#be grateful :P

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Valicer In The Dark -- First(ish) Meeting

I have been really into Blades In The Dark and thus my Valicer In The Dark AU lately, so I figured this week, I'd share a little bit of fanfic from the verse with you all! Namely, how Alice and Smiler first met Victor -- because, if you recall from previous posts, Alice and Smiler were actually already somewhat acquainted from Alice's previous trips to Silkshore (the pleasure district, and thus the Advocates' main stomping grounds and where Smiler peddles their Joy Serum) to visit Nan. The context is that Alice recently finished her trip through this world's version of A:MR, and has thus realized that Bumby is the one responsible for the deaths of her family AND that he's selling the children under his car to despicable sorts. HOWEVER, in this world, she can't just confront him at a handy underground station and shove him under a train -- not only are subways not a thing in Duskwall, killing Bumby the wrong way in this world might leave a ghost, and the last thing Alice wants to deal with is Bumby ghost! So instead she chose to head to Nan at The Manged Mermaid to discuss with her what to do. She's making her way through Silkshore, wrapped up in dark thoughts about Bumby, when suddenly...

--

“Hi Alice!”

Alice damn near started right out of her skin, hand automatically heading for her knife – then her brain caught up with her reflexes and provided her with a name to go with the voice. “Oh,” she said, shaking her head as she turned toward the source. “Hello, Smiler.”

“Gave you a bit of a fright, huh? Sorry about that.” Smiler grinned at her over the top of their little carry case/makeshift display for their Joy Serum samples. “You looked awfully deep in thought just then,” they continued, snapping the lid shut and reaching down to fold up the legs. “Everything all right?”

“I. . .” Alice ran her fingers through her hair, staring at the cobbles nearby. “Not really.”

Smiler’s expression in her peripheral vision softened, becoming concerned. “What’s wrong?”

Uh-oh – how safe is it to tell an Advocate that you’re feeling blue? On the other hand, they haven’t tried to stick me with a syringe yet. . .in fact, Smiler’s always been quite respectful of my boundaries. More so than Dr. Bumby, that bastard. . .should I tell them what I’ve learned? I mean, I don’t know them that well. . .but they’ve always been a friendly face around here for me. Quite literally. Always ready with a smile for anyone who needs it. . .and they did just give me a handful of slugs one day when I mentioned I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay for my lunch. Never said a word about if or when I should pay it back. Bloody hell, that probably makes them the closest person I could call a friend in this world, after Nanny. Oh, but would they even believe me if I told them? Bumby’s got such a good reputation, and I’m. . .lucky not to be Hollow.

“You’ll never find out if you keep dithering,” Cheshire told her, batting her foot with his paw. “Thought before action, yes, but you must eventually move to action. I would say the devotee of Mar-Mal can be trusted this far – if only because they have a duty to their less-than-forgotten god to stamp unhappiness out. And Bumby has caused a lot of unhappiness.”

Fair. “It’s – Dr. Bumby,” she began, turning to face Smiler properly. “I’ve – I’ve got reason to believe he’s done something terrible. Is actively doing something terrible, in fact. You see–”

THUMP!

At least this time when she started, Smiler was right there with her. They both whirled around to see a pale man with dark hair and an equally-dark suit lying on the cobbles just behind them, surrounded by mist and fog. He lifted his head slowly, revealing a thin, pointed face with large brown eyes so dark they were almost black. He stared back at them, expression tight with desperation. “Oh,” he breathed, stumbling to his feet like he was unaccustomed to having them. One white hand reached out, almost glowing in the light of the streetlamp. “I. . .are – a-are you alive?”

Oh SHIT – Alice’s hand plunged into her pocket, digging around desperately for the spiritbane charm that lived in there. The pale figure swayed closer as she did, forcing her back a few terrified steps. Not what I need, not what I need –

“Alice!” Suddenly Smiler’s hand was plucking at her sleeve, pulling her out of her own head. “No, it’s okay, look! He’s breathing!”

Alice did look. Sure enough, as she watched, the pale man’s breath fogged in the air, same as theirs. And now that her senses weren’t overtaken with terror, it dawned on her that he looked far too solid to be a ghost. “So he is,” she said, relaxing slightly. “But – where did he come from?”

“Though that – oh. . .” The man frowned at a nearby wall, hand still half-raised to point. “I – um – t-there was a door there. . .”

Smiler ventured closer for a look. “Huh. . .I think I can see an outline,” they reported, squinting. “But if there is a door there, it’s been bricked up for ages.” They glanced back at the man, one eyebrow raised. “So I haven’t the slightest how you got through it.”

“I’m n-not sure either. . .m-maybe it only matters that t-there was a door there once,” the man said, shaking his head. “T-the world looks so m-much different on the – the other side. . .”

