#because fae’s art is gorgeous

[lnbeep-art]

When I wake in the morning…

"How am I blessed to be the sole captive audience to your morning’s rebirth? To be the one who lays beside you when you rest under the moonlight? I know all of you, and yet I find myself jealous; jealous of how the sunlight knows you before I do. My breathtaking and wondrous phoenix.

"If I held the world, I would stop its axis if it meant a few minutes more here under these duvet covers. Where we are not Queen and King of our kingdom. But even as we start our day, I know we will do this again. I will then become your moon to bid you a good night, just before you close those stars you call your eyes.”

Liliana belongs to @amayagt; Remy is mine! The cheesy blurb above is meant to be read interchangeably in either of their voices… They are both head over heels for each other.

Felt like drawing something to go along with the bottom two pics Fae did for us. 🥺

[l0stfoster]

Handing you guys an entire canvas of just Cursed Paul bc he hasn’t left my brain.

As usual, some little doodle content stuff teehee

- We retconned it so that the socs only stopped attacking Paul because Soda’s terrifying ass showed up. Umbra (Paul’s familiar) ran home looking for Darry and found Soda. He's her favorite of the gang so she's like 'good enough' and starts SCREAMING at the dude to get him to follow her. - The socs didn't know if Paul's power was physical or if he could use his voice like Soda so they choked him </3. They would've killed him in the process if Soda didn't show up. Imagine being in this dark ass alley busy jumping a guy and then you're faced with a fae who has this low-ass growl, with glowing eyes and fangs. Not to mention this looming shadow of a cat the size of a Caracal growling at you too. I'd be scared - Soda bursts their eardrums as he should (new power we decided on teehee. Supersonic whistle type shit, can break glass) - Some Parry bc Paul may be beat shitless but he's still Darry's pretty boy <3 - They can't get married but they have wedding rings. Paul's is a little one made of vines w/ a pretty little flower bc Darry couldn't afford a real one yet. Pony made it actin' like he didn't want to but made it literally gorgeous and one of a kind. Darry's is an actual ring because Paul saved up for that bitch for ages. Darry had an aneurysm when he saw it bc that bitch had an authentic diamond on it, Paul will not tell him how much it was. - Dally is the only one allowed to beat up Paul and will be very loud about it. Local New Yorker haphazardly slams fist over the head of this witch dude who probably has a concussion more at 5 - This isn't in the doodles here but I'm saying it as a fun sneak peek at some future art/writing for those who read this; Paul's magic is tied to his life force he will die if he ever loses his curse,, also blood rituals are dangerous <3. - If he's too frantic, Paul's magic can falter. Not very good when you're being jumped by a fuck ton of your old friends. - Paul is THE fucking cat dad ever. Umbra is his baby he birthed her /silly. She can do no wrong and he's her #1 defender.

I'm so sorry to the people who don't care for this au I'm insane rn.

On another note, that Greaser Design Lineup should be out soon!! Waiting for my Art Block to go away before I start the proper Justice For Tulsa frames bc they're more complex than quick little doodles!!

[thejudeduarte]

How does Cardan canonly look like? Bro looks different in every fanart I see lol

I suppose he looks different because of different art styles/interpretations of him 😭

He is canonically very thin and very pale and covered in scars. He doesn't have much/any muscle so I'm not a fan when artists give him lots of abs or arm muscles and stuff because Jude is the muscle of the relationship ‼️‼️

He has dark dark black hair which is described as curly and he has black eyes with a thin ring of gold around the iris. He has very long eye lashes and long fingers and he often wears big rings on all his fingers. He is also very tall, idk how tall but I assume over six feet, and of course we CANNOT miss out his infamous tail which is the best part of him which is iconic as always.

If you want the descriptions as described in the book then I can add them on at the end. Jude describes him as more beautiful than the rest of the Fae so obviously my man is extremely gorgeous. He also has a killer jawline. I almost forgot that he wears kohl/eyeliner around his eyes and on his cheek sounds because he is that sexy as well.

[hummingbird-games]

2023 In Review (Indie Games)

Last year's! | 2021

I apologize in advance for how long this might be. As a reminder, I don't bash games here so even if I hated something with every fiber of my being...I ain't sharing. As a second reminder, my more in depth reviews and live blogging has moved to Gem's Game Gems so I don't clutter the HBG's main blog. Okay. ON WITH THE REVIEW!!

DEMOS

Diffraction (Demo)- A rainy day otome indeed. I love the quiet gentleness of this game, the two romance options, and the fact that our MC is a photographer and struggling with her art and stack of life "failures" (because...SAME!!)

Alaris - I was asleep and now I am awake: I came late for the advertised fae and dragon lore, stayed seated and waiting for Fenir zjgjdf. Oh, and I guess the mystery surrounding our MC's abilities LOL.

The Summit Library - When I say I was maaaaaad when I realized I blew through chapter 1 and would have to go back to waiting for more content??? LOL, I was very miffed. Anyhoo, check out this title for the gorgeous art, another intriguing mystery (like what is *up* with the magic in the poor library?? who or what is to blame?? 👀) and of course the lovely characters we've been introduced to thus far.

Of Sense and Soul - I'm a regency romance girl. Like after you strip away the other stuff, I am but a poor woman with simple needs: a good ass love story 🤧💛 It's about the yearning and the slow burn and the will they/won't they/PLEASEEE they...I've never been so charmed by a demo, and the full game is going to be amazing I just know it!

Made Marion - This project is a game I've been keeping tabs on for a hot minute but hadn't taken the time to sit and properly enjoy the demo. I'M SO GLAD I DID!!! It's in early access now, so I'm hoping eventually I'll be able to carve out some time to play, but guysss Velvet Cupcake is doing the Thing?!? No idea which love interest I'll go for first, but I had a fun time meeting the Nottingham peeps in the demo.

Herotome (Super Demo) - Oh gosh. Oh gosh oh gosh oh my GOSHHH. Where do I even began?? (Really the question is where the hell do I end because this is one of those projects I talk about a lot/think about a lot and surprisingly haven't run out of things to say zkjfksjd). Another game I've been following for a while, it 100% lives up to the superhero genre in its aesthetic, the characters you interact with, the music and sound design, and of course the slowly unfurling story. Jade and Mia had come out as my top faves, Warden is still there, like hovering in the backgroud, shhhh but I have a special place in my heart for Griffin too (that conversation we have with her?? I have so many screenshots just so I can go back and reread and sear the words in my brain. Like a weirdo. Yup.)

Celestial Crowns - Stats building, celestial royalty, dating sim where you fuck around and find out your choices directly affect your MC's personality?? I'm sat. I supported the Kickstarter and now I try to practice patience for the full game's release siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighh.

OTOME/JOSEI JAM

Please note this is a SUPER abridged list for my sanity and I fell a little more in love with these 2 jams with each entry I played...

Intertwine - As embarrassing as it sounds, I've never given much thought to the "red string" thing, and I consume more than enough romance media LOL!! But Van is suuuuuch a beautiful man, the UI for this game is so interactive and lovely, the music is ALSO lovely, just lovely-love all the way around teehee. (Also this game encourages replayabillity so like, do with that info what you will.)

Spring Boy [Demo] - I believe this game is going through a complete rehaul, so my thoughts and feelings refer to the original jam entry I played. The art is bright and cute and it's a super super short demo, but I was intrigued by the other student we meet on our mission to plead with our professor about our bombed exam lol!

Assignment Due: Project Blue - IRl group projects??? Suck absolute ass. Group projects with a guy name Asher?? Suddenly it's my new favorite thing in the world 😁

Cryptid Campaign Manager [DEMO] - Remember the last time I looked over a cryptid dating sim??? Remember how I was SUCH a fool?? Good thing I didn't make that mistake again!! The prologue is such a tease but you get an idea of what the full game is gonna be like, and I'm excited to see where my career involving love (and politics) goes!

Heart Cage [Demo] - Yoooooo I stay my ass far far far away from yanderes (could never get into the trope or the character type). WELP. Guess I just needed to keep searching because I really downloaded this off a whim--well, the whim being one of my fellow dev peers playing and rating-- and proceeded to get sucked in 🤧I thought being a detective would be the highlight, but I guuuueeesssss I was more into the romance options than I thought. Oops.

