthetic of his stand in action and am more than ready to see more. This bit of him and Jodio was so fun too, immediately asking what kind of music he likes instead of other more pertinent questions. I still have high hopes Jojolands will feature my favorite core cast. And his backstory reinforces the sibling dynamics that seem to be a core idea for this part. I'm also not fully up to date on Part 8 but we have a potential rock human? Also gotta note we're keeping up this theme of hostile police which is pertinent to a modern day American setting.

Moving on, I love this dude. Just materializes out of the aether when a cutie is talking about souvenirs. Accurate. And lookit! The fancy schmancy watch made its way back to Dragona just as hypothesized. The lava rock works in mysterious ways. A lot of this chapter was getting us back home and introducing the new guy, but especially with talking about similar concepts in Egghead for One Piece it is intriguing we skipped over the conclusion to the fight and we have this bit of weirdness. But where that really came to a head...

Aww yeah Meryl Mei! It's not just that she's pointing out oddities in their return. There's an ominous edge to this, I don't know how much we should trust this lady so it troubles me that Dragona seems to be the one closest to her individually. How does this one girlboss do so many different jobs? Worth pondering given this series has a huge running theme of bad guys with time powers. Just something to think about. Hope she's not wicked because I do like Meryl but you could have a great twist having her pull the rug out from under the gang.

Still, we're back home and ready to likely embark on something new. I liked the trip to another island, fun picking up a new friend and working Rohan in the way we did. The panels of him tossing money around on the beach to study the lava rock were classic Rohan weirdness. Personally I hope we get a couple of chapters now to play with the characters a bit. Flesh them out more. Usually Jojo's parts spend a little time on that after the first big leg of the story it seems. Something like Jodio & Dragona taking their mom Barbara Ann out and having to deal with a weaker stand battle could be solid or just letting them live their lives as some weird things happen. We have such a good group and setting I'd hate to spring too fast into heavy plot stuff while we're still figuring this part out.

[flightyalrighty]

What have been some of your big inspirations/points of education* with your comic work?

*could mean learning resources but also just, good advice you got once or improvements to your workflow you figured out

Thanks for this ask!! :]

I went to the School of Visual Arts, where I majored in Cartooning! A lot of what I learned, I learned from Indie Cartoonist Jason Little and DC/Marvel Editor Joey Cavalieri, both of whom taught multiple classes I've taken (mainly fundamental stuff but there were also some extra classes with them like Jason taught my Digital Comics course and Joey taught my History of Cartooning class). I learned how to draw trees from Jason. And from reading Pogo.

I've drawn a lot of inspiration in my storytelling from both Bone and Hellboy, mostly! Both Jeff Smith and Mike Mignola are masters of pacing in comics, and if you happen to be unfamiliar with their works, I can't recommend them enough. Besides those two, the rich, moody internal monologues of Spider-Man: Blue and Spider-Man: Evolve or Die are things I often think about when it comes to dialogue writing. That and (at least when it comes to writing Rouge's dialogue) my older sister. Just, like, in general. Pay attention to how the people around you speak. It helps a ton when figuring dialogue.

Hellboy is getting mentioned again because Mignola's heavy inks are something I like to look over in order to learn from and improve myself. Hellboy, Carl Barks's Donald Duck comics, Asterix & Obelix, Will Eisner's various works, Calvin and Hobbes ALL have this beauty in their inking that can really inspire. Personally, I'd like to get a bit messier with my inking. Messy inks feel so alive. They're so visually interesting.

For colors, I highly recommend this book. I've read it and re-read it as much as possible. It may be for painters, but cartoonists can and should learn from all kinds of art forms. The works of Moebius were also mega foundational for me in learning how to color my comics. The man knew his palettes and how to not confine himself too much to what's "realistic". Speaking of painters (you may roll your eyes at this one) I'm also a fan of Frank Frazetta.

For panelling, I only have one true inspiration, and that's the work of Tess Stone. I grew up reading Hanna Is Not A Boy's Name. It changed how I viewed the limitations of panelling forever. Of course, it may be harder to find that comic these days, so here's a snippet:

Basic advice: really really take your time taking in art that you like, and try to reverse-engineer how it was made in your head. Heck, even if there's art you DON'T like, overall, but has elements you DO like, you can learn from that, too!

Okay! Sorry for rambling! Now here's the thing you're actually here for:

How To Think When You Draw collection of REALLY GOOD tutorials for whatever you need, these guys helped me out a ton when I was figuring the jungle scenes early in Infested.

This Pinterest Which Has Absolutely Everything You Can Possibly Think Of For References And Inspiration Sources.

An Extremely Good Font Site That Is Used By Professionals In The Comics Industry To Letter Their Comics.

The Most Important Book Any Cartoonist Can Read

A Different Book By The Same Man About Making Comics (for free, thanks Internet Archive)

Perspective For Comic Book Artists, thanks again Internet Archive

As for workflow... Man, I wish I could give you any kinda advice on that. I'm struggling with it, myself. I guess I've got two things?

If you have multiple deadlines for, say, multiple commissions or something, or you're trying to put out a weekly comic, but you're also doing something else, break the day up into time slots for each project, and switch the moment it's time to. Keep yourself on that schedule. I'm not very good at this.

I draw pretty detailed thumbnails, so sometimes I'll skip the penciling step in comics and blow up the thumbnail to ink over that. It's faster for sure! It's not always the right solution, however.

Thanks for reading! I hope any of what I've said helps at all!

[alohdark]

NYCC day 1 is done!!

I left a little early

My bag is very heavy!

But I'll be home at a decent time and tomorrow I'll be fresh to wander the floor all over again

I'll show you my goodies later

I'm on the train home right now

But I got sooooo much!

Made a new friend while waiting in line for the 100% soft booth to let us line up

It was a whole thing

But she was super sweet and a daredevil fan too!

And we ran into each other hours later in artist alley

It was really cool

Got the daredevil pins i was dying for

Still debating if I want to be financially reckless and get a Alex Maleev daredevil original

I got two daredevil David Mack prints and they are just amazing

And he was the absolute sweetest guy! He gave me a flat cardboard thingy to put them in so they don't crinkle

I wanted to cry he was sooo sweet and concerned about keeping the prints safe

I got a bunch of stuff for my bestie too who couldn't be there this year

You're gunna love the books my friend!

And I got a daredevil variant by peach momoko for free at the marvel booth

Which also had my man's suit from born again on display

So excited!

Now debating if I wanna wear my new iron man shirt tomorrow or the star wars shirt I planned

I have a few queer panels i wanna check out tomorrow and the rest of the showroom floor

But overall it will be another lax day

Not like Who day Saturday where I for some reason signed up for three photo ops and two autographs all in one day. Fml lol that will be busy but sooo worth it for Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker to go next to my David Tennant autograph and picture from last year

And then Women of Marvel is my only plan on Sunday so as long as i get into that I'll be good

How exciting this weekend is!

How exhausted I'm gunna be on Monday!

[felixcloud6288]

Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 70

If I had to assume any one major thing in FMA was not originally planned from the start, it would be Kimblee's bodyguards. My primary bit of evidence is when we're first "introduced" to them, we only see three soldiers.

But there's a FOURTH bodyguard. The fourth one pops up randomly in the background and he's so obscure, the FMA wiki gives the wrong chapter for his first appearance. He actually makes his first appearance in a single panel this chapter.

While Kimblee is lying about his intents to help the Rockbells, he is being honest about his admiration for them and his respect for Winry as well.

I love how Ed and Kimblee have a moment of solidarity here.

In case anyone's interested in knowing, here's a list of all the mistakes Ed made while reciting the Periodic Table:

He lists Flouride instead of Flourine. Flouride is an ion of Flourine caused by Flourine gaining an additional electron

He states Sodium Carbonate, a compound which has uses in things like cleaning detergents, rather than Sodium

He jumps from Silicon (Element 14) to what is supposed to be Element 24 (This is between panels so it's not a big deal)

Instead of Chromium, Ed uses Chrome, which is what you call Chromium that has been electroplate coated over some other metal

He skips Selenium which comes after Arsenic

We know in this chapter that Smith's party had gone into the tunnel a week ago. ctually makes the timeline slightly awkward though. So now I have to re-contextualize a few things to fit this new data. I had thought the party that was wiped out was a third party that went in after Armstrong and the Elrics. But now, I think they went in sometime between chapter 66 and 67.

In chapter 67, a scout team returns to report what they've found. Then Major General Armstrong takes the Elrics into it. I'd thought the returning scout party was the entire team. But now I think only some of the scouting party came back to report their initial findings while the rest of the team went ahead.

So that means there wasn't a third expedition team that just got unlucky. There was only a single team and within 24 hours of their expedition, they delved too far and were discovered by the shadows.

And speaking of which, we now know who it is.

This is one of those reveals that feels so out of nowhere. There are some hints, primarily from the chat Wrath and Pride have in chapter 49. I mentioned it in that chapter, but there's enough hints that Pride is short.

And Pride's shadow having to leave the rescue team alone implies his shadow cannot act independently of his physical body. So when he has to be Selim, he can't guard the tunnel.

As far as Ed and Al know, Major General Armstrong has sided with Central and Briggs has fallen into their control. We know that's not the case and the scene with Roy shows us how very much that is not the case.

Major General Armstrong may absolutely hate Mustang on principle, but she does trust him with her back. Considering what she's learned about the corruption in Central, she may have chosen to contact Roy because he's the only person she can be certain is not compromised. This benefits Roy. He's been busy amassing his own pieces to play his games. He has a gun with which to shoot his opponent. Now he has a shield to defend himself.