“Other side?” Alice repeated. “Of what?”

“Of the f-field. . .please, y-you’ve got to help me,” he pleaded, hands clasped before him. “I – I w-woke someone up I s-shouldn’t have and I’ve been t-trapped on the wrong side of r-reality and I don’t–”

“Victor, darling. . .”

Alice hadn’t thought anyone with skin that white could blanch, but this fellow managed to pull it off. It was honestly impressive. “No,” he whispered, lurching toward Smiler as the closer option. “No, no, p-please, don’t let her f-find me, it’s not her f-fault but don’t let her find me–”

“Hey, hey, it’s fine,” Smiler assured him, wrapping an arm around him. “It’s going to be all right. You’re safe now. We’ll get you out of here, don’t worry. Alice, you were heading toward the Mangled Mermaid anyway, right?”

“I was,” Alice confirmed. “And I don’t think Nanny will mind be bringing along someone who obviously needs a blanket and something fortifying put down his throat.” She waved the two along. “Follow me – we’ll get you there safely, Mister. . . ?”

“Victor,” the man said, shooting them both a grateful look. “Victor Van Dort.”

[baddingtonbitch]

faceless gay men who run uncategorisable aesthetic blogs are the unsung heroes of this website. they'll log on for an hour and post 10 pictures in a row and it's like

robin williams in issey miyake

melted ps2

dudes frotting in motocross gear

ethel cain

dudes sucking cock on a trailcam

stilettos in mud

brutalist urinal

cyclist with road rash, torn shorts and one ball out

rug being washed in iran

the pope holding light years by kylie minogue

[simpledragonlover]

I hate amatonormativity I just want to tell my friends I love them without having to worry or feel weird :(

[coquettecowboy]

The play room is coming along!

[smultronviol]

Ppl going "waaahh unpopular opinion but Alice is kind of annoying and obnoxious and I don't think I'd like be her friend irl" is so funny to me bc like.

God forbid a cast of characters be multifaceted and have actual flaws and unpleasant aspects other than "grr angsty hero" and "whoops i'm so clumsy". Sometimes character dynamics and arcs need to be prioritized above "who would i personally be niceys with irl"

2. bro just WAIT until you hear about season 1 jon lol

[stuckinapril]

Proud to say I’m at a place where I’m very ambitious w my goals, but still very content w where I currently am. No matter my financial or academic or just any personal aspirations at all, I’m so in love w my life as it is and realize that it will be no objectively better when I do attain all the tangible things I want to attain. Legitimately so happy to just be here, surrounded by love and books and privileged to be studying and gaining knowledge. At the end of the day this really is all that matters to me. And this is a feeling no amount of money can buy

[birb-tangleblog]

Full res of Hector from [redacted] along w/ the episode description for 'Rapunzel and the Great Tree'

[a-dotrivenitupontop]

me in 2020: wow i love this ship with a mentally ill dark haired twink and a blonde guy going through a sexuality crisis in heartstopper

me in 2022: wow i love this ship with a mentally ill dark haired twink and a blonde guy going through a sexuality crisis in mythic quest

me in 2024: wow i love this ship with a mentally ill dark haired twink and a blonde guy going through a sexuality crisis in saw

[omaano]

Now they make a nice little set :3

Please consider clicking on the images to see some details 🙏

(Din alone can be found here)

[thekidsarentalright]

can you believe that 10 years ago today fall out boy did the unbelievable. they did what bands can normally never do, at least not successfully, and absolutely not as successfully as they did. 10 years ago today fall out boy came off of their break, they came off of their hiatus and came back together with an entirely new attitude, new music, a new spring in their step and even more heart and passion and determination for what they were doing- making music that They loved for the people that needed it. they were so unsure, they didn't know if people would show up, if people still cared about fall out boy. they didn't know if this new album, this comeback album, would really be their last one- what if they did this, and no one cared? but 10 years ago today they announced that they were back, and got to see Just how many people cared. So Many people cared So Much that fall out boy was back in an invigorated, modern, Happy form. their shot in the dark comeback album, full of every ounce of passion and care they could possibly infuse into it in it, hit number one. sold thousands in its first week. was certified platinum. in those ten years? they've had two more number one albums, countless successful tours, a grammy nomination. and what about exactly 10 years later? they're selling out stadiums. releasing a highly anticipated eighth studio album. making music still infused with every ounce of passion and care that they could possibly infuse in it. for themselves, for us. because they still care, and we have proved that we do too. like a phoenix they rose from the ashes and are still rising!! we don't know when to quit, and they don't either 🥺

[amplexadversary]

Some of my favorite screencaps of Kyoji Kasshu from G Gundam, with emphasis on cybernetics and whump.