Evernight - I tried to explain what this game meant to me on the side blog, but words failed me. I still don't know what to say other than I loved it?? Which is like ummm I say I love everything, and yeah I'm easy to please BUT Y'ALLLLLL if you play no other game, play this one. Please. Date a werewolf. Or a vampire. Or a fae. Plz. Also figuring out the mystery of your MC's abilities and past is just delightful, ugh.

Bright Oak (demo) - Anotha one I wrote about on the side blog!!! Play this one!!! The writing is lush and atmospheric and the characters are all delightful and it's another game with a mystery to untangle!

The Faithfulness of the Universe- This one gets the award for most unique all around entry that I played. Theeeeee prettiest pixel art to bless my eyeballs, and this tasty mystery concerning Fate and witch Faustina's future (or lack thereof 👀) and what it all means. As a player I very much want to know what it all means!

A Cup For All Seasons - Another game that needs its flowers y'all. It's short but super healing and super cozy and the voice acting and music really tie the gaming experience together???

The Working Woman's Guide to Burning Bridges - DEMO - It's the way I played the demo twice and I've been thinking about it ever since 😭😭😭🙃 obviously life happens and things come up, plus this was a demo. But. BUT!!! I am on my hands and knees prayinnggg the team gets together again to finish the game. I love playing as a stressed, lowkey bitter hot mess who doesn't have her life together 😂somehow the fictional version is soooo much more entertaining!!!

Keyframes (Spring Demo) - After the game College Craze, this is legit THE college, slice of life visual novel of my dreams. I cannot wait for the updated demo next year, and the Kickstarter whenever that rolls around. And now that the developer is on Tumblr, I've definitely been stalking the account and reading each new post like it's my day/night/weekend job 🤧

Hello Counsel 💋 - Okay I take it back, Evernight is like a 20/10 but Hello Counsel is like an 100/10 👁️👄👁️ This game is necessary for my mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, alright? The banter ✅ the character designs ✅ the music ✅ the sizzling chemistry between Poise and Salem ✅ I wish this game had more buzz because IT'S SO GOOD!!! (also the dev, Miseri, is who I wanna be when I grow up. I've made it through almost their whole backlog of games and there are no misses and EVERY game is different from the rest and it makes it hard for a toodler dev--ME--to cope LOL)

Candied Hearts - Isekaied into a candy themed game?? Sign me TF UP!!! (Peppermint I love you dearly, you must understand.)

Fully Released & Played (at least 1 playthrough)

The Knight's Dilemma - I don't even know how I originally stumbled upon this??? I just know it had been in my backlog for a hot minute and I was intrigued enough to save it way back when. Y'ALL WHY DIDN'T I PLAY SOONER SKJFHFJFH! There's a couple different endings, I loved the voice direction, AND it's such a simple concept of a game that was just executed beautifully.

Trouble Comes Twice - If I had to make a top 5 list of romance VNs, guess who makes the list?? Guess. Guess guess guess. Have you guessed yet??? LOL! I have been in love with TCT since it's development days and with each passing month, waiting in anticipation, playing the Pateron beta builds, screaming on the main blog about every single thought I had about Jace and Hazel (shoutout to Jace for helping me figure out *me*) Lol if you're curious about said thoughts, those posts are on this blog and not the side blog.

Aelfric the Wondrous - 10/10 would love to forget my first play through JUST to have that experience fresh again 😭😭💛Cute and funny and a wonderful parody type game all around.

A Summer's End - Hong Kong 1986 - Goodness, there's no excuse for why this took me years to finish but anyhoo, I finished, I loved it, I recommend it! It's romantic and achingly authentic and the art is soooo gorgeous I literally can't stand it 😭

The Things You Do For Love - Unhinged yandere manages to entertain and garner sympathy and laughter from Gemini. And that poly ending is chef's kiss too????

Band Camp Boyfriend - There are a handful of games I found and loved before I began my game development journey, and this is one of them. BCB is so dear to me, because of the story and characters but also because of the Dynamic Duo creators and their team behind the scenes. I was never a band kid I was a chorus kid but just as the band geeks loved this game to pieces, us normal folks do too!! Even the boys who I didn't like I STILL managed to find joy in playing their routes (still have a few more to finish at the time of this posting lol, GOTTA GET THE FINAL ROUTE YO). Anyway, this game more than delivered for me and I hope more people keep discovering it!!

Belle Automata: Chronicle I [RELEASED] - While only Chronicle 1 is out at the time of this posting, I already know that the 2nd and 3rd parts are going to be just as amazing???? I wrote about this one on the side blog, so here's my copypaste that still rings true:  

I love TNP (The Nightmare Prince) but Victor’s route hit the sweet spot for me. Maybe it’s the slow(er) burn nature of this route, maybe it’s the reserved nature of Victor and watching him slowly start to care (AND NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE FEELINGS TEEHEE) for me.

A Date with Death - I wrote about this on the side blog--again--. The demo. And then right after finishing a route. And then again where I was fully awake and still managed to sound deranged. No copypaste for that, I shall be nice. But yeah!! Another game where I was screaming at the sky about how much I love it and how I'll never know peace as long as I live.

Our Life: Baxter DLC - I need to offer an official apology to both Cove and Derek because falling head over heels, down the stairs, crashing into the parking lot, falling again but down a manhole for Baxter's infuriating ass was NOT on my 2023 bingo board??? HELLO???? I bought his DLC just to complete my OL collection. Was not expecting to love it this much. Was not expecting to be called to write fanfic and abandon all responsibilities to do this. WHILE DOWN WITH COVID TOO. Allow me to play the song of my people. *Send in the Clowns plays*

Our Cinderella - (this is so funny I'm taking about a side game before the main game LOLOLOLOL) Guys. Guysss. You guyyyysss 🥹if you're looking for a cozy, hilarious, equally oddly and wonderfully sweet short game, this is the one!! You may have your personal favorite Iggy ship (like me) but all the pairings are so amazing and just make sense lol!

Wylde Flowers - This is the only non visual novel game on here but it gets the spotlight because I did NOT spend 90+ hours on this game to gatekeep this beauty. No. It the coziest, the funniest, the funnest, the most addictive Switch game (after Teacup) I've ever played.

Fully Released (& still on 1st playthrough)

Garden of Seif: Chronicles of an Assassin - Life kicked my butt and then sat on me SO while I finally got my grubby hands on the full copy, I still have only played the entirety of the demo. But. We will return to this in 2024 and hopefully I'll have a full review for the next wrap up!

Our Wonderland - I looked back at the side blog and I can't believe it was only THIS year that I started OW??? Because I'd known of the game and the dev for longer than that??? So basically what I'm saying is that I was chicken shit for longer than I've been in love with this world that Developer Carrot has created kjzhhshggj. But OMG to get me, who is scared oh so easily to get hella invested in this clearly labeled horror game??????????????? And even with shit gets super absurd and hella disturbing, I cannot stop playing. At the time of this post, I'm only in Act 4, hence the category above, but it's only because I play each act in a sitting and lose track of space and time and myself. That's a compliment btw.

...

Okie!! That's 2023 in a nutshell! I played a looooot of really good games this year and while I would have liked to talk about them all, I think this list provides a nice overview.

Let me know if we share any favorites!

- Gemini 💛

[rosanna-writer]

Hello again gorgeous, Secret Santa calling! 💖📞✨️

Hope your day is going well. Are you doing good? I love our talks.

But darling, I MUST know - what are some of your favourite fanfic tropes, especially when it comes to our dear Feysand? Any favourite fic recommendations? I'm chomping at the bit to know.

Until tomorrow, lovely.

- Secret Santa 🎅😘✏️

HELLO MY DEAR I'M GOOD HOW ARE YOU

Favorite tropes: canon divergence, role-reversal, shifters and monsters, all the goofy "what if you can't see color until you meet your soulmate"/"first words your soulmate speaks to you are tattooed on your body"/etc soulmate AUs, "missing scene" fics

OK SO FEYSAND FIC RECS TIME TO GUSH THE REAL GIFT IS TALKING ABOUT THESE FICS

Poltergeist Darling by @thesistersarcheron is the spooky gothic romance AU that speaks directly to my inner 12 year old self who just discovered Phantom of the Opera and had her entire world changed

You know when you're like "damn, that's a great idea for a fic, I hope someone writes it so I can read it"? That was me with The Thief and the Rake, I swear @popjunkie42 is living in my brain or something (and I know @annaskareninas ALSO has one that's in the tbr list I'm slowly making my way through!)