And why would Central demand Ed's help at this point? Are they hoping to break him? Do they want to show Ed how powerless he is to stop them to the point that he has to help them instead?

back

[joannaofarkham]

So, I was looking at my very old and unfinished wips and found this little gem. This is the very first idea I had for an aot x star trek au, and it's much lighter than the one posted in AO3.

Now I'm thinking if I should complete this as a stand alone and a completely other aot x star trek au 🤔

800 hrs., 6 Hours Before Graduation

"Cadet Ackerman, you may start."

The raven-haired cadet nods cooly at the panel of officers in front of her. She glances at the lieutenant, a Betazoid, just like her, who has placed a recorder and a lie detector on top of the table, but the young cadet knows that the lieutenant won't need the latter. 

As a Betazoid, and a full-blooded one, they have telepathic abilities. They can tell right away if a person is lying, not just by their thoughts, but also by their emotional state.  Cadet Mikasa Ackerman has almost the same abilities, being a part Betazoid. While she can't exactly read someone's mind, she can determine how someone is emotionally, including if they are guilty or not. 

So, there's no point in lying in front of a Betazoid, much more in front of a Starfleet officer who's monitoring her statement on the incident that happened last night. Mikasa just hopes that by telling the truth, she won't jeopardize their graduation.

And they said this isn't a court-martial but it sure feels like one. 

Mikasa inhales, then exhales to relax her nerves. Then she starts giving her statement about the brawl among the upperclassmen cadets which include her, her friends, and a shuttlecraft used in one of their classes that was almost torn to pieces, starting from the very beginning.

2000 hrs., 18 Hours Before Graduation

The chattering of young upperclassmen cadets fills the halls of the academy's grand mess hall. The excitement from these cadets is intoxicating, talks of what's next evident in each group huddling together at their own tables as they share their last meal as outgoing cadets of Starfleet Academy. Finally free from exams and projects, the cadets are making more memories as they can for one more night, for tomorrow their goodbyes and see-yous will be the ones reverberating in the academy halls. 

Tomorrow, they will be standing before their loved ones, the Federation, and the rest of the Starfleet officers, ready to explore strange new worlds, ready to seek out new civilizations. 

Ready to boldly go like the officers before them. 

Tomorrow, Starfleet Academy Class of 2377  finally graduates and joins the continuing mission of Starfleet as fully-fledged ensigns of their first starship. 

Mikasa and her friends aren't any different from these hopeful graduates who are excited to go to their first missions, may it be within the Alpha Quadrant or beyond the deeper space.

Still in their uniform, Mikasa and Sasha queue up in one of the replicators. Their friends have already secured a table for them, waiting until everyone got their dinner. 

"Do you think any of us will be assigned to Captain Smith's ship?" Sasha asks Mikasa as they move closer to the replicator.

 Mikasa just shrugs and said, "I'm not sure. When I got a transmission from Levi earlier, he said his shore leave to attend our graduation just only got approved after finishing one of their first contact missions, and that he was on his way to the nearest Starbase to get an en route here. The transmission was recorded, I guess two, three days ago. Seems like their ship is too far to get back in time for the roster."

"That's too bad. I always wanted to serve under Captain Smith. They always get the best missions." Sasha sighs softly. Once they reach the rows of replicators, she recites the dinner she wants and the machine obliged.  A tray with a plate of steak, mashed potatoes, greens, and a glass of synthehol appears on the replicator's receiving tray. The academy has lifted the synthehol ban for tonight for the upperclassmen, so everyone is getting rounds of it, even if they know they won't really get the buzz like the real ones give. 

It's Mikasa's turn to get her dinner from the replicator. Like Sasha, she recites the dinner she wants, just a bowl of donburi and soup, plus a glass of synthehol then gets her tray once it appears. Mikasa then responds to Sasha. 

"Honestly, I wouldn't want to be assigned to that ship on my first assignment. They always get the dangerous missions."

"You don't want to be in dangerous missions?" Sasha gawks at Mikasa. "You? Honey, you aced every hand-to-hand and phaser combat class we have. You're the fastest to dismantle and assemble a phaser rifle, I think dangerous missions should be scared of you."

"Just because I can do those stuff better and quicker doesn't mean I want to be part of those dangerous missions. I don't want to die yet, Sasha."

They reach the table where their friends are sitting. Almost everyone is there already and busy with either their food, discussion of plans they have for tonight, or sending in some last-minute projects to make up with their grades. 

On the left side of the long table,  at the very far side, is Armin Arlert, who is still checking his PADD as if he hasn't sent in all his extra projects, not that he needs the extra grades. He is already top of their class, and will definitely get a high appreciation award tomorrow with his understanding of Engineering and Advanced Warp Core Theory but he's too humble and shy to admit his brilliance and too nervous to fail a single coursework hence, he would grab the other extra projects thrown to them.

Beside Armin,  a tiny blonde Bajoran woman who's busy with her own PADD and then nudges him, as if he has sent her something offensive, is Annie Leonhart.  Though one of the shortest in their class, her hand-to-hand and close-range combat skills are as impeccable as Mikasa. She is probably the next best cadet in those classes since she and Mikasa would always and unintentionally compete for the top spot. But they have mutual respect for each other for being good fighters and for being what Armin considered the important people in his life.

Across the two blondes are Ymir Freckles and Historia Reiss, who are busy feeding each other the food they have got from the replicator– a variety of desserts ranging from cakes to chocolate candy bars. The tall brunette who did have freckles on her face had been dating the other tiny blonde woman beside her way before their Starfleet Academy days. 

Their story was they hopped on a ship going to Earth from their homeworld, which is one of the Federation's colony planets near the Cardassia-Bajor border to elope, and never turned back with what they left. Who would've thought that in this day and age, some families would still prohibit a budding romance just because they were of different status? Their friends were shocked when they told this story to them during their first year in the academy but they never missed showering these women with adoration and love. They'd hoped for them not to get separated after getting their ship assignment tomorrow after graduation but that would be a futile wish.

Looming over his tray of protein beside Historia is Reiner Braun. A beast when playing Parisses Square, a sporting event that could potentially injure players critically when played without abiding by the rules, but his friends will say he is the most sincere person in their circle.

Lost his parents at a young age during the last stretch of the Cardassian occupation in Bajor, Reiner lived with his remaining relatives who were freedom fighters at that time. The danger in his life wasn't done yet even if the war with their oppressors was over. There was unrest among the Bajorans since the planet was left without a leader. Civil wars were inevitable then, and Reiner was tasked to take the young ones to safety. 

Together with Annie and Bertholt Hoover, who is sitting across from him, they evacuated Bajor with the other kids, for good. Starfleet officers who were assigned for a diplomatic mission discovered their freighter floating dangerously near the Cardassian border but they were successfully rescued. The captain of the starship Reiner boarded saw the three's dedication and potential, so they were recommended by the captain for Starfleet Academy admissions. It was an opportunity he could never miss, especially because he knew that being a Starfleet officer could give him the chance to support the younger Bajoran orphans like him to live a better life. And, maybe, to go back to Bajor and help rebuild their nation.

Beside Reiner, the fair-haired young man who was smiling and beckoning Sasha to sit beside him, is Connie Springer. He is not the brightest of the cadets, he almost failed some tests during his early years in the academy and had to stay behind after classes for extra work, but his determination has pushed him to do better bit by bit.

But when it comes to having fun, Connie is definitely the man for it, along with Sasha. They are like PB & J these two, one would mistake them for dating but really, they stuck as buddies throughout their academy days for the only cadets who repeated Exochemistry in their class batch. And the guy has a delectable food palate, always knowing which dish goes well with what drink. If he weren't able to pass the academy, he would have pursued a profession related to food. 

Connie is also very good with programming holodeck stories, something his friends really like about him. The best holodeck simulation he did is based on an ancient Japanese graphic novel, a manga as they would call it, about giant people called Titans that attacked a lone island and ate its occupants. It’s a fun holodeck simulation where he and his friends play roles but it will take a while for them to finish it with the upcoming graduation. 

Sasha beams back at Connie and sits beside him, while Mikasa sits next to Sasha. She then circles back to their topic. 

"I'm just saying, Mika. Regardless of how sensitive the mission is, with your skills, I think you'll do well with Captain Smith's missions."

Mikasa scrunches her nose and sips from her cup of synthehol. "Eh, they're still dangerous, and besides, it would be weird for Levi and me to be on one ship."

Connie is now the one to speak up. "Why would it be weird? Wouldn't it be easier since he's your cousin? Oh, and also, won't their ship be on the roster?"

Everyone at the table stops whatever they have been doing to listen to Mikasa. Like Sasha, they are also looking forward to being commissioned to USS Sina. Mikasa looks at everyone at the table and shrugs nonchalantly, just like before in the replicator queue. "Levi will come here aboard another starship. No luck, guys."

And just like Sasha, the young cadets at the table state their desire to have their first assignment in Sina, their excitement and eagerness bubbling.

A small smile creeps on Mikasa's lips. She will definitely miss this bunch. Sure, there will be a chance for some of them to get assigned on the same ship as her, but a career in Starfleet means years before meeting your friends again. It won’t be surprising if some of them get promoted to lieutenant junior grade or even a higher rank the next time they see each other. 

Her eyes scan the faces on the table, realizing that they aren’t complete yet. Three people are  still missing from their circle so she asks, "Hey, has anyone heard from Eren, Jean, and Marco?"