[crispycreambacon]

S-oar Wounds

— ☆ —

Warning: The fic above contains brief depictions of violence, gore and death. Moreover, the themes of this fic heavily involve trauma, specifically PTSD. If any of the following distresses you, please read with caution or refrain from clicking the fic.

The Professor finally reunites the Sword and the Oar after years of being apart. But can they even be together again after everything that happened to them?

— ☆ —

Fun fact! The Oar's piece is based on "Gifu Road Station: Godo, Nagara River Cormorant Fishing Boat" by Keisai Eisen and Utagawa Hiroshige. Another fun fact! The Oar's palette lowkey looks like the gay mlm flag while the Sword's palette looks like the lesbian flag. How fun! How gay even :3

Anyways, Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!! I hope y'all are doing swell whether you're spending today with your partner, your friends, your family, or you're simply vibing. As for me, I cooked up another fic featuring your favourite gay couple! Don't let the oar pun in the title fool ya, this is uhm. I think you can tell from the warning :D

The fic has it all! We got:

An exploration of the Sword and the Oar, particularly how they grapple with their trauma and how it affects their relationship with each other

Honest depictions of, well, life which can get ugly, and sometimes, they don't know how to handle it, but it's okay! It's part of the process

A really cute friendship between the Professor and the Oars! (Albeit the Professor and the Sword uh. Not exactly wholesome especially at the start-)

Hand-holding! And hugs. And general physical affection to even out the amount of drama radiating from this fic

A happy ending! Because they deserve it god DAMN IT

If all of that sounds like up your alley, you can click here to read the fic, click the title or search "S-oar Wounds" by crispycreambacon on AO3. This was a very interesting and cathartic piece to write, and I hope you get even a fraction of that catharsis while reading it too.

Thank you for showing interest in the fic, and even if you don't end up reading it, I hope you enjoy the art. Have a lovely day, everyone!

[grace-kami]

Puppet prince formal dress WIP

I know, I know. I have like 5 or 6 WIP I'm working on. And I don't know when I'll have them done but I'm a mom and a wife, I'm a bit busy so I just post what I got goin' on at the moment since my free time is limited.

I still appreciate all your support. I really didn't think people were going to like my art when I first started posting. Now I have so much more confidence and you guys encouraged me to keep drawing! And I already see improvement in my skill! Thank you!

Much love, friends.❤️

[queenlua]

The crisis of the last year with student protests has made even the richest institutions aware of how much of their presumed wealth can be yanked away from them by a donor class who are increasingly inclined to exert their influence and authority in openly oligarchic ways. The obsession with safety—and the contradictions of that obsession—is as much about financial management as anything else. But that also is a wider sociocultural formation: the American upper middle-class is generally an asset class now who think about safety in the same way as universities both because all institutions with asset-based wealth have to and because they personally have to safeguard their assets in the same fashion, and face some of the same risks from liability exposure. [. . .] Moving away from the caretaker era can’t just be a matter of exposing students to risk and dismantling systems that make safety the mandatory product of an intrusive regime of surveillance and correction. If the people in charge inside the university and outside of it aren’t equally exposed to the natural consequences of their actions and decisions, all this means is forcefully communicating to students—or perhaps all young people—their relative powerlessness and vulnerability. It means deciding that the lesson you really want to teach is that it’s bad to be powerless and thus you should strive in life for power and wealth in order to be beyond consequences. Arguably, if the caretaker era and the bystander era were both aligned with a wider social ideology that was broadly shared across a generation, then this in fact the new ethos of our time—that there is no safety but in power, and that where power believes people are not being sufficiently punished for the things that power disdains, it will find a way to make consequences where there have been none.

bleak essay that nonetheless collects a lot of idle thoughts i've had in one place & puts them together with more coherence than i've ever managed

[th3-0bjectivist]

A Photographic Journey into the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke Chapel (Durham, NC ¬ 22/08/24)

This week, I'm on vacation. And I'll do whatever I damn well please.

So I sauntered into the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

I was on a walking journey to get to Duke Chapel, at Duke University.

And I was just OVERCOME by the greenstone beauty of this garden.

Let me tell ya Duke students, you're lucky to study here. Study well.

Overheated, these gardens became my maze-like prison until...

I reached Duke campus, and the buildings began to look like castles.

And there she was, Duke Chapel. I went inside and...

Oh, oh my. The resplendence... I've been in many chapels.

This one was my very favorite chapel so far, so expansive.

I can't help but feel changed after a two hour garden excursion.

This was a journey worth going on, I would go again, and again.

Don't judge me. I'm on vacation.

[stuckinapril]

I’m happy for the little life I built for myself