Tempt My Trouble by @whatishowedyouinthedark because come for the smut (lol pun unintended), stay for the caretaking and art museum heists. Also the scattering of little canon details in a modern mafia AU is just so clever and fun

Queen of Thieves by @the-lonelybarricade because I love AUs where Feyre is born fae but also this might be the hottest Rhys she's ever written??? I still think about that scene where Feyre falls asleep on Rhys's lap after dinner

And speaking of born fae AUs, To Steal A Bride of Spring by @yourstarsmyscars is another favorite of mine, with Feyre knowing a bit more about what's going on than ACOMAF, this is just one of those warm and fuzzy, "what if they didn't have to be so mean to each other?" fics that are so soothing to read

@foundress0fnothing is a legend for making the Pied Piper hot in whistles far and wee like the flute is such a deeply unsexy instrument it should not work but she's a witch and the fic is so good and Rhys is seductive af!!!!

Your Eyes Whisper Have We Met literally has EVERYTHING you could possibly ask for in a feysand fic. @climbthemountain2020 is serving swoony regency balls and dream conversations and fun OCs and Under the Mountain suspense, she is doing it ALL, it's insane just go read it

I re-read Spirit in Disguise by @witch-and-her-witcher the other day, and it's another one of those "huh I wish someone would write this AU, OH LOOK SOMEONE DID" fics because damn do I love anything where Feyre meets Rhys before he's High Lord, and all the worldbuilding and the way the plot just dovetails to seamlessly with the main Nessian fic it branches off from are so, so good

Hot for Teacher by @beesays goes SO HARD on the school setting, it's just delightful. The emails, the gossip, Feyre handing Superintendent Rhys his ass in front of everyone, it's like Abbott Elementary but better and also Feysand

There are a ton I'm probably forgetting, but I'm so bad about actually bookmarking things so I'll stop here so my night doesn't devolve into tracking down fics I only remember the plot of but not the title or the author!

everyone go leave all these authors nice comments on their fics!!!

[sapphicseasapphire]

Hiii, I ADORE your chain as Cryptids AU, all of your art is gorgeous and every character is wonderfully unique, I wanted to ask for a lil more lore if possible? While Four is my favorite character we have not had nearly enough asks for Hyrule! And fairies in general, in your au are they more fae-like with some trickster tendencies or very kind and giving like the Minish? Thoughts on bottles, etc? TYSM!

Oh boy oh boy do I have some Hyrule Thoughts. And some general fairy thoughts as well!

(Under the cut because this is gonna get long)

For this au, I’m thinking of just Zelda fairies. Little glowing balls of light that flutter on fragile wings, iridescent and magical and gentle. Fairies have an affinity for magic: all kinds of magic, though they’re best known for their healing abilities. There isn’t a single archetype of what a fairy’s behavior will be. Some can be tricksters, some can be kind, some can be shy, some can have the most ill of intentions. Fairies are like people, really, in that they’re not just all one thing. (This is what separates them from spirits, really. They’re just on the cusp of ascension, but unlike Koroks or Blupees or Dragons or anything like that, they cling to their mortality and allow themselves to grow and evolve. Because of this, Hyrule is not a part of the telepathy circle).

There are many communities of Fairies, and they tend to group up around a Great Fairy as their leader. There are some colonies that are independent of Great Fairies, though, but they are rare to find, as they are at a much higher risk.

You see, while Fairies are magical, they’re very fragile. Usually, a typical Fairy wouldn’t posses enough magic to defend themself against a Hylian captor. Docile and tiny, they’re quite easy to bottle up and carry off, and easily discarded once they’re used. Great Fairies are much more powerful than the average Fairy, and even more powerful than a Hylian, so sticking around them is preferred. They protect the others.

Hyrule is a very unique case. You see, he was born with the Spirit of the Hero. For this au, the Spirit of the Hero acts as an enhancer for any kind of spiritual or magical power a Link already possesses. For example, Twilight is only able to shift because he’s descended from a God and possess the Hero’s Spirit. (Otherwise, one of his parents would have had God Powers TM too, and they probably wouldn’t have died so soon).

In Hyrule’s case, having the Hero’s Spirit grants him much more magic than a typical Fairy- almost as much magic as a Great Fairy herself. All of this power in such a small frame… no one is the wiser. Hyrule has enough magic to properly defend himself (if he had any sort of training… which, as a child, he didn’t) and most importantly, he has enough magic to hold a Hylian disguise for a LONG TIME. His glamour can change the way that he’s perceived but cannot change his actual shape. Others can see and even touch his changed form, but it is not real.

ANYWAY. Yeah. Bottles. Fairies are afraid of them, are afraid of Hylians. And Rito and Gerudo and Gorons and Zora and monsters and literally everything under the sun. When you’re two inches tall, everything is a threat.

Fairies are hunted mercilessly by Hylians, mostly. They’re never killed, not outright, but they’re taken from their colonies and shoved into a tiny bottle, sometimes for weeks and months on end (Fairies don’t starve as quickly as other species would, able to expend magic to keep their little bodies functioning). That being said, they often do not survive captivity. A tiny little bottle, often shoved in a bag and jostled around, no light, no food or water, all alone, just glass on all sides. It’s no place for a Fairy. Even if they do make it out (after expending magic to heal whatever wound they were abducted to treat), they will rarely make it back to their Great Fairy before succumbing to magical exhaustion or being captured again.

On the topic of magical exhaustion: Fairies have a limited amount of magic they can expend before they have to recover. Even one as powerful as Hyrule has their limits. Recovery almost always means rest, and it can mean their body does a forced shut down and simply stops working for days at a time. Often, Fairies are more hungry when they’re recovering, as magic can no longer be used to sustain the body.

Hyrule is less vulnerable to this than other Fairies would be, but when he’s standing next to the Chain? And every single one of them is hurt? After a fight where he’d used his magic to take down dozens of monsters? All while keeping up his glamour? Yeah, he’s gonna be feeling that one.

Telltale signs of magical exhaustion before it gets to the point of actually passing out: Physical exhaustion, drowsiness. Headaches, sudden hunger. Feeling cold. Often, the other heroes might notice Hyrule picking up an extra serving at mealtimes or ask to huddle up with someone at night (oftentimes Sky, as his wings are very warm and he doesn’t bat an eye when asked to cuddle). Hyrule sleeps longer, but never seems to gain any more energy.

Magical exhaustion, if pushed too far, can be fatal.

ANYWAY. When Hyrule first joins the Chain, he forces all of them to free any Fairies they might have. He enforces that rule as others join, and is hesitant to lower his glamour. I’m think that for a long time, they don’t even know he’s a Fairy. He’s terrified that if they find out, they’ll bottle him up and use him for healing and never let him go. For. Long time, he’s terrified of them. Fairy Bottlers surround him. It’s not until he physically cannot keep his “Hylian” form up that the others find out what he is, and he never expected them to be so understanding. So… apologetic. Actually legitimately regretful of their Fairy Bottling pasts.

ONE MORE THING. Four can turn Minish sized. When Hyrule works himself to magical exhaustion and passes out, he goes back to his True Form, the two inch tall lil Fairy. And of course, when that happens, it’s really really difficult for the Chain to move him or help him without accidentally hurting his tiny body. So Four will shrink down and help him to bed, check to make sure that he wasn’t hurt when he fell unconscious, and stay with him at their size so he’s not alone when he wakes.

I have many more thoughts but this is getting actually so long. I apologize!

[fluffy-cloudz]

Teehee following up on my Princess Diaries 2 fountain scene Elucien headcanon I had posted about a while back, I wrote a lil somethin somethin up

This was also inspired by this incredible art work by @sad-scarred-sassy !

You can read it on AO3 as well :)

<3

I Hate How Much I Want You

Summary: Elain is fed up with her distant mate, Lucien Vanserra, and his growing absence from the Night Court. Tensions explode when he arrives for Nesta and Cassian's mating ceremony, the first time he has been near her in months. What could happen when a much needed confrontation occurs?