It’s Armin who answers her, closing his PADD and putting it aside. "Oh, Eren said they’ll be coming late. They're still doing some last-minute routine checks on the trainer crafts they're using for tomorrow's exhibition." 

Mikasa nods then sighs softly. She loves all her friends, really, but she can’t help feeling incomplete whenever Eren was away.

[ilearhmajeste]

That's not the person from NCIS

You called me to your office e for this

No, now I need your copy of the orientexpres

That's wasted already

What the fuck! How l9ng hq e we been running programing. It's not reality TV sopleae3 shh while we do are thing we won't be in your way all day

We got her a room

That'd too true it has it's only bathroom corner converted to an office for me, not as open concept as what I got bit I don't have swanson to worry about.

It was marked asbestos

A gas leak.

We could do that.

We could...or we could go out find someone who knows how much

Hammers made more of them

Guesses, that's way easier than my plan

8 see you tripped on the carpet

Buts such a romanticly corner lifted screw it Barbra Manatee

This Christmas bring home pokemon stadium

Want to try the drowsy run

She is hammered!

That's a she!

9k who told you you could Pterodactyl. Her name's Sara, the tricky three horned with half brother sounds like a tuba when it talks. Somehow Linda knew she wouldn't have to get out and push if she was the mayor. Sorry Nan. It's from the carbonated beverage STOP! She's dead as perscripted. Dust takes out the news chopper. Take me to any entrance and then hand me a kitten.

Take me to a less under water area

Well we found just ketchup ingredients

Glasses you did this.

No, I tapped the print icon and someone else said nevermind printing the whole damn thing! So I used the password from weeds and Michelle Trachtenberg what else can I say, Scott doesn't know

Win Ben steins money isn't a good enough answer for my taste. What's your tongue say. Alien hands rumor thats enough. Okay so what's your favorite?

Black man Un hospital bed: stan smith your an angel

Stan:oh no no shhhh sh sh. I donee you're gyro.

J.E.Jones: take one of these "camera things" to any beach anywhere and then try and tell me where I could possibly fit in your production of space golf.

Maria pulls up her bumper with shoe laces, wanna fake a round of padiwaaROSWELL tonight at eight on space

Tell me again how close your tongue got to it

Donnie:do you want to go with me

Anon:actually I want to see if he gives out smokes, we are in middlesex

They had to call to the tow line operator Itsa Magic bullet

Sidewalk and shiver me timber

That's exactly what he sounds like sober

Aleida: she called these menthols, and you what cats got your tongue

Nurid'Gloria: red don't know shit and you, well you're quick from timon to desk.

So...panty stainin now tinfoil lightning. Is that bitch a chemist?

Boo: I'm behind what's up?

Jen Psaki: I've got soft wet oreos and six beers that are hot to the touch please conway

Aleida: I got pizza money to leave around and turtle glaboxo.

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

Dance, bitches

Ointb:andpeople can walk in during the middle and see organ

Free

nowheadward

Tori Spelling

Once again, here we have a panel of ghost writers

Why don't kids like swamp monster cerials!

Red:picture me surfing

Flores: enough apples for a pie, wait a minute...

Jeez anyone need to take a boat to make an appointment for the announcement they just have to make we get it, your warmish.

Fatbastard: Now, my neck looks like a vagina.

Ai:hold on, I'm not done, folding

Pippi used

MOON STONE

It missed. Shhhh she's about to ask the question

Filterless, if you've got them

Lucky Strike stubborn boxhound. Not infront of the nobility! Oh forbidding Mercury how do I acne

Bitch slapped I got your kijiji and I assume you bought westerfeld

That's friends

Instead we'll film then in a little box next to it we'll print LIVE

Important abortIon don't turn around too late

People running for there lives up to a point you've got to say where's the static took.enter poet. Release trigger.

Bomb on bus

Tries the door

Whichdoor

DEODORANT

lol suckerz

Joey: Red eyes attack the United nations

Tracy: I only have water types and pencils!

[raybeanschildrenslit]

The Golden Hour - eBook

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith - eBook Published 2021 by Little, Brown Ink

I know I've already read a work by Niki Smith this session, but I couldn't help but be pulled in by the story of this comic as well- photography is a weakness for me. The Golden Hour follows main character Manuel as he struggles with his anxiety and dissociation following a traumatic instance of gun violence in the art studio at his school. As an anchor when he experiences these negative feelings, he uses his phone as a camera to take pictures and ground himself. When returning to school following the incident, he finds himself distant and lonely until connecting with a couple other students in his class: Sebastian and Caysha. Manuel discovers ways to confront his fears and trauma while spending time with his friends and coping with the aftermath of an event all too familiar for students across a country who feel that gun laws protect the gun owners more than the civilians who deal with the consequences of poor regulation and mental health resources.

Graphic novels are an incredible storytelling medium and the more we encourage publishers to support the writers and illustrators with us, the more we will see the love and stories grow. I am so glad that graphics and manga have made their way into the mainstream enough for them to be available through libraries physically and digitally so extensively. I- as I'm sure many manga readers- have been working with what we can on third party sites and our high school libraries as much as we could but now we are eating good with the accessibility of this medium. The only drawback that I have seen consistently come up in regards to the digitization of this medium through applications like Libby is that two-page spreads and instances of flow between pages gets a little lost in translation; only seeing one page at a time. However, all in all, it's a fantastic resource to have and often readers don't mind the shift into a digital space if they really want to read it. Although, I see plenty of manga and comics still get out on hold and I love chatting folks up about the materials.

I like the idea of using these in story time, a way to project the panels and pages for the whole class to see as you read along and act/ animate scenes with the graphics. This could also be a fun addition to perhaps quiet story times or silent book clubs where we spend time all reading together with preferences met for mediums and materials.

-Ray 02/18/2024

Smith, N. (2022). The golden hour. Little, Brown.

Images from Author's Website https://niki-smith.com/

[taiblogcomics]

Amy Gets the Cold Shoulder

Hey there, multiple Dorito flavours. By now you've probably at least skimmed the TVTropes page for "Little Women", and thus understand roughly as much as I do. That said, let's get into issue 2 here~

Here's the cover:

These are appropriately simple covers, given that these are pretty simple stories. They're not gonna make a lot of the extreme sort of stuff that makes the great comic covers. Barring that completely awful cover of Avengers Arena #3, this might be the simplest cover we've ever reviewed here. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to write home about either, I guess~

We open again on the March house, still blanketed in snow. The girls are upstairs, going over their personal newspaper again. At the end here is a list of requests. Meg (Twilight Sparkle) is requested to stop reading so long that she's late for breakfast every day. Jo (Rainbow Dash) is asked to stop flying so fast in town, submission deadline or no. Beth (Fluttershy) is to return a particular handkerchief, borrowed a very specific amount of time ago. And Amy (Rarity), please stop adding bows to things that do not need them! Frankly, other than the handkerchief, this could be canon~

However, Jo proposes some new business. She wants to invite a new member into their club, which both Meg and Amy raise vehement objections. Amy in particular objects on the grounds that it's a private club, and telling more people is kind of the opposite of private. Beth is hesitantly supportive, though, to which Jo is grateful. Besides, they're objecting when she hasn't even told them who it is. It's Laurie (Applejack), the girl next door. Meg continues to object, since she doesn't think it'll improve Jo's own attitude towards the meetings, but it's too late. Laurie's already here, hidden under a sheet.

Now it's some time later, and the rest of them have clearly forgiven Jo and also agreed to let Laurie stay in their club. She's given them a rather fancy mailbox in thanks. While Jo is discussing how she's the first to use it by sending her newest manuscript (she tried giving Rainbow Dash, her self-insert OC, a partner named Applejack, but it didn't feel right to her), Beth wanders off and meets an old lady (Granny Smith) with a bunny, while Amy and Meg argue over the proper use of magic. Amy makes a big deal about how the basket she's carrying is no big deal, and that's not suspicious~

Discord drops in now, since he figures we're due a fourth-wall break and he wants to highlight some dramatic irony. This leads into a flashback, and for some reason this is presented as a Watchmen parody, right down to the nine-panel format. It's weird. Amy really wants that emerald-finding spell, and Meg won't teach it to her (she asks to be taught, but Meg looks down and whispers "No"). So with the help of her cat Opal, she uses a smiley-face pin to pry into a drawer and find where the spell is written down. And her lunch basket is full of emeralds she's found with the spell she stole.

The sisters all separate and go about their respective days. When they meet at home, they compare. Beth clearly had the best day, helping Mrs. Laurence with the animals. Jo really dislikes caring for Aunt March (Discord), since she won't let Jo read what she wants to read. And Meg got in another fight with Trixie (Trixie), feeling she's become the very thing she scolded Amy for. And speaking of, Amy comes in to complain that Discord is going too far in punishing her for bringing the emeralds, and she can't possibly keep up with the source material. Despite the liberties they've been taking, none are amused by this further breaking of the fourth wall.

Besides, they don't have time for dramatics, they have to go to a play! Only Meg and Jo are invited again, which makes me wonder what grants them such special privilege. Amy is pretty annoyed, especially since she remembers there being an extra ticket in the original novel. But wasn't she just the one complaining about adhering too close to the source material~? Oh sure, throw that in her face! With that, the two eldest March sisters accompany Laurie to the play, which is a Daring Do production. I guess that's why Jo isn't reluctant to go this time~

At the play, Laurie mentions to Jo that she read some of the pages she was sending in the mail. Like, were they loose pages? Why weren't they in an envelope? But the point is, she noticed Jo cut the Applejack character. Jo protests that Daring Do doesn't have a sidekick, and Laurie's retort is that Rainbow Dash ain't Daring Do. Jo's still put out, though, she wants to write stuff like this, and she indicates the play. Laurie points out that this stuff is already written. Jo finds this intimidating, but Laurie instead encourages her to use that fear to write something new. Of course, this long discussion interrupts the play and disturbs the patrons (all of whom are Discord).