Warnings: Light Angst, cursing, Elain using a fan as a weapon

Elain was seething.

It was the hottest day of the year in the Night Court, which typically had more mild temperatures during the warmer seasons. Elain had been up since before dawn, frantically ensuring all of her carefully planned preparations for Nesta and Cassian’s mating ceremony that day were in line. She had been planning it for months, happily insisting on taking on the task despite not being required to. She enjoyed feeling like she had a purpose, as the Inner Circle often left her out of most court discussions, and she did not have much interest in training with Nesta and the priestesses at the House of Wind. So she had thrown herself into planning the most elaborate, magical celebration she could with the advantage of using Rhysand’s endless line of credit.

Everything was in place. The main courtyard in the vast gardens of the River House had been flipped into a botanical masterpiece of a setting where her sister and her mate could traditionally accept their bond surrounded by friends. Chairs wreathed in vines and various floral arrangements were carefully placed in the plush grass before a large willow tree. The leaves of the willow tree were swept to the side, gathered in vines, and curtained a slightly raised platform that practically glittered with the sunlight that poked through the tree’s foliage. Magical fae lights floated above the courtyard that would illuminate the area once the sun began to set. There was a designated area for socializing, catered by a restaurant Cassian had mentioned was his favorite in Velaris. Elain had even secured an ensemble of musicians that often performed in Velaris, as Nesta loved their style of music. 

Her sister was beyond happy and grateful for the work she did. Everything looked gloriously perfect and many guests had taken the time to compliment her work. She should be happy, proud of her efforts and excited for her sister’s big day. But she was standing at the edge of the courtyard, furiously fanning herself with a lilac fan embroidered with roses that matched her dress, as she watched him across the lawn.

He had not visited Velaris in months. Had not attended Winter Solstice and opted to spend the holiday with his human friends beyond the wall. With Vassa . He was here now, though. She had even known that he arrived the night prior, simply because the shock of the proximity of his mere presence had flooded her every sense. 

And now he stood feet away from her, had not acknowledged her once, not even a polite greeting, and was laughing with and standing very close to a female from the Dawn Court. She was gorgeous, long black hair that fell nearly to her waist and gleamed in the sunlight. Her features were sharp, dark up-tilted eyes paired nicely with her golden-brown complexion. She had one hand that appeared to be made of golden metal, though it did not take away from her beauty. Elain watched as Lucien leaned closer to her and whispered something, looking around cautiously. The female’s cheeks flushed, eyes wide, as she let out a surprised laugh and then playfully slapped his chest.

Elain was seeing red. The heat of the day mixing with the heat of her rage and making her insides feel like they were about to boil over. She knew, rationally, that she did not have much grounds to be angry with his neglect toward her. He likely believes that his disregard for her in the past months is what she wanted, given her adamant avoidance of him and his feeble attempts at getting to know her. However, after not only losing her fiance because of him , because of this bond , but also Azriel’s rejection which she found out was enforced because of what he might do, the rage within her had inflamed. Was she the only one ruined for any chance of romance because she was bonded to him? And he could just ignore the bond and live his life, fooling around with human women and any courtier he wishes with no restriction? 

If her life, her happiness, was being dictated by her bond to this male, surely he should make more effort? Rather than going on with his life ignoring her as she suffers the consequences. 

Sweat was pouring down Elain’s back as she watched the Dawn female lean close to Lucien’s face, brushing a hand over his temple as she peered at his mechanical eye. She was so close, too close, and Lucien’s relaxed demeanor around her was a state she had rarely ever seen him in. He shows up after months of nothing and has the audacity to not only continue to ignore her, but flaunt another female right in front of her?

Elain’s thoughts were interrupted by Feyre’s soft voice, “The hydrangeas look absolutely lovely with- Elain? Are you alright? You’re downright flushed.” She whipped her head toward her younger sister, still rapidly fanning herself as the heat was unbearable. Feyre had a concerned look on her face, eyeing the fan and then flitting her gaze back to Elain’s chest that was rapidly rising and falling.

“I’m… I… I think I just am overheated I-” Elain sensed a new set of eyes on her, burning into her skin. She glanced back at her previous target, finding Lucien had turned away from the female, now watching her tentatively with furrowed brows from across the courtyard. Her eyes locked with his for a brief, scorching moment, and it was all too much.

“Excuse me.” Elain turned on her heel away from her sister, from the prying eyes of her mate, and began swiftly walking down the path that led deeper into the gardens that she knew so well. She didn’t stop to look back once, willing her erratic breathing to get under control as she approached her favorite spot in the garden, the spot that she went to when she needed to think, be alone. 

There was an area decked in lavender and sunflowers, a small willow tree overseeing the flowers, and a gurgling fountain with lily pads nestled next to a wooden bench. Elain often came here to read and escape, the sound of the fountain setting her at ease. 

With a deep sigh, she plopped down on the bench, closing her eyes as she willed her heartbeat to slow down. Still gripping the fan in her hand, she breathed in through her nose and exhaled slowly out through her mouth. She removed the pearl clip from her hair, freeing the top layers of the locks and ran her fingers through them, smoothing out the tension that had built up.

Her eyes were still closed as she tried to focus on the calming fountain before her, but a strong scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke accompanied by the scuffing of boots on stone interrupted her meditation. Shooting her eyes open, she looked up at Lucien Vanserra before her. Dressed in dark brown trousers that hugged his muscular thighs perfectly, and a loose white shirt with billowing sleeves covered by an evergreen vest, he was the depiction of elegant masculine beauty. His hands were casually placed in his pockets as he inspected the tall bushel of lavender to his side. He met her gaze and held it, standing less than five feet away from her now.

“You have single handedly rivaled the Spring Court’s gardens with what you have achieved here. In the Night Court of all places.” He glanced around them then brought his gaze back to her.

She simply stared at him, slightly hunched over as she sat on the bench. He raised an eyebrow at her, a silent indication that screamed let it out . So she did.

She rose from the bench to stand, still a safe distance from him and though he towered over her she wanted to impose as much dominance as possible. “I don’t know what sort of business you and Rhysand have, but you might as well be a stranger to this court. You have been gone for months . What are you even doing here now?” She had balled her fists at her sides, not entirely sure what exactly she wanted to say to him, just letting the words tumble out.

Lucien removed his hands from his pockets and gestured around him with both hands, “I was invited.” He stated.

Elain exhaled out her nose roughly in annoyance, “Why bother? You clearly are more than happy residing as far away from the Night Court as possible. It is not as if Nesta would have been offended if you chose to forgo the invitation.” She crossed her arms in front of her, leaning back on her heels.

“Forgive me, my lady, but you are sounding far too put off about my distance than the female I knew before. The female that repelled my presence, would refuse to even look at me when I was in the same room as her. I would think you’d be delighted at my absence.” Lucien shot back at her, sending an oily twinge of guilt down her spine. He was right . She was not willing to back down, though.

“Do you understand how many problems you have caused in my life by merely existing? I will forever be defined by this… this thing that binds us! It is as if I have lost free will because I am tied to you. Meanwhile, you are able to go dally with your human queen, or the lot of eligible females in Prythian. Nobody to stop you on my account .” She was exposing too much, but she could not stop her stream of consciousness vocalizing itself in her frustration.

Lucien took a step toward her, his eyebrows knitted together, “Be sure, Elain, I have no intentions to stop you from pursuing what- who you want. Although, it sounds as though you have issues with me spending time with other females? Do you wish for me to sit around for the rest of my days alone hoping for you to come to me? When you have clearly demonstrated your disinterest?” His voice had risen, causing Elain to lean back where she stood a bit, but she straightened her spine and dared a step even closer to him.

“You come here after months of silence, and do not utter even a “hello” to me. This cursed bond is supposed to be sacred to the fae yet you come here and cling to another female right in front of me. Yet I am unable to pursue other males.” To her surprise and displeasure, Lucien’s lips quirked up on one side, just slightly, exposing a deep dimple on his left cheek. His shoulders relaxed as he replied.

“I could be mistaken, but you sound as if you are perhaps a bit jealous, my lady?” His eyes scanned her face before dropping down to her heaving chest, where her blush had spread. He had leaned dangerously close to her, his face now inches from her own as Elain glared at him, her eyes locked on his as he arrogantly smirked down at her. 

Elain had never been more flustered in her life. Stamping her foot like a child, she clutched the fan still fisted in her hand and swatted the right side of Lucien’s chest, just below his shoulder. “I loathe you.” She blurted out. Lucien looked down to where she had hit him in shock for just a moment. For a split second, Elain almost considered apologizing for her hideous behavior, but Lucien snatched her wrist in one hand, using his other hand to take the fan from her grip and then to her utter shock he swatted her left shoulder back. Not enough to actually hurt, but the sentiment was clear.

“I loathe you .” He snapped back at her. Elain’s mouth had dropped open, she was scowling at him, seething as she locked eyes with him and burned all of her rage she could conjure into his gaze. They held eye contact, both breathing unevenly, in silence for a few devastatingly long seconds before Elain made the mistake of dropping her gaze just a fraction. To his lips.

His full lips were perfect. Elegantly angled at the corners to make a mischievous smile. His bottom lip was slightly plumper than his top lip, creating an almost pouty resting state, and it looked impossibly soft. Elain could not tear away her eyes from his lips, her thoughts immediately switching to a drastically different place in her subconscious than the rage she was feeling before. She had relaxed her hands, previously balled into tight fists, and felt her shoulders sag. Without realizing it, she had leaned forward enough that the tips of her shoes brushed his own. She stopped for a moment to steady herself, about to regain her control and look back up into his eyes, but a warm, calloused hand slipped behind her neck and pressed her forward. 

Her lips found his with ease. She shut her eyes automatically and sighed into the kiss, wrapping her hands around his neck. They moved rhythmically together, their heartbeats synchronizing as she sunk further into him. Lucien’s grip on the back of her neck angled her head so he could deepen the kiss, teasing her bottom lip with his teeth. Elain let out a gasp as his other hand slid down her side, squeezing her waist, and he swept his tongue into her mouth. 

She was lost. Could not even remember how this began or why, she was just so relieved to feel him. She wound her hands in his soft, thick hair, scratching his scalp as he let out a rumbling groan into her mouth. His hand kneaded her hip, sending shocks of pleasure through her as she attempted to press herself closer to him. 

Slowly, Elain felt her left foot lift off of the ground, raising up as her calf bent at her knee and she leaned more into Lucien to maintain balance as she stood on only her right foot. The only other time this had ever happened, was the first time she kissed Grayson. That thought was enough to break her from her stupor and her eyes shot open wide. “Mmmmh!” She exclaimed into the kiss as she shoved at his shoulders.

Lucien stumbled back, breathing heavily as he looked at her with a playful look in his eyes. Elain scowled at him as she huffed out a sharp breath, “How dare you! You can’t just go around kissing people thinking it will solve problems!” She turned quickly and began walking away from him, every nerve in her body tingling. It was a moment of weakness, she told herself, nothing more.

She heard footsteps follow closely behind her as she approached the babbling fountain, “Why not? It seemed to relax you.” Lucien’s voice held a humorous tone as his hand closed around her upper arm, twirling her around, “Do you want to kiss again?” He smirked down at her, that gods-forsaken dimple appearing once again. 

“You’re just trying to confuse me.” She quipped. His eyebrows furrowed in mock-confusion.

“What’s confusing about a kiss? You were enjoying yourself.” His infuriating smirk returned and Elain ripped her arm from his grip.

“It’s just this bond. This bond is making me think I like it, and you know that so you are taking advantage of it!” Elain was shaking, mostly from the ecstasy that she had just experienced, but also from her incessant need to defy these feelings. Lucien chuckled, delicately fixing the strap of her dress that had fallen off her shoulder in their escapade.

“I think you’re scared. You’re scared that possibly, it is not just the bond that draws you to me.” Lucien leaned in so his lips were right next to her ear, eliciting gooseflesh to rise up on her skin. “Do you know why I have not been to the Night Court in months? Because when I am near enough to you, I can see your dreams . Those naughty dreams you have about me, about us. They were fucking torturing me.” He hissed against her neck.

Elain was mortified, trembling with horror at the revelation that he had shared her scandalous dreams of him. The dreams that had her waking in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, impossibly wet between her thighs and moaning in need. For him. 

Shoving her embarrassment aside, she stepped back from him, the back of her knees knocking into the side of the fountain’s pond and she almost slipped. Lucien shot out an arm to steady her, and in her stubborn haste to swat him away she lost her footing and gripped the sleeve of his shirt as she tumbled into the fountain, dragging him in with her. 

She flailed beneath the surface of the surprisingly deep pond of the fountain before breaking out of the water and sucking in a mouthful of air. A lilypad covered her head and she snatched it off, tossing it back into the water. She heard Lucien resurface just beside her, refusing to look at him. Lucien was silent for a beat as he shook out his hair, then began laughing . Elain looked down at her drenched lilac gown, plastered to her skin and basically translucent now. She practically growled as Lucien continued to snicker beside her.

As she began to wade her way to the edge of the fountain pond Elain shot at him, “I have an idea, why don’t you go back underwater, and I’ll count to a million.” Lucien stopped laughing and began scrambling through the water to get to her.

“Elain, wait. Just hold on a second-” She had already exited the fountain and was pressing with determination towards the courtyard. Nesta’s ceremony was to begin any minute and she would not miss it to go change her ruined clothing.

When she reached the courtyard, discreetly taking her seat in the front row next to Feyre, she smoothed out her soaked dress and tucked her wet hair behind her ears. She felt Feyre’s incredulous stare from beside her but refused to acknowledge it. “Do not. Ask.” She spoke firmly as she stared straight ahead right before the musicians began playing the song Nesta would descend to the altar to.

The ceremony was beautiful, just as she had intended, and Nesta and Cassian had their hands bound together in black ribbon, signifying the tether of their mating bond. Elain’s thoughts were swirling, staring at that symbolic ribbon, at the adoration in her older sister and her mate’s eyes as they officiated their bond. Her heart clenched almost painfully, and she clasped her hands together in her lap in an attempt to ground herself.

Hesitantly, she turned her head towards the row to the left of her, where she knew he would be seated. There he sat, equally as disheveled and drenched as her, sharing the state of her ridiculousness, and he was already staring right back at her. 

As the music accompanying the ceremony reached its crescendo, she held her stare with Lucien once again, his eyes firm and intense as he stared back at her. She found that she dreaded him possibly leaving the Night Court tomorrow, not to be heard from for months, or who knows how long. Though she was fighting it with all she could, she wanted him to stay . 

Slowly, Elain held his gaze as she hesitantly offered him a slight smile, a silent indication of how she truly felt. Lucien returned it, his russet eye sparking with some understanding between the two.

[cherries-in-wine]

My thoughts on 'the cursed heart' book 1

hii I just remembered this book exists and I'd like to share some opinions. Just a warning this post contains spoilers and my writing is messy af as this is more of a rant so i apologise in advance lol. I haven't read the second book yet just fyi.

Seeing the shit everyone said about this book I was honestly expecting another smutty trash like the nanny affair but they don't even kiss until chapter 9. I think the slowburn and the sexual tension was done decently well. I thought this was a sex slave kind of situation the way everyone was talking about it but its more of a "I saved your life so you'll work for me to repay your debts" situation. doesn't really make it any better but I guess its not as bad as sex slave. The whole BDSM shit was...questionable. I don't know what's so hard to understand about the fact that BDSM IS CONSENSUAL. IF YOU GUYS DON'T TALK ABOUT IT AND ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES BEFOREHAND ITS NOT BDSM ITS ABUSE. Just fyi these options are avoidable but I just think its inappropriate to call this BDSM.

The art is GORGEOUS and I love the little story book sequences you have for the character's background information. I ADORE the side characters like longclaw and sir monty have my heart. The idea for the book was definitely interesting. I liked the sun and moon court concept and the fae. It had potential but just like all the books choices has been putting out it just sort of fell flat. I really like the names too. I know they might be little too JK-Rowling-Cho-chang-ass-names but idk I find it cute how the sun court members are radiance, lustre,blaze,gleam etc. the book has a really nice aesthetic and fae are beautiful. The outfits are stunning as well. LEAF IS THE BEST PART OF THIS BOOK.