Meg and Jo return home, having had a decent night besides that last bit I said. Shame Amy couldn't come! While Meg recounts the play to Beth, Jo looks for the manuscript she was working on before they left. It's not where she left it, so she asks Amy if she moved it. After first ignoring the question, Amy confesses she did move it. To someplace nice and warm. And we cut over to a view of the fireplace, where the last page of Jo's writing disappears into ashes. The other sisters are shocked, and Jo is furious, actually violently lunging at Amy.

After a brief Street Fighter parody, Marmee (Pinkie Pie) comes in and offers them some advice that whatever they're fighting over can't be as bad as they think in the long run. The advice is word-for-word from the novel, essentially about forgiving each other before you let it darken your tomorrow. Jo, however, isn't willing to let that go yet, and does darken her tomorrows when she won't forgive Amy. She keeps trying, and Jo keeps blowing her off--right up until the time she tries to cross the frozen lake too quickly and the ice breaks beneath Amy.

Thankfully, Amy is pulled back up and rescued. While she's recovering from being nearly frozen, Jo dotes on her, noting she must be getting better, as the latest sweater she made wasn't even that bad. Amy admits she gets frustrated how much attention Jo gets over her manuscripts, compared to the little notice anyone gives her crafts. Jo replies that at least Amy has the guts to try something new, she's just spinning her wheels trying to re-create the same things in her writing over and over. Amy hands over a handmade journal of sorts for Jo to write in, to make up for what she burned. And the comic closes out with their relationship repaired.

Another simple addition to a simple story, with likeable characters and decent lessons. No real complaints, though I’m still baffled by that Watchmen reference. Like, you have to assume the Venn diagram of Watchmen fans, MLP fans, and Little Women fans is a really small demographic, so who is it for?? It just seems very strange to include.

[winchester-girl67]

Kiss Me At Midnight

Summary: The reader finds herself stuck in an elevator with her boss, Dean Smith, on New Year's Eve.

Pairing: Dean Smith x reader

Fandom: Supernatural

Square: Overly detailed descriptions (hair, clothing, place, etc.) @howbadcanitbebingo​

Word Count: 2,941

Warnings: language, stuck in an elevator, public urination, claustrophobia, kissing

A/N: Too much description with not much happening, haha. Written for @howbadcanitbebingo. Happy New Year's Eve, enjoy!

_____

You tapped on your phone screen again, watching your fireworks aesthetic screensaver fade into view. No service was written in the top left corner and only a minute had passed since the last time you checked; '11:51 PM'. You sighed, the battery was depleting quickly since it was the end of the work week and you had forgotten to charge it at lunch; being too distracted anticipating the end of the day to be bothered to remember. You used your phone often and that definitely took a toll on the battery. You knew you should've invested in that extra charger you saw the last time you went to the store.

You stared up at the grate covering the florescent lights of the elevator, one of the tubes flickering every now and again, though not often enough to be noticeable unless you were staring at it directly, which you were. You sighed again and adjusted your sitting position on the ugly cream linoleum flooring. There was barely enough room to stretch out your knees without bumping into the false wood walls, each large panel separated by a thin bar of silver or aluminum you supposed it was.

You crossed your legs in front of yourself and straightened out your back against the wall of the elevator. Sighing again when you bumped your head on the metal hand railing just above you and you rubbed out the sting from the back of your head. Normally you wouldn't be caught dead sitting on the floor of an elevator; it wasn't the most sanitary place, but after the first couple of hours of being stuck between floors, the exhaustion of standing in the small tin cubicle set in and you'd been sitting ever since.

The red LED lights on the display screen of the aluminum panel of the elevator continually flashed back and forth between floors nine and ten, having gotten stuck about halfway down to the lobby from the floor you worked on at Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc. At this point, you had missed the dinner party with your family and friends and you were uncertain about even just making it home for breakfast.

You had been working late on a project proposal and the only person left on your floor, and probably the whole building, was sitting next to you. Although neither of you had spoken a word since getting stuck and you thought it would be a little awkward if you were to start now. You had tried the emergency telephone that linked directly to security but for whatever reason nobody had answered. You thought maybe they had been relieved early since it was New Year's Eve.

What a great way to spend the night, stuck in an elevator with your boss and Director of Sales and Marketing, Dean Smith. You had only spoken to him once when you filled out the wrong report and he seemed understanding although slightly standoff-ish. You sighed again and pushed the hair back from your face.

It was starting to get hot in the mustard cotton and polyester work shirt they forced you to wear and you thought about stripping out of it; you had a white tank top underneath so there was no need to be embarrassed. But, you did feel a little awkward to do so in front of your boss. And so instead you forced out another long drawn out breath.

“Can you please stop doing that?” Mr. Smith questioned, sighing himself and rolling his apple green eyes at you.

"Sorry," you mumbled, uncrossing your legs and pulling your knees up to your chest to hug them.

You couldn't help it, you were so bored stuck in between those four walls and not to mention exhausted from the work day. Your feet were killing you even though you wore your comfortable grey canvas sneakers today and the awkward sitting positions on the hard floor weren't doing anything for your tailbone or lower back either.

You picked aimlessly at the fray around the pocket of your dark wash jeans, making it slightly bigger. That was the one part of the uniform you refused to wear, khakis; for whatever reason, you just didn't like the look or feel of them. You were more confident and comfortable in jeans, though these ones had seen better days. You'd only worn them since your other light wash pair was in the laundry and you made a mental note to buy another pair when you finally got out of this tin time capsule. Or if you ever got out at this point.

You never were very claustrophobic, but with the poor excuse of ventilation within the elevator multiplied by the amount of time you had already spent in there and not to mention however much longer you would be stuck in there. It was starting to get to you and you pulled at the collar of your piss yellow work shirt again.

You noticed you weren't the only one feeling the heat when you saw Mr. Smith loosen his crimson tie and unbutton his collar, wiping the sweat from his brow. The tie was new or at least you hadn't seen it before, although it was nothing to write home about. It had a simple golden grid pattern of stitching and dots of gold at every other interval. His shirt on the other hand, he had definitely picked out himself. No woman in the right mind would ever dress her man in something so fugly.

The collar was bleach white while the rest of the shirt had vertical stripes of white and royal blue placed far too close together; it always made you feel as though you were looking at the sun when he wore it. You couldn't tear your eyes away but staring too long could be harmful to your health. Not to mention if he were to wave his arms about or walk too fast it would have the same effect on you as a strobing light at a disco and that was never fun. And to top it all off, still on the shirt; it had bleached white french cuffs as well, which he accessorized with rectangular silver cufflinks. As if that shirt needed any more of a reason to stand out. Sometimes you wondered if he wore the shirt or if the shirt wore him. You chuckled to yourself breathily.

The rest of his suit was sleek and simple and jet black, with shiny shoes to match. He pulled off his suit jacket, folding it and placing it next to his shiny black leather laptop bag and his nearly empty reusable clear plastic water bottle. The screw cap was also black and the liquid inside resembled that of urine; with just a tinge of yellow as if you'd drank too much.

You marvelled at the crimson and black striped suspenders he wore, which you could see now that he had removed his jacket. Somehow they matched his tie impeccably. The silver adjustment clasps on them complementing his cufflinks as well. You always did like suspenders instead of a belt on a man, they brought out his broad shoulders, trailing down his pecs and along his stomach to pin his pants in place. His cell phone and case clasped to the waist of his pants on his left side; you thought it was funny since he was right handed.

Then there was his sandy brown hair, parted on the side and greased down so it was never out of place. You desperately wanted to mess it up and you imagined running your fingers through his short locks, scratching his scalp as he groaned in contentment. Or you could give him a nuggie, that could be fun too.

You knew he had to dress the part for his job but sometimes you couldn't help but imagine what he would look like in a pair of worn blue jeans, a simple tee and a red flannel and leather boots. You bet he'd look about ten times better, sure he cleaned up nice but you were always more attracted to a little scruff on a man.

You bit your lip suddenly aware of the fact that you were staring and Mr. Smith was glaring back at you for doing so. You never had thoughts about your boss like this and you blamed it on temporary insanity from being cooped with him for so long in such a small space. You quickly cleared your throat and averted your gaze to the sliding metal doors, hoping like hell they would magically open and save you from your embarrassment any time now.

You weren't all that far away but you could still hear his stomach growl which he tried to quieten down by placing one of his large palms over his middle. His fingers were easily twice the size of yours and you caught yourself staring again, imagining entwining your fingers with his. You shook the thought from your head, Y/H/C locks of hair falling in front of your face. His stomach growled again like some sort of gremlin was stuck and desperately trying to escape.

You had heard from your buddy in tech support, Sam Wesson, that Mr. Smith had been edgy with him all week since he had been on some sort of master juice cleanse and you weren't exactly thrilled if that was the case. Being stuck in an elevator on New Year's Eve was one thing but being stuck with somebody who was hungry and irritable was a whole other type of party. You just had to try harder not to be annoying, which wasn't easy; it came naturally to you when you were bored as fuck like you were at the moment.

You checked your phone again, rolling your eyes dramatically to yourself and holding in a hard sigh. '11:52 PM', you have got to be kidding. Only one minute had passed since the last time you checked, again. Were you in some sort of time vortex that made time pass so slowly it was painful?

You growled lowly to yourself, attracting Mr. Smith's attention. You gave him a passive smile and closed your eyes, turning your body into the wall and trying to disappear into it. You sighed again knowing full well you'd draw his attention but unable to hold it in any longer. You kept your eyes closed facing the wall and trying to pass time by snoozing for a bit.

It didn't take though, you were too wound up to fall asleep and the smell of cayenne and lemon in the air was grossing you out when you heard Mr. Smith take a sip from his water bottle. Your phone buzzed and you opened your eyes to switch off the alarm you had set for midnight. It was finally New Years and you were still stuck with your boss of all people; you couldn't imagine it getting any worse than this.

Then you heard it, the sound of water flowing and filling something up. You turned to see Mr. Smith standing in the corner, his back facing you and his pants a little slack when you realized what was happening. He was relieving himself into his water bottle, the smell of urine joining that of spice and sour making you gag.

"Seriously?" You gawked, meeting his gaze when he half turned to face you while shaking off and zipping up.

"What?" He screwed the cap on the water bottle and sat back down next to you. Not that there was much space to sit anywhere else. "I couldn't hold it anymore. Sorry."

"Why are you drinking three meals a day anyways?" You asked and he scrunched his brow at you. "I'm just saying, it's not like you gotta lose weight, you're in great shape... Not that I've noticed or haven't noticed. Just I think extreme diets are kind of stupid."

"So, you think I'm stupid?" He smirked, the side of his lips tugging upwards slightly. He was clearly amused with the way you were squirming in your seat, easily tongue-tied and saying all the wrong things.

"No. No! I just meant... you shouldn't worry about that 'cuz your not... you're, um-"

"In 'great shape'?" He finished for you, finding it cute how you stumbled over your words, fidgeting with your hands and biting your plump bottom lip. It turned bright red with the harder you bit at it and he thought for a moment that you might break the skin. Though, luckily you didn't.

"Yeah," you breathed and sighed again of embarrassment, cringing to yourself when you noticed you couldn't stop doing that. "Happy New Year, sir."

"Dean's fine, Y/N." He smiled brightly, his pink lips spreading wide enough for you to see his pearly teeth, his tongue peeking out to wet said lips. And you were staring again. Your cheeks flushed, filling with heat and bringing a rosy tinge to your skin. You were surprised to find out he knew your name and you smirked to yourself, averting your gaze.

He always had a close shave, looking as smooth as a baby's bottom which usually made him look younger too. Though now you could see his five o'clock shadow starting to come through and your first impulse was to reach out and run your fingers along his well defined jawline. You wanted to feel the rough stubble beneath your fingertips and tell him that you liked the way he looked with it, that it suited him. You couldn't do that though, you were just letting your imagination run away with the thought.

The elevator bounced and jerked just then, both you and Dean grabbing onto the cool metal handrail to steady yourselves even though you were both still seated. It eventually smoothed out around the fifth floor and Dean jumped up to push in buttons four through one.

"What are you doing?" You inquired, wondering why he wanted to spend more time in that elevator than you already had. Red LEDs lighting the circles around the buttons for each floor.

"Buying time," he shrugged his broad shoulders, reaching out a hand to help you stand up and steady yourself after sitting for so long. Your joints were sore and stiff and you welcomed the warmth of his hands in yours. His fingernails were cut short and the skin of his hands were rough, it surprised you since his job was based in an office and you wondered what sort of hobbies he had to make them like that.

"For what exactly?" You squinted up at him and scrunched your forehead slightly.

"This," he slowly leaned over and grabbed your waist, his fingertips gently imprinting themselves into your love handles as he pulled you in closer.

Dean hesitated when the time came to actually kiss you and you pushed yourself up onto your tiptoes to capture his lips with yours. He hummed and you giggled lightly, melting more into it and him. There was an obvious power dynamic between you two with him being your boss and all and you could tell he was nervous of pushing you too far if this wasn't what you wanted. And you had no idea just how much this was exactly what you wanted.

"Happy New Years, sweetheart." He mumbled, his kiss swollen lips resting against yours, hot breaths mixing and for a moment you swore you tasted cayenne on your tongue. Although, this time you welcomed the heat. It only intensified the feeling of him holding you so close; tingles and sparks spreading throughout your body and electrifying your nerve endings.

It was still so damn hot in that tin box that you could feel the sweat from his skin blend with yours when he kissed you again. His nose pressed into your cheek and slid along your cheekbone as he nipped at your lips. His light stumble brushed against your soft skin, mouths sliding in unison, pushing and sucking.

You swallowed a moan and grabbed his crimson and black suspenders to pull him in closer to you, but your fingers slipped when you lost concentration and you snapped one of them against his chest earning a gasp followed by a deep growl from him. You felt the vibrations in his chest and molded your body to his as you wrapped your arms around the back of his neck, pulling him down to you and running your fingers through his short hair, messing it slightly as you scratched his scalp with your nails.

Neither of you even realized when the elevator stopped, two security guards and a maintenance man standing outside the sliding metal doors when you finally reached the lobby.

"My god, am I hungry," Dean stated with another loud growl from his stomach, "what do you say we grab some real food and ring in the new year? There's still a few time zones left." He shrugged and held out a hand for you after collecting his things from the linoleum elevator floor. You chuckled when you saw the yellow liquid splash around inside the water bottle in his hand and he smirked like it was some sort of inside joke between the two of you. It looked similar to the liquid he'd been drinking all week so none would be the wiser. 

You nodded and placed your hand in his, Dean gave your fingers a light squeeze and you let him pull you along with him into the grand lobby. You weren't sure where things were going with him or how things would workout on Monday. But you were willing to find out.

_________________________ 
 Dean/Jensen: @akshi8278​ @laycblack​

[inhonoredglory]

Run Away from Me: A Levi Meta

The core of this meta is to show that, IMHO, Levi’s violence against Historia in Chapter 56 is his emotional fallout from the torture of Sannes, as well as his own guilt at the person he had become. Coming from having only watched the anime, I personally found this placement in the manga of the Historia scene right after both the torture sequence and the Reeves Company alliance as incredibly meaningful, especially for Levi’s character and his emotional journey.

Levi is an immensely compassionate person, someone who wants to aspire to the “unimaginably altruistic” life of Erwin Smith (Isayama, SNK Encyclopedia). So how would this torture he had to inflict affect him? Because imagine for a second: This is the man who was the only one to truly react with horror and sadness at the knowledge that they’d been killing human beings all this time when they fought Titans. This is the man who went out of his way to ally with the Reeves Company in order to answer the Trost townspeople’s woes:

In Chapter 53, Levi is confronted with blatantly disrespectful Trost merchants who think the Survey Corps haven’t done enough to save their town. It’s the everyday things that burden these people—taxes, thieves, putting food on the table. Levi doesn’t once shoot back at them for their criticism. Instead, he listens. And then he spots a woman at the side of a merchant’s stall. She’s holding a baby and her eyes burn into Levi’s. She holds his attention while above him, the merchants continue their tirade. I think Levi’s thinking of his mother here: like this woman, she was a single parent raising a child in a city that is not unlike Trost now, a town abandoned and forgotten by society, poor and struggling. That child reminds Levi of himself, and this time, Levi can do something about it.

This is why Levi goes out of his way to ally with the Reeves Company. Levi and Dimo share a long, deep conversation, demonstrating that Levi’s alliance with them is more personal than merely the company’s strategic value. Dimo Reeves called Levi an “awkward yet kind man.” He goes on the say that Levi will “protect us and the barely-alive District of Trost, even though he doesn’t really have to.” This is Levi answering that townsperson’s accusation that “you in the Survey Corps aren’t working hard enough.” Levi entrusts to the Reeves Company the responsibility to bring the town out of poverty in the new world the SC will create. That’s his compassion, that’s his care, that’s his humility. That’s how he values the lives of people, not just by defeating Titans, but valuing their livelihoods. “A man like that must have come from absolutely nothing,” concludes Dimo.

This is the same Levi we find torturing Sannes.

In Chapter 55, the torture of Sannes happens because of the horrors Hange saw inflicted on Minister Nick. It is Hange’s passion for avenging Nick that drives the torture sequence, their anger at the tortures that had happened under the MP’s First Squad that motivates the payback inflicted by Hange and Levi. Levi’s violence is done, not out of his own desire, but primarily Hange’s. This is not to say that Levi was guiltless or without responsibility for Sannes’s torture; on the contrary, his actions weigh heavily on him, as will be discussed. But it’s interesting to note that out of all the tortures they did, breaking Sannes’ nose was the only retribution all Levi’s own (in reaction to Sannes’ justification of a series of horrific things the MPs had committed).

I also find it relevant that after everything they had done to Sannes, Levi was still visibly shocked at Hange’s overreaction to Sannes’ hesitation to answer their first real question. Because in Levi’s mind, everything they had done up to that point wasn’t torture—in one sense. It was instead a like-for-like payback for the horrors Sannes had inflicted on Nick. Note that it was Levi who had to pull Hange out of the emotional distraction of Nick’s death in Chapter 52, the same emotional distraction that drives Hange to overzealous violence here.