Kieran is honestly pretty mid. I don't find them that interesting I think they're just bland. I guess that could've been on purpose because they don't have a heart and stuff but I believe they could've done so much better.

I don't like how the fae are mostly left unnamed. That just made the sun court's betrayal fall flat because I don't even know these bitches so why would it hurt that they betrayed me? like first of all that shit was so predictable and second of all when you write a betrayal you'd want it to come from a character the reader really likes and is attached to so when they betray us it will hurt and just make you feel things but because we knew very little about about them I was just like "woahhhh womp womp I'm so hurt totallyyyyy didn't see this coming you got me dude" *pretends to be shocked*.

I think the it would've been much better if they pulled a prince Aerin from BOLAS kinda route with Radiance like maybe he and the other fae sneak in at night to visit mc, they grow close and he's treated as a love interest THEN he betrays mc. That would've made much more of an impact and then it would've made sense as to why mc was so trusting when they handed him their protection charm thingy to him. Honestly I find radiance much more interesting than Kieran.

Mc is.....a dumbass to put it lightly. I'm sorry but they're so stupid and they don't even have any growth by the end. I hate the "this character's only trait is being kind so they're dumb" trope. like first of all being kind isn't a fucking personality and idk crazy thought but maybe just maybe you can be kind and rational?? like why is every kind mc so dumb and lacks critical thinking skills. yea so didn't love mc either they were just bland.

My thoughts are kind of all over the place right now (they always are) so maybe ill add more stuff later but that's all for now. Thank you so much for reading my rant <33

[raviollies]

just a small compliment, but i love your art. saw your character inspiration posts lately and i love lorelai and theta's eyes are gorgeous! have a good day!

THANK YOU!! Eyes are one of my favourite things to draw & I love coming up with little headcanons and lore tidbits to match so I am going to use this opportunity

Lorelai is a Vampire, duh, but I usually draw all vampires with slit pupils no matter what they look like in canon because I love the idea of vampires having biological changes to reflect their physical transformation.

Since Vampires usually rest during the day, I typify them as nocturnal rather than diurnal. Typically nocturnal predators have vertical slit shaped pupils to allow better sight in darkness.

Now Fae are a bit different, I decided to go fully fantastical in that regard to highlight their otherness as well as provide that hypnotic pop of colour.

Fae come in many shades and variations, there really isn't a one size fits all for them (Different colour variations, different sclera colour, different pupil shapes), but what remains a constant is the wide kaleidoscope of colours that moves. The best way I can describe it is akin to a lava lamp. The colours shift and move, ebb and flow, they almost feel alive independent of the owner. Their eyes are HYPNOTIZING, and surreal, not abiding by any biological law, just like Fae's very existance.

[simmonsized]

🥑🌻🪐🥐☁️🎨 🧩 for Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game

1. 🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help?

Probably the members of my Broblematic server (@outofstrings (bird and fae collectively, u may know of the Post-Cal ask blog), @future-geometries (Jess u are the first person I thought of) and definitely @alexharrier , who I think would probably hide me from the law even if I didn't explain the crime. I am not including beloved @chaton-katreal because I think she is too gentle, i would not want to muck up her life with murder!)

Or you know, my actual partner @notanotherdoodleblog probably LOL

All fantastic people, worth of hiding crimes.

2. 🌻 ⇢ tag someone you appreciate but don't talk to on a regular basis

Honestly most of my friends are pretty busy adulting 8( so we don't get to talk as much as I'd like to. @eggwyrt because our timezones are almost earth opposites. I love u!!!! I miss you!!

3. 🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

- I've got two real life best friends that I get together with and have coffee every weekend together, and sometimes do other things, and this is significant to me because adulthood makes it hard to keep friends, let alone see them.

- I got into the marine ecology lab at my school that I have been pushing for entrance into, despite missing a pre-req. I get to be on a boat for eight hours next quarter! Woohoo!

- I got fanart for a fic I am very proud of but very rarely interact with anybody about, which has boosted my confidence and made me feel really good, and each comment I've gotten since they posted the art has made my heart sing extra loud!

4. 🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh

Tbh I can't think of anything off the top of my head. My partner and I met through RVB, however, so we reference old seasons to each other fairly regularly, and I like to think we have a pretty good time c:

5. ☁️ ⇢ what made you choose your username?

(i do not even like Simmons that much but it's a solid username and now is part of my brand. also I am classically a blue team girly lol)

6. 🎨 ⇢ link your favourite piece of fanart and explain why you like it

This is an impossible task. Insurmountable, even. There are several!! Many!!! How can I pick one?? So I will list a few:

A. Everything anyone has ever drawn for my fanfics at all ever.

B. SPECIFICALLY everything @alexharrier has drawn for me, ever. Especially specially specially these two gifs which actually make me fucking insane every time I see them.

Honestly, this had me making sounds so incoherent only dogs could hear them, years ago when I did not consider my fic would be special to anyone. I really really really treasure them.

Also both my birthday gifts, Bro at Disneyland, and Bro at Home Depot 💕

C. This artwork for RNG chapter 66, from @101-sve . It is also special to me, and it's been my wallpaper on my phone ever since c: the atmosphere, the warmth, the halo of their hair i just... Yeah!!!!

D. Recent, probably familiar still, this Holy Fucking Shit Beautiful Atmospheric work of art for metempsychosis!!!! by @askinsufferableprickmod . I really actually cannot stop looking at it. It's so gorgeous, and honestly even if it had nothing to do with me I would still be in love with it. The concept of the kids are Gods, as beings outside the mortal world they made for themselves, all that is visible here, and I really really love it!

* I know all of these are things people have drawn for me, for my content, but honestly that is why they are my favorites! It is touching to see someone put heart into something that is related to something you, yourself, also put heart into!!! I love it!!!! I love these talented artists!!!!!

ALSO: we all know Theater of Coolty, but it is so beloved to me, I can recite it in my sleep lol.

7. 🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately

On top of the other reasons I said I don't like things, you do actually have to convince me 6 times outta 10 if you want me to read a Homestuck fic in the third person. There is just something to the flavor of 2nd person that hits different. There is a reason different perspectives exist, and I think they can all be utilized well, but something about that classic, well-patterned "you, and then you" just gets me, you know?

[mochiwrites]

I don't think I quite have all the words I want to say- But my goodness if this is gonna be long.

Your writing is gorgeous. And you can take all the time you need on it if it means you can be proud of it and enjoy it as much as I do. When I read Songbird, the characterization was genuinely on point and made complete sense for all of them. I love their unique ways of going about things and how anything they do can be led back to the concept of cause and effect. Idk, I like how despite all the traumas they experience, all the fear, all the blackmail, and wondering if tomorrow will even exist, the one constant they can look forward to is each other. They're hurt, lonely, confused. But they can hold each other's hands and tell the other it'll be okay. (ALBEIT THE RECENT CHAPTER HAS GOT ME IN SHAMBLES THANKS A LOT???) I genuinely love the way you write them all. Grian has got his iconic sass and is always on the go, moving around. He's curious. So curious that it leads him to find people he wants to protect. He wants to do something. He wants validation and to know he's doing things right. He's only human, but since when did that stop him from playing a game way beyond his understanding? Mumbo is lonely and filled with his past mistakes. He pushes away until he realizes he can't anymore. And he lets the light in. The only light he can look at. He grows attached. He's easily flustered, gets snarky, and gets surprised, he's painfully human despite how much he says he's a monster. And I think that's what has gotta hurt about the most recent update. The only humanity he could look forward to, not his own, but another- Possibly gone.

Scar's development is so interesting. He's perfect in every way. He knows what he's doing and doesn't hesitate to do it. Until he does. And just like Mumbo he's grasping for that light to hold onto, but in turn, he crushes it in his palm, only feeling the warm memory of what it was like to be looked at as himself and not a monster. I find your play on words so incredibly fascinating. Fae have such a connection to identity. Scar identifies with a word Grian refuses to call him. Something he was consistently called by so many people until he got a gentle look of determination and care that shattered down his walls. That made him feel with his non-existent "soft human heart". Being taught that identity is what you make of it, and it's up to you and nobody else to decide what you are. But he can't go through with it. Because it's not his choice.