There’s an interesting parallel in what happens next with what Levi had gone through with Annie earlier. Levi threatened Annie with torture of her real body and said he enjoyed intimidating her as she was bound and trapped. Sannes confessed that for him, he enjoyed violence and tormenting the helpless—so why should he complain if these torturers, Hange and Levi, are the same as him? It’s a subtle parallel, but it’s a relevant theme in SNK that everyone, on all sides, are devils and monsters. Or as Sannes says later, “The world will always have people like us.” People who are violent, people who are lunatics, people who condemn themselves and get their hands dirty for the sake of some higher “good.” Sannes’ accusation isn’t lost on Levi, because this is the same Levi who looked at a struggling mother in a forsaken city and did something about it.

Justified violence is still violence. So what if Annie deserved to have her limbs cut off, time and time again, without relief of death? So what if Sannes deserves to have his fingernails torn off, one by one, without even a question put to him? They had, after all, inflicted death and untold horrors on innocent people. But does justice look like this? Does the name of justice absolve your hands from actions this ugly?

Morality is complicated. And Levi is the first to tell you that he doesn’t know how to slice it. “I’m not telling you what’s right or wrong. I certainly don’t know what is” (Chapter 59).

So now in Chapter 56, we come to the scene with Historia, right on the heels of that torture. The first red flag for me went up when Levi realizes he has “forgotten” to tell his squad about Historia’s true bloodline. It’s not that he didn’t intend to tell them, it’s not that he was not supposed to tell them. (Unlike, say, the entire Female Titan arc.) He forgot, and he’s clearly embarrassed when they confront him. Why? Because he’s not supposed to lose focus like that. But he did, because that information came from Sannes, and after that horrendous experience, Levi, like Hange before him, was emotionally distracted. That’s the only reason I can figure for Isayama focusing on Levi’s oversight like this, and showing Levi in such an obviously emotionally awkward place.

Hange isn’t here to translate for Levi, like she did when Levi berated Eren for being unable to harden during the experiments in Chapter 53. Levi takes the scenic, colorful route when explaining his feelings. To Eren, he admitted that his criticism wasn’t about blaming Eren for being unable to harden, stating that “going over our shortcomings and bitching about our situation is an important ritual.”

In this light, we can read Levi’s words and actions with Historia as a complicated picture of his psychological landscape. Notice how just prior to this scene, we saw Hange act out the aftermath of the torture by kicking the table. Levi too reacts, taking it out on Historia.

Imagine where Levi is right now. He’s taken on the role of Sannes in this new world—the executioner, the ultimate killer, Humanity’s Strongest. “Your hands are already dirty. You can’t go back to the way you were,” Levi tells Armin later, but it’s also what he believes about himself. All that idealism that brought him into the Survey Corps—a life bigger than being a thug in the underworld. Did all that idealism bring him here, to do this? He has to make it worth it, he has to make it count for something. It’s what he does every day when his soldiers die under him—he’s been there to make their deaths worthwhile. But who’s there to make the deaths and terrors he’s dealt out worthwhile for him?

Levi’s expression in the last panel is angry, yes, but also wracked with pain.

So when Historia says she’s unfit for the role of Queen, when she says she can’t be Queen because she’s not good enough, Levi snaps. “Then run,” he said, grabbing her. “Run away from us as fast as you can. Because we’re going to do anything and everything to make you do what we want.” Levi’s eyes are downcast, not looking at her, because what he’s saying is more about him than it is about her.

Because he knows he’s dark enough to follow those orders to do the worst things to a human being to make the entire world a better place. He knows it’s in his bones to commit these atrocities. He is afraid of what he found he’s capable of. He’s already come to terms with killing humans as Titans. He’s come to terms with torturing humans as humans. He knows he can and will do horrible, unforgivable things. That’s his strength, that’s what makes him valuable, useful, important. He’s not like other people—“I’m abnormal… probably because I’ve seen far too many abnormal things.” But he’s ready to condemn himself, to make his hands dirty for the sake of others. He’s decided he has to go full through with the darkness he’s committed, because how else can he justify what he’s done? “I’m fine playing the role of the lunatic who kills people like that. I have to be ready to rearrange some faces. Because I choose the hell of humans killing each other over the hell of being eaten. At least that way… all of humanity doesn’t have to be damned.” His are the hands that will be stained with blood, his is the conscience that will be stained, his is the soul that will sink to hell—all so that others’ innocence can be spared.

The 104th look at him like he’s gone mad, abusing a young, helpless girl like that. But they haven’t seen what he had to do. They haven’t seen how bloody his hands have gotten. His violence here is a desperate reaction to get someone to save him. He’s always been able to avenge the deaths of his soldiers. But this time, he is the one in need of redemption. He could not justify his violence completely, he could only plea for her to make them unnecessary in the future. By becoming Queen, it means he won’t have to keep torturing, keep killing, keep shedding human blood. Her becoming Queen means a peaceful transition of power. Her becoming Queen means he won’t have to pave the path to a new government with more blood and more guilt, at least, not more than he has to. He’s enslaved to doing what his strength allows him to do. He’s begging her to not let people ask that of him.

[smallblip]

Okay, but (sorry for my english) I just really love modern hc where they perform as the band No Name during their school festival (their identities are already known and that people know they belong to one of the most famous group in the school /with nanaba and erwin/).

Levi’s the face of the group and almost half of the fans have him as their bias but they really thinks he’s asexual or bi or even gay since they never knew anyone who had been his girlfriend and he doesn’t seem to be that person to be involved in any romance.

But then he surprises everyone when during their performance, he just grabs hange’s ponytail and kissed her deeply.

And people were just like—oh, shit, wait, what.... levi just—kissed his friend....his....friend.....Hange....the Hange

Then the crowd went wilder and even Levi’s fans just gasped with excitement because—damn that’s hot!

Even Hange herself were surprised but she couldn’t do anything since levi’s grip was too strong, lost in his own world as he ravishes her with kisses as if he doesn’t give a shit about everyone watching them

she doesn’t even know how long it lasted.

Then there’s Erwin in the crowd, capturing every moment with a camera because he’s the only one who wasn’t surprised about this

Stop the presses!

“Breaking news! Levi Ackerman frontman of No Name is having an illicit love affair!”

“It’s not breaking news if everyone already knows...” Porco rolls his eyes. Connie groans. Great. Now Porco is in his shot. The school’s journalism club is essentially him and Sasha with her phone’s camera. They do not have the skill nor the budget to edit him out.

“Who’s he dating then?” Sasha shoots back.

“Heard it’s a girl from another school.” Porco shrugs.

“Heard he’s gay...” Reiner offers.

“You just want him to be gay...” There’s sniggering and Reiner wants to punch Porco, but he’s a man of discipline, so no violence before breakfast.

“It’s just a rumour! He isn’t dating anyone! Levi’s too cool to date.” Eren says, gagging at the mention of the word. A literal child.

“Who would wanna date him?” Mikasa scoffs.

“Everyone in the school apart from you, Mikasa...” Petra says, “he’s dreamy...”

Connie urges the discussion on, Sasha capturing all of this. This is the best content they’ve gotten all week. “Come on! There are no bad answers!”

“Maybe he’s dating a fan?” Bertholdt says.

“Maybe he’s dating Hanji... They do seem rather close?” Pieck says, and the silence and scowls are intended to shame her. Connie looks at the aluminium foil on Pieck’s head. Right. The Signs movie screening organised by the conspiracy society is today.

“No bad answers except that one...” Connie says.

—

“You’re the talk of the town again...” Mike says, “they were discussing you on the school’s YouTube channel.”

Levi tsks. He doesn’t know why Mike bothers with that crap. It’s a pretty high quality production... he had justified, but there’s nothing high quality about Sasha’s shaky hands and Connie’s head covering half the frame. Everyone knows Mike enjoys the gossip, and there’s no one that enjoys it more. Except maybe Erwin.

“Do tell! Who is the enigmatic Levi Ackerman dating?” Erwin teases. He knows he’s not getting anything out of tight-lipped Levi. But it’s still worth a shot. Also worth seeing how annoyed he can get. Plus it’s not like they don’t already know.

If the canteen hadn’t been so goddamn full, Levi would’ve relocated long ago. Then again, his lunch groups hasn’t changed since his first day at school. The routine works.

“I’m sure you boys would be the first to know...” Nanaba chuckles. She had been the first to know and frankly. Levi’s inability to confess has been getting stifling. The only thing that really breaks the conversation though? Hanji tripping and landing face first on the table, lucky for her Levi moves her tray out of the way, saving her lunch, “watch it four eyes!”

“What did I miss?” Hanji asks, eyes already gleaming at the possibility of new knowledge.

“We were just talking about Levi’s illicit love affair.” Mike says. This is getting interesting.

“Awww Levi! You didn’t tell your ol’ pal Hanji that you were seeing someone?”

The rest of them exchange looks. God she’s so goddamn oblivious.

“Eat. We’ve got band practice before class.” Levi says, fingers already working to peel Hanji’s orange for her.

Nanaba winces. So goddamn oblivious.

—

“So we enter school today and Sasha what do we see?”

“Merch!” Sasha pops in front of the screen and does jazz hands with Connie.

“In the lead up to the big No Name concert, everyone’s donning their best No Name merch! First, let’s speak to the best in the game, Armin Arlert.”

Armin fidgets awkwardly, “ahaha I’m just a fan who just happens to make high quality merch.” Modest for someone earning big bucks from his enterprise.

“Ah... And you have competition this year!” Connie says into the microphone, which is really just rolled up newspaper.

“Well... The quality of my work speaks for itself...” Armin smiles sheepishly at the camera, but there’s something insidious in his eyes. Armin has to admit having sole monopoly over No Name merchandising in school has gone a little stale. Surely a little competition will spice things up.

“So Zeke, care to tell us more about your entry into the merchandise game?” Connie asks the bearded boy. Who has a full grown beard at their age? Connie makes a mental note to insert “sells bootleg merch” in the little panel that runs below Zeke’s interview. The whole school is also pretty sure Zeke had been behind the whole oregano debacle last year- someone had been passing oregano off as weed and selling it to the younglings.

“What’s there to say? Mine’s cheaper.” Zeke winks.

“So, satisfied customer. Why did you choose to buy Armin’s merch over Zeke’s?” Connie asks.

Pieck glances down at her Hanji shirt, “Armin got Hanji’s nose right.” She smiles.

In the background Armin and Eren are yelling at one another.

“How could you Eren! I thought we were best friends!” Armin says. Maybe the competition spiced things up a little too much.

“It was cheaper Armin! So much cheaper!”

Eren is wearing the ugliest shirt in school so, is it really worth it though?

—

“We are absolutely not blowing our budget on a confetti canon!”

“But Levi!” Hanji whines, “you already rejected so many of my ideas...”

“May I remind you that your previous ideas include a guillotine on stage, you repelling from the ceiling-“

“A tiger...” Mike adds and Hanji shoots him a look, traitor...

“It was two tigers...” she mutters under her breath. “Aww Levi you never let me do anything fun!” She pouts and Mike watches as Levi’s resolve slips an inch. There’s nothing more disgusting than the weakness of a man in love. Mike rolls his eyes. He had told Erwin if he wanted in on the action, he should join their band. There’s just so much to see that Mike has honestly had his fill. Or maybe he’s just saying it. Damn Nanaba was right, he enjoys this more than he’d care to admit.

“If you shut up through the next five songs, I’ll buy you dinner.”

“What about me?” Mike huffs.

“Deal!” Hanji shouts triumphantly, “and if you let me sing the chorus with you on this next song at the concert I’ll buy you dessert!”

“Almost as if I’m invisible...” Mike mutters.

“Fine... Deal... If you can hit the notes that is...”

“Ohhhh snap!” Mike says, and Levi turns to him for a high five. Mike smashes a beat on his drums. Hanji deadpans.

Ba dum fuckin tiss indeed.

—

“So it’s two days before the festival and the big No Name concert. Today, we’ve got a special treat for you. Roving reporter Jean Kirschtein will find out more about Levi’s love affair, straight from the horse’s mouth!”

Jean shoots Connie a dirty look. But the pun had not been intended. Connie mouths a quick apology before continuing, “but first, a word with the people closest to him-“ Connie nudges Jean towards the general direction of Erwin, Nanaba and Mike. Remember you owe me Jean! Connie whispers harshly when he senses his friend’s hesitation, now go!

Jean groans once more. God his reputation was going to take a hit. He’s vice captain of the soccer team for God’s sake. He doesn’t need this.

“Erwin Smith! A word? Uh... Thoughts on the rumours surrounding Levi Ackerman’s love life?” Jean asks. “Erwin Smith, football captain, history club president, student council treasurer, overall overachiever, and Levi Ackerman’s friend” appears on the screen. They all know if anyone’s likely to spill, it’s going to be Erwin.

Erwin’s eyes light up, he’s finally going on the channel he watches religiously with Mike. There’s so much he can contribute, so much gossip to share, so much insight. Maybe they would even invite him as a panelist on their show. The sheer power! He looks at Nanaba and she frowns at him and shakes her head. Ah damn it! He knows she’ll tear into him if he divulges too much.

“That’s strictly on a need to know basis.” Erwin grins.

“Well... Can you give us anything at all?” Jean asks. Please for the love of god he needs to pay Connie back somehow for setting him up on that date with Mikasa. God is generous but he can easily take it all away.

“We have good, solid guesses, but other than that... No... We can’t confirm anything...” Erwin answers, but not before glancing at Nanaba. She’s nodding. Good, that’s a good answer. Ambiguous enough to keep people wanting. Erwin is relieved. Jean isn’t however, he’s now certain that his debt is going to be rolled along a tab he will soon never be able to pay.

“Oh and the history society’s having quiz night next week, be there or be square!” Erwin plugs.

“Nerd!” Nile yells from across the hallway and Mike chortles.

It doesn’t take Jean long to find Hanji, after all she’s president of the biology club, so why wouldn’t she be in a lab elbow deep in a vat of something Jean doesn’t want to know the name of. It’s her kingdom with a whopping total of four subjects.

“Hanji Zoë, I’m here to ask for the latest on Levi Ackerman’s love life-“

Hanji Zoë- the school’s resident oddball, the genius herself, in the flesh, eating a checkerboard cookie. She looks up at him and there are crumbs on her face.

“Oh! Hi Jean!” Hanji looks up momentarily, “that’s easy, Levi’s in love with me.” She winks at Jean and chuckles. Jean’s jaw drops, surely she’s kidding. Hanji’s known for that after all- her quick wit and dismal personal hygiene. He chuckles awkwardly. “Yeah... Okay...”

“See you at the concert?” She beams at him and he replies enthusiastically. Is she kidding? Everyone’s gonna be there. But Jean remains strategic, he leaves right before she gets the chance to talk his ear off about joining her club again. “Shoot... There goes another one...” she says under her breath as he exits the lab.

Jean bumps into Levi when he’s leaving the lab, odd, what’s Levi doing here, no matter, Jean has a job to do.

“Levi Ackerman! Care to comment on the recent rumours surrounding your-“

“No.” Levi interjects and heads off.

Jean flips the camera so he’s in it, “well, that’s the scoop. Back to you Connie and Sasha.”

—

“It’s the day of the festival! But really the whole school is buzzing with anticipation for the No Name concert!” Connie announces into his makeshift mic.

“Will there be another accident on-stage this time? Will Levi Ackerman reveal more on his secret romance? Is there even a secret romance to begin with? More importantly, will Porco Galliard finally pay for his own food at the festival?”

“Hey!” Porco whips his head around to glare at Connie, “did Reiner get you to say that?”

Connie shrugs, “we’ll find out after these messages...”

The concert is a blast, from a spectacular entrance (choreographed, no doubt, by one Hanji Zoë), to Mike’s drum solo, to Levi’s vocal riffs. But there’s an anticipation of another sort- will Levi Ackerman finally address the rumours of his love affair?

“My Levi-Hanji senses are tingling Nanaba...” Erwin says mid-concert. As the self-proclaimed expert on school gossip, there’s no gossip sweeter than that which surrounds his two best friends. Nanaba thinks it’s an overstatement of his abilities.

But Nanaba feels it too- the electricity in the air, “i think it’s finally happening!” She says, nothing short of a vision.

Levi announces the last song for the night, and he makes his way over to Hanji during the last chorus.

HUH?

Sasha’s cameras are rolling. She holds her breath, for what she doesn’t know, but she feels it coming, call it director’s intuition if you will.

Hanji looks at Levi and beams past the bandages over their eyes, now upgraded to a material they can actually see through, ever since that one accident with Hanji trying to execute a stage dive completely blind. It’s not fun explaining to the ER nurse how you managed to fracture your arm in so many locations.

Hanji’s expression changes to one of confusion when Levi closes the distance between them. This isn’t part of any plan. Her lips part in a gasp. The crowd falls silence, breath collectively held in anticipation. It’s happening. The most significant and exciting moment of their young lives.

What in the name of Maria, Rose, and Sheena!

Levi grabs Hanji by her ponytail and crashes his lips into hers. She forgets how to function, her guitar now hanging limp and forgotten. But her arms find their way around Levi’s neck. It’s just Mike on the drums now, roaring with laughter.

“Hell yes!” Mike exclaims and it’s captured by one of the mics, joined by Nanaba and Erwin at exactly the same time. There’s a flash from Erwin’s phone, there, immortalised in a photo forever. He knows it’ll come in handy one day. For blackmail or for a future wedding montage. Either is fine.

What just happened?

Connie’s jaw is hanging.

“Levi Ackerman and... and... Hanji Zoë?” Connie says, more for his own benefit than for his audience. Because this is Hanji they’re talking about? The Hanji Zoë? Resident evil genius, overall weirdo, oddly magnetic and popular amongst both the boys and the girls, Levi’s childhood friend Hanji Zoë? The answer had been staring them right in the face! Levi at the biology labs, Levi glowering at her, the bickering, the chemistry on and off stage.

Connie whips his head over to Pieck, and she winks at him, told you so!

“I don’t believe it! Stop the presses! Levi Ackerman, frontman of No Name, in love with the brilliant, the magnetic, the one and only... Hanji Zoë!”

Hanji is kissing Levi back with fervour, until they’re both blushing and giddy, the music long forgotten, and when everyone is done gawking, the crowd erupts in violent cheering. Who would’ve thought emotionally constipated Levi, Levi whose private life has been kept a secret for so long, safe from the prying hands of the school press and his loyal fans, would choose to make an announcement like this. What a night! What a spectacle!

“I guess that’s all for tonight folks, and what a fantastic and surprising evening it has been!” Connie laughs, “I’m Connie Springer, and you heard it here first!”

The confetti canon goes off. And Hanji watches with uninhibited joy as confetti rains down on the stage.

“So... Tigers next time?” Hanji says, unwrapping the bandages from her face, her eyes glazed over and more beautiful than anything Levi has ever seen. He scoffs, pressing another kiss to her lips for posterity.