RAAA!!!! I'm so sorry for the long message but I'm such a sucker for your writing and I will probably write more in your dms soon if you're okay with it. But seriously, your writing has got my brain ticking around the clock. Every second of waiting is worth it if you can hold your story in your hands and tell yourself, "I'm proud of this." Because you should be. (Plus, it gives me more time to plan art pieces BNFJBN)

WAILS AND SOBS AT YOU???? REALLY LOUD????

uwahhhhh thank you sm 🥺💕💕 everyone's characterization is something I keep in mind all the time, with every action or thought they may have and ueueueue I'm glad they feel true to their characters. there's just something about like... experiencing so much bad and evil together, but knowing with certainty that the people around you will be there at the end of the day.

AND ALL THREE OF THEM,,, WAILS. grian and his stubborn curiosity but determination to protect and help. yet he's still so pesky and sassy and the impact he has on mumbo and scar is so important. so so so incredibly important. I genuinely don't think the songbird story would hit the same way if he wasn't human.

and mumbo ;-; he has such a kind heart but he's filled with guilt and regret that he pushes people away. and the thing that gets me with him is like,,, he tries so hard to squash that innate kindness, yet he can't help but give that kindness out anyways. and that's so painfully human??? I love sb!mumbo a lot, sad little vampire man.

theN THERE'S SCAR. SCAR WHO I WANT TO SHAKE AROUND SOOOOO AFFECTIONATELY I PROMMY. he's a character that is SO incredibly interesting to me both to study and write and I love how he's developing in the story. we're finally approaching the point in the story where we really see the goodtimeswithscar that we all know and love, and I'm so jittery about revealing his backstory. scar's connection to his identity is so... AUGH. AUGH. I love him ( even while he's making terrible mistakes rn <3 )

but,,, sobbing so incredibly loud at you 🥹💕💕 songbird is very precious to me and I am so proud of it. so incredibly proud of it. long message is 100% welcome, and please!!! feel free to wiggle on into dms :D (and sobs??? plan art??? soBS????)

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

By south park crossover AU, I didn't just mean they crossover into another fandom like Pokemon, but also more normal crossover type of AU's, like fantasy AU or a superhero AU.

You know stuff like that

Ahhhh I getcha! My favorite AU’s are WITHOUT A FUCKING DOUBT Stick Of Truth ones!!!!!! I’m such a fantasy loser dude the WHOLE reason I made my ao3 acc in the first place is because I wanted to wound the hell out of knight Stan lmfao and I was actually elf king Kyle for Halloween last year sot is my favorite, especially for style, just that dynamic between them is GORGEOUS!!! I’ve written quite a few sot works myself (an absurd amount of oneshots and I’m particularly proud of my sot multichap How We Began) as well as fantasy in general (everyone say hi to fae prince Kyle from And The Lightning Cracks The Sky) and I’ve read a SHIT TON!!!! I have TSOT au recs of course, so off the top of my head:

Thief Trilogy by Wintergrew. Not a style fic, though they’re both involved, but I shit you not this is the best fucking sot au i have ever read. I will recommend it until the day I die. The lore alone makes me feral and it’s up there with my favorite Craig centric stories for sure.

The King And The Kite by brookeginko we got TSOT AND TFBW!!! Gorgeous style fic in general and I adore the characterizations of everyone! Toolshed interacting with elf king Kyle is just so perfect I adore it

Entries From The Past by ViviBaby69420 GORGEOUSLY WRITTEN AND THE ART!!!! HOLY SHIT THE ART!!! We got my favorite injury recovery, style, emotional turmoil, it’s written in diary format from our beloved elf king and it slaps

Dude I’m totally blanking I know I have more (many more) I’ll make a sot rec list at some point because I have genuinely read a ridiculous amount of them

[time-to-write-and-suffer]

WIP Intros

Here’s a list of all my current writing works-in-progress, under a cut so I can change the post as I inevitably drop some things and start others. If you don’t see a particular WIP here that you’ve seen me talk about, it’s probably because I either abandoned it for now/for good or I haven’t worked on it enough -- in general or recently -- to justify mentioning it.

All of my current projects are intended for adult audiences even though they’re rarely explicit.

Feel free to send me asks if you want to know more!

Faery WIP / The Overgrowth / These Dark and Lovely Woods

After her mother’s passing, Sidra Carver has become a shell of a person, living alone in the woods away from society. Her remaining joy is her stepsister, the kind and bright Sinéad, whose love keeps Sidra from losing herself to the forest. That changes when Sinéad is violently stolen by her own fiancé, the mysterious Lord Thorne. A spell forces everyone but Sidra to forget Sinéad’s very existence, making Sidra the only one willing and capable of traveling beyond the iron wall and into the dangerous lands of the fae. But two axes and a brutal temper won’t be enough to help Sidra deal with the prideful and vindictive fae without falling prey to their ruthless politics.To navigate their machinations without losing her life, Sidra needs help from one of their own. Enter Valerien, a gorgeous but unpleasant fae who binds Sidra with an oath in exchange for his aid. But what this promise entails, and why he’s forced to live isolated in a crumbling manor, remains a mystery. One thing is clear: Sidra and Valerien cannot stand each other. As they struggle to reconcile their differences — and similarities — their animosity threatens to tear the alliance apart, and doom Sinéad to a life of slavery in a court of beautiful vultures.

Genre: Dark fantasy, romance

Status: First book finished, outlining/drafting second book

Word count: 119k words (first book)

Style: Single first person POV, past tense

Inspiration/vibe: Howl’s Moving Castle but it has depression

Keywords: Slow-Burn, Teeth-Clenched Teamwork, Mayfly-December Romance, Belligirent Sexual Tension, Forbidden Romance, Fae, Loneliness, Curses, Interspecies Romance

Tag / Dedicated blog / Art / Masterpost / PowerPoint / Inspiration tag / Pinterest board

Elf Marriage WIP / Nettle and Song

To strengthen the new alliance between the nations of elves and humans, the elven prince Androel and the human not-quite-princess Theodosia are reluctantly convinced to marry. But their begrudging acceptance of their circumstances is not enough to make them like each other. Trust is difficult when they both carry a secret the other cannot know: Teddy is the champion of a goddess, made to suppress her magic lest she threaten her stepfather's rule, while Roel struggles with a desperate thirst for Teddy's blood.

Genre: High fantasy, romance, drama

Status: 1st draft in progress

Current word count: 38k

Style: Dual third person limited POV, past tense

Inspiration/vibe: If Pride and Prejudice was set in Middle Earth, and also there's sexy vampire elves

Keywords: Arranged Marriage, Marriage Before Romance, Slow-Burn, Elves, Interspecies Romance, Defrosting Ice King, Garden of Love, There Was Only One Bed, Royals Who Actually Do Something, Fluff, Angst, Healing from Trauma, Low Stakes

Tag

I also write a canon rewrite fic for The W@yhaven Chr0nicles, and a Tavstarion fic for BG3. If you want a link to those, send me a DM<3

[six-of-ravens]

for the end of year asks: 21, 22, 25? :3

Hi!!

21. What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year?

Back in May I finally replaced my old, nearly-broken bedframe with this nice, solid one (it doesn't shake threateningly when I roll over!) (also pardon the laundry)

And on that same trip I picked up this new shelf for the living room, which has been immensely helpful:

10/10 would Ikea again (would not ask my dad for help putting things together again tho lollll)

22. Favorite place you visited this year?

Didn't do much traveling this year, but in October my aunt and I went back to Mount Black Prince in Kananaskis for a hike (and also visited the Blackshale Suspension Bridge across the road), which was gorgeous, though since there was a drought this year, the usual lake at the midpoint of the hike had dried up:

25. Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one

Yes! And I'll describe 2 cause they're kind of a package deal. Twins Jessica and James (temp names lol), who inherited a property after their great-aunt died and then, upon moving in, discovered it was formerly a brothel, and also housed a door into the Unseelie lands. James is a trans man who does bookbinding and small leather crafts and sells them on Etsy, he's very reclusive and shy, though he's been coming out of his shell a bit since moving to the woods. He's also been masterminding the renovations of the old brothel. Jessica is more of a social butterfly, she works as a bartender at the local pub, and also helps James with the more social admin aspects of his business. She hopes to someday turn the brothel into a B&B, though James is not entirely thrilled with the idea. Shockingly, despite his dislike for humans (or perhaps because of it), James is the one most comfortable with dealing with the fae who pass through there.