“Don’t push it...”

(A/N: prompt so good I had to write a mini fic! Thank you anon💖💖💖)

[calif0rnia-lovers]

sweet as pie.

a/n: please join me in welcoming sam wilson to the page. first story dedicated to this classic man, surely not the last.

pairing: sam wilson x black!reader

rating: 💙

main masterlist | taglist | divider © @whimsicalrogers

sum: sam is home. although times have changed, his sister’s intentions for him have not. sarah would love for her brother to settle down, and she knows the perfect person to make him do it. but when sam gets caught up with work, he misses the date sarah has set up for him.

words: 2.3K

It’s funny how the human mind works.

How easily certain moments can slip through its cracks. Names, dates, songs, conversations, faces lost to the wind, never to be remembered again. In the same turn, how those same things can be retained, recited down to the last detail in perfection.

Sam Wilson has seen enough in his lifetime--more than most men. No one could condemn him for forgetting the smallest of details from time to time. Sometimes he does. He is human. But, strangely, he can never forget a single detail when it comes to you.

Sam can still remember the first time he saw you.

The coffee-colored, cardboard box you carried in your arms--'living room' written across the front panel in your mother’s flawless penmanship. The dark curls pineappled to rest atop the crown of your head--a last-ditch attempt of fighting the Louisiana heat. The oversized Purple Rain t-shirt faded from too many runs through the wash. The round, black sunglasses sliding down the brim of your nose as you paused to take note of the boy watching you from his front window. Down to the scuffed, worn high tops that could barely pass for white.

He even remembers the soft smile you gave him once he froze--too embarrassed to move from the window after being caught watching you for the third time--before turning to lug the box up the steps of your front porch.

It was the summer of ‘94, and Sam Wilson was running late. He was expected to be at the docks assisting his father. Instead, he was peeping around his mother’s powder blue curtains, attempting to score glimpses of his new neighbors. Primarily their teenage daughter.

It’s not every day that Delacroix welcomes a new resident--let alone an entire family. Later that night, over dinner, his mother shared that you were entering your senior year--same as him.

He still remembers the knotting of his stomach. The strange and unusual experience of being tongue-tied when he’d tripped over his name--his name for god’s sake--that morning, you opened your front door to find him and Sarah on the other side. The kindness of your dark brown eyes as they met his, the soft giggle you released as you ignored his sputtering to accept the chocolate chip cookies his mother sent her children to deliver.

He also remembers the vision of you in your wedding dress. The smile he had to keep plastered on his face the night he learned his skepticism, surrounding death by broken heart, faded. You’ve never felt pain until you’ve seen the woman you love marry another man.

Sam must admit. When he returned, he expected--hoped--that those feelings would have disappeared. That they would have been erased from his life. Only, the moment he returned home, Sam discovered those feelings remained--were stronger even.

Five years later, he found you in the same house. Your parents no lived there. After their return from the blip, they packed up their things. Suddenly, tackling their bucket list was their main priority. You still had your husband’s last name but no husband. He was gone, lost to a younger woman.

Five years later, and Sam Wilson finds himself still frozen by the sight of you.

The long-sleeved maroon shirt he’s tugged on is not his number one choice. It’s all he had in his bag. The time on his watch had forced him into an ultimatum. Either run home, shower, and change into the outfit Sarah helped him pick out and risk being five hours late. Or head straight to your house, and risk being four hours and forty-five minutes late.

Sam opted for the latter.

Flowers in hand, he stands in the gateway of your backyard. His eyes admire the glow of the string lights against your skin. The yard has been transformed. Several tables and chairs, enough to host the entire neighborhood, squeezed into its space. Filled with music and laughter a few hours before the backyard is now quiet. Only the sounds of crickets, and the rustle of the trash bag in your hand, can be heard over the racing of Sam’s heart.

“Hey.” Sam takes a step forward, clearing his throat. “Sorry, I’m late.”

“Late is an understatement.” You don’t bother looking up from the plates stacked in your hands. Dumping them into the black trash bag, you move towards the next table. “You missed the entire party.”

After dumping the trash, you realize that Sam is no longer in the backyard. You find him in the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” You ask, coming to a stop in the doorway.

Sam glances up from the soap-covered glass in his hands. “Helping you clean up.”

You glance around the kitchen, only to find that he’s managed to wash nearly the entire stack of dishes you’ve been dreading the entire night.

“I didn’t realize you still did stuff like this,” you tease. “What with you running off to save the world. Figured you’d just hire someone to do it for you.”

“Guess it’s a good thing I got you to keep me humble,” he winks.

Sam dries his hands with the bumblebee printed hand towel, a satisfied grin on his lips as he takes in the spotless kitchen. He’s too busy admiring his handiwork to realize you’re standing alongside him.

He turns, the snarky comment he’s prepared lost in his throat as he takes you in.

You can’t deny him a smile as you watch his eyes widen, a boyish grin brightening his face as he takes in the plate you’re holding. On it rests a single slice of homemade apple pie, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and perfectly drizzled caramel.

“I think you’ve earned this.”

“You saved me a piece?”

“No,” you sigh, allowing your eyes to roll. “I actually saved it for me. But if I have to look at your pathetic attempt at puppy dog eyes one more second--”

“You were hoping I’d show up.” The grin on Sam’s face has morphed into a trademark smirk, the sight pulling a giggle from your lips. “You and I both know you don’t save, or share your pie with just anyone.”

Sam’s observation is spot on.

You don’t share your pie--or food, for that matter--with just anyone. In the chaos of hosting the neighborhood, you didn’t have a moment to stop and enjoy your own party. Let alone a slice of the apple pies you’d spent the previous night preparing.

Apple pies--specifically yours--were Sam Wilson’s true weakness.

The moment he sees you lugging home a bag full of granny smith and macintosh apples, he’s on full helicopter mode. You’re not sure how he knows, but he’s got a radar. One that somehow allows him to prophesize the exact moment the pies are out of the oven and set aside to cool.

He’ll show up, stopping by to say hi, or to see if you still need the drainpipe your ex-husband never got around to working on fixed, or to “pass along a message” from Sarah--as though your best friend couldn’t pick up the phone and call. Whatever the excuse Sam Wilson always manages to be the one to get the first slice of your apple pie. He’s smart enough to know that once the children of the neighborhood catch a whiff, they’ll show up on your doorstep. And as much as he loves the kids--Sam isn’t letting them steal his pie.

Sam’s words come out muffled through a mouthful of apples and crust. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Y/N. You should sell these. You'd make a killing.”

“And I’ve already told you, it’s just for fun,” you dismiss his advice, taking another spoonful of ice cream. “Besides, what do you expect me to do? Quit my good paying--although painstakingly boring--job in the hopes that enough people will like my baking to keep me afloat?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Sam nods, a smile growing as he watches your eyes roll.

It’s a conversation the two of you have had for years. Here is the rundown of how it plays out--every single time.

Sam: suggests that you finally open up the bakery you’ve been talking about since your teenage years.

You: dismiss his words of advice, reminding Sam that most teenage dreams are foolish.

Sam: ends the conversation with, “I’d show up every day for a piece.”

You: spend the rest of the night wondering if he’s right, about taking the chance, only to psych yourself out before going to bed.

“I’m just saying,” Sam sighs, sliding the plate to the side. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned. Life is going to pass you by, regardless, no matter what you do. If you give it a shot, and it fails--which is never going to happen--your life isn’t going to end.”

You glance up from the table, a tiny smile on your lips as you take in his soft smile.

“Maybe you’re right,” you shrug. “If all else fails, I’ll just tell everyone it’s the Falcon’s favorite pie--”

“You’ll have people flooding in from across the country.”

“It’s settled,” you giggle. “I’m using you in my business model.”

“Hey,” Sam chuckles. “As long as I get a cut, I’m not complaining.”

A silence falls over the tiny kitchen as your gaze drops from his.

Sam lightly raps his knuckles against the table before pushing his chair back.

“Uh—I should probably head out. You’re probably tired. I just wanted to come by and apologize...again.”

“Wow,” the light laugh you release halts Sam’s act of standing up. “The second you get what you came for you hit the ground running?”

The response is automatic. The chance to tease him is one you never pass up.

Sam’s brow raises as he takes in your smile.

“That’s not what I came for,” he admits.

“What did you come for then?”

“To ask you over to my place for breakfast tomorrow.”

The proposition hangs in the air, Sam nearly squirming in his seat as you take your time studying his gaze. You let out a sigh, your shoulders shrugging lightly, once you finally speak.

“I don’t know, Sam” You shake your head. Picking up the plate, you stand and cross the kitchen to the sink. “You just have so many responsibilities, nowadays, running around trying to save the world--”

“I’m not going anywhere tonight,” he’s quick with the reassurance. “Or any day, until we get through that date you promised me.”

You turn to face him, arms crossing over your chest as he comes to a stop before you.

“Say I show up. You have to promise me something.”

“Whatever you want.”

He knows that promise can end up being a slippery slope, depending on how hard you’re willing to make him work for it.

“If something comes up, in the future, you call me. And you tell me exactly why you can’t be here. Nobody gets to stand me up. Not the Falcon. And sure as hell, not Sam Wilson. Understood?”

Sam’s eyes drop to your interlaced fingers, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he gives your hand a gentle squeeze.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” Standing on your toes, you place a kiss against his cheek. “Now, go get some sleep. You’re making me breakfast in the morning. I’m expecting waffles, bacon, freshly squeezed O.J.--the works.”

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