[thefreelanceangel]

I posted 607 times in 2022

427 posts created (70%)

180 posts reblogged (30%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@fair-fae

@luck-and-larceny

@dumb-hat

@phoebe-of-ivalice

@raulin-gage

I tagged 607 of my posts in 2022

#ffxiv - 539 posts

#screenshots - 354 posts

#ooc - 118 posts

#c'allie kyho - 75 posts

#annalei d'latu - 74 posts

#prompts - 72 posts

#bitchbunny - 57 posts

#esti kyton - 46 posts

#catte house - 39 posts

#miqomarch - 33 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#your taste in media--be it rp that you write or movies you watch--does not reflect your morals or your moral worth or your personal ideals

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

25 notes - Posted September 8, 2022

#4

28 notes - Posted August 24, 2022

#3

See the full post

39 notes - Posted August 16, 2022

#2

cool cats

47 notes - Posted September 28, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

New Here from Twitter?

If you’re leaping out of the sinking ship and onto the battered raft that is Tumblr and you’re here for FFXIV content, allow me to give you a little helping hand in who to follow!

@luck-and-larceny -- Marvelous screenshots, a delightful character with thoroughly enjoyable writing and the player is absolutely glorious. Bonus is you also get led to @dumb-hat & @kestrelvylbrand, both of whom also have delightful writing, fun aesthetics (especially if you like foul-mouthed birds) and thoroughly enjoyable characters! (There’s an @argentrenard in there too if I’m not mistaken...)

@phoebe-of-ivalice -- Just quietly sit down and sigh along with me at the screenshots, I don’t know how they made a bunny that gorgeous but siiiiiiiiiiigh....

@fair-fae -- Really no introduction needed for Fae, all things considered, but I do enjoy the “delicate teacups, dainty aesthetics, abrupt bloody mouths, lacy curtains” dichotomy very well. 

@gray-morality -- @kuro8529‘s IC blog (the Black Snack DM is a delight and a glory) for a criminal bun with a delightful story and you get a bonus @catscratching in the bargain!

@katalinhunter -- Watch this space for Cirque events and fun screenshots!

@gatheredfates -- has as many alts as me and posts marvelous work, you get @riftdancing for free as a bonus for more fascinating characters!

@windup-dragoon -- Kiri is the one player-made character that I accept as being a canon character's love interest, so she and Hien are a Thing in my FFXIV headcanon.

@shroudkeeper -- gorgeous screenshots and personal lore I haven't figured out yet but INTERESTS me.

@onyaponko -- sob over the screenshots with me they're too good ><

@arbiterofthedead -- for fun necromancy vibes, good story and you get a free @spellsandtales in the bargain!

@sajiri -- The art is so good y'all...

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast -- runs the FFXIVWrite contests and puts all of us through our own personal hell, which we engage in delightedly and by choice.

@eligos-venator -- some NICE screenshots & interesting OC lore via prompt responses, which is fascinating because I think that’s the only writing there, but there’s so MUCH.

231 notes - Posted November 17, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[selfdestructivecat]

I posted 8,005 times in 2022

112 posts created (1%)

7,893 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

counterfeitubiquity

thecrowinacrown

artistically-gay

rukafais

what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me

I tagged 1,731 of my posts in 2022

#toh spoilers - 160 posts

#the owl house spoilers - 157 posts

#save - 97 posts

#myasks - 65 posts

#my ramblings - 64 posts

#ask game - 55 posts

#sanders sides - 40 posts

#sanders sides disney trivia saga - 37 posts

#fanart - 36 posts

#ts spoilers - 36 posts

Longest Tag: 118 characters

#i guess where it falls apart is that i think it would be strange to have another side that’s a ‘dark’ version of roman

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Part one of “Prinxiety AUs based on games by Greg Lobanov because all of his games are incredible.”

Wandersong is such a special game to me. The story is so moving, and the characters are all so fun! Would 100% recommend! If anyone wants to know more about this game, I’d be happy to share! Like I said, this game means a lot to me, and it would mean the world if I could inspire someone else to pick it up.

I know that the Bard isn’t a perfect fit for Roman, being a pacifist who prefers to avoid fighting at all costs. In all honesty, I can see Audrey being a much better fit for him. But Miriam was literally SCREAMING Virgil, both personality wise and aesthetically, and I thought the idea of a little charismatic Bard, someone who moves people with their songs and wants to be a hero, was also a good fit for our favorite Creative Side.

(And I wanted it to be Prinxiety so badly so shhhhhh)

209 notes - Posted April 6, 2022

#4

(Click for better quality!)

I had the incredible honor of collaborating with @wistful-wish in this year’s @sandersidesbigbang ! You know I can’t resist a good Prinxiety fic. And set in a fantasy AU with half the cast as fae? Virgil as an all-powerful fae prince? Roman as the himbo human prince that Virgil can’t help but fall for? The choice literally made itself for me lol

Go check out Tessa’s fic! She worked SO hard on it and it’s AMAZING!!! Also, go check out the incredible art @briandthemoon did for the fic! It was so cool working alongside such a talented artist, and their art for the fic is absolutely gorgeous!

213 notes - Posted September 9, 2022

#3

100 Kisses

Ao3

A/N: My first fic for this fandom! Of course it had to be Prinxiety because the brainrot is real lol

HUGE thanks to @lovelivingmydreams for reading over it for me! Romance is really hard for me to write (despite how much I love it), so her help was very much appreciated! Thank you so much!

I hope you guys enjoy!

Words: 3023

Rating: T

Genre: Tooth-Rotting Fluff

Pairings: Roman/Virgil (Prinxiety)

Warnings/Triggers: Lots of kissing. I mean, LOTS of kissing. Otherwise, nothing I can think of. This is just pure fluff ^.^

Summary: Roman makes a silly request, not expecting Virgil to agree. Virgil surprises him.

It’s a quiet day in the Mindscape. For once, Thomas is right on schedule, much to Logan’s delight, and he has no appointments to attend or projects to complete for a while. As such, the Sides were all in agreement that Thomas deserves a day or two to himself filled with junk food and mindless television.

Roman usually despises silence. His flavor of creativity is loud, all bright colors and toe-tapping lyrics intended to capture an audience’s attention. He is most confident with a song on his lips, lyrics weaving around him like silk ribbons. He feels strongest with a sword in his hands and a dragon’s roar thrumming in his eardrums, his own battle cry rising to meet it. He is bold with his movements, headstrong in his opinions, and passionate in his actions. He is Prince Roman, brash and striking and loud. And he loves being loud.

But sometimes, he can appreciate the beauty in silence. He can recall an early morning when he had woken up before anyone else, a curious occurrence for a prince who preferred to sleep in. The common room had been drenched in cool tones, the last dregs of night barely clinging on. He had been pouring himself a bowl of cereal, whistling to himself to fill the suffocating stillness, when a soft beam of gold had pierced the darkness like an arrow to a monster’s heart. The tune Roman had been whistling was suddenly caught in his throat as he beheld the most gorgeous sunrise he had ever seen. Suddenly, the silence had presence, as if it were lifting the sun into the sky. Roman couldn’t breathe for a few seconds, afraid that the sound of his breaths would tear into this gorgeous image and send the sun cascading back down to earth.

See the full post

278 notes - Posted April 16, 2022

#2

(Click for Better Quality!)

Hello I’d like to report an attempted murder? Yeah this dress tried to kill me. This DRESS, with its INTRICATE PATTERNS AND LAYERS, nearly KILLED ME.

(But damn if it isn’t a look.)

Despite the complexity of the outfit, I HAD to do @hyperfixated-homo ‘s DTIYS! It was just too good!

Congratulations again for 100 followers, Shadow! You absolutely deserve them and more!

295 notes - Posted September 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Thinking about how in the new video Virgil explicitly said how he wasn’t “on Patton’s side” and how they simply were supporting the same thing.

Brb gonna cry now.

408 notes - Posted August 26, 2022

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